*Official* West Indies Tour of England 2020

[aussie tragic]

I always liked the ICC rankings but can't get on board with Stokes averaging 38.58 being the #3 Test batsman in the World behind Kohli and Smith.

Williamson, Pujara and even Labuschagne come lately are much better bats than him at the moment. If only they could play to topple him...

 

[BoyBrumby]

vaughan showing what a classless piece of **** he is again

glossing over the racist abuse and telling archer to just accept it and that its no different from the abuse he gets

ignoring the difference in the offensiveness of the abuse and ignoring the fact that archer doesn't goad the abuse out of people like vaughan does with his full time professional troll act

such a loathsome individual

Mick Vaughan's #Wanker'sLivesMatter campaign starts here.

 

[vcs]

I always liked the ICC rankings but can't get on board with Stokes averaging 38.58 being the #3 Test batsman in the World behind Kholi and Smith.

Williamson, Pujara and even Labuschagne come lately are much better bats than him at the moment. If only they could play to topple him...

It's based on recent form though and not career average, so Stokes probably averages 50+ with the bat since 2018.

 

[OverratedSanity]

The implication from Vaughan that being offended by racist abuse constitutes some form of mental weakness is so loathsome.

 

[aussie tragic]

It's based on recent form though and not career average, so Stokes probably averages 50+ with the bat since 2018.

Doesn't Labuschagne average 64 over same period and that's with a very slow start so would be much better over last 12 months?

 

[flibbertyjibber]

It's based on recent form though and not career average, so Stokes probably averages 50+ with the bat since 2018.

Last 16 tests from start of 2019 he has an average of 55 with the bat and 4 hundreds against good attacks too.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Stokes averages 70+ this year. Certainly not a crazy idea to have him no.3 imo.

 

[Bijed]

Doesn't Labuschagne average 64 over same period and that's with a very slow start so would be much better over last 12 months?

I think they're actually tied in the rankings. I don't know how much weighting the ICC's formula gives to home/away, bowling attacks etc but depending on exactly the period in questions (i.e how much how Stokes' fair average returns up until Lords last year come in to the equation) it could explain the difference

 

[aussie tragic]

Stokes averages 70+ this year. Certainly not a crazy idea to have him no.3 imo.

If you were picking a World XI #3-5 batting line up (based on batting alone) would you seriously pick Stokes as 3rd batsman behind Smith and Kohli?

 

[Flem274*]

rankings are just a form guide. stokes being up there is fine.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

rankings are just a form guide. stokes being up there is fine.

Yeah, not like we expect him to remain there but he has had an astonishing 12 months by anyones standards and he is an all rounder not a specialist bat.

 

[Bijed]

If you were picking a World XI #3-5 batting line up (based on batting alone) would you seriously pick Stokes as 3rd batsman behind Smith and Kohli?

If you're limiting it to specifically those positions then possibly not, but right now he'd be my #6 in a World XI on batting alone

 

[Howe_zat]

Probably would bat him at 6 rather than 5 in world XI but it doesn't really matter, he's pretty much playing like god right now, no chance he misses the team

 

[trundler]

Recency must be a factor too. If you take Stoke's last couple of series and compare them to Labu, he must be up there.

 

[aussie tragic]

If you're limiting it to specifically those positions then possibly not, but right now he'd be my #6 in a World XI on batting alone

I said 3-5 because that's where the top 2 batsmen currently bat and Stokes is not an opener.

Btw I think he's an automatic choice as #6 in a World XI as an amazing allrounder that beats any #5-6 batsman alone.

 

[Jack1]

Very surprised England have retained Bess ahead of Leach.

 

[aussie tragic]

Have I got this right, Anderson and Woods not in 3rd test squad? I thought ECB said they were only rested from last Test?

 

[Howe_zat]

They've retained the XI from the last test as well as all of Anderson, Archer and Wood.

I think sticking with Bess makes it more likely they'll pick neither of Curran and Woakes and run with the weaker tail. I probably would have given Leach a go as more suited to the Windies' right-handers, but that'd mean perhaps sacrificing something from the pace bowling to play Curran at 8.

I'm guessing

[batsmen]
Bess
Archer
Broad
Anderson

 

[harsh.ag]

So, Anderson Broad Archer. Sounds good. Don't need Woakes if you have the first two. Bess being retained is lazy though, regardless of his batting.

 

[wpdavid]

They've retained the XI from the last test as well as all of Anderson, Archer and Wood.

I think sticking with Bess makes it more likely they'll pick neither of Curran and Woakes and run with the weaker tail. I probably would have given Leach a go as more suited to the Windies' right-handers, but that'd mean perhaps sacrificing something from the pace bowling to play Curran at 8.

I'm guessing

[batsmen]
Bess
Archer
Broad
Anderson

Agreed on all counts.