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[Number4]

Do they leave him out of the Sydney test?

[mk_chappo]

Monty has lost his way and hasn't been in good form for ages now!
He needs to go back to County and get his technique and form back, and maybe develop his technique!
I can't see that Borthwick would be any worse than monty, and I suspect could be extremely effective!
Plus he can bat a bit too! He could (maybe) be a great prospect!

Monty isn't in the greatest of nick but I can't see the point in sending in a young, inexperienced spinner for 1 test against a batting unit which is on the rampage. If they get taken apart on test debut it could set them back a long time. Getting 1 test at the end of last summer didn't do much for Kerrigan.

[petehosk]

Not a bad point! But Monty is not on good form, fields badly and can't get runs with the bat.
So with root bowling, you could bring Borthwick in for his batting which should strengthen the lower order and to give him a few overs and see how he does?

[petehosk]

My team for Sydney would be:
Cook
Carbs
Bell
KP
Root
Stokes
Prior
Borthwick
Bresnan
Broad
Anderson

I would consider bringing in rankin for Bres?
Does anyone know what kind of wicket they will have at Sydney?

[100 not out]

Its usually a turner Mr Hosking

[e4sby]

I agree with that Pete, maybe bring Finn in for Bres who offered very little in Melbourne. I would be tempted to rest Root and bring in Ballance

[400notout]

I reckon resting a few guys who look completely knackered wouldn't be the worst thing. Anderson looks shattered, Broad not 100%, same with Bresnan. It no use giving Bairstow a test at a time, does no one any good.

My Team for Sydney

Cook (Just needs to grit it out)
Carberry (Although he needs to sort out this round the wicket caper soon)
Root (Needs a score, but getting consistency from him will take time)
KP (Absolutely no doubt he's the first name on the team sheet)
Bell (He'll come good)
Stokes (Shown promise, was better than I expected)
Bairstow (As much as I don't think he's good enough, dropping him now is pointless for everyone)
Borthwick (Worth a go, Panesar hasn't looked too threatening)
Broad (Think he needs a rest, but probably can't miss him and Anderson)
Finn (Got real pace, which Eng have shown in their batting is difficult to face in Oz)
Rankin (Worth a shot, extra bounce and hits the deck hard)
 

[petehosk]

If its normally a turning wicket then I wouldn't drop Root for Ballance!
With the inexperience of Borthwick at this level, we will need Root as a bowler once its turning.
I don't disagree about dropping Anderson for this last test, but I would just tell him that he can rest next week!
But my next bowler in would be rankin and not Finn - and I would already have Onions in the squad to be honest, so if Anderson was tested for the Sydney test then Onions would slot in to replace him!

[WalkingWicket37]

Going forward after this train wreck of a series what do we think the side will be??
Something like:

Cook
Robson
Bellend
KP
Root
Ballance
Prior
Stokes
Borthwick
Broad
Finn

[mk_chappo]

I would go with :

Cook
Carbs
Bell
KP
Ballance
Stokes
Prior
Broad
Anderson
Finn
Panesar

[smilley792]

Me I would go

Cook
Root
Bell
Kp
Balance
Stokes
Bairstow
Finn
Rankin
Anderson
Borthwick

[400notout]

I'd like to think Borthwick might bat up a touch, with a FC avg of 30...

Not keen on the whole "Root to open" bandwagon either.

Ideally I'd love to fit Ballance & Onions into my squad, but Onions def won't happen. He could have done the Stuart Clark job of 2006/07 series.

[smilley792]

Summer ashes. We won 3-0. Root opened every innings, he was England 3rd highest scorer off that series. And hit the top score of the entire series(180)



This series he was dropped to six,then bounced back upto 3. I'm not suprised he's not had a great series down under being yoyo'd about.

Carberry IMO has done nothing to prove he should be there instead of root.



As for the bowlers in that line up, I just picked 3 seamers and a spinner. Not relevant batting order on that front.

[lewis_faulds]

Root was a walking wicket in the series in England.
He gave a chance to the opposition at least once in each innings and if you remember he was dropped once and one went between keeper and slip thereafter the only thing to stop him was the boundary rope! Haha 

From what I've seem Root is the best opening partner for Cook. May bring out the best in him as if Carberry is at the other end blocking and leaving. Cook seems pressured to play...