England tour of South Africa - 2019-20

[Ed Smith]

Another day, another shambles

 

[beechcroft]

262/9 at stumps. Still a chance to reach 400.

 

[Ed Smith]

262/9 at stumps. Still a chance to reach 400.

Stop that right now

 

[Master Bates]

After seeing all the comments, especially about Bairstow, I feel we all should make a squad of the best players for England in Test Matches for future. At least 15 players.

Here is my list:
Openers:BurnsSibleyCrawley
Hassan AzadChris Dent (@Aislabie )
Middle-order:RootDenly
Pope(part time wk)NortheastHain
Keepers: FoakesO Robinson
Duckett
All-Rounders: StokesSam CurranWoakesGregoryHigginsReece
Pacers: ArcherOlly Stone
Ollie RobinsonMilnesMark Wood
Jamie PorterOverton Bros etc.
Spinners:LeachBessVirdi

Please add more players if you feel so.

Now for an xi (the best possible team):
Sibley
Burns
Denly
Root
Northeast
Pope (if keeping improves)/Foakes
Stokes
Curran (maybe Woakes could be a replacement)
Archer
Broad/Leach
Anderson/Leach

 

[Ed Smith]

I'd like to see Parkinson given a chance as the spinner, particularly if we get a deck that's going to do a bit. Also, never want to see 5 seamers again, with an allrounder the standard of Stokes, its not necessary.



1. Rory Burns
2. Dom Sibley / Zak Crawley (Improvement required)
3. Joe Denly / Sam Northeast/Sam Hain
4. Joe Root
5. Ben Stokes
6. Ollie Pope
7. Ben Foakes / Jos Buttler (if he goes away for a bit)
8. Sam Curran /Chris Woakes /Lewis Gregory
9. Matt Parkinson / Jack Leach / Dom Bess
10. Jofra Archer / Mark Wood / Stuart Broad
11. James Anderson / Olly Stone

As an XI, the first names for each number would be my current ideal XI

 

[beechcroft]

England ban football warm-ups after Rory Burns injury

Can someone lend the ECB a horse and a barn door?

 

[Aislabie]

In response to this post:

After seeing all the comments, especially about Bairstow, I feel we all should make a squad of the best players for England in Test Matches for future. At least 15 players.

Opening Batsmen (2 per match)
Rory Burns
Dominic Sibley
Chris Dent
Hassan Azad

So here I've got the two current incumbents, the guy who I want them to pick, and the guy who I really want to have a successful Test career. I have Rory Burns as my captain, and I do not have Zak Crawley anywhere near my team.

Top Order Batsmen (2 per match)
Joe Denly
Joe Root
Sam Hain
James Vince

At numbers three and four I have Denly and non-captain Root. Sam Hain is my next cab off the rank, and I also would be reluctant to rule out James Vince because if you're going to pick a batsman who won't score runs, he might as well at least look pretty while not scoring them.

Middle-Order Batsmen (2 per match)
Ben Stokes
Ollie Pope
Sam Northeast
Tom Banton

At five and six, Stokes and Pope have really shown themselves to be worth persisting with. Sam Northeast I think deserves a go through weight of runs, but technically he's all over the shop so I don't know what to think. The same goes for Dan Lawrence too I think. So I chucked Tom Banton in here too as someone who definitely has the talent and might not be a bad option if one of these two (particularly Stokes) is crocked.

Wicket-Keepers (1 per match)
Ben Foakes
Jos Buttler
Sam Billings
John Simpson

So Ben Foakes really ought to be the present incumbent. And I really like Jos Buttler a lot, which is near enough the only reason he's still on this list - Sam Billings would probably be a more sensible choice given that he is an excellent gloveman who has had Championship success. John Simpson makes the list because I think he, not Foakes, is the best gloveman in the country.

Seam and Swing Bowlers (1 or 2 per match)
Jimmy Anderson
Sam Curran
Stuart Broad
Chris Woakes
Ben Coad
Darren Stevens

This is strange - there seems to be a real lack of young swing bowlers going around. Regardless, I'm really impressed by the English Chaminda Vaas, so Sam Curran might just make my top two seamers currently. And of course I've included Darren Stevens here.

Spin Bowlers (1 or 2 per match)
Jack Leach
Liam Dawson
Moeen Ali
Matt Parkinson
Dom Bess

Bit of a motley crew here, but not too terrible. Jack Leach, when he's not shitting through the eye of a needle, has shown himself to be a thoroughly adequate Test match option. Dawson and Ali meanwhile are no worse than the other options, so they get the nod ahead of Parkinson and Bess, who should be going on all the Lions tours and whose counties should be strongly encouraged to select them.

Express Pace Bowlers (1 per match)
Jofra Archer
Ollie Stone
Mark Wood

I think that England should aim to include one express pace bowler at all times. Often though, these guys get very very injured, so their workloads will have to be managed more carefully than they have been. If you have a four-Test series and they're all fit, then Archer might play two games, Stone and Wood one each. Lots of rotation here.

What XI does that give?

1. Rory Burns
2. Dominic Sibley or Chris Dent
3. Joe Denly
4. Joe Root
5. Ben Stokes
6. Ollie Pope
7. Ben Foakes
8. Sam Curran or Liam Dawson
9. Jack Leach
10. Jimmy Anderson
11. Jofra Archer or Ollie Stone or Mark Wood

A reasonably well-balanced side I think. It's far from perfect of course, but that reflects the realities of what's wrong with the English game more generally as much as anything else.

 

[Ed Smith]

Ah aye I forgot about Billings - I'd have him ahead of Jos right now

 

[Aislabie]

I mean logically he should be. I just love Jos Buttler a lot and really wanted him to make a success of Test cricket but fully acknowledge that after 40 Tests he maybe isn't the one

 

[Ed Smith]

Buttler seems to lack concentration and the will to bat long without scoring, rather than having any obvious technical flaws. Shame really

 

[Dutch]

Interesting stat from the bbc!

 

[wasteyouryouth]

Sibley has faced 300 balls more than Roy in the same number of innings.

 

[Ed Smith]

Sibley has faced 300 balls more than Roy in the same number of innings.

That's crazy

 

[wasteyouryouth]

That's crazy

To put it in perspective, Jack Leach faced more in one innings as an opener.

 

[Dutch]

Its slow and grueling but it is fight and dogged resistance: test match cricket.