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[Manormanic]

Ballance gives the impression of a rabbit in the headlights if you listen to the press.

How about playing Stokes as the extra batter, which gives you a fourth seamer option too?

(Prepares to be laughed out of town)

Actually I think that is something that might be considered.  Ballance will be fine but seems a bit nervous at his run of low scores, and Bairstow is not used to batting seven...

[WalkingWicket37]

Ballance gives the impression of a rabbit in the headlights if you listen to the press.

How about playing Stokes as the extra batter, which gives you a fourth seamer option too?

(Prepares to be laughed out of town)

Sounds a decent shout to me. I would like to see stokes given a go. I think he would add a better balance to the side as we have Root & even Carberry as additional spin options (and KP if fit) so I think an extra seam option is the way forward.

[billyb]

Stokes would be a good bet, but I would love to see Tymal Mills have a bowl at some point this series. If he is hitting the England batsmen, he is good enough for the Aussies, surely?

Rather have him than Finn at the moment, anyway.

[Manormanic]

Stokes would be a good bet, but I would love to see Tymal Mills have a bowl at some point this series. If he is hitting the England batsmen, he is good enough for the Aussies, surely?

Erm, hitting them is one thing - its not like he ever seems to get them out though, is it?  Or anyone out really...

At the moment, he is one of those names you file under "has potential" and hope that he might one day realise it...

[Rothowl]

Agree he is a class player, he was all at sea in this match though, batted terribly.

[ProCricketer1982]

Agree he is a class player, he was all at sea in this match though, batted terribly.

He's new to the international stage, new to touring and still young. He's better than Barstow but I'd not like to see him carted around the globe and waste his talent. Keep him playing regular 4 day cricket in eng and aus/sa and let him develop

[Manormanic]

He's new to the international stage, new to touring and still young. He's better than Barstow but I'd not like to see him carted around the globe and waste his talent. Keep him pla.ying regular 4 day cricket in eng and aus/sa and let him develop

think "better than Bairstow" is a stretch.  I'd say JB is a little way ahead at this stage and has the added benefit of his keeping

[El Nino]

This invitational XI that England play next bowling attack is far worse than the one They put out for 'Aus A' (Should have never been called that with such a prank team playing). Pretty good from Aus really, England will be left with no real decent match practice.

[Vic Nicholas]

This invitational XI that England play next bowling attack is far worse than the one They put out for 'Aus A' (Should have never been called that with such a prank team playing). Pretty good from Aus really, England will be left with no real decent match practice.

Oh yeah...and England rolled out the red carpet when the Aussies were there.

At least these guys have either:

a/ played test cricket: Copeland, Henriques, Maxwell

b/ likely to play test cricket: Cutting

b/ likely to again play test cricket: Henriques, Maxwell

Gimme a run down of the bowlers Australia faced in the wrap up games this last Northern summer.

[billyb]

Erm, hitting them is one thing - its not like he ever seems to get them out though, is it?  Or anyone out really...

At the moment, he is one of those names you file under "has potential" and hope that he might one day realise it...

And Finn is taking loads of wickets is he? Mills provides something different. But yes, certainly one for the future, and I think he WILL realise it, given the chance.

[Manormanic]

And Finn is taking loads of wickets is he? Mills provides something different. But yes, certainly one for the future, and I think he WILL realise it, given the chance.

Erm, dontcha reckon there is a bit of a difference between Mills - career record currently 32 wickets in the high 30s, only eight of them in the 2013 season - and Finn, who for all his sometime travails (and I would have been tempted to leave him off this tour to make space for Onions) is only two years older and has ten times as many at eight runs a bit cheaper, with nearly a hundred in Tests. 

[El Nino]

Oh yeah...and England rolled out the red carpet when the Aussies were there.

At least these guys have either:

a/ played test cricket: Copeland, Henriques, Maxwell

b/ likely to play test cricket: Cutting

b/ likely to again play test cricket: Henriques, Maxwell

Gimme a run down of the bowlers Australia faced in the wrap up games this last Northern summer.

I'm not arguing anyone has done it any better than anyone else?

[mo_town]

Stokes would be a good bet, but I would love to see Tymal Mills have a bowl at some point this series. If he is hitting the England batsmen, he is good enough for the Aussies, surely?

Rather have him than Finn at the moment, anyway.

He was impressive with the bat as well...I thought he would get a good word in from the captain and batting coach..

[Kookaburra King]

are the Aussies picking these poor sides so the England players don't have a real test until the start of the series, I am concerned playing these poor sides will despite give our batters plenty of time in the middle and the chance to score easy runs it will not give them the real test that is need just before such a big series!

[Twelfth Man]

Not sure about the prospect of this warm up game. Weather doesn't look great and the England boys haven't even got outdoor training today because of it. The side CA have picked isn't exactly high quality with Voges now pulling out also.