[First Test] England v West Indies - Southampton

Dexter said:
Sorry but I’m not having that.

Someone like De Kock is playing behind one of the worst top orders in world cricket and he still scores a boat load of runs.

Yeah it’s not ideal the top order don’t score big a lot of the time, but the number 7 is still coming in a good 30-40 overs in so they’re not exactly facing the new ball are they.
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How is there top order worse than ours?

Our best player Burns averages 33
And that’s only recently

We had Jason Roy opening last year

We’ve had stokes at 3, Ali at 3, bairstow at 3

All of them at 4

Been a total mess like

England is also the hardest place to bat in the world
 
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The Rat said:
How is there top order worse than ours?

Our best player Burns averages 33
And that’s only recently

We had Jason Roy opening last year

We’ve had stokes at 3, Ali at 3, bairstow at 3

All of them at 4

Been a total mess like

England is also the hardest place to bat in the world
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Burns tbf is averaging over 40 since the start of the ashes
 
The Rat said:
Mate bairstow for example was sometimes keeping wicket and batting 4!

I’m not saying they been good enough but there are reasons for it and it’s getting too much press
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They is some mitigation but as Dexter has mentioned, De Kock is behind a very average line up and managing to score pretty consistently.

It may seem as if it's getting a lot of press, but it's probably because it's been over a prolonged period and the selectors seem to be going back and forth between the two. Foakes impressed on debut, whatever you may think of him it's going to stick in the minds of people, particularly when those ahead of him aren't playing well.

For me, it's time to change. Buttler and Bairstow have played over 100 tests between them and overall they have not been consistent enough. Bairstow has more cause for complaint as he's been shuffled about a bit but he has a technical flaw which he's never ironed out and his form has declined quite rapidly in test cricket since 2016. He doesn't come across as particularly understanding when he is being criticised which limits any sympathy for him however.

Buttler has never looked comfortable in test cricket and is lucky to have played as many tests as he has.

Foakes may or may not be the answer, but a change certainly is.
 

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