England players and selection discussion thread

[Pothas]

Well Pope would be under pressure I guess. Someone would have to bat 3 though.

 

[grecian]

Smith is inked in for a decade I reckon

yeah everyone assumes he'll lose the gloves one day, but he's remarkably good with them so far. Cox, Robinson and Rew are probably the best three young bats around, all 'keepers.

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

BBC already asking the question if Smith can be England's next 3, obviously he won't be as long as he has the gloves, but regardless, surely it's a long time before that happens, if at all, it's a jump from 6/7 to 3!

 

[kevinw]

BBC already asking the question if Smith can be England's next 3, obviously he won't be as long as he has the gloves, but regardless, surely it's a long time before that happens, if at all, it's a jump from 6/7 to 3!

If Pope's not the answer get an actual top order batter instead of shoehorning a middle order batter in, like we did with Pope.

 

[Molehill]

Smith's innings yesterday was precisely what you want from a keeper batting with the tail. It's largely why Foakes was discarded, he doesn't have that innings in him.

But no idea who else could bat 3 really, apart from Stokes.

 

[Third_Man]

If Pope's not the answer get an actual top order batter instead of shoehorning a middle order batter in, like we did with Pope.

Need to think outside of the first class game, runs in the championship not essential these days.
Maybe Pepper or Johnny Connell

 

[GIMH]

I don't think they'll be looking at axing Pope just yet, unless he has another horrorshow in NZ

 

[Prince EWS]

Yeah I know people think Pope's average at 3 is a bit of a meme but given how much trouble England had with the position for years after Trott retired, I think they'll probably give someone averaging over 40 there a pretty long rope.

 

[Molehill]

Three hundreds this year (and not small ones either) and still averages just over 30 for the calendar year, comfortably the lowest for anyone who has achieved 3 tons.

 

[Prince EWS]

Three hundreds this year (and not small ones either) and still averages just over 30 for the calendar year, comfortably the lowest for anyone who has achieved 3 tons.

At least he's not making pretty little fifties, right?

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Well I'd keep him till after the Ashes now. We backed Crawley when he was worse so I can't see us dropping Pope. Not like there is a standout candidate to replace him anyway.

Things would be different if there was someone really knocking down the door demanding to be selected but there isn't so you either go with Pope or drop him and pick a rookie who may fail anyway.

 

[Chin Music]

Just a question on the back of the performances of the spinners this test. After the second test, many England fans wanted Leach to be the selected spinner for NZ. Will this still be the case? He was largely anaemic in the first innings at Rawalpindi. In fairness, he won't bowl anywhere near as many overs in NZ but even so, I guess this could be a tougher series now that NZ seem to be in good form coming off a likely series win in India.

 

[Molehill]

Just a question on the back of the performances of the spinners this test. After the second test, many England fans wanted Leach to be the selected spinner for NZ. Will this still be the case? He was largely anaemic in the first innings at Rawalpindi. In fairness, he won't bowl anywhere near as many overs in NZ but even so, I guess this could be a tougher series now that NZ seem to be in good form coming off a likely series win in India.

Probably depends what kind of spinner we want in NZ. Do we want one who can hold down an end whilst the seamers rotate? Or one who will go for a few but might bowl the odd magic wicket taking delivery (and also offers little with the bat)?

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

For an early season NZ pitch we might not want a spinner at all (bar Root), especially if Stokes can bowl more overs by then.

 

[Chin Music]

Probably depends what kind of spinner we want in NZ. Do we want one who can hold down an end whilst the seamers rotate? Or one who will go for a few but might bowl the odd magic wicket taking delivery (and also offers little with the bat)?

You would probably want a Liam Dawson in this situation, if I can be a little facetious. Likely to be canny enough to avoid getting blitzed and able to offer a fair bit with the willow.

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

Just a question on the back of the performances of the spinners this test. After the second test, many England fans wanted Leach to be the selected spinner for NZ. Will this still be the case? He was largely anaemic in the first innings at Rawalpindi. In fairness, he won't bowl anywhere near as many overs in NZ but even so, I guess this could be a tougher series now that NZ seem to be in good form coming off a likely series win in India.

If we have a spinner at all, surely it’ll be Bashir, he seems to be the go to man in non-Asian countries these days

 

[ImpatientLime]

4-234 on a 'raging turner' all the while England thought they were too good for Liam Dawson.

England shouldn't even take a spinner to New Zealand tbh.

 

[kevinw]

You would probably want a Liam Dawson in this situation, if I can be a little facetious. Likely to be canny enough to avoid getting blitzed and able to offer a fair bit with the willow.

I just don't understand how he's not the main spinner after the last two seasons he's had with bat and ball. You can bat him at seven and it takes Stokes's fitness to bowl out of the equation. I know he doesn't want to give up the franchise stuff to carry drinks but he would be in the starting xi, surely?

 

[Pothas]

Yeah I have no doubt if they really wanted him to play he would have. It was never going to happen after he didn't play last winter though.

 

[FBU]

Pope and gory: Ollie's ugly exit means execution may be nigh

Batter finishes grim tour with 55 runs in five innings, and no sense that he's answered doubts about role

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