ASHES 11

[Sweeper]

ahhhhhh OK, I forgot that series doesn't count, we will just have to dismiss all Smith and Warner's runs this winter then too

KP hasn't played any 4 day cricket in over a year, and his record his last few years was average at best

not sure what point you are trying to make, to even be considered he has to score 4 day runs .lets just bring Colly back then too

The point I am making is that you are totally wrong about some mythical English attitude of "he did nothing wrong we should leave him in".

That is not what has happened here at all, we are talking about a player who has excelled last summer. And Ballance is no favourite of mine, it could be any player who has done that well. On that basis Root could easily be dropped to early in his career. at some stage you have to back these lads when they should promise.

Also Ballance is of no relevance to KP, we should be talking about if you are dropping Root or Bell here.

Agree to disagree on this one I think.

The bottom line is you sit down at any given time and pick your best XI players. England far too often will not do that, for various reasons including "sending out the wrong message". To hell with that - this is top level international sport and there is no room for sentiment. If Ballance plays I hope he has a great summer, but if you think that slapping an Indian medium pace attack around is going to in any way have prepared him for what is coming this summer, you are mental.

England need to pick Pietersen and if they don't, they have no chance of winning in my opinion (I hope I'm wrong). It's a statement of intent and aggression from England that needs to be made - you pick your best players and we'll pick ours.

 

[johnson]

The bottom line is you sit down at any given time and pick your best XI players. England far too often will not do that, for various reasons including "sending out the wrong message". To hell with that - this is top level international sport and there is no room for sentiment. If Ballance plays I hope he has a great summer, but if you think that slapping an Indian medium pace attack around is going to in any way have prepared him for what is coming this summer, you are mental.

England need to pick Pietersen and if they don't, they have no chance of winning in my opinion (I hope I'm wrong). It's a statement of intent and aggression from England that needs to be made - you pick your best players and we'll pick ours.

I did not say that, but why disregard the runs? I hate it when people say "he was just playing India". They are one of the premier sides in the world that you have to beat

I would be interested to hear if you would just dismiss KP's runs if he had done as well last summer, I very much doubt it somehow. KP has scored big runs against India at home before, I guess they were of no help to him?

This doesn't just apply to Ballance by the way, it applies to Root, Buttler and co who all did well at times last summer, you can only be judged on who you play. It's still test cricket

 

[Sweeper]

I did not say that, but why disregard the runs? I hate it when people say "he was just playing India". They are one of the premier sides in the world that you have to beat

I would be interested to hear if you would just dismiss KP's runs if he had done as well last summer, I very much doubt it somehow. KP has scored big runs against India at home before, I guess they were of no help to him?

This doesn't just apply to Ballance by the way, it applies to Root, Buttler and co who all did well at times last summer, you can only be judged on who you play. It's still test cricket

India are a premier test team on the back of their home form - they are notoriously poor away by comparison. Those runs clearly can't be disregarded but they have to be viewed in that context. New Zealand will be a bigger test for him/them in our conditions. I might be wrong and genuinely hope I am - but for me, a batting line up like the one we fielded last summer just smacks of "OK Australia, we'll just stand here and you can punch us until we go down". Picking Pietersen at least says that we'll be trying to land a few punches ourselves.

 

[johnson]

As I say KP needs to go and score runs first, then if England are struggling he should be in the frame

I don't think its fair that players are picked purely based on reputation, that is my point.

India are a premier test team on the back of their home form - they are notoriously poor away by comparison. Those runs clearly can't be disregarded but they have to be viewed in that context. New Zealand will be a bigger test for him/them in our conditions. I might be wrong and genuinely hope I am - but for me, a batting line up like the one we fielded last summer just smacks of "OK Australia, we'll just stand here and you can punch us until we go down". Picking Pietersen at least says that we'll be trying to land a few punches ourselves.

Well I agree with most of what you said here mate

As I say my mine gripe is people dismissing India and Sri Lanka by the way, I know they were not great, but they are still 2 of the major test teams. We all know that NZ and Australia have better bowlers, that's not really the point I am making. You still have to score runs, plenty players better than Ballance have failed at test level.

That's the good argument you make there about the balance of the batting order, which is something I do agree with.

My point might be getting lost here slightly, its not really about Ballance himself, if someone comes in and does better, that's great, its more that I think people have dismissed some good performances by some decent young cricketers.

Maybe with Bell, Ali, Stokes and Buttler in the middle order, we might take the game to them more than you think? Big shout I know.

 

[KGC83]

Cook
Lyth
Ballance
KP
Root
Stokes
Buttler
Ali
Broad
Anderson
Wood (depending how well he does in WI)