**Official** Pakistan and England in the UAE 2015/16

[King Pietersen]

Bowling poorly again domestically. Only 7 wickets at 38 in 5 games. Should still be in the One Day squads, but never been a good red-ball bowler. Ridiculous that he played ahead of Rashid in the West Indies.

 

[FBU]

I think England hope to open with Ali.

Cook, Ali, Bell, Root, Taylor, Bairstow, Stokes, Buttler, Rashid, Broad Anderson
Reserves: Ballance, Ansari, Wood, Finn

 

[marc71178]

The Stokes problem here is that I don't know if he can be trusted to be the 3rd seamer in a side but if you pick a more frontline 3rd seamer then the batting lineup feels too short.

 

[91Jmay]

Yeah he is a concern as the 3rd seamer, but I suppose Root gives you more overs in the UAE so that is somewhat lessen the importance of the 3rd seamer.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Yasir Shah should start talking about a mystery ball like Warne and Ajmal to troll the English players.

 

[marc71178]

Yeah he is a concern as the 3rd seamer, but I suppose Root gives you more overs in the UAE so that is somewhat lessen the importance of the 3rd seamer.

Surely Root will be the 3rd spinner though so not sure how much a difference that makes?

 

[GIMH]

Surely Root will be the 3rd spinner though so not sure how much a difference that makes?

Depends how many overs of spin we need I guess. I mean it obviously winds up with Stokes at first change which I guess is your primary concern but he won't necessarily be needed for more overs than he is normally anyway

 

[Contra]

a big factor in the NZ success in uae was baz. I can't see cook being so successful in taking apart the pak spinners. Baz when in the mood just totally kills the opposition attack

I think part of NZ's success against Pak in that test also had to do with Phil Hughes's passing away, Pakistan basically admitted to not being in the mood to play properly, NZ obviously coped with the issue a lot better in terms of a cricketing POV, and of course played better.

 

[91Jmay]

Surely Root will be the 3rd spinner though so not sure how much a difference that makes?

Because if Root can bowl 5-10 overs per day and we have two frontline spinners Stoke's workload won't be much difference. If the pitches turn from Day 1 then he might not even be first change.

 

[Flem274*]

I think part of NZ's success against Pak in that test also had to do with Phil Hughes's passing away, Pakistan basically admitted to not being in the mood to play properly, NZ obviously coped with the issue a lot better in terms of a cricketing POV, and of course played better.

**** off mccullum wanted to take the team home but they were told to play. get off pakpassion.

 

[TheJammyTurtle]

**** off mccullum wanted to take the team home but they were told to play. get off pakpassion.

It is too an extent though,at least when Pakistan resumed their innings on what was the second day,I remember they were 281/3,and I'm not even sure they reached 350.Mark Craig got a 7-for,without ever doing anything extravagant,most of the batsmen just seemed to gift their wickets to him,they didn't seem as if they were in the right mind at all.

 

[Niall]

Yeah so assuming Lyth fails in the second innings, that should be that for him.

Can anybody give me a better option that Ali opening?

Just have a look at how well Hafeez has done in the UAE, why can't Ali have similar sort of success in these conditions?

Might as well go with Hales if Ali is to left field, not sure he is ready to open in test cricket, but **** it everyone else has been tried.

Daryl Mitchell? No thanks.

Buttler is the other big concern at the moment, at times hasn't had a clue against Lyon, needs Mahela to earn his coin as Yasir will own him.

 

[morgieb]

Yeah so assuming Lyth fails in the second innings, that should be that for him.

Can anybody give me a better option that Ali opening?

Just have a look at how well Hafeez has done in the UAE, why can't Ali have similar sort of success in these conditions?

Might as well go with Hales if Ali is to left field, not sure he is ready to open in test cricket, but **** it everyone else has been tried.

Daryl Mitchell? No thanks.

Buttler is the other big concern at the moment, at times hasn't had a clue against Lyon, needs Mahela to earn his coin as Yasir will own him.

Two issues with Ali opening:

1. It would confuse his role again. That's crucial given he's still developing as a spinner.
2. If he succeeds, what do you do in South Africa?

 

[OverratedSanity]

It is too an extent though,at least when Pakistan resumed their innings on what was the second day,I remember they were 281/3,and I'm not even sure they reached 350.Mark Craig got a 7-for,without ever doing anything extravagant,most of the batsmen just seemed to gift their wickets to him,they didn't seem as if they were in the right mind at all.

That's just Pakistan being Pakistan. Saying they were too distracted by Hughes' death is a copout.

PakPassion was unbearably bad during that time.

 

[Howsie]

I think part of NZ's success against Pak in that test also had to do with Phil Hughes's passing away, Pakistan basically admitted to not being in the mood to play properly, NZ obviously coped with the issue a lot better in terms of a cricketing POV, and of course played better.

