The Stokes and Woakes Thread

[The Battlers Prince]

I think pick three best bowlers for whatever pitch the match is on. 1-8 stays the same

 

[Zinzan]

In answer to the OP, always tough to compare batting and bowling all-rounders.

Stokes does need to get that bowling average heading south though, which I'm sure he will just as Freddy did.

 

[ImpatientLime]

considering the quality of our spinners at the moment i think we have more chance of succeeding in india playing our 4 best seamers + 1 spinner than trying to shoehorn another spinner in.

 

[MW1304]

I think we're focusing too heavily on the bowling to the detriment of how important top order batting will be on turning pitches. Feels like 6 bowlers is overkill when the effect of their batting will be nullified in the conditions. Are we really expecting Stokes and Ali to make the runs required of a 6 and 7 in conditions that are likely to prove really difficult for them? Both struggled with spin in the UAE, which will be magnified tenfold when India turn out dustbowls. Similarly Ballance and Bairstow have always appeared to be weak against spin to me, can we rely on them at 4 and 5, as would be the case in the scenario many are presenting? A 4-7 of Ballance, Bairstow, Stokes and Ali seems flimsy. Woakes at 8 is good but this will test his batting more than ever. Tailend runs will be harder to come by too.

We need a proper batsman who plays spin well at 5, in my opinion. Obviously a James Taylor would have been ideal, I'm really not sure who best qualifies now.

 

[91Jmay]

Ben Duckett a great player of spin

 

[Cabinet96]

Yeah he should definitely be next in line. Would be a nice to make a change from picking loads of people from the big glamorous counties as well.

 

[mr_mister]

Moeen and Stokes in the top 7, Woakes at 8 and Rashid at 9 for the upcoming tour.

Not difficult. Obviously this means we say goodbye to Vince

 

[harsh.ag]

I think they should just keep Stokes out and go for a full time batsman, or in the alternative, keep one of Moeen or Rashid out.

 

[Stace]

Bell-Drummond's a good player of spin just ask that Aussie Fawad Ahmed, he took him apart and out of the attack on his way to a hundred.

 

[ImpatientLime]

I think they should just keep Stokes out and go for a full time batsman, or in the alternative, keep one of Moeen or Rashid out.

yep. these guys aren't swann and panesar. one has to sit out.

 

[91Jmay]

Bell-Drummond's a good player of spin just ask that Aussie Fawad Ahmed, he took him apart and out of the attack on his way to a hundred.

I'm not sure taking apart Fawad Ahmed and being a good player of spin always correlate

 

[harsh.ag]

And what about Ben Foakes?

Was going to reply along on the lines of something something something chokes, but he has been in good form with the bat tbh. Is he a better keeper than Bairstow?

 

[GIMH]

Hey guys, this thread title is funny because Stokes and Woakes rhyme with each other. How funny

 

[Howe_zat]

Hey guys, this thread title is funny because Stokes and Woakes rhyme with each other. How funny

Jokes.

 

[GIMH]

Jokes.

Jokes rhymes with Foakes

 

[FBU]

You'd think one of them will have to sit out in India (and Bangladesh if we go) so we can fit the second spinner in??

If that's the case it would have to be Woakes.

Cook Hales Root Ballance Stokes Bairstow Ali Woakes Rashid Broad Anderson
There is talk of playing a third spinner so Ansari would replace Ballance

England coach Trevor Bayliss to 'definitely' play Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid against India

 

[Prince EWS]

Cook Hales Root Ballance Stokes Bairstow Ali Woakes Rashid Broad Anderson
There is talk of playing a third spinner so Ansari would replace Ballance

So that would be seven bowlers then?

 

[harsh.ag]

Cook Hales Root Ballance Stokes Bairstow Ali Woakes Rashid Broad Anderson
There is talk of playing a third spinner so Ansari would replace Ballance

England coach*Trevor Bayliss to 'definitely' play*Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid against India

He would replace Woakes, at least from what Bayliss said in that article.

 

[Dan Jamson]

Stokes, Woakes, Ali... that's a strong lower middle order.

 

[Adders]

Stokes, Woakes, Ali... that's a strong lower middle order.

Yes it is.......but is it a strong "middle" order which is what it will be if Stokes is batting at 5.

Cook Hales Root Ballance Stokes Bairstow Ali Woakes Rashid Broad Anderson

That side is just too light on the batting IMO.