*Official* 3rd Test at Edgbaston

[GIMH]

Let's move on. We need to make changes. In an ideal world you'd have three top class bats ready to fill the gaping holes.

As it stands, Bell clings on purely because the other two guys scoring nothing don't have the credit in the bank he does

who to drop? Lyth, Ballance, both?

 

[Pothas]

Would be nice to have a close match this time. (I don't actually mean this at all)

 

[Riggins]

Lyth has to go before Ballance I think. I know you don't want to move Root and maybe lose your one strength but Stokes-Buttler-Ali 6-8 are just too low imo.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Well the options are Bairstow in for Ballance, god knows who in for Lyth or we go funky and play Rashid and move the batting order up one and Rashid bats at 8. Not sure what i'd do.

Maybe have to think about Wood too as he can't play back to back games yet without looking a lot less effective in the 2nd game so which ground of Edgbaston or Trent Bridge is he best suited to?

 

[Pothas]

Lyth has to go before Ballance I think. I know you don't want to move Root and maybe lose your one strength but Stokes-Buttler-Ali 6-8 are just too low imo.

Nah 6-8 is a strength, moving them up makes no positive difference unless you have a good spinner to bring in which England don't.

I know our bowling failed this test but I still really like this side from Root downwards. Ballance probably has to go, he probably still has the best future of the 3 but you can't really pick hm right now. I would leave Lyth for the moment. Dunno about Bell.

 

[grecian]

Ballance, Bell and Lyth out, Bairstow, Taylor, Compton in.

 

[Spikey]

quite enjoying this ed balls interview thing on tms

 

[Pothas]

Ballance, Bell and Lyth out, Bairstow, Taylor, Compton in.

You had a chance to say Hildreth here. Would rather him than Taylor tbh.

 

[grecian]

You had a chance to say Hildreth here. Would rather him than Taylor tbh.

Honestly had Hildreth written in at first, but deleted it, as I thought people would laugh at me.

Yet he is in decent form....

 

[Lillian Thomson]

England have 5 players who should be dropped and no one who deserves to take their place.

 

[Spikey]

Honestly had Hildreth written in at first, but deleted it, as I thought people would laugh at me.

Yet he is in decent form....

plus he brings some of the magic from 2005 with him The Home of CricketArchive

 

[grecian]

England have 5 players who should be dropped and no one who deserves to take their place.

5?, can think of three? and I don't much like Bairstow, but his form in the Championship definitely deserves something.

 

[Pothas]

Honestly had Hildreth written in at first, but deleted it, as I thought people would laugh at me.

Yet he is in decent form....

Better form than Taylor.

Said it in the tour thread, lets be stupid and go with Leaning and Hain.

Agree on Bairstow, everything about him is telling me that we should not pick him but you can't really ignore the runs.

 

[GIMH]

England have 5 players who should be dropped and no one who deserves to take their place.

Who are the less obvious two? Buttler and Moeen?

 

[Contra]

Kevin Pietersen for practically anyone but Root.

 

[grecian]

Kevin Pietersen for practically anyone but Root.

and this is why we all dreaded a bad loss, the spectre rises again.......

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Who are the less obvious two? Buttler and Moeen?

Moeen yes. He's bowling a hell of lot but doesn't look dangerous and is too expensive. I don't think Wood is a Test bowler either yet, but there's sod all to replace him with.

 

[GIMH]

Thought you didn't rate Jos, perhaps I was making it up

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Bairstow with 5 tons in 7 championship matches this season simply has to come in. I think we are all of the same mind that he wouldn't be our first choice given his technique and past record but sheer weight of runs means he deserves the chance.

Given KP is currently not playing anything but hit and giggle how could you consider him?

Certain we won't make wholesale changes, just be Bairstow for Ballance with Root and Bell moving up a place in the order. Maybe Foottit to get a serious look at given he is different to what we have, not sure about him either though.

 

[Pothas]

I don't think he rates any of them.