Print

[csnew]

Any news on stokes? Or are England basically 5 down here

[FattusCattus]

Yes - a big score here under duress would certainly silence the doubters (myself included)

That said - odds on him tossing it of between 50 - 60?

....and there we go!

[roco]

does that count as he did it in the 40's?

Taylor (37) now has more runs this series than Butler (34) maybe he will close in on stokes (76) or even Bairstow (91 before today)

[ppccopener]

Might prove a crucial 40 this game is heading for a result
If we can only get a first innings lead

[rickjames]

Maiden fifty for Titch, get in

[roco]

Always been a JT fan a true pocket rocket

hopefully he gets a big one and cements his place in the order

[northernboy1987]

JT at 5 and Bairstow/Buttler at 7 always looked like a much better batting line up to me.

[roco]

He has scored runs consistently for a year no matter what shirt he was in so they had to get him in eventually, I'm just glad he is showing ECB what they have been missing

Roooooooooot 4 JT 5 is solid with hitters to come

just need a no. 2&3 now

[northernboy1987]

He has scored runs consistently for a year no matter what shirt he was in so they had to get him in eventually, I'm just glad he is showing ECB what they have been missing

Roooooooooot 4 JT 5 is solid with hitters to come

just need a no. 2&3 now

I think Gary Ballance could get back in somewhere along the line, he's got the temperament to be a good no. 3 just needs to work on his technique a little bit.

[roco]

Im not convinced by balance as test cricket just seems a bridge too far like it was for ramps

happy to be proved wrong but if they picked someone like hales at the top we could prob do it as cant have cook A.Nother blocker then balance

[uknsaunders]

The only person we haven't mentioned at 3 is Ravi Bop 

[petehosk]

Let's see how Bell does against SA first.
Finding the right number 2 is priority at the moment!

[roco]

to be honest I would like to see root bat 3 but is it a risk moving him when he is scoring loads at 4?

[northernboy1987]

Im not convinced by balance as test cricket just seems a bridge too far like it was for ramps

happy to be proved wrong but if they picked someone like hales at the top we could prob do it as cant have cook A.Nother blocker then balance

Is blockers up the top too much of a concern with such a potentially explosive lower middle order of Stokes, Buttler et al. surely they would benefit from a proper platform being set?

[roco]

to me if you clump up the blockers its just as bad as clumping up hitters

I think you need to mix it up but that's just me

don't need a person to tee off just someone who scores at decent rate as strauss was no hitter but ticked along