*Official* West Indies Tour of England 2020

[Beamer]

I think they played a simulated match yesterday amongst themselves.

Hope they have a camera at the two practice matches, I'd be really interested to see some of the back up pacers and the likes of De Silva and Mayers.

 

[Howe_zat]

I don't need Ali to bat eight because I have Woakes in the side. I'm picking him because he's just as good as any other spinner and has taken piles of test match wickets

 

[wpdavid]

I don't need Ali to bat eight because I have Woakes in the side. I'm picking him because he's just as good as any other spinner and has taken piles of test match wickets

Out of interest, why Woakes ahead of Archer if the latter is fit again?

 

[Flem274*]

didn't bess take a 5fer in his last test?

moeen hasn't done **** to get back in, and isn't very good to begin with.

 

[Bijed]

didn't bess take a 5fer in his last test?

moeen hasn't done **** to get back in, and isn't very good to begin with.

His last test aside, Moeen's bowling had been really quite good for a while

Any of Mo, Bess or Leach would be fine tbh.

 

[Flem274*]

His last test aside, Moeen's bowling had been really quite good for a while

Any of Mo, Bess or Leach would be fine tbh.

in england he is 'perfectly fine' to quote grecian, and he likes beating up the poor old windies so fair enough, but he's nowhere near 'quite good'.

bess is the incumbent and has made a good start to his career. massively unfair to randomly drop him for someone totally meh.

 

[morgieb]

in england he is 'perfectly fine' to quote grecian, and he likes beating up the poor old windies so fair enough, but he's nowhere near 'quite good'.

bess is the incumbent and has made a good start to his career. massively unfair to randomly drop him for someone totally meh.

I mean Bess is only the incumbent because Leach got injured.

Does seem a bit of a slap in the face for both of them to go back to Moeen. His batting has been pretty dire for ages and his control is nowhere near as good as the other two, even if he does take wickets. I struggle to see how he's a better pure spinner than those guys even in England.

 

[ImpatientLime]

ones a proven match winner in england at test level
the other two aren't

its not difficult really

 

[Beamer]

in england he is 'perfectly fine' to quote grecian, and he likes beating up the poor old windies so fair enough, but he's nowhere near 'quite good'.

bess is the incumbent and has made a good start to his career. massively unfair to randomly drop him for someone totally meh.

His career record against us is 21 with the bat and 31 with the ball. In England his bowling average against us is 49 in 3 tests. Hardly beating us up. Tbh I'd prefer to see Moeen then Leach, we are awful against half decent left arm spin.

 

[Beamer]

This series could go either way as both sides will be undercooked and a silly session could mean a defeat in any test and if the weather is ok I would think 2-1 is a certainty and it could go either way. Certainly not a betting proposition this series as you have no idea who is in form and who isn't.

Just can't see our batsmen putting up enough scores. Can see us bowling England out for average scores more often than not but I reckon we will get shot out for low scores too often to win.

 

[Bijed]

I mean Bess is only the incumbent because Leach got injured.

Does seem a bit of a slap in the face for both of them to go back to Moeen. His batting has been pretty dire for ages and his control is nowhere near as good as the other two, even if he does take wickets. I struggle to see how he's a better pure spinner than those guys even in England.

46 wickets in 11 home matches @ 23.41 since the start of our 2017 home season, which is when he started being consistently good at home (and has been good away in that time frame too). I rate Leach and Bess, but I wouldn't back either of them to put up better numbers than that over an equivalent period

 

[grecian]

I like Moeen, particularly in England, but am obviously split because the other 2 are Somerset, I just feel Leach deserves a long spell in the side. TBH shame the weather has predictably turned crap, as we may have considered playing 2. On Bess it's really hard to say so early in his career, yes great last Tests but not really sure he's done enough to be ahead of Leach really, definitely the second spinner at his county. Still nice to have options, and I won't be disappointed whomever gets the nod..

 

[wpdavid]

I think it would be a mistake to assume that conditions will be like early season tests of old because we've had a couple of days rain and this is our first test of the season. The forecast from the weekend onwards is really hot, so this isn't going to be one of those Lord's in the middle of May tests. So I suppose I'm saying that I would prefer our attack to include Archer rather than rely on four medium quicks.I like Leach a lot and I think he's probably our best spinner. But he may struggle to get in the side now Jimmy's back, especially if Archer plays. Those three plus Broad look a recipe for six out, all out, despite Leach's occasional heroics with the willow. And no, I have no idea whatsoever how best to sort that one. Maybe Woakes plays and they rotate the older guys due to lack of match practice. And now I've remembered how well Wood did last time out, so I have even less idea how to balance the attack.

 

[Jack1]

I would pick Leach over Ali personally. I also think Foakes should get a good run now considering Bairstow’s decline in tests and the number of chances Buttler has had without really shining.

 

[ImpatientLime]

didn't get foakes get worked over by the west indies last time out?

 

[Starfighter]

I don't understand the reasoning for picking Ali, but then again he's always been at his worst against Australia. Leach is the better bowler, but I do suppose they are thinking of potential runs.

As for Bairstow, just why?

 

[Howe_zat]

Assuming that Leach is a better bowler than Ali entirely because he scores fewer runs is not valid.

 

[Starfighter]

^Lack of June rain drying out the braincells?

 

[Flem274*]

Assuming that Leach is a better bowler than Ali entirely because he scores fewer runs is not valid.

he didn't make that assumption.

 

[JOJOXI]

I like Moeen Ali and an unpopular view at the time but thought he was a bit unlucky to lose his spot, he bowled very poorly against Australia but you look at his form before then and if it was Ashwin or Lyon with his figures I'm sure you would have some England fans bemoaning not having a spinner who can get the wickets Ashwin/Lyon can. Moeen done that over an extended period with the ball and is dropped for one poor match. His batting had fallen significantly but it makes little sense to me to drop him for that and replace him with Leach (who whilst he had a great innings v Ireland) still averages under 20.

But having dropped Moeen Ali I don't see how you can drop Dom Bess in favour of him now. 8 wickets @ 25.75 at an economy of 1.82! I don't think it sends the right message when you disregard Moeen's great performances in the last stretch of his Test career over one very poor performance and then potentially decide to add him back into the XI at the expense of a bowler who hasn't done anything wrong in South Africa. I think Bess should start for England and the only way Moeen plays is if the pitch starts dry and you potentially play Moeen and Bess with Woakes and 2 other seamers with Woakes at 7, Moeen at 8 or vice versa