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

[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.

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

Ah ... I didn't intend to imply that the above was the popular vote , as it were ...merely that most on here seemed to think this will be the XI . I would perhaps have been better advised to use the term general opinion...
And my "surprise" was in seeing Dawson in the squad . Just to clarify...

[Aidan11]

Faf is out of the first test.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Big blow for them.

Elgar/Kuhn/Amla/de Bruyn/JPD/Bavuma/QDK/Philander/Morris/Rabada/Morkel?

FDP/Markram/Maharaj/Phelukwayo/Olivier

[dan08]

Dawson is likely to play.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Big blow for them.

Elgar/Kuhn/Amla/de Bruyn/JPD/Bavuma/QDK/Philander/Morris/Rabada/Morkel?

FDP/Markram/Maharaj/Phelukwayo/Olivier

Cricinfo thinks Maharaj ahead of Morris.

[rich1uk]

how are South Africa going to cope with just 4 bowlers and only Duminy as backup?

[Arthur Crabtree]

Elgar bowls... that's six...

[dan08]

Elgar bowls... that's six...

De Bruyn bowls part time seamers. That's seven...

[bigfluffylemon]

I think rich might have tongue in cheek there...

So Dawson likely to play. Interesting choice. Well, good luck to him. Let's hope he proves us all wrong.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Starts tomorrow am. Good luck to Joe Root on his first day as captain.

[m@tt]

XI was confirmed today. Root's at 4, Bairstow 5, Stokes 6, Ali 7, Dawson 8.

So Bairstow gets a promotion, having batted at 7 most of last year. Ali was hoping to go 5, is now 7 - though better than the 8 he was for much of last year, it's still not the position of a specialist batsman, but at the same time it sounds like Dawson is going to be the primary spinner.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I'd have had Bairstow at seven out of those options I think.

Having two batting spinners at seven and eight, one in for his batting and the other for his bowling... just feels like a muddle.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Sixty years on the clock for TMS. Have got out of the habit of always listening (either it feels like it hasn't changed enough when I'm listening to Boycott and BLowers, or too much when it's an unwelcome unfamiliar voice). But at times it is still glorious. Surely a candidate for being one of the UK's all time great broadcasts.

[alfie]

I'd have had Bairstow at seven out of those options I think.

Having two batting spinners at seven and eight, one in for his batting and the other for his bowling... just feels like a muddle.

Me too. Think that despite his excellent form it would be fairer to YJB to afford him a little more rest between labours and bat him at seven ...six if you must. If Moeen is primarily there as a batsman (as seems implied by the Dawson selection) he probably needs to be higher in the order.
I suppose it may be that this configuration is a one-off and they intend to revert to 5.1.1.4 later , in which case we shouldn't read too much into it . If it is planned to continue like this I am a little concerned as it seems a bit like the Indian tour policy of extra bowlers masquerading as batsmen ...and we saw how well that worked ...

[rich1uk]

atherton being very diplomatic in his descritption of the team selection today today saying they have been "pragmatic" with the line-up