Arthur Crabtree wrote:Disappointed in Ballance being called up. He may well score well given his runs for Yorks, but he should have been given longer to prove his recovery. If he does badly again, the selectors have to accept responsibility for another crazy yo-yo choice. Bad for Yorks too.
If Dawson has been picked to bat at eight that's another bad failure of nerve and even perhaps an obstinate refusal sift through the wreckage of the India tour. My hunch is that he is the spinner and Mo is a number five bat.
I guess you can't criticise the Ballance selection because he is the form batsman this season, but my word he's going to be crapping himself when he gets to the crease, and you can't help think he might revert to type, get too far back in his crease, and just remain stuck there until he gets out. Hope I'm wrong.
I'm not a fan of Dawson, even as a Hants fan, but he had an okay debut test last time out, and probably doesn't warrant dumping out the twelve straightaway. Plus he's been around the England camp in other forms of the game recently and they may like his general all round contribution to the group.