paddyc
Challenge Tour Pro
Make that Buttler too!
The Ashes 2015
- Thread starter Tongo
- Start date
Make that Buttler too!
fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
Piece
Tour Winner
We've been totally slapped. Same old top order collapse and the manor of rolling over is rubbish. Is 1-4 on the cards? Hmmmm.
Terrible performance. Totally outclassed in all departments. I think there has to be changes even if that means blooding new players. Couldn't bat any worse than those on show today
MegaSteve
Tour Winner
Seeing as 0-5 predictions were easy to find [and we'd be lucky to get the zero] we are ahead of where most thought we'd be...
Still hugely disappointing though...
fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
seems James Taylor is thrusting his hand up and shouting me me me today. Currently 275 not out for Notts v Sussex in div 1 of the CC.
one bit of advice, dont get 355, seems the selectors dont like that number
one bit of advice, dont get 355, seems the selectors dont like that number
Dan2501
Tour Winner
This is exactly why KP should have stayed in England, and continued to plunder runs for Surrey. If he'd hit another couple of tons, the outcry for his recall would have been huge. As it stands, he's made one score and is now sunning himself in Miami.
Bairstow and Hales in for Ballance and Bell for me. Line up with:
Cook
Lyth
Hales
Root
Bairstow
Stokes
Moeen
Buttler
Broad
Wood
Anderson
Bairstow and Hales in for Ballance and Bell for me. Line up with:
Cook
Lyth
Hales
Root
Bairstow
Stokes
Moeen
Buttler
Broad
Wood
Anderson
See KP has been bleating on social media. Should have stayed at the Oval and let the bat do the talking. Nothing but sour grapes now
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
No surprise after one defeat the KP is mentioned again
Also why would you put someone in at 3 who doesn't play three for his county in any form of the game - both Bell and Balance played vital roles in the win at Cardiff which appears to have been quickly forgotten about
It's finely balanced right now with a win each so no need for too many drastic changes
The thing is, England have had poor starts in seven out of the last ten tests and been 30 or 40 something for three or four. They never get off to a solid start in the way Australia did at Lords and so are always reliant on the middle order making a big score. The Aussies (West Indies and NZ did it as well) know they just have to strangle the middle order and create pressure and get a wicket. The players can't play their normal game, get pressured into playing risky shots to keep the run rate going and get out.
Piece
Tour Winner
Ballance and Lyth aren't technically good enough and have been found out. They are walking wickets. I would like to see something like this:
Cook
Bell
Root
Bairstow
Stokes
Hales
Buttler
Rashid
Wood
Broad
Anderson
Cook
Bell
Root
Bairstow
Stokes
Hales
Buttler
Rashid
Wood
Broad
Anderson
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Why do people want to play players at positions that aren't their bread and butter ?!
Since when has Bell been a test opener ?!
Hales at 6 !?
And dropping Ali again a week after his great performance at Cardiff.
It's like the 1990's again
But changes have to be made. We fail to make starts regularly and there are a number of players already worked out by the Aussies. Easy to sat we shouldn't do x or y but not many suggestions as to who should play. I happen to agree Bell isn't an opener though but Lyth doesn't look comfy wither
Piece
Tour Winner
And that's where your thinking remains: stuck in 90s. Why shouldn't Bell open? He has done it before in ODIs. His technique is good enough when he is playing well. In fact, he has batted in every position in the top six for England, so what's his 'bread n butter' position then?
We should encourage a change in batting order to freshen things up, not just persist with the same top order which clearly isn't working and hasn't worked for months. Hence Hales at six. Something new and dare I say a positive move to take the game to the Aussies, give them something different. They've a blue print to get Lyth and Ballance out, and if you ask them who would they like to see coming out to bat, they would say those names in a flash.
Slightly unfair on Ali maybe, but we need a front line spinner not just a batter that bowls a bit. Mind you, Rashid should have been playing in the Windies, but that's old water under a very old bridge now.
Let's be clear. If we go in the with same ideas and line up, it's looking like Ashes 2013 all over again. And yes, I do remember we won at Cardiff. The performance at Lords showed that Cardiff victory was probably a one-off.
Cook and the management had their way of playing cricket changed for the better with the NZ games. Thank God. I'm hoping that has opened our eyes in how positive changes and attitude can be good - let's not wait and persist in our typical English stubborn ways that 'change isn't good'. Nowadays it is and we must evolve proactively not reactively.
Tongo
Journeyman Pro
Bell's not even worth a place in the side at the moment, let alone opening. He's just fortunate that there's no real decent players waiting to take his place.
Dan2501
Tour Winner
Bell can't buy a run at 4, why would you want to move him up the order? Lyth scored a Test ton not long ago, and we've chopped and changed the openers so much recently, give him one more at least. Ballance and Bell have to go though, we can't keep starting an innings 40-3
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
I have no issues with making changes but no square pegs in round holes
The simple ones is Bell and Ballance with Taylor and Bairstow coming in with Root to three
The simple ones is Bell and Ballance with Taylor and Bairstow coming in with Root to three
CheltenhamHacker
Journeyman Pro
That's probably what I would agree with. Sounds logical, and Bell (despite his good innings the other week) just hasn't looked up to it for a while. Same with Ballance. Whilst I think Lyth really is not earning his place, there really isn't much that could replace him (that I've heard of!)
How long before the selectors try and jam Root into opening...
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
Already been tried there
I would go back to Compton to open
They may even give Bell a go at three and only bring in one player
CheltenhamHacker
Journeyman Pro
They'll try it again!
Was it Compton in teh last Ashes who actually played alright? From what I remember, Boycott was fairly impressed with him as he was one of the few with the guts to face the fast ball properly, even if he was lacking in technique. Think he was saying it's easier to coach technique than it is to grow a pair.
I can't see Bell doing much better at three, but hard to know unless they try! Something has to change with the openers, as other than that it's going fairly well. Broady/Anderson/Wood/Stokes make a good team (massive fan of Wood), and I like Ali spinning. Just need to sort the opening batsman so we're not done over in the first 10 overs!
