Test Cricket Eng v SA @ Lords

[smuts]

You've done it now Lincolnshire....see the first few pages of this thread... :lol:

[Centre Half]

99% of me want's to believe that Moeen Ali is not a test quality cricketer, nevertheless I look at his statistics and you really can't argue with what you see.

Fantastic bowling yesterday, he really did look like a test off spinner

[Slacking student]

Like who?

Kevin Pietersen, move Root to 3 and bat KP in the best spot for the team at 4. As I may have mentioned he's clearly still good enough to play and just needs managing as every maverick does. Do you honestly believe that the Aussies would rather face a side containing Gary Ballance or KP. It's not a hard question yet the English selectors for the past few years have been consistently making the wrong choice out of personal dislike instead of what is best for the side.

[Slacking student]

You could have the following batting order

3 Root
4 Pietersen
5 Stokes
6 Bairstow
7 Ali

Tell me that doesn't look more imposing compared to the current selection

[Centre Half]

You could have the following batting order

3 Root
4 Pietersen
5 Stokes
6 Bairstow
7 Ali

Tell me that doesn't look more imposing compared to the current selection

Aside from the Pietersen issue which is ridiculous to even be discussing again:

- Root doesn't want to Bat 3
- How is Stokes batting ahead of Bairstow in the order?

[Slacking student]

The best player in the side should bat at 3, Root has opened and had considerable success at 3 in the past so it shouldn't be a problem for him to do it. Team above self.

Regarding Stokes and Bairstow order it doesn't make much difference which way the come in the only play one way so swapping them around won't make a vast amount of difference.

As for the KP issue, I've yet to hear one argument against ringing him back that is relevant other than he's a bit of a pain in the arse, which considering Boycott and Botham used to share a dressing room shouldn't be an issue providing they are managed properly.

[Centre Half]

The best player in the side should bat at 3, Root has opened and had considerable success at 3 in the past so it shouldn't be a problem for him to do it. Team above self.

Regarding Stokes and Bairstow order it doesn't make much difference which way the come in the only play one way so swapping them around won't make a vast amount of difference.

As for the KP issue, I've yet to hear one argument against ringing him back that is relevant other than he's a bit of a pain in the arse, which considering Boycott and Botham used to share a dressing room shouldn't be an issue providing they are managed properly.

What about the argument that he hasn't played any first class cricket in god knows how long and is much more interested in topping up his bank balance flying around the world to play in various lucrative T20 tournaments?

[Centre Half]

The best player in the side should bat at 3, Root has opened and had considerable success at 3 in the past so it shouldn't be a problem for him to do it. Team above self.

Regarding Stokes and Bairstow order it doesn't make much difference which way the come in the only play one way so swapping them around won't make a vast amount of difference.

As for the KP issue, I've yet to hear one argument against ringing him back that is relevant other than he's a bit of a pain in the arse, which considering Boycott and Botham used to share a dressing room shouldn't be an issue providing they are managed properly.

I like Stokes but Bairstow is a better and more consistent batsman.

Would Stokes be in team purely for batting ability? Questionable

Would Bairstow be in team purely for batting ability if he didn't keep wicket? Yes

[Slacking student]

I like Stokes but Bairstow is a better and more consistent batsman.

Would Stokes be in team purely for batting ability? Questionable

Would Bairstow be in team purely for batting ability if he didn't keep wicket? Yes

I'd say Stokes is a better bet going into the Ashes with the bat than Bairstow who still has a technical deficiency against the short ball. A quick pacy Aussie attack (if there even is one due to the MOU) will unfortunately find Jonny out, the same with Moeen Ali. Stokes on the other hand has the game and temperament to deal with all that will come his way in a heated Ashes battle.

