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

[SeamUp]

According to the Guardian, Bayliss wants to look at Moeen Ali and Alex Hales at the top of the order in the ODI series with Zafar Ansari in reserve.

Supposedly Gary Ballace will return to the test squad as reserve batsman but I think this came before Ian Bell's possibility of retiring so still seen as ahead of James Taylor/James Vince.

 

[Pothas]

Much as it pains me to say it I'd open with Hales in the UAE instead of Ali, at least partly on the fact that I don't think England would play Ali as an opener against South Africa and I'd rather not just throw whoever in against South Africa after using a makeshift opener in the previous series.

Yeah I am with this. I don't think Hales is going to be good but I think it would be an awful move for Moeen long term, would much rather he just go to 7.

 

[91Jmay]

I'd have no problem opening Ali in UAE then giving Hales his debut in South Africa as a long term opener. It is about winning matches for me, and think that combo gives us the best chance.

 

[Pothas]

If he does really well will they really put him back to 8 afterwards though? Hales making his debut against South Africa could be nasty as well.

 

[Niall]

If he does really well will they really put him back to 8 afterwards though? Hales making his debut against South Africa could be nasty as well.

No obvious solution is their?

Mc Cullum for the first time in absolute ages opened in the third test in the UAE and it was a massive success. Every NZ fan knew it was a short term move, but why should they have cared, their focus was on winning the test.Ignore South Africa for now, winning in the UAE should be England's only objective.

Ultimately ask yourself who is more likely to do better against Pakistan, Hales or Ali?

Screw the South Africa tour for now.

 

[GIMH]

What's Robson up to

 

[Pothas]

Not a lot. Like every other opener we have dropped.

 

[91Jmay]

Yeah, Ali can go back to 6 if Ben Stokes applied himself a bit more he'd be amazing as an 8 in SA but he seems to treat being put down the order as an excuse not to bat properly. I also would move Ali back down to 8 for SA even if he does well and bring Hales in.

 

[Niall]

Is their not a Bangladesh tour as well squeezed in between Pakistan and South Africa?

I suppose you could chance Hales opening in that if you want to see how he can adopt to the longer format. Bangla spinners nowhere near the class of Yasir.

 

[Pothas]

No obvious solution is their?

Mc Cullum for the first time in absolute ages opened in the third test in the UAE and it was a massive success. Every NZ fan knew it was a short term move, but why should they have cared, their focus was on winning the test.Ignore South Africa for now, winning in the UAE should be England's only objective.

Ultimately ask yourself who is more likely to do better against Pakistan, Hales or Ali?

Screw the South Africa tour for now.

As others have mentioned though McCullum had opened before, it is not at all similar. If they are going to go for an opener/spinner it should probably be Ansari.

 

[grecian]

Taylor coming in will give KP someone to abuse on Twitter so that would be good.

It's amazing the amount of people wanting Hales in, I'm really struggling to think of a player that is less likely to succeed in Test cricket.

Oh well I'll probably be proven wrong, but hype selections like this annoy the hell out of me. To think how few times Ali Brown played for England, because he was considered a slogger, and yet this far inferior version will no doubt play 100's of ODI's despite not actually being good at it, and now Tests. As for Hendrix saying Hales comes in for Ali in South Africa, yeah that'll be really good to see Hales trying to smack Steyn, Morkel and Vernon out of the attack.

Oh and could people stop saying Bairstow is a better 'keeper then Buttler, there seems to be almost zero facts from actually watching the 2 to back it up.

 

[Pothas]

It is safe to say I have never been a Hales fan but I just can't see another option. Maybe I can convince myself Ansari is a good idea, which it almost certainly is not.

 

[LegionOfBrad]

Bell contemplating retirement apparently.Id get out while that test average is still above 40 fella.

He'd need to have an enormous run of ducks to do it this winter.

He's not getting dropped as they can't afford to with all the others being not up to it and he has at least proved he has the ability.

If he retires fair enough but I still think he has another golden series in him.

 

[LegionOfBrad]

On Hales. If they have him lined up for SA he should play in UAE IMO.

 

[grecian]

Pick someone else, rather than someone you think will fail will be my radical idea. Ansari maybe a terrible pick, but at least he bowls too, or Borthwick, who bats at number 3 for Durham on one of the trickiest pitches around. Or take a punt on a youngster, or go for Mitchell, go back to Compton there really isn't just one option.

Not someone who may thrash it about on benign pitches but then will fail as soon as it doesn't. BTW i'm not convinced he would suceed even on benign tracks.

 

[LegionOfBrad]

@grecian Compo was massively stiffed at the time and bringing him back not the worst idea in the world. He's not a dasher which is what we were severely lacking this summer. Especially after Ballance was dropped.

 

[grecian]

@grecian Compo was massively stiffed at the time and bringing him back not the worst idea in the world. He's not a dasher which is what we were severely lacking this summer. Especially after Ballance was dropped.

TBH, I'm probably off the Compo train now, he hasn't really scored the runs he should have done to force himself back in the side, but I'd prefer him to Hales.

 

[Pothas]

If Bell does retire I am just going to ignore his awful season and say we should go with Vince, Root will have to go to 3. Bairstow probably should be given the UAE but maybe Ballance back in for him at 5.

 

[91Jmay]

Ballance got runs for Yorkies the other day and if his form holds he should go to UAE as spare batsmen really. He was good against spin when he first played Test cricket, wasn't there a stat about him averaging over 100 against it for a while?

 

[Furball]

Stokes and Buttler can both **** off after their dismissals against Lyon at the Oval. Any half decent spinner would be desperate for a crack at batsmen who drive at balls not full enough to drive with zero footwork.