First Test: England v South Africa, Lord's, July 6-10.

[The Professor]

I, for one, am celebrating the return of Ballance. His County form alone has put him in contention for an international call up and if you add in the fact that he has previous experience internationally then it is something of a no brainer.

We forget that it is not an unnatural thing to drop a player for a period of time in order for them to refind their form and recalibrate their batting. Rahul Dravid, one of the finest players to ever bat in Ballance's position, was dropped from the international team three times in the late 1990s and went on to be prolific and undroppable. The only difference is that he was younger than Ballance is.

Ballance has played 38 Tests and his form split those performances into two categories. After his first seventeen tests he had an average of just under 70 with four hundreds and three fifties. In his next 21 Tests he only got over 50 twice and, by the time he was dropped, his average had got to 39.25. The Ballance that has been turning out for Yorkshire seems more reminiscent of the early years Ballance and one can only hope that he can be a driving force for England at number three against South Africa and Australia.

[rich1uk]

I, for one, am celebrating the return of Ballance. His County form alone has put him in contention for an international call up and if you add in the fact that he has previous experience internationally then it is something of a no brainer.

We forget that it is not an unnatural thing to drop a player for a period of time in order for them to refind their form and recalibrate their batting. Rahul Dravid, one of the finest players to ever bat in Ballance's position, was dropped from the international team three times in the late 1990s and went on to be prolific and undroppable. The only difference is that he was younger than Ballance is.

Ballance has played 38 Tests and his form split those performances into two categories. After his first seventeen tests he had an average of just under 70 with four hundreds and three fifties. In his next 21 Tests he only got over 50 twice and, by the time he was dropped, his average had got to 39.25. The Ballance that has been turning out for Yorkshire seems more reminiscent of the early years Ballance and one can only hope that he can be a driving force for England at number three against South Africa and Australia.

i agree tbh

i haven't seen a huge amount of him this season but what i have seen the problem he developed with going extremely deep in his crease and getting trapped with nowhere to go has gone

during that first spell with england where he was exceptional, he showed great discipline and patience, my only concern was it became quite easy to set fields to him and restrict his scoring because he was quite limited in the areas he played, which led to him getting bogged down at times

with teams now using spray charts to look at the areas batsmen favour it'll be interesting to see what fields SA do set for him

[st_brendy]

Even as a Hampshire fan, I am not saying that I rate Dawson as a first-class level spinner. But at the end of the day, we're over half way through the D1 season and:

(a) Leach is the only English spinner with more wickets than Dawson - and that is only by two, despite having bowled 40 more over than Dawson, and playing on a turning wicket at home.

(b) Of those who have bowled at least 100 overs, Parry is the only English spinner with a better average than Dawson - being 27.9 vs 30.0. So hardly a huge difference there either.

Throw in the fact that Dawson can bat, was in the last test team, and is known to the England coaches and selectors, then it is maybe not the biggest shock in the world that he has been picked as a spin option. I appreciate that neither Rashid nor Moeen have particularly had the opportunity to get themselves involved in the above stats, given their involvement with the England limited overs sides.

I still wouldn't have picked himself, I'd have picked an extra man to bat in the top three (I know Dawson has actually batted there for us just recently, but he's not good enough for that - so surely won't be asked to bat there at international level). And then on the seamer front, I'd either go with the primary four, or decide to leave one of them out for TBJ if we didn't want to risk all of the fitness levels. Certainly wouldn't be picking all five. But if the call is to pick Moeen and another spinner, then I can understand going with Dawson. Crane for example is not ready yet, and may prove to never be ready/good enough.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Probably not possible to pick any England spinner based on CC performances this year.

As you say Brendy, I'd have picked a long term number three in the squad.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I, for one, am celebrating the return of Ballance. His County form alone has put him in contention for an international call up and if you add in the fact that he has previous experience internationally then it is something of a no brainer.
.

He was dropped after a rough time v NZ and Aus in 2015. On reselection, was lucky to be kept after a depressing series v Pakistan last summer, only to stretch that run into a tour of BD ending in demotion. His previous international experience amounts to him being a two time failure. He is described as being 'mentally tough' but what he actually has is an obvious flaw in the way he plays; and then he was picked again without doing anything to address it. I think it annoys people (me) that he was recalled last summer despite doing almost nothing to deserve another chance. And he was terrible. And now he's back, like a fortunate son, after just a mere glimpse of a recovery. I wonder a bit if his assumed mental character is the interpretation of coaches flattered by seeing their own values mirrored so clearly back at them.

I would have given him two years in CC to show better form. I feel those who have been doing well over recent seasons have been let down by not getting a chance.

