1st Test, Edgbaston, Birmingham

[Starfighter]

We've named 14 players. No Jack Leach.

No surprise.

 

[Burgey]

Gutsy move dropping your best batsman

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Although he was obviously never going to play, and certainly not as a batsman, it will be interesting to see if any opener makes a higher score this summer.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Burns is retained? Ugh. Hope he proves me wrong, but with all the moving parts in his technique when he's not a prime nick he looks a walking wicket.

Nicking off to Hazlewood for a single figure score or your money back.

 

[Spintolose]

We've named 14 players. No Jack Leach.

Joe Root (capt), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler (wk), Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.

There can't be that many players that have played a match winning innings then been immediately dropped for the next game.

I would ask those that seem to think that most of these games won't go beyond the 3rd day. Do Eng or Crims even need to play a 'spinner'? Especially ones that are number 11s like Ali and Lyon?

 

[Malcolm]

Has Anderson fully recovered from the calf injury?

 

[trundler]

This is going to be a terrible series for batsmen if things go as expected and popular expectation is never fulfilled. I therefore don't see one of Broad and Cummins having a very good series. Starc might disappoint also.

 

[Burgey]

There can't be that many players that have played a match winning innings then been immediately dropped for the next game.

There are two other blokes who’ve been cut from a squad for this series alone who made tons in their last test

 

[Flem274*]

i think i would play

titanic
hindenburg
bairstow
root
buttler
stokes
woakes
moeen
curran
broad
anderson

i'd give one of anderson and archer a break since they're coming off injuries and you don't want to risk both going down in the first test.

everyone below root is kind of interchangeable in batting position, i just avoided stokes at #5 because i don't like balanced allrounders that high.

 

[Spintolose]

From the squad, my team would be:

Bairstow (wk)
Roy
Root (time to stop bottling it Joe).
Buttler
Stokes
Curran
Denly
Woakes
Broad
Stones/Archer (Archer if 100% fit).
Anderson

 

[marc71178]

Thank god you’re not a selector then.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Can't see the selectors risking Archer or persuading Root to move from four, so it's this I think:

Burns
Roy
Denly
Root*
Stokes
Buttler
Bairstow+
Woakes
Ali
Broad
Anderson

 

[Starfighter]

I think the fact that they've picked Archer in the squad shows they're willing to risk him, though of course he won't play if he's definitely not fit on the day.

 

[Flem274*]

if broad shits the bed he's definitely worth a look, tho im concerned his natural length might be frustratingly slightly too short.

 

[Starfighter]

I just realised that this is the sixth Ashes series I've followed and I have the least confidence in the batting of the combined sides that I've had for any of them.

 

[Spintolose]

Thank god you’re not a selector then.

Anything constructive to add to your trolling empty sound-bite?

 

[Spintolose]

Can't see the selectors risking Archer or persuading Root to move from four, so it's this I think:

Burns
Roy
Denly
Root*
Stokes
Buttler
Bairstow+
Woakes
Ali
Broad
Anderson

Root could essentially be batting at 3 anyway if the openers don't stick around too long, as some are expecting.?

Hussein didn't even bother with any openers when picking his Ashes starting line-up ?

 

[andruid]

The BBC website has one of their interactive choose your team for the First Test things running and among the opening bat options is Alastair Cook.

I thought now would be good time to pine for some Ian Bell

 

[marc71178]

Anything constructive to add to your trolling empty sound-bite?

Yes, the team you’ve selected is **** and unbalanced and playing people out of position.

 

[Pothas]

Can't see the selectors risking Archer or persuading Root to move from four, so it's this I think:

Burns
Roy
Denly
Root*
Stokes
Buttler
Bairstow+
Woakes
Ali
Broad
Anderson

Yeah got to expect this to be the side. Moeen will probably still come in ahead of Woakes and maybe Buttler above Stokes.

Howe said it in one of these threads that we they are never going to find themselves a top order by not picking any batsmen so it is what it is. Even more so since you really can't see any case for Bairstow batting in the top 3.