England tour of West Indies 2021/22

Who will the the Richards-Botham Trophy?


  • Total voters
    8
  • Poll closed .
They can talk all they want about "leading from the front" and "taking personal responsibility" and other babbling, but the sample size is big enough to show that at Test level Root is a number five already batting out of position at four

(that is quite aside from him also being thoroughly out of position as captain)
He probably averages the most in every position in the side. He's batted at 5 three times in the last six years, probably when there was a nightwatchman. He'd be wasted at 5 as our best batter.
 
He probably averages the most in every position in the side. He's batted at 5 three times in the last six years, probably when there was a nightwatchman. He'd be wasted at 5 as our best batter.
He's being wasted at three now :lol

But that exact reasoning is why I see him batting four as a reasonable compromise
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Also speaking of people averaging the most in a position - of all opening batters to debut since Andrew Strauss retired, none has averaged more than Joe Denly.

Joe.

Denly.
 
He's being wasted at three now :lol

But that exact reasoning is why I see him batting four as a reasonable compromise
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Also speaking of people averaging the most in a position - of all opening batters to debut since Andrew Strauss retired, none has averaged more than Joe Denly.

Joe.

Denly.
It doesn't make any sense sticking him at 3 when he clearly doesn't like batting there. It just sticks more pressure on him too. Lawrence should've played there. Root at 5 pushes Stokes out of his best position, and leaves a hole at four which can only be filled by J.M. Bairstow.

Denly was another victim of England trying to stick square pegs in round holes.

#DenlyIn

Time for a Bairstow 100.
 
Root at 5 pushes Stokes out of his best position
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The difference between five and six for Stokes with the bat is pretty marginal; he has certainly been far more circumspect at five, but a four-run average bump might overcome it. I do have a pet theory which is "Ben Stokes is the best Test opener England haven't tried yet", but that might be a step or two too hair-brained even for English selectors
 
Ben Stokes is the best Test opener England haven't tried yet
I thought this was meant to be a joke?

Were you actually serious when you said it the last time? Man! I am honestly taking this as a serious thought today!!
 
What England desperately lack nowadays is a player the likes of Ian Bell/ Jame sTaylor. I'd go more so with Ian Bell, as he had this knack of holding together when everything around him as crumbling. Dunno, what can be done at the top though- cause they've given quite a few people a decent run there. As someone mentioned, the Ben stokes option might be worth a try here.
 

Feel like this has some consequences for one Matt Parkinson
A real unfortunate guy this Parkinson is! I really enjoy watching him bowl from whatever limited videos I saw of him.

I remember I said Leach as world class (due to maybe my lack of knowledge) but Parkinson certainly looks a better bowler than Leach & Adil Rashid.
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I just now read the figures of Jason Holder- 7-5-6-1!!!

I haven't seen anyone bowl with so much discipline for a while.
 
What England desperately lack nowadays is a player the likes of Ian Bell/ Jame sTaylor. I'd go more so with Ian Bell, as he had this knack of holding together when everything around him as crumbling. Dunno, what can be done at the top though- cause they've given quite a few people a decent run there. As someone mentioned, the Ben stokes option might be worth a try here.

@blockerdave
 
I thought this was meant to be a joke?

Were you actually serious when you said it the last time? Man! I am honestly taking this as a serious thought today!!
Genuinely yes

He has a solid defensive game and the application to dedicate himself to learning a new skill. As far as I can tell, the only two technical changes he would need to make are to stop his back-and-away trigger movement and to stop playing off-side shots with a diagonal bat. Fixing the former problem would likely solve the latter one as it would keep his body and hands closer to the ball

He certainly has the temperament and fitness to play long innings too

It would also mean not bowling him as much, a definite win-win lately

Thus if I put my England selector hat on, in my current mood I probably pick:
  1. :eng: :bat: Rory Burns :c:
  2. :eng: :bat: Ben Stokes
  3. :eng: :bat: Zak Crawley... for now
  4. :eng: :bat: Josh Bohannon
  5. :eng: :bat: Joe Root
  6. :eng: :bat: Jonny Bairstow
  7. :eng: :wk: Ben Foakes
  8. :eng: :bwl: Mark Wood
  9. :eng: :bwl: Stuart Broad
  10. :eng: :bwl: Jimmy Anderson
  11. ... and a spinner
I'm also happy to admit that someone mentioned Dominic Cork to me earlier today, so my thinking may be a little but... 90s
 

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