Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

Maybe Haseeb is fit now.

Arthur Crabtree wrote:Maybe Haseeb is fit now.

even if he is fit his last 12 months haven't demanded re-selection

but we could have said that about VInce i suppose, and Ballance after his failures when he got his last recall

I don't really see Stoneman as someone who should be under pressure. He's had an OK series, away from home against a pace attack that aside from last Test made the highest scoring Test opener of all time look decidedly passed it.

Vince isn't good enough, he's not learnt anything since he was dropped the first time. Capacity to improve is far more important than the actual flaws themselves and Vince decidedly doesn't seem to have any. Real shame.

I read somewhere that England were considering Lions batsmen, but clearly that hasn't happened. That's probably a good thing, but at least Vince and probably Moeen need a good game if they're going to go to New Zealand. I agree with the consensus that Stoneman has probably done enough on a tough tour to warrant continued selection, but a big score is due soon.

No Ashton Agar, unsurprisingly, but England seem to have fallen for the Aussie trap and picked two spinners. Still, with Woakes now injured too they have little choice. England's bowling casualty list is now frankly ludicrous.

bigfluffylemon wrote:I read somewhere that England were considering Lions batsmen, but clearly that hasn't happened. That's probably a good thing, but at least Vince and probably Moeen need a good game if they're going to go to New Zealand. I agree with the consensus that Stoneman has probably done enough on a tough tour to warrant continued selection, but a big score is due soon.

No Ashton Agar, unsurprisingly, but England seem to have fallen for the Aussie trap and picked two spinners. Still, with Woakes now injured too they have little choice. England's bowling casualty list is now frankly ludicrous.

yeah with Woakes injured they have no choice but to play Ali as the alternative would be Broad or Curran batting at #7

altho after Moeen's inept performance with the bat at the MCG that might not be a bad thing

rich1uk wrote:

Arthur Crabtree wrote:Maybe Haseeb is fit now.

even if he is fit his last 12 months haven't demanded re-selection

He feels like unfinished business, but fair point.

Will the England selectors come under any official scrutiny after this tour?

The selectors are closely bound with Strauss who feels inviolable. Not sure they can get rid of a selector without some implied criticism casting a shadow across the South African born supremo.

Crane awarded his cap by Swann

Nice to see Swann seeing the tour through to the end this time

Hehe

So, rain.

Toss delayed.

3-0 is a lot better than 4-0...

Swanny gets an unbelievable amount of negativity for his role as commentator.

What a bowler though.

Might just shut my eyes...

Arthur Crabtree wrote:So, rain.

Toss delayed.

3-0 is a lot better than 4-0...

not meant to last long, not sure what the forecast is tho for the rest of the match

wonder if this rain will mean whoever wins the toss is tempted to bowl first even if it means batting last

Arthur Crabtree wrote:Swanny gets an unbelievable amount of negativity for his role as commentator.

What a bowler though.

Might just shut my eyes...

i just find him extremely unlikable

Not sure England will do that with two spinners. Or, it wouldn't be conventional anyway.