Topic: England’s Cricketing Summer - Pakistan/Australia/India

[Crosby Nick]

2 Tests v Pakistan

5 ODIs v Australia

1 T20 v Australia

3 T20s v India

3 ODIs v India

5 Tests v India

Squad has been announced for the 1st Test. Main headlines:

- James Vince has been dropped
- Jos Buttler recalled and expected to bat at 7
- Dominic Bress (me neither) called in as spinner

Full squad: Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (capt), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Dominic Bess.

[CheshireDave]

Didn't Vince make a double ton yesterday too?!

[dudleyred]

Didn't Vince make a double ton yesterday too?!

Yep not out!

If there was a time to keep him it was now

[CheshireDave]

Yep not out!

If there was a time to keep him it was now

Ed Smith clearly doesn't rate him. I'd agree with Ed.

He's had 20 odd innings now and averages 24 with only 3 50's and no 100s. Just looking at his scores for Hampshire take out the 200 yesterday he's rarely excelled this season.

[Gerry Attrick]

Stoneman is fortunate. Jennings is in great nick.

[Circa1892]

Bringing Buttler in is fine - but bit weird to be popping a specialist batsman at 7? I guess he's in there as a "finisher" in the Gilchrist mode.

I'd actually have been tempted to give him a shot opening with Cook.

But then I'm often wrong.

[spen71]

I’m off to the Saturday at Headingley against Pakistan.  Also the Saturday at edgbaston against India

[sinnermichael]

Anderson and Broad will still be leading our attack when they're in their 40's.

[dudleyred]

Ed Smith clearly doesn't rate him. I'd agree with Ed.

He's had 20 odd innings now and averages 24 with only 3 50's and no 100s. Just looking at his scores for Hampshire take out the 200 yesterday he's rarely excelled this season.

Don’t disagree

Just find it funny that he’s been picked before with nothing to back it up

Scores 200 - dropped

[Frank Becton]

We clearly are going nowhere with our spinning option, I honestly have never heard of Dominic Bess, we just seem to keep picking random names.

Bringing Buttler in is fine - but bit weird to be popping a specialist batsman at 7? I guess he's in there as a "finisher" in the Gilchrist mode.

I'd actually have been tempted to give him a shot opening with Cook.

But then I'm often wrong.

I can't fathom why they have picked Buttler, especially if he bats at 7. Fair enough he is making lots of runs in the IPL and playing well, but he isn't a test match player and why isn't he playing county cricket in preparation?
He is a brilliant one day player, but needs to improve in red ball cricket - so it baffles me we have picked him when he clearly has other priorities out in India.

Stokes too hasn't played any red ball cricket at all, and looks totally out of nick with bat and ball out in the IPL.

Surely these guys should be at home playing county cricket?

[voodoo ray]

rob key will be happy anyway

[Gerry Attrick]

Bairstow will bat at 5. Hallelujah! About 10 years late, but good all the same.

[Yorkykopite]

Finally, some sense!

[Gerry Attrick]

Bess will play tomorrow. I wonder which spinner we'll use against India.

[Crosby Nick]

Absolutely hooned it down for a couple of hours overnight, it woke me up it was so loud. Still a bit wet now, if it starts on time I imagine it might nip about a fair bit early on.

[Frank Becton]

England win toss and decide to bat - it's a bit cloudy, not sure that's the right call.

[voodoo ray]

Surprised they've gone for wood over woakes given the conditions, time of year and the batting line up.

[Crosby Nick]

Surprised they've gone for wood over woakes given the conditions, time of year and the batting line up.

Could be that they’re trying to develop players who can win matches in non English conditions.

Although despite the rain in the last 24 hours it’s been pretty warm and dry for the last couple of weeks so might not be the usual early season green top once we get the first hour out of the way.

[Gerry Attrick]

Very risky selection. Stokes and Buttler at 6 and 7 haven't played test cricket for absolutely ages and then it's the bowlers after them. Could be bad.

[Yorkykopite]

I'm amazed Buttler is in. In such a non-position as well. Or can he bowl?

[Gerry Attrick]

Promising start. Stoneman castled by Abbas.

[Crosby Nick]

Promising start. Stoneman castled by Abbas.

