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[petehosk]

Thought I'd start a new topic for the Test series.

Cook just announced the top 6 as.......
Cook
Robson
Ballance
Bell
Root
Ali

Assume Prior will be 7.
I suspect it will likely be Woakes or Plunkett to miss out?

[WalkingWicket37]

Plunkett in for me, so Woakes will probably play. #MooresOut

[MD2812]

I Presume Woakes will be missing out.

Ballance in the role of 3 will interesting to see, didn't score many in his 1 test, but I remember him getting a jaffa in the 1st innings.

[Rob580]

Seems odd that Ballance will go in at 3 even though he bats at 5 for Yorks and bats below Root. Not totally convinced by it to be honest, but time will tell!

Could just be to keep the left hand - right hand thing going?

[iand123]

Debut at lords will be nice for the new guys, bet they wont be sleeping much tonight.

I'm going to day 2, anyone else there?

[Manormanic]

Ballance at three is an odd one - I like the idea of Root at five - he has tended to play a bit more freely at that spot in Tests, but worry that Gary has been shoehorned into the slot no one else wants rather than the one that is best for him and the team as a whole.

[WalkingWicket37]

I Presume Woakes will be missing out.

Ballance in the role of 3 will interesting to see, didn't score many in his 1 test, but I remember him getting a jaffa in the 1st innings.

I thought it would've been Bell or Root at 3.
What number has Ballance been batting in the championship?

[TangoWhiskey]

Could just be to keep the left hand - right hand thing going?

Surely a professional team selection committee are smart enough to realise that the only combination they can control with a fixed order in that case is the opening pair...

[Rob580]

Surely a professional team selection committee are smart enough to realise that the only combination they can control with a fixed order in that case is the opening pair...

Got any better thoughts on why they've put him at 3? Because I keep coming up blank...

[Cumbrian Pete]

Bell should bat at 3 for England.  He's our best batsmen and 3 is the hardest slot to fill.  I don't know why they would put a new very inexperienced guy in that position. 

[Johnny]

I guess we wait and see how he gets on, but gut instinct is that Ballance at 3 is wrong. I'd have gone with Bell personally, though I could see merit in Root batting there too, but Ballance? It's a notoriously hard spot to fill and for me isn't the place you should be cutting your test match teeth

[Manormanic]

I guess we wait and see how he gets on, but gut instinct is that Ballance at 3 is wrong. I'd have gone with Bell personally, though I could see merit in Root batting there too, but Ballance? It's a notoriously hard spot to fill and for me isn't the place you should be cutting your test match teeth

the weird thing is, most Test players bat three for their counties save where other international calibre players prevent it (Root, Bell, Trott, Ali and, going back in time, Hick, Ramps, Lamb, Smith, Gower) wich makes it even more odd that the one guy who has never done so is given the task!

[Sam]

I really hope we go for Woakes over Jordan but can't see it happening.

Cook
Robson
Ballance
Bell
Root
Ali
Prior
Woakes
Broad
Plunkett
Anderson

[Alvaro]

the weird thing is, most Test players bat three for their counties save where other international calibre players prevent it (Root, Bell, Trott, Ali and, going back in time, Hick, Ramps, Lamb, Smith, Gower) wich makes it even more odd that the one guy who has never done so is given the task!

I wonder whether his ability as a shot maker has influenced the decision given that Cook, Robson, Root may deliver turgid starts.
It's a brave choice and I can see the fuzzy logic behind it.

[A-Swing-And-A-Miss]

I wonder whether his ability as a shot maker has influenced the decision given that Cook, Robson, Root may deliver turgid starts.
It's a brave choice and I can see the fuzzy logic behind it.

What about Bell or Ali though? Both of them can play shots and score at a decent rate much like Ballance..