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[Seniorplayer]

Yet again another series show that England need a specialist opener someone with a similar mind set to Cook  if there's no one around who hasn't had a go give Compton or  lyth or any of the proper openers tried in recent  times another opportunity and stick with them any one of them will be better than Ali.

[csnew]

Selectors got it wrong! Can't turn up to the sub continent with 3 part time spinners. They averaged 60 runs per wicket!

[Seniorplayer]

yeah. i'm afraid it's a bit harsh on Ali but if England are to move forward they have to pick who is the best spinner and who is likely to score more runs in the No 8 position.....

Opening is a specialist position(as I tell everyone down my club!) I would pick either pick Compton(who actually bats 3 for Middx but has opened) and maybe have Ballance on the tour as well(not popular on these boards I know). Adam Lyth also does he deserve another go?

Bell I would leave at home for SA and prob say goodbye, his mental appetite looks to have gone-a good but not great player.

Your right Carlo opening bats who know there job have a different mentality there Brian's work in a way only other openers understand.

[ppccopener]

Yet again another series show that England need a specialist opener someone with a similar mind set to Cook  if there's no one around who hasn't had a go give Compton or  lyth or any of the proper openers tried in recent  times another opportunity and stick with them any one of them will be better than Ali.

We've got to do that now I think.Ali opening was unfair on him and flawed from the start. England have played 6 bowlers in these tests we need to look backwards to solve it. i.e. we used to play 3 openers in the same side a few years back...
We have just got to have proper openers.
Everyone can't bat in the middle order it's not a club match,some sacrifices will have to be made before we can go forward..I reckon anyway.

[uknsaunders]

Selectors got it wrong! Can't turn up to the sub continent with 3 part time spinners. They averaged 60 runs per wicket!

Bit harsh on Rashid and Ansari. I'll give you Ali and to be honest bringing Samit wasn't the greatest idea. Given he only played in the 3rd test, surely Ansari would of been fit for that one?

[Manormanic]

I do so love the press Ansari is getting - he's no better now than he was at the start of a tour in which, lets not forget, he took no part.  He may one day be an option to play a JAdeja like role, but picking him now would be a gamble based on a hunch rather than an infomed choice. 

For South Africa, we should make minimal changes, starting out:

Cook
Hales
Bell
Root
Bairstow
Taylor
Stokes
Rashid
Broad
Wood
Anderson

With one reserve batsman, Buttler, Plunkett, Footitt and either Ali or Ansari (personally I'd try and get one of them six weeks in India)

Next Summer, Bell is gone, and we should know more about several players:

Cook
Hales/Lyth
Ballance
Root
Taylor/Bairstow
Stokes
Bairstow/Buttler
Rashid/Ali/Ansari/Riley
Broad
Wood/Footitt/Plunkett/Finn
Anderson

[FattusCattus]

Rashid's got a lot of work to do on his bad balls at test level.

These should have been the best conditions for him to cause problems and for us to overlook his longhops - but after the first test, he doesn't seem to have threatened.

[Manormanic]

Bit harsh on Rashid and Ansari. I'll give you Ali and to be honest bringing Samit wasn't the greatest idea. Given he only played in the 3rd test, surely Ansari would of been fit for that one?

On the one hand, very harsh on Rashid - he bowled well in the second innings of the first test, batted well a couple of times, and by the third test was getting it out nicely - remember, he had at least six good chances missed off his bowling in the last game, and bowled noticeably fewer full bungers than the finger spinners!

On the other - the problem with Dilly is always going to be that he will never be a good day one option...

[northernboy1987]

I do so love the press Ansari is getting - he's no better now than he was at the start of a tour in which, lets not forget, he took no part.  He may one day be an option to play a JAdeja like role, but picking him now would be a gamble based on a hunch rather than an infomed choice. 

For South Africa, we should make minimal changes, starting out:

Cook
Hales
Bell
Root
Bairstow
Taylor
Stokes
Rashid
Broad
Wood
Anderson

With one reserve batsman, Buttler, Plunkett, Footitt and either Ali or Ansari (personally I'd try and get one of them six weeks in India)

Next Summer, Bell is gone, and we should know more about several players:

Cook
Hales/Lyth
Ballance
Root
Taylor/Bairstow
Stokes
Bairstow/Buttler
Rashid/Ali/Ansari/Riley
Broad
Wood/Footitt/Plunkett/Finn
Anderson

I'm of a similar mindset to you as far as team selection goes but if Ansari has another decent season opening for Surrey is he in with a shout at 2? If you'd asked me 12 months ago I'd have probably tipped Alex Lees at Yorkshire to be alongside Cook but I don't feel like he's had as good a season this year, a good 2016 from him could see him in with a shout too though.

[Manormanic]

Rashid's got a lot of work to do on his bad balls at test level.

These should have been the best conditions for him to cause problems and for us to overlook his longhops - but after the first test, he doesn't seem to have threatened.

he was easily the most threatening of the three, and had a huge number of chances missed.

[Manormanic]

I'm of a similar mindset to you as far as team selection goes but if Ansari has another decent season opening for Surrey is he in with a shout at 2? If you'd asked me 12 months ago I'd have probably tipped Alex Lees at Yorkshire to be alongside Cook but I don't feel like he's had as good a season this year, a good 2016 from him could see him in with a shout too though.

I'm not sure Surrey see Ansari as an opener - he spent a lot of the season at six or thereabouts, moving up only at the end of the year - though obviously if he improved markedly he would be in with a shout (though that applies to anyone).

Lees...I think there are a lot of people who see him playing for England as a when rather than if situation.  But I don't think he is quite ready yet - there are a few lessons left for him to learn before he is quite solid enough.  I think Lyth will be considered again - the quality of that century against the Kiwis on a game track will mean that his form is monitored - and another guy they may look at is Mark Stoneman, who has improved steadily over the past three to four years.

[rickjames]

Our next new opener will be decided like this

[Buzz]

Ansari isn't an opening bat really - he is doing the job at Surrey because he has the mental ability to bat for long periods of time. I think he should be more of a 6,7, or 8 personally.

I loathe the expression "not ready". I would pick Lees now and stick with him. He has a cricket brain and will work it out.

Gutted for Hales who I think would be brilliant, but has been messed around with.

At the moment our team looks a little short of batsmen who make a bowling attack loose sleep.

Cook, Mr X, Bell, Root, Taylor, Stokes, Bairstow, Ali etc won't strike fear into any team.

Cook, Hales, Root, KP, Taylor, Stokes, Buttler, Ali - should  - but we will need to accept that Root will frequently be in early and KP isn't going to get picked. Plus the Eng management have ruined Hales and Jos somehow.

As for Bairstow - I haven't got him in the above, but I recognise that he should be based on the number of runs he has scored.

[Manormanic]

Hales - now here we agree.  Whether he is necessarily the answer, the fact is they've taken him as a specialist opener so play him.

Classic England - if you want a guy to debut, instead of getting him in there when he is fresh and in form, they make him wait weeks without a bat just so as the pressure is ramped right up and he starts stiff, tense and unsure of himself (cross reference - Lyth and RAshid not playing in the West Indies, much of Bairstow's treatment over the past few years and Taylor's frequent 12th man stints)

[Buzz]

More agreement. being 12th man is for a kid not someone who is about to play test cricket. Fine be with the team in the build up but as soon as it is apparent they aren't goign to play, go and get a game for your county, or if on tour a local club.