There may be troubles ahead: England selection issues.

[Arthur Crabtree]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/ ... -sri-lanka

The idea of inviting Bairstow to emulate his white-ball role as an opening batsman in Test cricket has some merit and for him the most attractive place to try this would be Sri Lanka.

[Arthur Crabtree]

My impression is JB1's technique has regressed a little and some of his former weaknesses have crept back in. He's England's top run scorer in the series (and second highest on either side) so that may be unfair, but the general quality of the batting, King Kohli apart, has been so poor, that his 206 runs at 42 have eclipsed a very ordinary field. He's not looking like an opener to me anyway. He wants the bat on ball too much, like they all do.

[Arthur Crabtree]

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine ... ype=series

Runs in the series.

[ianp1970]

If Bairstow is going to play as a specialist bat at 4 behind Root, is it really that much different to coming in at number 5?

Or is the plan to get a team structure that will cover all bowling basesbases? Something akin to:-

1-4
Cook
x
Root (C)
Bairstow

5-8
Stokes
Buttler (WK)
Two out of Woakes/Curran/Moeen

9-11
Rashid
Broad
Anderson

[Durhamfootman]

next year they might have to fit TRJ in there somewhere

[Arthur Crabtree]

If Bairstow is going to play as a specialist bat at 4 behind Root, is it really that much different to coming in at number 5?

Or is the plan to get a team structure that will cover all bowling basesbases? Something akin to:-

1-4
Cook
x
Root (C)
Bairstow

5-8
Stokes
Buttler (WK)
Two out of Woakes/Curran/Moeen

9-11
Rashid
Broad
Anderson

Don't like that they've just been reflexly drawn back to Moeen after almost no effort to look at alternatives.

That side looks uncomfortably like it's got three batters in it, but of course, it may be that these all rounders are the best bats. Shame England A aren't playing.

Have to wonder how long Anderson and Cook will carry on for. How long Broad will be fit for. And whether England's inability to field a plausible Test side might lead them to unconsciously just give up on Tests and promote the limited overs formats. There doesn't seem to be a lot of hope around. Like the nineties.

[Durhamfootman]

Have to wonder how long Anderson and Cook will carry on for. How long Broad will be fit for. And whether England's inability to field a plausible Test side might lead them to unconsciously just give up on Tests and promote the limited overs formats. There doesn't seem to be a lot of hope around. Like the nineties.

are they not already consciously doing that, by parachuting T20 and white ball specialists into the test side?

[Arthur Crabtree]

Test cricket is a bit inconvenient. All those expensive long tours

[alfie]

Certainly seems to be quite a movement among some media outlets to get Buttler back behind the stumps at whatever cost. My own feeling is that would be grossly unfair to Bairstow to be forced to give up the role in which he has improved so much by dint of hard work while simultaneously doing a fine job batting pretty well anywhere they have asked of him...

I agree Buttler has some - quite explosive- batting talent. But despite the hundred the other day (and it might be noted he was fortunate to survive a very early chance ; as was also the case in his previous score of eighty odd against Pakistan) I'm not sure he has demonstrated the ability to produce consistent runs in Test Cricket in the manner YJB has managed so far. I actually do think he has improved and for that reason would support his getting a chance to bat at five or six to show one way or the other if he should command a permanent spot ... but I cannot see why he should get an automatic pass to number seven - and the gloves.

As for Jonny batting up the order : that even some "experts" are touting him for the opener's spot astounds me . I thought that idea was the province of the nutters who infest the BBC HYS ... Opening in ODI is a totally different animal and success in one is no guide to the other . I very much doubt Bairstow would be at all suited to the role in the five day game . And if he were forced into it , and failed : what would they do with him next ? He might do a job at five , or even four if relieved of the gloves ; but that would not change the fact that the real problem for England was and is the top three...

All seems more driven by a desire to cement Buttler into the team (presumably because of his success in the white ball game...and potentially as the next captain ?) rather than actually an attempt to address the balance of the batting lineup.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I watched the highlights and at one point Mark Nicholas began to purr (like Geoffrey Palmer doing a voice over about the royal corgis) that Stokes had been batting for three and a half hours...

When England had to bat for thirteen hours. Well done him and JB2 for not collapsing, but it was hardly Rorke's Drift. Buttler's ton was far too attacking for the situations and contained too many edges through the slips from loose drives. Stokes looked more solid and played the situation better. Buttler's innings should be judged more by time at the crease than runs scored. He batted for four hours. That's just moderate resistance in decent batting conditions (the variable bounce was tricky).

I can't see how these England batters can succeed when they have shown over a period of years that they won't bat the situation or show much versatility in approach.

[Arthur Crabtree]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/aug/26/england-target-opening-top-order-jonny-bairstow-india-sri-lanka

The idea of inviting Bairstow to emulate his white-ball role as an opening batsman in Test cricket has some merit and for him the most attractive place to try this would be Sri Lanka.

The headline had been that JB1 should open, but it was changed. Maybe Vic is backtracking!

[sussexpob]

Sounds like a classic leak that's been backtracked. I've seen three or four articles all arrive at approximately the same time, all discussing JB as being a viable opener, and all insinuating at some level it had been mentioned by the team leadership.

Then as quickly as they came, as quickly they were rewritten. Imagine the ECBs Malcolm tucker had a word

[ianp1970]

If Bairstow is going to play as a specialist bat at 4 behind Root, is it really that much different to coming in at number 5?

Or is the plan to get a team structure that will cover all bowling basesbases? Something akin to:-

1-4
Cook
x
Root (C)
Bairstow

5-8
Stokes
Buttler (WK)
Two out of Woakes/Curran/Moeen

9-11
Rashid
Broad
Anderson

And so it comes to pass:

1 Alastair Cook, 2 Keaton Jennings, 3 Joe Root (capt), 4 Jonny Bairstow,
5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Sam Curran,
9 Adil Rashid, 10 Stuart Broad, 11 James Anderson

in a home match to boot!

[Arthur Crabtree]

So Mo has come back in on his batting form and is at seven? I thought he'd replace Pope at four.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Cricinfo suggesting Jadeja might come in for Shami.