With regards to KP and no playing county cricket I agree but same could be said about Eoin Morgan and the ODI team. A Middlesex player in name only now. Also the last time he was talked about by the ECB he was told to go away and score a shed load of runs for Surrey. He did that and more and the door was then slammed in his face by Strauss due to issues that are between the 2 of them. He did al he was asked and they went back on their word and yet he still remains the best batsman available to bat in the England middle order at the present time.

[dave_l]

KP hasn't played first class cricket for a couple of years. He's also 37. I'd love to have seen more of the guy over the years and the behaviour of the ECB throughout the whole issue was ridiculous but isn't it time to move on from his as a selection prospect finally? He's a T20 gun for hire these days and an excellent one at that.

Agree with your point about Stokes and the Aussies, his century down there in 2013 was ridiculous given the context and he's played some seriously big and important knocks since.

[Slacking student]

KP hasn't played first class cricket for a couple of years. He's also 37. I'd love to have seen more of the guy over the years and the behaviour of the ECB throughout the whole issue was ridiculous but isn't it time to move on from his as a selection prospect finally? He's a T20 gun for hire these days and an excellent one at that.

Agree with your point about Stokes and the Aussies, his century down there in 2013 was ridiculous given the context and he's played some seriously big and important knocks since.

I agree but he is still a better player than Ballance in any format and should be playing in the longest and best form of the game. The way to do it would be to approach him and tell him "we need you Kev" and give him the love and attention he clearly craves. It's about micromanaging players and England have been awful at it with him. He's still a better batsman than most in world cricket and would walk into any other test match batting line up.

[dave_l]

He was one of the best players in all formats for a long time... he hasn't played anything longer than 20 overs for a couple of years. How do you know he'd turn up and do any better in a test match situation? It'd be a gamble that I couldn't see any side taking, let alone England.

[Centre Half]

It's pie in the sky stuff, that ship has well and truly sailed.

There's absolutely zero point in even discussing this, England have long since moved on

[NottingHammer6]

Ballance is plenty good enough for the side, he's just in a bad patch of form for England atm and I see it as a confidence thing. After all the guy averages 40 in test matches and has a highscore of 154 next to his name.

The KP argument is ridiculous, time to move on. He won't play first class cricket because he can't be arsed and couldn't even do the IPL this year due to 'schedule' so how could he cope with an England Test cricketers schedule. Besides he's a tw*t and I reckon he would turn it down now even if he was offered it.

[Nesticles]

Always liked the idea of Hales in the test team, but not as an opener. Would create too much reshuffling, but I doubt Ballance has much future in the test team. Very much seems a deer in the headlights when he pulls on an England shirt.

[Centre Half]

Hales is not a test match cricketer

It's all well and good giving the white ball a wallop but he hasn't got the attitude for the longer stuff simple as that

Thankfully I think the England set up have realised that

[Rio]

I still go misty eyed at the thought of Ian Bell. One of the most graceful stroke makers I've seen. Still think he could do a job in the test side.

We've got to look for younger options though. I think Ballance is on his last chance. You've got to look at those in the Lions set up to make a breakthrough. Duckett is worthy of another go and the 2 Essex lads Westley & Lawrence have been in good form.

Stoneman & Malan have also been in good nick. Though I believe their older than Ballance. Saying that isn't Westley?

[sendô]

Shall we give Ramprakash another go?

[smuts]

Shall we give Ramprakash another go?

Hick and Thorpe? Robin Smith? Lambie?

However can't help thinking the Sherminator should have stayed in. None of his replacements like Vince etc have cut the mustard.

[LincolnshireHammer]

People still bringing up KP after all this time! Thought I had gone back in time a few years.

Don't agree that our best batsman should bat @ 3. In our case, Root should play where he feels most comfortable to make runs. Ballance has scored all of his runs this year so should be competing for the number 5 spot. The reason why we're performing so poorly at times is that we've got batsman "played out of position"..think of how Cook would adapt to batting at 4 for example. Get a proper number 3 in and get Bairstow and Ballance to fight it out for the number 5 spot.

For what it's worth I think Ali is one of our best batsman.