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[smilley792]

Hahahahaha. Useless espn

[smilley792]

England bowl first.
Pak A 2 down. Finn 7 overs 5 maidens 2 for 2.


Hales and Taylor get there chance but that will be more tomorrow.

[rickjames]

Bit bizarre to make Ali and Hales compete for opener like that, surely it's better to have them alongside Cook once each?

[smilley792]

Bit bizarre to make Ali and Hales compete for opener like that, surely it's better to have them alongside Cook once each?

Makes sense to me.

They clearly want Ali to open first up, cook got a fifty so has some form. Ali gets another game to bed in.
Hales gets a chance to out play him and put doubt in the selectors minds.

[Buzz]

They are going to really struggle if Hales makes a ton and Ali has another failure

[smilley792]

They are going to really struggle if Hales makes a ton and Ali has another failure

If he sails past 50, I wouldn't be surprised if the retire him.

Then proclaim he didn't make enough runs to out weigh Alis bowling options....

[FattusCattus]

Nah!! They simply both play -

Cook
Hales
Bell
Root
Bairstow
Ali
Stokes
Rashid
Broad
Finn
Anderson

Bats down to 8, 4 seamers and 3 spinners - awesome!!

[smilley792]

But they won't drop buttler or bat stokes out of the top 6.

To include both it'll be Bairstow they drop.

[Manormanic]

I wonder if there may be some temptation to play Bairstow as a keeper in this series.  That would allow one of Taylor and Hales to come in whilst keeping the six bowling options.

[TangoWhiskey]

The ECB's twitter and Youtube feeds both carry highlights for those wondering earlier.

[ppccopener]

I wonder if there may be some temptation to play Bairstow as a keeper in this series.  That would allow one of Taylor and Hales to come in whilst keeping the six bowling options.

exactly, I posted the other day there's an issue long term playing two keepers. I don't see much between ginge and buttler keeping wise

but as was pointed out there's a lot a backing for Buttler, he's a terrific talent but if the side is picked on form alone,or for a specific series, it could be a close call between the two of them.

I don't think the selectors would do that thou.Buttler looks like he's short on confidence at the moment and thru the Ashes.....

[Buzz]

Depressingly given Jos' form I think that is what will happen - someone has to make way and there is no point in playing someone who isn't scoring runs when Bairstow is a decent keeper.
I am really frustrated about Jos not scoring runs. I still maintain he is going to be a superstar

[smilley792]

Finny steve with 2 in first 3 balls after lunch.

Pak A 47 for 5.


Buttler should make way for Bairstow with gloves. Gives a chance to open hales and Ali at 7, or Ali open and Taylor at 5.

Stronger either way imo

[rickjames]

Depressingly given Jos' form I think that is what will happen - someone has to make way and there is no point in playing someone who isn't scoring runs when Bairstow is a decent keeper.
I am really frustrated about Jos not scoring runs. I still maintain he is going to be a superstar

He will be. Granted he had a poor Ashes series but he's still only played 13 matches. They've invested so much time and money in him its hard to imagine him being dropped anytime soon, which is kind of good. He's still only 25 also.

Plenty of decent keepers down the line, mind.

[Manormanic]

Buttler has the potential, certainly - its just a question of whether he has the game - at the moment - to score test runs in anything other than optimal conditions.

Bairstow is one of our top five batsmen and will be in the team regardless - the question, given he is as good a keeper as Buttler, is whether they think Hales or Buttler will add most to the side.