***Official*** England in South Africa 2015/16

[Cabinet96]

As I said earlier I've literally never seen Footitt bowl, so I really can't comment on who plays 3rd seamer. I think Hales is due a go and could rightly feel really hard done by if he's not selected. Ballance will probably end up coming in for Compton in the summer.

 

[Howe_zat]

Bit of Footitt here -

Probably the lot in there - first wicket was floaty leg side trash that should ave gone for four, steepler 30 seconds in and then a genuine pearl at 0:39 that is particularly good as Broad/Anderson would never get a right hander with that kind of angle.

 

[Gob]

Can't believe they dropped Bell tbh. You have to take him for the experience. Yeah he was bit short of runs over the last ten or so tests but Cook went like 2 years without a ton. Harsh

 

[harsh.ag]

Footitt's action looks too low

 

[Marius]

Mark Boucher has said Bell and KP should be on the tour

And Graeme Smith also doesn't think Ballance should be there either.

Boucher questions Bell, KP omissions | Sport24

 

[Pothas]

Well I never saw that coming, very surprised they actually dropped him but he can't really have any complaints. I don't have strong feelings either way about Compton, I never understood the love for him on here, or the sense of injustice when he got dropped, but he is an ok option for when Hales fails and as others have said could be a possible 3.

Taylor at 3 is really something that should never happen. Got to be Compton or Root.

 

[Niall]

Can't believe they dropped Bell tbh. You have to take him for the experience. Yeah he was bit short of runs over the last ten or so tests but Cook went like 2 years without a ton. Harsh

, he averages 29 over the last 2 years and 20 since he tonned up against the West Indies. The dude is finished, contributed close to **** all in the UAE tour despite his experience. He only went past 50 once, and that was on the same pitch that Shaoib ****ing Malik crusied to a double. Even then it was a filthy innings towards the end, quick runs were needed to force the game, Pakistan bowlers were knackered and it was roady.com, and he was content to play out maidens.

Ballance and Compton may fail, but it is very naive to look at how this guy has been failing for the most part over the last few years and think he will magically discover form just because of his "experience".

 

[Niall]

Mark Boucher has said Bell and KP should be on the tour

And Graeme Smith also doesn't think Ballance should be there either.

Boucher questions Bell, KP omissions | Sport24

smacking Leicestershire about in Summer in one of his few four day games over the last few years does not prepare you for a test series in South Africa where last time he was their he averaged a majestic 25 at a time he was actually playing test cricket.

Although shouldn't take either to seriously, both are very matey with KP.

 

[Furball]

Mark Boucher has said Bell and KP should be on the tour

And Graeme Smith also doesn't think Ballance should be there either.

Boucher questions Bell, KP omissions | Sport24

Has Mark Boucher been living under a rock for 2 years?

 

[Compton]

Given the Chairman of Selectors has essentially all but confirmed Hales will play, it's Compton v Ballance for the number 3 slot.

 

[Bossbabe909]

Compton and cook 57 plus averages together, opening wicket partnership.Compton seems more stable than Hales

 

[cnerd123]

I like Samit. Showed he can bat well enough at this level, and adds an extra troll spin option.

Makes little sense carrying Bell through the easier tours and through the tour of UAE only to drop him before the biggest series of the year.

But yay Compton!

I reckon Ballance is in there for a middle order slot now, although not sure what he had done recently to merit selection, or what he will bring to the table that Bell couldn't (Apart from home condition knowledge that is, #ObviousJoke)

Cook (*)
Hales
Compton
Root
Taylor/Balance/Samit
Stokes
Bairstow (+)
Ali
Woakes/Jordan
Broad
Anderson

5 and 9 a bit dodgy, but all in all it's a decent side. Samit probably acting as cover for Stokes. If Stokes can't bowl, he gives England the option of playing 4 quicks (Woakes at 8) by being the lone troll spin option. Or maybe they'll move Ali up to open again.

Butler the reserve keeper it seems.

 

[Bossbabe909]

,He is handy with both bat and ball .i am impress with his first spell in Middle east,
spin of Ali and Patel might trouble proteas on slow [ at least one venue ] track.i heard Ravi patel
also good spinner in making in UK.he will be send to Australia soon along with other 10 bright
English spinners for further training program there.

 

[wpdavid]

, he averages 29 over the last 2 years and 20 since he tonned up against the West Indies. The dude is finished, contributed close to **** all in the UAE tour despite his experience. He only went past 50 once, and that was on the same pitch that Shaoib ****ing Malik crusied to a double. Even then it was a filthy innings towards the end, quick runs were needed to force the game, Pakistan bowlers were knackered and it was roady.com, and he was content to play out maidens.

Ballance and Compton may fail, but it is very naive to look at how this guy has been failing for the most part over the last few years and think he will magically discover form just because of his "experience".

