De Bruyn could bat 3, 4 or 5... think they will keep Bavuma at 6 but could drop Amla to 4 or push Duminy to 4. De Bruyn normally bats 3/4 for franchise.Faf out of the first test,Elgar to captain.Presume Bavuma will bat 5 and De Bruyne 6?
True, but the tail looks longer than we're used to lately. Admittedly I don't know a thing about TRJ's batting, but I can see that lineup losing its last four wickets for 20.So I guess England are likely to go with:
Cook
Jennings
Root
Ballance
Moeen
Stokes
Bairstow
TRJ
Broad
Wood
Anderson
3 Durham and 3 Yorkshire players. I'd be surprised if Moeen moved down the order. I would think the logical course is to keep him at 5 and if he doesn't score enough runs then he gets dropped. As he's essentially a batsman who bowls.
Yes, I'd go along with all of that.I'm having a hard time deciding whether five seamers or Liam Dawson would be a sillier option. I wouldn't have even entertained the idea of either, but these are the options the selectors have locked themselves into.
I think **** balance annoys me slightly more than **** players though, so I guess I'm on the Dawson train.
Is it unreasonable to suggest that Bayliss' stock is deteriorating somewhat?Yeah it sucks.
We shouldn't really be in a situation where questionable allrounders (Moeen) leaves us with a balance problem to which the answer is even more questionable allrounders (Dawson).
Regardless of batting position, the point of Moeen Ali was always to allow us to play more batsmen, not fewer.
Don't think Moeen is batting above Stokes.3 Durham and 3 Yorkshire players. I'd be surprised if Moeen moved down the order. I would think the logical course is to keep him at 5 and if he doesn't score enough runs then he gets dropped. As he's essentially a batsman who bowls.
Moeen batted above Stokes in India, that's basically the only reason he's still in the side - because he batted well enough to remain in the side. He was utterly useless with the ball. Rashid completely outbowled him, it's frankly bizarre that Rashid isn't in the squad ahead of Dawson. I'm not particularly a fan of Rashid, but he will have his moments, and when England basically have 6 bowlers, 7 if you include Jennings (he's a good part-time option) then Rashid is a luxury England can afford. Dawson is the exact opposite, I don't see a role where his bowling really adds anything. He's never going to bowl anyone out when you're chasing a win on a flat or wearing pitch. On a flat pitch you'd rather have the seamers hold up an end. He's just there for 'variety' and because Moeen's a shite bowler. A very negative selection.Don't think Moeen is batting above Stokes.
Quite a few I think, he's a better batsman than bowler but is extremely loose and tends to make his runs in cameos. Based on what I've seen for England I would say he's not a better batsman than Buttler for example, and Buttler's red ball record is completely unconvincing.Is there a better batsman than Moeen in the county? If not, then what's the problem?
Like?Quite a few I think, he's a better batsman than bowler but is extremely loose and tends to make his runs in cameos. Based on what I've seen for England I would say he's not a better batsman than Buttler for example, and Buttler's red ball record is completely unconvincing.
I'm basing my observation on watching him bat so I can't go on to say with any confidence that some guy with a good average is better than him. But I would expect the guys that have done consistently well up the order in county cricket like Stoneman, Robson, Westley and Hildreth to have a better technique and staying power at the crease.Like?