Who could have foreseen that?!

Very risky selection. Stokes and Buttler at 6 and 7 haven't played test cricket for absolutely ages and then it's the bowlers after them. Could be bad.

Are you saying Wood for Woakes is the risky pick? Because Woakes is quite dependable with the bat if the men above him fail? Or just the whole batting line up is a risk?

I'm amazed Buttler is in. In such a non-position as well. Or can he bowl?

It’s a gamble. Guess it’s the equivalent of a free role. Makes sense to have Bairstow in the top 5 where he deserves to be. Might that affect his keeping or should he be ok? Apparently only Stewart has regularly batted in the top 5 and kept and it apparently had quite an impact on his average (don’t really recall him struggling to be honest). If he comes in with a big platform he could do some damage. More likely he could come in with us struggling and then would he counter? Hope he’s positive and doesn’t end up caught between two stools but at the same time he’s going to have to be more orthodox than compared to his recent IPL innings!

[Gerry Attrick]

Who could have foreseen that?!

Are you saying Wood for Woakes is the risky pick? Because Woakes is quite dependable with the bat if the men above him fail? Or just the whole batting line up is a risk?

The whole lineup is a risk. We've got a long tail, and a 6 and 7 that have been slogging it in India for 2 months. Big gamble when you've a walking wicket opening the batting.

[Crosby Nick]

The whole lineup is a risk. We've got a long tail, and a 6 and 7 that have been slogging it in India for 2 months. Big gamble when you've a walking wicket opening the batting.

If I said 3, 4 and 5 weren’t in great nick either would that help?

[CheshireDave]

I am quite surprised they chose to bat first to be honest. Unless it's due to get much sunnier later on.

[Gerry Attrick]

Root gone now too, he looked as bad as I've ever seen him in that innings.

[Frank Becton]

I'm amazed Buttler is in. In such a non-position as well. Or can he bowl?

So am I, he isn't a test match player and was allowed to go out to the IPL where fair enough he looked in good touch, but it's a different game.

He should have been told to play some championship cricket, same with Stokes. Ali was out there too, you would have thought his priority was getting some bowling under his belt at home instead of the lure of the cash in India.

[Frank Becton]

Root gone now too, he looked as bad as I've ever seen him in that innings.

Hard to believe we batted first, I can't see the logic at all.

[Gerry Attrick]

Hard to believe we batted first, I can't see the logic at all.

I guess they don't fancy batting last on this pitch as it does look a bit unpredictable. Poor shots are poor shots though.

[Frank Becton]

I guess they don't fancy batting last on this pitch as it does look a bit unpredictable. Poor shots are poor shots though.

True, but guess the fact Sarfraz said they wanted to bowl first is maybe an indication of the conditions, a bit cloudy and humid. Suggests to me to bowl first.

[Crosby Nick]

Sun coming out now, think batting conditions should get easier. Whether we bat first or second I don’t think it matters given the sound of those cheap dismissals.

[gjr1]

For me cook is out with that.

Review of umpires call is lucky IMO

[Gerry Attrick]

This is going as shit as I expected. Terrible, terrible batting.

[Crosby Nick]

Malan gone. Welcome to the new season, same as the old season.

[cricketrocks]

Root gone now too, he looked as bad as I've ever seen him in that innings.

I don't think he's had much batting in the Championship, has he? I've never liked him at 3 but wherever he was going to bat, he was needing to fight for some form.

[Yorkykopite]

Can’t we get some Test tips from the Irish?

[Gerry Attrick]

I don't think he's had much batting in the Championship, has he? I've never liked him at 3, but wherever he was going to bat, he was needing to fight for some form.

Made 0, 35, 23 and 14 in the Championship. Just looked all at sea today, very rare to see him scratching around like that.

[El Lobo]

Cooks on for a double tonne here, definitely.

[CheshireDave]

Made 0, 35, 23 and 14 in the Championship.

About the same as Stoneman. Though at least Malan made a 30! Stoneman has not managed that in the 7 innings he's played so far this year.

[CheshireDave]

Cooks on for a double tonne here, definitely.

At this rate he'll run out of partners before he faces 200 balls never minds scores 200 runs.