This. And your subsequent comment about KP, but I never did learn how to multiquote.
As for Pietersen's comments about the Bell dropping, yup, the guy's a prick. In other news, the Pope is probably catholic and bears tend to defacate in the woods.

 

[OverratedSanity]

I like Ballance and think he'll find a way to get runs. Just adore crabby left handed top order batsmen (**** off Chanders) who have terrible looking techniques but somehow pile on the runs. Hoping Balance can join that club.

 

[Black_Warrior]

, he averages 29 over the last 2 years and 20 since he tonned up against the West Indies. The dude is finished, contributed close to **** all in the UAE tour despite his experience. He only went past 50 once, and that was on the same pitch that Shaoib ****ing Malik crusied to a double. Even then it was a filthy innings towards the end, quick runs were needed to force the game, Pakistan bowlers were knackered and it was roady.com, and he was content to play out maidens.

.

Look I understand the calls for Bell's head even if I disagree with it. The point is, Cook had an awful run and went what 2 years without a century? I am not advocating that Cook should have been dropped back then because he was still the best opener in England. It's just not consistent.

As for Bell's poor run of form, I have seen various players, including Inzy, Tendulkar, Dravid, Mahela, Ponting, and now Amla go through that dire form.

He had a decent Ashes 2015..I think there could have been a decent case for his selection as well.

Also, another point for me is I am just not convinced by Ballance. If you ask Steyn and Morkel, would you rather bowl to Ballance at 3 or Bell? I think with Bell given his proven record, you can make a case that he can bounce back. Ballance doesn't have that behind him.

Ballance and Compton may fail, but it is very naive to look at how this guy has been failing for the most part over the last few years and think he will magically discover form just because of his "experience"

I think last few years is awfully harsh. He looked the guy with the best touch in the Ashes 2013 and was constantly running out of partners in the first few games but England still didn't promote him then. Even in the game where MJ destroyed everyone, no one remembers but Bell looked awfuly at east against him.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2013-14/engine/match/592398.html

2014 India at home - he had a good series.

2015 WI - he has a century

It's only with the NZ series onwards this summer when he has failed.

The sad thing is, when Bell was at his very best, England stubbornly resisted pushing him at 3. But when he is going through his worst form, they promoted him at 3. The management is just as much to blame for their handling. He would have scored a truckload of runs in that Ashes especially coming after his most successful Ashes in 2013.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Cook's always been a far better batsman than Bell so it's not an appropriate comparison. Bell's awful run goes back even beyond 2013. Apart from that excellent home Ashes series, Bell has done absolutely nothing. He has the worst record for any top order batsman who's played as many tests as he has over the last 3 years. You defend Bell saying he scored runs in West indies and vs India. But Ballance did as well. He actually scored far more. As much as I think Ballance has gaping holes in his game, I think England will benefit greatly by giving Ballance a shot instead of persisting with a bloke who's done squat in years.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Cook's always been a far better batsman than Bell so it's not an appropriate comparison. Bell's awful run goes back even beyond 2013. Apart from that excellent home Ashes series, Bell has done absolutely nothing. He has the worst record for any top order batsman who's played as many tests as he has over the last 3 years. You defend Bell saying he scored runs in West indies and vs India. But Ballance did as well. He actually scored far more. As much as I think Ballance has gaping holes in his game, I think England will benefit greatly by giving Ballance a shot instead of persisting with a bloke who's done squat in years.

Come on that's absolutely not true.
2010-11 Away Ashes - Once again he looked the guy with the best form but coming in at number 6 or 7 after Paul Collingwood, he was running out of partners. Had he batted at 4 or 5 in that series, once again he would have scored a truckload of runs

2011 India - Enough said

2009 South Africa - he won them the test match, not to mention helping them draw another.
http://www.espncricinfo.com/rsaveng09/engine/match/387571.html
http://www.espncricinfo.com/rsaveng09/engine/match/387572.html

People don't remember that's a different matter. But the guy has performed on numerous occasions other than the 2013 home Ashes.

 

[Gnske]

Yeah past achievements are all fine and well but when you're playing like **** for such a large period of time and look not just technically but mentally defeated the battle is lost. Not to mention as OS said the context in which Cook was constantly retained and that which Bell has been dumped under are so different.

The obvious point though is that Bell is old and there are better younger alternatives right now, with Cook there really was no alternatives that could have done better.

 

[Black_Warrior]

33 is not old for a batsman. And I agree that there were no alternatives for Cook, just like I feel the same with Bell now. Putting forward Ballance as a better alternative is like putting forward Lyth as a better alternative to Cook.

And just to clarify, I was not trying to use his past achievements to justify his position. That was in response to OS saying he hadn't done ANYTHING other than the 2013 Ashes

As I said, I understand the decision to drop him, it's certainly not unexpected.