fredfertang
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Moeen is an absolute star, but his prime talent seems to me to be riding his luck - he won't be able to do that from the top of the order
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**Official** Pakistan and England in the UAE 2015/16
- Thread starter broadyfan94
- Start date
hendrix
Hall of Fame Member
He will in the UAE.
Woodster
International Captain
Yes could be a horses for courses selection in putting Moeen at the top in the UAE, exploiting that bit of zip with the new ball, but inevitably dropping back down the order for SA where I'm pretty sure he would be tormented by Steyn, Morkel, etc, but of course wouldn't be the first or last opening bat to suffer this in SA.
Flem274*
123/5
See - Hafeez, Mohammad
Niall
International Coach
Nail. On. The. Head.
TheJammyTurtle
U19 Cricketer
On Hafeez,does anyone see Pakistan dropping him now that he can't bowl?I mean,that did seem part of the deal in having him open,and they may be tempted by what looks a more solid opening pairing in Shehzad and Masood.Hafeez's test batting form in the last 12 months is pretty good though,all being said.
The Battlers Prince
International Vice-Captain
Hafeez' at that age nearing the golden years of most Pakistan batsman lately. But he's had a solid time of late, I'd leave him in the side at this stage
Viscount Tom
International Debutant
He's hardly likely to do any worse than whoever else we throw in there.
smash84
The Tiger King
I would prefer to go with Masood and Shahzad since Hafeez can no longer bowl. But Hafeez's batting in the UAE hasn't been too bad. Although i don't see the point of sticking with him anymore. Might as well give more experience to PEWS's pet hate (Masood)
Ok so the ODI series has cured me of the strange affliction of wanting Hales to play. I was dead against Bell moving to 3 but have now think he has to open, if he wants to prolong his career I think he should be told to go there. If he fails that is the end for him, if not we have potentially solved a problem for a little while.
Cook
Bell
Root
Taylor/Ballance
Bairstow
Stokes
Moeen
Buttler
Rashid
Broad
Anderson
Ansari should go as well for sure, maybe Finn or Wood in for a batsman but I think we need the batting depth. Ballance, Taylor and Bairtow playing for two spots. I want Vince in one of them long term though.
Cook
Bell
Root
Taylor/Ballance
Bairstow
Stokes
Moeen
Buttler
Rashid
Broad
Anderson
Ansari should go as well for sure, maybe Finn or Wood in for a batsman but I think we need the batting depth. Ballance, Taylor and Bairtow playing for two spots. I want Vince in one of them long term though.
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mr_mister
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Playing a Pakistan career in ICC 2015 and just reached this series, 1-1. Shezad with a century,2 fifties and a couple of thirties was my best batsman. Pity it's already out of date as it has Lyth scoring tons of runs at the top of the order. I've thrust Aamer back into the frame and he's playing like a boss, already taken a 5 for
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Lillian Thomson
Hall of Fame Member
Can't see Hayles now being picked as a Test opener considering he's hardly scored a run in the format he's supposed to be proficient at. I wouldn't be surprised if they stick with Lyth for another series.
grecian
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Odd this generally, I like most sane people, don't believe in not picking someone because they've failed in another format. Yet as I didn't think he should be anywhere near the Test team, I'm happy with this now.
I'm quite glad Roy didn't review that second Starc LBW, despite it starting the one-sided horror of this deciding match, if he'd got a score I could see an equally, hideous in it's wrongness, campaign for him to be England opener.
Lillian Thomson
Hall of Fame Member
I think, to give the selectors the benefit of the doubt, Hales would only have got in based on his ODI form due to the lack of options. Probably on some thinly vailed loose reasoning that he'd shown at least he has a temperament for International cricket.
I think that's what I'd do, the bottom line is there isn't a specialist opener really pushing in county cricket to be given a shot. In fact there doesn't seem to be much pushing in any direction from county cricket at the moment in any department. Traditionally the UAe is a grave yard for fast bowlers, so Broad, Anderson and Stokes as a third seamer to bowl a dozen overs is probably all that's needed. Some logic to taking a left-arm spinner if Ali and Rashid are nailed on picks. Can't see the logic in leaving out Stokes for a specialist batsman as I don't see any specialist batsman currently holding up their hand and showing they are clearly a better bat than he's been this summer. Can't see the wickets suiting Finn at all and although Woods showed bits of potential the bottom line is he took fewer wickets at a higher average than Stokes in The Ashes, so I don't see a strong argument for picking him as a bowler over Stokes. I think the other off-spinners mentioned are all an anything but Ali pick, however some are spinners who don't spin it and the others haven't really made a compelling case. Ali does give the ball a decent rip and seems to be getting in to some kind of bowling form - probably takes him longer to get back a bowling rhythm after injury due to being relatively new to being a serious spinner. Almost by default I'd go
Cook, Taylor, Bell, Root, Bairstow (with serious doubts), Stokes (above Ali due to Stokes batting so badly further down the order - for me Ali is the better bat), Ali, Buttler (must do a lot better or look elsewhere), Rashid (not convinced he can cut out too many bad balls to be a test cricketer, but deserves a shot on a turning wicket), Broad, Anderson. Wouldn't shock me if Ashari got the nod instead of Bairstow or Buttler, on the basis that with 3 spinners in the side there must be a chance one will bowl well and at least there is some variation! Bairstow and Buttler both seem to have flaws in their batting technique which gets found out at test level.
theegyptian
International Vice-Captain
TBF Hales has scored 886 runs @ 52.11 in Div 1 this year and 954 runs @ 50.21 last year. This compares favourably with any top order batsmen, with the exception of Adam Lyth, over the last two years. Anyone they pick at this point will be a massive punt.
He was possibly being flippant. Anyway I don't think Taylor as opener is a good option. He isn't a long term bet as he's too much of a lbw and knick off candidate against the new ball and has very rarely batted above 4 in the order in first class cricket - and as one of the better players of spin he's better off in the middle order. Bell or even Stokes (if he didn't have to bowl) are better horses for courses openers in that spot as both will struggle to start against spin and prefer pace and a newer ball. It's tough to know how good anyone is against quality spin these days given the lack of it but I'd fancy Taylor to do as well as anyone in the England side bar Root and probably Cook (if selected).
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