Pakistan v England 2nd Test, Dubai, Oct 22-26

[sussexpob]

Stokes only needs to get his batting average up from 31 to 35, and his bowling down from 40 to 35 to be well worth a place, maybe at seven, but potentially at six. He's England's best fielder.

Bairstow averages four fewer from a game more with no hundreds. Stokes has a hundred in Perth in a series in which no other England player scored a ton... he's a player of huge all round potential. You can't say he absolutely deserves to be there, but with so much wrong (England have four functioning players and a dodgy skipper) I don't know why an inquest would start with him. He's my fifth name on the scoresheet.

His selection only makes sense at 8. A creaking batting line up cant have an all rounder coming in at 6 when there are two guys averaging 50 this year not playing

[Arthur Crabtree]

England players have a twelve month season. Other countries have at least some down time, which is why Pujara got to play over here. Jos, Ben, Jonny and Alex Hales aren't going to get the chance.

MPV also pointed out that ten years ago, Warne, Mushy, Murali, Kumble would be playing in the CC. Not only are those overseas players not there, but the season is arranged to minimise the part played by spin.

Still, Root can function. Cook got a ton in his first innings in India, with a couple of days to acclimatise. With Loughborough, with the facilities and resources available now, it must be possible to prepare players for these conditions (maybe not the heat). Players are groomed from being kids, as Root was. Maybe schoolkids can go and play a year at junior level in India or Australia. Root was going to be an England player regardless of playing for Yorkshire.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Stokes only needs to get his batting average up from 31 to 35, and his bowling down from 40 to 35 to be well worth a place, maybe at seven, but potentially at six. He's England's best fielder.

Bairstow averages four fewer from a game more with no hundreds. Stokes has a hundred in Perth in a series in which no other England player scored a ton... he's a player of huge all round potential. You can't say he absolutely deserves to be there, but with so much wrong (England have four functioning players and a dodgy skipper) I don't know why an inquest would start with him. He's my fifth name on the scoresheet.

His selection only makes sense at 8. A creaking batting line up cant have an all rounder coming in at 6 when there are two guys averaging 50 this year not playing

That feels like dogma. The fact he's an all rounder doesn't matter. Should Kallis not have batted in the top six? Or the young Steve Waugh? He's there because he's rated a top six bat. Not because England only need five batters. There's a case for dropping him, but not because he can bowl.

[Dr Cricket]

England players have a twelve month season. Other countries have at least some down time, which is why Pujara got to play over here. Jos, Ben, Jonny and Alex Hales aren't going to get the chance.

MPV also pointed out that ten years ago, Warne, Mushy, Murali, Kumble would be playing in the CC. Not only are those overseas players not there, but the season is arranged to minimise the part played by spin.

Still, Root can function. Cook got a ton in his first innings in India, with a couple of days to acclimatise. With Loughborough, with the facilities and resources available now, it must be possible to prepare players for these conditions (maybe not the heat). Players are groomed from being kids, as Root was. Maybe schoolkids can go and play a year at junior level in India or Australia. Root was going to be an England player regardless of playing for Yorkshire.

Pujara only played for yorkshire/Derby for 2-3 weeks.

Good points but think more can be done for the likes of Woakes, Taylor players not in the test side.

Also the likes of jonny, Hales don't play 12 months only the players in all formats play that.
Hales Johnny are not doing anything for 2-3 months this winter.
if the likes of Pujara can get counties for few weeks no reason why the likes of Jonny, Hales or other none 3 format players can't.

[Dr Cricket]

Stokes only needs to get his batting average up from 31 to 35, and his bowling down from 40 to 35 to be well worth a place, maybe at seven, but potentially at six. He's England's best fielder.

Bairstow averages four fewer from a game more with no hundreds. Stokes has a hundred in Perth in a series in which no other England player scored a ton... he's a player of huge all round potential. You can't say he absolutely deserves to be there, but with so much wrong (England have four functioning players and a dodgy skipper) I don't know why an inquest would start with him. He's my fifth name on the scoresheet.

His selection only makes sense at 8. A creaking batting line up cant have an all rounder coming in at 6 when there are two guys averaging 50 this year not playing

That feels like dogma. The fact he's an all rounder doesn't matter. Should Kallis not have batted in the top six? Or the young Steve Waugh? He's there because he's rated a top six bat. Not because England only need five batters. There's a case for dropping him, but not because he can bowl.

Weirdly enough don't think england think he is a top 6 bat, just have a feeling they don't wanna drop him after 2014 World cup fiasco.
He basically picked because of his potential and they basically hoping he scores runs here then he can play in SA/Eng where conditions would suit him.

[Arthur Crabtree]

That feels like dogma. The fact he's an all rounder doesn't matter. Should Kallis not have batted in the top six? Or the young Steve Waugh? He's there because he's rated a top six bat. Not because England only need five batters. There's a case for dropping him, but not because he can bowl.

[/quote]

If you're going to drop Stokes, might as well strip out the whole of 1-7, and reinstall Root and Cook and start again. Because none of the other recent options look like being that 45 averaging batter that this supposes Stokes is keeping out the side. Unless we think Bell is just out of form.

[Dr Cricket]

To be fair I would play Ballance and Taylor here and bell just about survives in the team.
Think both would do a better job than Stokes in the top 6.

[Dr Cricket]

paul newman is really stupid god knows how many times i have to tell him that pakistan lost to Australia in the UAE in 2002.

[Arthur Crabtree]

If Stokes doesn't bat at six, or seven at a pinch (if there's a Matt Prior standard keeper/batter about), then he shouldn't play, because he's not a front line bowler. We'll see. Short term, the most important changes are to find an opener, find a away to get Taylor in the middle order, and find a functional keeper/batter. The spinner question feels like an existential state of anxiety, I'm not sure how that can be resolved.

[Gingerfinch]

I'd bring in Taylor and Hales, and drop Buttler and Bell for the last test. Bairstow can keep.

[Arthur Crabtree]

paul newman is really stupid god knows how many times i have to tell him that pakistan lost to Australia in the UAE in 2002.

But a genius when standing next to Stephen Brenkley.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I'd bring in Taylor and Hales, and drop Buttler and Bell for the last test. Bairstow can keep.

Good plan. Swanny is currently saying the same thing.

[Dr Cricket]

paul newman is really stupid god knows how many times i have to tell him that pakistan lost to Australia in the UAE in 2002.

But a genius when standing next to Stephen Brenkley.

What happen to him really like his voice and not sure he covering the cricket this winter for independent.

[Arthur Crabtree]

He was on TMS at lunch. He's writing on the series for the indie.

[Arthur Crabtree]

41 added by these two.