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[mike1989]

Constantly snicking off floaty drive balls, not what we need at the top of the order.
Give him to the end of the series though before giving him the axe, seems unfair to ditch someone on such a limited sample (but Compton went after one bad series so what's to stop it happening again?)

Another issue is he squares up and is prone to LBW.

Might be unfair to drop him, but can he fix these issues with his technique at the highest level in a team under a ton of pressure?

It will be difficult. The issue is who replaces him. Compton didn't seem to be popular by all accounts. Carberry didn't seem to be able to convert his starts. An interesting option could be Hales. He's in good form and would give England an attacking opener, but does he have the technique for a test match opener? I'm not sure.

[yvk3103]

Matt Prior has withdrawn himself from the rest of the series and possibly till the end of the summer/year.

Gutsy decision. Shows the man strength.

Great servant of English cricket and the best wicketkeeper batsman.

[smokem]

Personally I think Robson has the class and ability. It's just that the way the team is capitulating won't be helping the confidence of the new guys. With Root playing well, perhaps he could go back up to open with Robson in the middle order. Having said that Carberry did nothing wrong in Australia (2nd highest run scorer from memory) and is not in the side. That still puzzles me...

Same with Stokes. He has that something that Jordan doesn't have. Dumping Stokes now won't do him or English cricket much good as I don't think Jordan is a long term proposition.

The biggest issue is the tactics and/or the inability to execute. Everyone in the team has the skill and talent. But to be beaten through poor bowling on a green top and then bounced out by an Indian bowling attack tells me that there is a general lack of direction and leadership. They need someone in the leadership team (ie coach, captain and vice captain) with a bit of mongrel to get everyone to spark up and perform. Might be a bit left field but maybe Broad should have a go as captain?

[400notout]

Not a fan of the Root to open bandwagon, load of rubbish, he's scoring runs where he is why move the one guy who's shown some fight during the home tests...

Dunno what Adam Lyth has to do to get into the side, bags upon bags of runs!

Robson will fail the next 2/3 tests and once Cook goes end of the series, Hales and Lyth for me.

[Manormanic]

Dunno what Adam Lyth has to do to get into the side, bags upon bags of runs!

Play for Lancashire, Middlesex or Slurry?

[TangoWhiskey]

Play for Lancashire, Middlesex or Slurry?

Doesn't practically half the England squad play for Yorkshire though? Always make me laugh when people say there is a bias from the ECB toward certain counties.

Anyway, Moeen Ali needs dropping for me. His two dismissals were pathetic, cowering from the short ball. Shame as he looked decent otherwise.

[400notout]

Couldn't be more of a knee jerk reaction than to drop Ali.

Guy made a gritty (almost) match saving ton against Sri Lanka, made a promising start with the bat.

Taken 10 wickets at 40 odd against two teams brought up on spin. Not exactly got out bunnies either. Was underbowled by Cook in both series. He wont be the answer to Englands lack of a spinner, but for me he's done himself no harm in his first few tests!

[smokem]

Couldn't be more of a knee jerk reaction than to drop Ali.

Guy made a gritty (almost) match saving ton against Sri Lanka, made a promising start with the bat.

Taken 10 wickets at 40 odd against two teams brought up on spin. Not exactly got out bunnies either. Was underbowled by Cook in both series. He wont be the answer to Englands lack of a spinner, but for me he's done himself no harm in his first few tests!

Agree on that point. He has performed his role better than most. And like you said he almost saved a test with a ton only 2 tests ago.

[TangoWhiskey]

Agree on that point. He has performed his role better than most. And like you said he almost saved a test with a ton only 2 tests ago.

I agree, he scored a very gritty ton. However the pitch was dead and to my memory Sri Lanka didn't barrage him with short balls. From what I have seen as soon as the ball goes short, his head turns and he's throws his hands at it. Now if I have noticed that, then other teams researchers will have seen it and I can guarantee he'll be getting a lot more chin music and less of the half volleys.

[400notout]

I'm never sure of this "can't play the short ball" theory with players.

There are plenty guys in county / state / province cricket quicker than the guys being picked as test bowlers (in most countries cases)

Yet these guys make big scores consistently. Agreed with some it is a big flaw, however they find a way to score runs.

Michael Clarke can't play the short ball, so they said. Still came out of that SA series pretty nicely.

Personally don't think there are too many around who play the short ball well, it's not comfortable getting it peppered round your ears at 90. Or at any pace for that matter.

I think he's shown some fight and I think he's exactly the type that England need at this moment!

[Buzz]

the fact is the flair has largely been removed from English cricket.

As I have mentioned just occasionally (reaches for the broken record) - one of the top three needs to be a genuine hitter of the ball - in general test matches are played on flat tracks and the ball doesn't do a great deal - so having a Warner or Darwan  (or god forbid a Hales) at the top of the order to put the opposition bowlers under pressure is imperative.

At the moment we have a whole team of blockers. it wont work.

I genuinely believe that Jos will come into the team and have his flare coached out of him.

I am also massively concerned at how whenever a fast bowler comes into the England set up they start losing pace.

Personally I am not interested in fight - I am interested in people who have a brain and leadership abilities. I am not interested in yes men.

[uknsaunders]

https://twitter.com/ECB_cricket/status/491601768858783745/photo/1

[Johnny]

so they've dropped Kerrigan, without giving him a game (and now once again have no spinning option if required)

Obvisouly, as most predicted, Buttler is a straight swap for Prior, it's just now a decision as to whether Jordan and/or Woakes comes into the side to give the pace bowlers a rest.

[ppccopener]

Woakes seems to get a fair bit of 'don't rate him' comments on here and elsewhere
I wonder with the balance of the team thou whether he may be suited to slot in down the order and take some pressure off broad and anderson.
I actually think England might rest Broad and pick Woakes anyway and perhaps stick with Stokes....

England are trying to bridge the gap between winning(which we hav'nt done much of) and blooding new players..

just my opinion of course but I would of had james foster in instead of Buttler also, or Chris Read having watched him at Lords in a masterclass.Not sure who is the best keeper out of those two-they are both class in my book...

but we hav'nt gone down that road...Buttler is not a good keeper at present,terrific talent but not good enough with the gloves.

[uknsaunders]

I think they might swap Woakes for Stokes or Plunkett. Not point in resting Anderson as he has a nice break looming (possibly).