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[alexhilly1492]

yet another 50 for cook, 53*

[rickjames]

All hail our glorious leader

[northernboy1987]

Booked in for a big un again hopefully!

[rickjames]

[rickjames]

Ah, here's where it goes belly up

[alexhilly1492]

commentators course gets cook!!! just saying how well england have blunted yasir shah and how well theyve done and he gets cook!!

athers should know better than to praise england prematurely!!!

[InternalTraining]

^ lol

[rickjames]

SIX

[rickjames]

Well they've kept it together, thank God.

[rich041187]

Root's NB seems to be going nicely

[Marc28]

Have to say it's been a great days play which I didn't expect at all,
Great bowling from both sides, and I think both Wahab and Imran will get reverse swing and also
The leggie Shah bowled well.

[WalkingWicket37]

Ali as an opener won't last much longer unless he get a big score soon.
If he hasn't made a ton by the end of the series he'll be back down the order by the time he's in South Africa.
Also can't help buy feel Bell is on borrowed time (especially with Titch banging on the door).

I'd like to see the selectors make some positive changes for the next test, get a few more new face in to replace the old ones being picked on reputation rather than form.
With Buttler's struggle for form give him a break and pass the gloves to Bairstow.
That frees up a spot to move Ali back down the order and get Hales in as opener (it would only be 2 years too late!)
Put Bell out of his misery, he's been a great servant to English Cricket - but his batting has tailed off and his fielding (well, dropping) is starting to cost the side a lot of runs. Get Taylor in now as he's proved that he's more than ready.

[petehosk]

I must admit that I would take this 2nd Test as a last chance for the moment for a couple of players!
Buttler has had enough chances in Tests for the moment - he is young and talented enough to get other chances, plus he will be in the limited overs Internationals anyway, so he will be considered still. And you are right......he needs a rest from Tests as he has not performed! So Bairstow taking the gloves would be fine!
Ali looked excellent in the mid/lower order as he adds the options of stability or he can up the run rate too!
We have all been saying that Taylor deserves a decent run so bring him in! And unless Bell plays brilliantly in the second innings, then get Hales in for the 3rd Test!

So if Bell comes good in the 2nd innings I would have a stronger batting:
Cook, Hales, Bell, Root, Taylor, Bairstow(wk), Stokes, Ali, Rashid, Broad, Anderson.
The above would give JT  some time to bed himself in at 5!

If Bell fails and the wicket spins from day 1 then add a spinner in:
Cook, Hales, Taylor, Root, Bairstow, Stokes, Ali, Rashid, Patel (Ansari in the future), Broad, Anderson

And finally, on a pace wicket which are unlikely to spin until day 4 or 5:
Cook, Hales, Taylor, Root, Bairstow, Stokes, Ali, Rashid (or Plunkett,) Wood, Broad, Anderson

 

[brokenbat]

That last session was one I thoroughly enjoyed. Both sides going at each other hard...very exciting test match cricket

[rickjames]

Can't believe I'm up on a Saturday for this...