[rich1uk]

couple of things AC

firstly you say he has an obvious flaw in the way he plays, but he doesn't have the same flaw as he had back in 2015 when he was dropped for the first time, when his movement back in the crease became incredibly exaggerated

yes he shouldn't have been picked last year when he had done nothing to deserve it, i was very critical of that recall, but that wasn't his choice, the selectors picked him

lastly, that "mere glimpse" of form you mention is 800+ runs in 11 innings at an average above 100

if he hadn't be recalled last year when he was quite clearly still working his way out of the technical problem he had and hadn't earned it, i doubt anyone would even be blinking an eye about his selection now

[Durhamfootman]

re Ballance.......... for once the selectors have picked a player who is in form now; at the moment; currently. In the past they would have overlooked him for this series, waited until he hit a blip in his season, and then called him up for the WI tour.

I have no problem with Dawson being selected, other than I was banking on his points for the T20 FL

[Arthur Crabtree]

lastly, that "mere glimpse" of form you mention is 800+ runs in 11 innings at an average above 100

if he hadn't be recalled last year when he was quite clearly still working his way out of the technical problem he had and hadn't earned it, i doubt anyone would even be blinking an eye about his selection now

A glimpse in time I meant. A month? His form is a high spike, but a brief one.

The latter point is true, but that's where we are. His selection last year was one of those decisions that have to work in order not to appear misguided. And given how badly he played on his recall, that's how his latest return will be judged.

[ianp1970]

Probably not possible to pick any England spinner based on CC performances this year.

As you say Brendy, I'd have picked a long term number three in the squad.

Isn't the number 3 likely to be Jennings when Hameed finds some form?

[sussexpob]

Ballance was dropped with a test average over 50, that to me says all that was obvious at the time....he didn't look test standard. His career so far is built on innings vs pretty bad bowling attacks, OK he scored v jadeja and ashwin, but before either had really cemented their own test status, and on docile pitches.

Against good bowling, he's look bang average at best. His only decent innings against Pakistan was inside edge central. He simply hangs on without (a) scoring options around the wicket. He's an easy bat to suffocate due to his limited range of ability..(b) he ain't got much of a defensive technique.

I'd hazard to guess he is the epitome of a player who will excel with his guts and determination against bowlers with a more limited ability, determination or concentration to beat his stubborness.

Against world class bowlers moving the ball, he's toast

[bigfluffylemon]

I guess we'll see. If he can handle Rabada, Philander and Morkel, then that's definitely on the tougher side (although probably still not as rough as facing Starc, Hazlewood and Pattinson in Australia). I hope he succeeds, but I am not overly optimistic

[alfie]

i've never really been a fan of picking someone just in case someone else in the XI gets injured

if a player isn't 100% fit and able to get through a 5 day test they shouldn't be getting picked in the first place

I'm not either. But it does look as if they are suggesting Stokes may not bowl , does it not ? Which - if it is the case - raises the question : would you include Stokes just as a batsman ? I suspect most would...

Alternative view is that Dawson will play and Moeen is being shunted into concentrating on trying to fill the number five slot and acting as just a part time bowler.

Guess we will find out on Thursday.

[alfie]

And after reading the last few pages it seems popular opinion on here is that Dawson will play ; which does surprise me a little ...

Why not Rashid ? Not that I am totally against Dawson -who did play the last Test , after all - but I'd have thought Rashid has more wicket taking form on the board.

I would have preferred a number three bat ; but I guess Root will stay there (Bayliss likes the top man at three) and Ballance at four. His form has earned the chance , I suppose ; but it is surely his last.

[rich1uk]

And after reading the last few pages it seems popular opinion on here is that Dawson will play ; which does surprise me a little ...

Why not Rashid ? Not that I am totally against Dawson -who did play the last Test , after all - but I'd have thought Rashid has more wicket taking form on the board.

I would have preferred a number three bat ; but I guess Root will stay there (Bayliss likes the top man at three) and Ballance at four. His form has earned the chance , I suppose ; but it is surely his last.

its only the popular opinion because of the squad thats been picked and the decision is between dawson and roland-jones, so either 5 seamers and ali as the spin option or 4 seamers with dawson and ali

if we ignore the squad thats been picked i doubt many people would be picking dawson ahead of rashid

[bigfluffylemon]

And after reading the last few pages it seems popular opinion on here is that Dawson will play ; which does surprise me a little ...

Why not Rashid ? Not that I am totally against Dawson -who did play the last Test , after all - but I'd have thought Rashid has more wicket taking form on the board.

I would have preferred a number three bat ; but I guess Root will stay there (Bayliss likes the top man at three) and Ballance at four. His form has earned the chance , I suppose ; but it is surely his last.

its only the popular opinion because of the squad thats been picked and the decision is between dawson and roland-jones, so either 5 seamers and ali as the spin option or 4 seamers with dawson and ali

if we ignore the squad thats been picked i doubt many people would be picking dawson ahead of rashid

I wouldn't.