Third Test: England v South Africa, The Oval, July 27-31

[rich1uk]

I don't see anything wrong with batting Moeen at 8 and making him a primary spinner, with Woakes (when fit) Broad and Anderson at 9, 10, 11. But apparently Moeen doesn't want to play that way.

that is one of the things that has kinda annoyed me

from what we have been told alot of the fudging of selection has been to accommodate Moeen, either because he doesn't focus well on his batting when he bats too low or because he feels that there is too much expectation on him if he is the main spinner. whilst i think he is a good player and has been a valuable part of the team i am not really sure whether what he contributes merits that sort of treatment, that we will rejig the batting order or the balance of the team just for him.

[alfie]

You can see why Moeen doesn't fancy batting eight : perhaps surprisingly his average there is a poor 28 , as against 68 when he bats at seven.
His efforts higher up however are nothing special apart from the slightly freakish 51 batting at four ( freakish because it covers just three games and includes one big hundred in Chennai.) He has an average of 21 at six , 30 at five , and you wouldn't want to talk about one two and three
Should this entitle him to dictate the batting order ?
Bairstow averages about 46 at both six and seven ...but just 30 at five.
Seems to be a reasonable case on figures to shift Stokes down...his best is 37 at six , where he has almost always batted. But I know Bayliss likes to play him at six ; and he is a very stubborn man. Wonder how Root sees it ?

To be honest I reckon any combination of those three at 6-7-8 will serve England well as long as a reasonably fit for purpose top five can be set in place.

Having three such able all rounders really ought to be a massive strength for England . Wasting it by messing around with the rest of the team , unbalancing it for no good reason , seems the height of folly.

[andy]

Are Woakes and Ball fit for the 3rd test do we know?

[Arthur Crabtree]

They're not in the squad.

[andy]

oh yeah course not

[Arthur Crabtree]

Surprising stats. Big Vern is the third highest run scorer. Moeen leads the wicket taking list (14!). A spinner is top for SA too (Maharaj with 10).There has been only one ton, the chancy knock by Honest Joe.

[andy]

Maharaj has gone under the radar, bowled well not lots of overs, and just seems to pick up wickets..

[Arthur Crabtree]

Good SR for a spinner at 46.

[alfie]

Maharaj has gone under the radar, bowled well not lots of overs, and just seems to pick up wickets..

He's done very well - notably seems to to have YJB's number.

I was quite impressed by him last year in Australia , to be honest. Has been a bit underrated so far.

[Slipstream]

What happens when Woakes comes back? Will we have Stokes, Ali, Dawson, Woakes, Bairstow as all rounders?

[Arthur Crabtree]

Presume SA elected not to have a three day fixture in the break between these Tests.

[pompeymeowth]

I´m surprised Dawson has even made the squad, if he plays, doubly so.

[westoelad]

Are Woakes and Ball fit for the 3rd test do we know?

Woakes played for Warks 2nds last week but didn't bowl and Ball played T20. There's a full round of CC fixtures 6-9th August coinciding with the 4th Test. Presumably the above will both play in the CC games and be fit for the W.Indies series.

[mikesiva]

Duminy out for good this series. He has been released from the squad.

[Durhamfootman]

But I know Bayliss likes to play him at six ; and he is a very stubborn man. Wonder how Root sees it ?

well... he is England captain, so naturally that means that he'll do as he's *modded* told