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[Sam]

He's part of the set up already, so would be good to be around the team, plus I'm only picking him as a reserve keeper. It's unlikely he'll play.

Do love the way you offered an alterative though @Sam

Didn't feel the need to given I'd take about half the keepers around in county cricket over Billings as a backup option right now for test cricket, even if it meant going back to one of the few of them that are getting on a bit now.

[ppccopener]

Bell does not play one day or t20 cricket so butler and maybe bairstow could play in the one dayers.Butler has been dropped just for the test here
He's a serious talent im sure England would want him to find form in the limited overs games.Hes more of a thumper so it may help him to have a short format.
England will be doing everything to get him in form theres a lot invested in him.
Not sure theres an easy route back to tests thou-the middle order is a bit crowded.

[Jamesfield]

Personally love Jason Roy (bit biased as a surrey fan)

[ppccopener]

Roy has got something about him he's a good bet to come through.
Personally i think he's a better player than Hales
And im a middx fan so not biased!!

[petehosk]

Nah, all aboard the Willey train!

Not the worst shout as a bowler who has decent pace and can take opposition bowling apart with the bat too......although Steyn & Co is a rather steep step up in class from County bowlers!! 

And I love the way Roy plays - no fear!! Either way, Hales or Roy and even Bell couldn't do any worse than Ali as an opener!!

[rickjames]

Not the worst shout as a bowler who has decent pace and can take opposition bowling apart with the bat too......although Steyn & Co is a rather steep step up in class from County bowlers!! 

And I love the way Roy plays - no fear!! Either way, Hales or Roy and even Bell couldn't do any worse than Ali as an opener!!

I think the team would benefit from a left arm seamer; mentioned him as he's an allrounder but Foottit is a proper bowler

Also love Roy as a Surrey fan but at this moment in time he's nowhere near ready. Needs to open for Surrey at County level and not bat at 5/6 where he was last year.

Depending on how he starts next year maybe add Rory Burns to the list

[Jamesfield]

Did you go to the final V. Glos?

[rickjames]

No, but I watched it on TV. Is that question in relation to a player I've mentioned?

[Jamesfield]

No was just wondering if you went! Curran brothers were fantastic, great day apart from the result, but Div 1!!!!!

[Buzz]

I loathe the expression "not ready".

Jason Roy is ready, anyone who watched the time he had to play the quicks in the odi series can see that.

Not an opening bat mind... Needs to be a 5 or a 6 where we have loads of possible options.

[rickjames]

You're basing an ODI series on his suitability for test matches?

For me the next natural step for him is to open red ball for Surrey like he does in T20/50 over games rather than sitting down at 5/6, England have plenty of 5/6 players whereas an opener is sorely needed.

[Buzz]

Mainly on Church's view and his performances in red ball cricket over the last 2 seasons.

I think 4 may be as high as he could go in a test team 

[kdale6]

Just seen Mark Butcher on the verdict, can't have played much at Colchester because it's a bloody road there

[ProCricketer1982]

To be fair there wasn't a lot of risk in that shot. Also if you watch Ali play then you would realise he favours that shot a lot to bowlers who come around the wicket to him.
Moving on to tomorrow...   l would hope England are a bit more aggressive than the last test against the spinners. Even Root went into his shell. Rashid and Broad showed that being positive and USING your feet is the best way to play spinners. Butler, Stokes, Root etc let the spinners bowl to them how the spinners wanted to rather than disrupting the spinners rhythm.

Ali falls again slogging. Undefendable

[Manormanic]

I loathe the expression "not ready".

Jason Roy is ready, anyone who watched the time he had to play the quicks in the odi series can see that.

Not an opening bat mind... Needs to be a 5 or a 6 where we have loads of possible options.

@Buzz , you do have a strange tendency to believe that anyone who has worn a brown cap is suddenly a nailed on cert for text cricket.  There are probably fifteen to twenty guys ahead of Roy in the pecking order (if we generously assume that everyone given an ODI cap must now be considered for Text cricket)  and he has done nothing to move up that list of late.  Maybe one day...but I wouldn't put the mortgage on it.