• The first stage of the forum upgrades has now been completed but they remain in a degraded state and are still being worked on. Normal posting/reading should now be possible.
    Please read this thread for more details.
    New user registrations are currently disabled.

3rd test team that you would pick for england

^This.

I can't get over how all of their seamers look fast, aggressive and accurate whilst ours, with one notable exception, look like the radar's completely gone and they then resort to floaty half-volleys or wayward, wasteful short-pitched stuff.
How hostile is their 2nd choice attack though?

Add Archer, Stokes and Stone to this team and it's a very very different story.

I would have added Garton to the squad, just about the fastest of the young quick bowlers I could think of (who are currently fit). Bit of 88-90mph left arm might do something at Headingly.

Wouldn't have gone back to Malan myself, he's been tried and failed in England, but there you go.

We shout have a sweep as to what score Root comes to the crease, Ill go 22/2.
 
Last edited:

I still think the bowling is part of the overall problem.

We're at home, bowling in conditions that are supposed to suit us, yet our bowling looks laboured and short of ideas. Their top order have looked composed and in control while batting in conditions that are supposed to be hard for them.

I have to agree about our batting being awful plus @smoker 's point about the field placings is spot on.

The whole team looks like it's suffering from a general malaise and somehow needs to be shaken up.
Bowling conditions should suit us however they don’t. I said in another thread that the pitches look a lot flatter compared to recent years, we seem to be preparing pitches that suit the opposition.

I think Root has said he wants flatter wickets to help us abroad when we need to take 20 wickets but we’re pretty much giving up home advantage
 
Has everyone forgotten what Malan was like last time he played test cricket in England?

He couldn't handle the moving ball. Constantly getting squared up and offering regulation edges to the keeper or first slip.

Stats: 13 innings, high score 65, average 20.25. Sibley has a better record.

I'm all for taking him to Australia but I can't see him achieving anything in this series.

The cupboards are bare. He shouldn’t be anywhere near, it the situation we’re in means he’s back in the fold. Granted it’s just like moving the deckchairs on the Titanic.
 
The cupboards are bare. He shouldn’t be anywhere near, it the situation we’re in means he’s back in the fold. Granted it’s just like moving the deckchairs on the Titanic.

Indeed. I think everyone, especially the pundits, are getting carried away.

Abell is the form number 3 in the CC and has played far more red ball cricket than Malan this season. He's also an experienced, successful captain. Likewise Westley and Vince, both county captains, bat number three and no worse than Malan when they played for England (and younger than Malan). In Silverwood's position, I think I'd have been looking to inject some leadership material into the team to make up for Joe's lack thereof. He's taken a gamble of picking form white ball players but if they fail, and it ruins their confidence, we've damaged our chances of winning the world T20, as well as losing the test series.
 
After seeing the squad I would go

Hameed
Burns
Malan
Root (c)
Pope
Buttler (wk)
Moeen
S Curran
Overton
Robinson
Wood

Jimmy can’t play three in a row, surely.
Also not sure what is happening with Dom Bess.

Decent haul over in India, then discarded.

Worth persisting with, surely.

Instead they go back to Ali. Fine as a one day player, but who’s test career appeared to be over.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
If Overton plays hope he surprises a few people, granted when he has played before for England looked a bit toothless.

But has seemed a improved cricketer in red ball cricket earlier this season and if we want to put stock and importance on the domestic red ball game then on that basis he deserves another crack and chance at it.
 
Burns
Hameed
Malan
Root
Bairstow
Ali
Buttler
Woakes (praying he’s fit)
Robinson
Wood (Mahmood if he’s not fit)
Anderson
Should be the team, but the prayers have not been answered unfortunately on Woakes, who would transform our attack.

Would definitely pick Overton ahead of Curran, who is dross.

Mahmood in for wood.
 
Back
Top