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[Cricket] England v Pakistan in the UAE



Stumpy Tim

Stumpy Tim

Well-known member
Jul 6, 2003
14,029
Back in Brighton. Well Hove actually
As the Ashes end in disappointing fashion, the selectors have decisions to make for the series in UAE. Two spinners are a must, and England's batting line-up is going to need a rejig... can't see Lyth opening. Agnew thinks England might start with Ali opening, but Hales has a good case. Bairstow hasn't really impressed, and Ballance has found his form again. For me:

Hales
Cook
Bell
Root
Ballance
Stokes
Buttler
Ali
Rashid
Broad
Anderson

Bring Ballance back, but take him out of the firing line, Stokes as third seamer.
 




Elvis

Elvis

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2010
1,413
Viva Las Hove
Agree with Rashid and the fact that Lyth is to be dropped. I like Hales a lot but wonder if the wickets in the UAE with a very decent Pakistan spin attack will be the right place for him to be blooded. Hales likes to come down the wicket and attack the bowler. I think that is why Moeen is being touted as a potential opener in the UAE.
 


Beach Hut

Beach Hut

Brighton Bhuna Boy
Jul 5, 2003
71,969
Living In a Box
Mooen gets my vote he should be way higher up the order.

Shame for Lyth but he had his chance and did not take it.
 


B

big nuts

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2011
4,866
Hove
Stumpy Tim said:
As the Ashes end in disappointing fashion, the selectors have decisions to make for the series in UAE. Two spinners are a must, and England's batting line-up is going to need a rejig... can't see Lyth opening. Agnew thinks England might start with Ali opening, but Hales has a good case. Bairstow hasn't really impressed, and Ballance has found his form again. For me:

Hales
Cook
Bell
Root
Ballance
Stokes
Buttler
Ali
Rashid
Broad
Anderson

Bring Ballance back, but take him out of the firing line, Stokes as third seamer.
Click to expand...

Bring in Wood for Hales and and that would be my eleven. Bell is extremely lucky no one is banging the door down as his form has been poor all summer.
 


U

um bongo molongo

Well-known member
Jul 26, 2004
2,673
Battersea
Hales should be given a go - good foil for Cook and has potential to be the English David Warner. Plays straight and, given licence, can add some good aggression to the top 2 we haven't had since trescothick retired. Bairstow doesn't look test quality to me and Ali is clearly batting too low.

Hales
Cook
Bell
Root
Ali
Stokes
Buttler
Rashid
Broad
Wood
Anderson
 




G

Garry Nelson's teacher

Well-known member
May 11, 2015
5,257
Bloody Worthing!
big nuts said:
Bring in Wood for Hales and and that would be my eleven. Bell is extremely lucky no one is banging the door down as his form has been poor all summer.
Click to expand...

Agree with your comments about Bell. However there is some speculation that he might be reviewing his future as a Test player? Bit worried about our batting talent pipeline........
 


K

knocky1

Well-known member
Jan 20, 2010
12,968
Garry Nelson's teacher said:
Agree with your comments about Bell. However there is some speculation that he might be reviewing his future as a Test player? Bit worried about our batting talent pipeline........
Click to expand...

Didn't know that till you mentioned. Great career. One of only 3 English players to have figured in winning 5 Ashes Series. I suppose the pipeline has to be opened at some point.
 


Eeyore

Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
NSC Patron
Apr 5, 2014
23,570
It occurred to me that Ian Salisbury still remains the best leg spinner this country has produced since I can't remember. And he was too one dimensional to ever be successful at test level.

Where have all the spinners gone ?
 




B

big nuts

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2011
4,866
Hove
knocky1 said:
Didn't know that till you mentioned. Great career. One of only 3 English players to have figured in winning 5 Ashes Series. I suppose the pipeline has to be opened at some point.
Click to expand...

I've always been a big fan of Ian Bell but his output of late has been poor and he is fortunate that very few County batsman are making a strong case for selection.

Does Ballance come back in for Bairstow? Do they look again at James Taylor? Either way I'm massively concerned about our batting against spin in the UAE and pace in South Africa.

If Cook and Root fail then we are bang in trouble as our lower middle order are great with a platform but I can't see them grinding out scores when we are 70-5.
 


K

knocky1

Well-known member
Jan 20, 2010
12,968
Brighton Lines said:
It occurred to me that Ian Salisbury still remains the best leg spinner this country has produced since I can't remember. And he was too one dimensional to ever be successful at test level.

Where have all the spinners gone ?
Click to expand...

He has been kept in the squad but foolishly not chosen to play in a dead rubber. His time wil come and the second spinner, Mr Ali, should open the batting in the desert lands.
 


B

big nuts

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2011
4,866
Hove
Brighton Lines said:
It occurred to me that Ian Salisbury still remains the best leg spinner this country has produced since I can't remember. And he was too one dimensional to ever be successful at test level.

Where have all the spinners gone ?
Click to expand...

Gary Keedy although uncapped was probably a better leg spinner than Salisbury.

Chris Schofield was billed as our great leg spinning hope played a test or two and ended up playing minor counties a few years earlier.

Would be good to see Rashid thrive but it's a tough ask, you only need to look at our last leg spinner Scott Borthwick who couldn't land it consistently and got smashed by the Aussies in the final away test.
 




K

knocky1

Well-known member
Jan 20, 2010
12,968
big nuts said:
I've always been a big fan of Ian Bell but his output of late has been poor and he is fortunate that very few County batsman are making a strong case for selection.

Does Ballance come back in for Bairstow? Do they look again at James Taylor? Either way I'm massively concerned about our batting against spin in the UAE and pace in South Africa.

If Cook and Root fail then we are bang in trouble as our lower middle order are great with a platform but I can't see them grinding out scores when we are 70-5.
Click to expand...

The finish to the Ashes was such a lacklustre effort that I need time to recover. Disgraceful behaviour. No suggestions to change from me as yet, except experimenting with Mr technique Moheen to open.
 


Eeyore

Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
NSC Patron
Apr 5, 2014
23,570
big nuts said:
Gary Keedy although uncapped was probably a better leg spinner than Salisbury.

Chris Schofield was billed as our great leg spinning hope played a test or two and ended up playing minor counties a few years earlier.

Would be good to see Rashid thrive but it's a tough ask, you only need to look at our last leg spinner Scott Borthwick who couldn't land it consistently and got smashed by the Aussies in the final away test.
Click to expand...

Rashid got a pumelling at Hove today.
 


Surf's Up

Surf's Up

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2011
10,167
Here
Hales and Taylor in for Lythe and Bell, promote Ali up to 6 and review the wicketkeeping options, Buttler is an average keeper and had a dismal series with the bat - but who to replace him with???
 




Uncle Buck

Uncle Buck

Ghost Writer
Jul 7, 2003
28,071
The problem with opening with Ali in the UAE is it is from short termism from the selectors. If we did not have a series in South Africa coming up then it might be OK.

Hales is probably next in line, hopefully it is a move similar to when they picked Trescothick, nobody was 100% sure but it worked out well.

Ballance should get runs in South Africa, his style of playing deep in his crease should be fine on their quicker wickets. Taylor may come back into the squad over the winter.

Rashid will play in the UAE, but yesterday he got carted round Hove, which is not ideal. Ansari has made a case to tour this summer, think the extra spinner in the squad maybe Tredwell, safe pick, seems to be a good tourist etc etc. The left field choice would be to take Monty, but not sure even the new man management skills in our coaching staff could cope with him...
 




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