Poor old Pakistan huh. Could've sworn New Zealand wanted the game called off but were forced to go ahead by Pakistan and it's board. McCullum didn't want to be there, he knew Hughes fairly well, hence the slogging from ball one. Nevermind Kane Williamson, he and Hughes were really good mates. He pretty much begged the management to get him out of the game. I'll never forget him standing there before the start of day two just absolutely bawling his eyes out, poor kid.

Jog on and get ****ed.

 

[Niall]

Two issues with Ali opening:

1. It would confuse his role again. That's crucial given he's still developing as a spinner.
2. If he succeeds, what do you do in South Africa?

He will have Rashid who will share spin duties which will massively ease the burden. He batted at the top of the order for Worc and for England in ODI cricket so its not as leftfield as some are suggesting.

South Africa? Good question.

I dunno really, their really isn't that many options when it comes to opening. I'd be tempted to persist with Ali if he does will in the UAE and Bangladesh opening.

Its a long time away, so I think England will be content to focus on the SC for now.

 

[theegyptian]

I'd go Taylor over Ballance for the spare batsman role - Taylor plays spin pretty well rather like Root - and has turned his season around in the last month or so after working with Peter Moores.
Bairstow and Buttler cover the wicketkeeping backup scenarios.
Lyth goes because there is no-one else - and I think he has the capacity to succeed just he got a little confused with his approach for the first couple of tests. Tried to follow others in the team and be positive when he has made most of his runs over the last couple of years being very selective early on and gradually expanding his game as the innings continued.
Another spinner to go with Ali and Rashid, preferably someone who can bowl long spells and reliable. But there is no-one. If they wanted to take Ansari I'd get rid of one of Ali or Rashid but I'd probably wouldn't take Ansari.

Not sure about Ali in general now. He's had a good run and signs of improvement are limited. Bowling has been poor since the world cup and batting is limited by the fact that he is batting 8 - so they obviously don't think that much of it.

Think I go with Hales now. If Lyth had put together one decent knock I'd have been inclined to take him but he hasn't. No fan of Hales but he's scored runs and if he ever got to 20 or 30 he might rack up a big score in test cricket in quick time. They've tried the conventional accumulators at the top, they've probably gotta change it up in the absence of anyone really standing out. Best case scenario Hales turns into a Tres like opener who'll occasionally win you a game with a quick, big hundred but also fail a lot (not sure Tres failed too much but Hales has runs of low scores). Worst case scenario- he fails like the rest of the openers.

Still think they need a spinner who they can rely on even if they aren't taking a load of wickets. Ali can't pitch two balls in the same spot but delivers the odd good delivery. Rashid will probably be cannon fodder.

Looking at the first class figures this season as far as I can tell the spinners who've bowled the most overs are

Ansari = Overs-380.3, 39 wickets, 32.41 average, 3.32 economy
Batty = 295.2, 30, 27.03, 2.74
Kerrigan= 321.4, 30, 29.6, 2.76


Wouldn't take Ansari with Ali and Rashid because things could go badly wrong with any of them and I feel the squad will need the one reliable spin bowler who is used to bowling long spells.

Probably leaves Batty, Kerrigan or Tredwell.

My choice last winter was Batty but as they didn't go there last year so they won't this. Kerrigan is somewhat risky given his debut but at least he's used to bowling long spells fairly consistently.Tredwell has again not taken many wickets but is known and didn't do badly last winter.

 

[Pothas]

It will definitely be Rashid though won't it?

It will be Hales as well you would have thought, I say it with little enthusiasm but it can't really be anybody else. Bairstow should probably be given the UAE series at least, if Bell is anything like he was last time we were out there then he will be done come the end of the tour.

 

[Howe_zat]

Bit weird to compare Moeen Ali to people like Hafeez or McCullum i.e. accomplished international batsmen with bags of experience right through the order in both formats

 

[Adders]

Haven't read all this thread but despite regaining the Ashes the frailty in our batting cannot be ignored and it's something the selectors are going to have to look at for these upcoming series. As far as I'm concerned only Cook and Root are secure in their places in the top order.

Cook.
??
??
Root
??
Stokes (Safe in the side but I do think 6 is a spot too high ideally)
Butler (his position is be no means a lock, but I'm sticking with him for now)
Ali (Should he be at 6 and push everyone down 1??)
Rashid (For UAE, Finn for SA)
Broad
Anderson

I reckon Bell is lucky that there are so many spots up for grabs and he probably did just enough at 3 to keep his spot for now........time is definitely against him though.

So yet another opener for Cook and a No 5 batsmen........mail your applications together with your CV to jobs@ecb.co.uk