Roy’s spot at the top should not be in doubt

[OverratedSanity]

I think a high 20s averaging opener can be a positive addition to a weak lineup if he regularly sees off the new ball atleast. Kind of like a better version of Akash Chopra.

 

[TheJediBrah]

The only thing making Burns a high-20s averaging opener rather than high-teens is luck at this stage. Can't see him maintaining that against the better bowling attacks.

 

[Prince EWS]

I think a high 20s averaging opener can be a positive addition to a weak lineup if he regularly sees off the new ball atleast. Kind of like a better version of Akash Chopra.

This is where I think Denly's thing of constantly getting starts may not be totally useless opening the way it is at #4, especially since he's, you know, an opener.

He's not a Test standard batsman but if you've only got two of those you don't just go in with eight bowlers or seven players. They've gotta pick someone. Eventually you get to the point where "no I know we've got good players, we've just gotta try the batch of players we initially thought were 45th-50th best" is kidding yourself and you're just weakening the team.

 

[Pothas]

Agree with that in general but the thing is that Denly was a weird pick in the first place. He was at least in part picked because they thought he might be able to bowl some spin in Sri Lanka.

 

[Jarquis]

When was the last time Denly actually opened?

 

[Prince EWS]

Agree with that in general but the thing is that Denly was a weird pick in the first place. He was at least in part picked because they thought he might be able to bowl some spin in Sri Lanka.

Yeah I thought it was a **** pick at the time too tbf. If he was dropped I wouldn't complain at all. It did seem like a good opportunity for me to pedal my general theory of not over-rating your stocks though.

I think quasi-following Zimbabwe for years gave me some perspective on it too. If Zimbabwe dropped batsmen every time they decided they "weren't Test standard" then they'd quickly end up massively weakening the team as they only produce a few players per generation that England for example would consider Test standard, and some of those end up overseas too. Part of selection is getting a gauge on just how good your stocks are and I guess in a way settling for performance that matches that. Even the good teams "settle" for batsmen averaging mid 40s when in theory replacements could be averaging mid 50s instead. There's always a bit of an implicit element of this in every dropping.

 

[Pothas]

England obviously did that early on with the openers, Carberry and Compton for sure. Maybe with Malan last summer as well. Ballance as well I suppose although you had the obvious technical problems there, I was always reluctant for England to discard him though as he was one of the very few who had actually scored runs. Would not even hate it if he came back now.

 

[morgieb]

England obviously did that early on with the openers, Carberry and Compton for sure. Maybe with Malan last summer as well. Ballance as well I suppose although you had the obvious technical problems there, I was always reluctant for England to discard him though as he was one of the very few who had actually scored runs. Would not even hate it if he came back now.

I think Ballance realistically needs a few Tests at 4/5. OK he's very flawed technically, but he still at least can score runs from time to time. Feel like England have picked him at **** times and have been too keen to dump him when the side loses. I don't see him succeeding, but he might at least have the chance.

Malan's form outside of Australia had been largely terrible though, and he never should've been picked in the first place. Maybe he's an Antipode (where the conditions are bouncier) specialist in a similar way that Jennings seems to do the best in Asia?

 

[Lillian Thomson]

I haven’t seen one suggestion yet that doesn’t still look like 30/3 more often than not.

 

[Prince EWS]

I haven’t seen one suggestion yet that doesn’t still look like 30/3 more often than not.

Yes exactly. It's about picking someone who could occasionally make it 100/3, or avoiding the slightly more dreaded 18/3. All options lead to this more often than not.

 

[Pothas]

I think Ballance realistically needs a few Tests at 4/5. OK he's very flawed technically, but he still at least can score runs from time to time. Feel like England have picked him at **** times and have been too keen to dump him when the side loses. I don't see him succeeding, but he might at least have the chance.

Malan's form outside of Australia had been largely terrible though, and he never should've been picked in the first place. Maybe he's an Antipode (where the conditions are bouncier) specialist in a similar way that Jennings seems to do the best in Asia?

Denly is now essentially playing instead of Malan so they have not really improved the situation. I think he was originally dropped for Pope though so that was fair enough. So weird that he has been the only player the dropped after two Tests. He will obviously be back soon though.

 

[halba]

jason roy's career at test level is over.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Denly is now essentially playing instead of Malan so they have not really improved the situation. I think he was originally dropped for Pope though so that was fair enough. So weird that he has been the only player the dropped after two Tests. He will obviously be back soon though.

Next test presumably. Can't be an unchanged top 7.

 

[Bijed]

I'm glad that for once CW has reached a consensus - Roy's spot at the top is not in doubt becuase everyone agrees he should'nt be there

 

[Spark]

The OP looks genuinely quite foolish now tbh.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Probably worth noting the only score Roy has made has been from #3...

Denly to open and Pope in at four for the next test?

 

[Lillian Thomson]

The OP looks genuinely quite foolish now tbh.

I think the word “tit” crossed the mind of most people when they first read it.

 

[GIMH]

I'd be open to giving Roy a go down the order

 

[Lillian Thomson]

I agree with that. In some ways it almost feels like he’s owed a couple of Tests in his preferred position in first class cricket.

 

[Neptune]

Well this **** aged well.