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[Number4]

England's home and away record since 2005 as follows:

Home 41 games 23 wins
Away 38 games 10 wins

[Buzz]

what about the record since Andrew Flower took over as coach?

[Number4]

what about the record since Andrew Flower took over as coach?

Their record since Flower took over is excellent but is that down to the great talent in the side at the moment?.. I don't think it would matter who coached them to be honest.. I think Strauss should be a more aggressive Captain though.

[PedalsMcgrew]

I'd like to see Strauss being a bit more aggressive but, if we're honest, would we actually win more games? His style of leadership has taken England to No1 in the test rankings after all.

[alexhilly1492]

Jonny bairstow making his debut at lords, is it a good decision or too early in his career?

[Beachcricket]

Give him a go I say. I'd like to think Taylor is close as well. Bopara is unlucky but I can't say he's ignited the international circuit.

[legger123]

Good decision. They've chose someone whose in good nick and one to keep for the future!

[A-Swing-And-A-Miss]

Got to feel abit sorry for Kieron Powell, his first test match at Lords and they have put the wrong name up on the Scoreboard!

EDIT: Bresnan picked ahead of Finn and Onions, good call imo, shortens the tail and a decent bowler.

[steyn92]

Pick your best bowlers, tail wouldn't be long anyway with just Jimmy and Finn. Michael Holding agrees Finn should have been picked

[charlie15]

I don't get this talk of lengthening the tail, we'd still bat to 9 without Bres which is better than most test teams at the moment.  Having said that Bres is the man in posession of the 4th bowler pick and he hasn't exactly done anything wrong has he!  My biggest concern would be if Jimmy got injured and how we would cope with that.

[steyn92]

Bresnan doesn't exactly look threatening.

[Buzz]

Bresnan and Anderson Both need to be bowling from the Nursery End, Broad and Swann from the Pavillion End.

Has Bresser had a go from the Nursery end yet anyone? - That may answer the threatening point.

[A-Swing-And-A-Miss]

Bresnan is a very good bowler, even if he couldn't bat I don't think he would be too far off the England team, as proven by his very solid performance this morning. Having him in the team relieves some of the pressure on the batsmen as they know now all 11 players can bat(Anderson can atleast hold up an end) and it helps the bowlers because it gives them a decent target to defend.

Plus he has won every Test he has played in, which isn't a coincidence.

EDIT:

Bresnan doesn't exactly look threatening.

Yes but he hasn't exactly been launched around the park either.

[steyn92]

It's a pretty average WI batting order, you'd expect him to look threatening in bowler friendly conditions. Jimmy had it swinging like a banana

[Buzz]

It's a pretty average WI batting order, you'd expect him to look threatening in bowler friendly conditions. Jimmy had it swinging like a banana

It will change when he switches ends...