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[jezza39]

Oh dear 6/59 and well in to the tail.

[Marc28]

Just seen the wicket highlights
Why are we playing back on all accounts and bairstow what you doing with that sweep.

Shocking awful woeful

[rickjames]

I give up

[northernboy1987]

I'm going to try and take some positives out of this awful situation.

1. We have been a bit more competitive on this tour than the last UAE tour in my opinion.
2. Cook has most definitely regained his status as the premier opener in world cricket (again in my opinion). I can't think of any other current player you would rather have "batting for your life" his mental strength is unparalleled amongst modern cricketers in my eyes.
 

[ProCricketer1982]

Cook since finally being released from one day biffing has certainly found his 2010/11 ashes form again. I still think he was over protected when out of nick for so long and shouldn't capt but he isfor me the premier opening batsmen in the world. Most teams simply don't have proper opening batsmen and make do with one day biffers

[ppccopener]

I'm going to try and take some positives out of this awful situation.

1. We have been a bit more competitive on this tour than the last UAE tour in my opinion.
2. Cook has most definitely regained his status as the premier opener in world cricket (again in my opinion). I can't think of any other current player you would rather have "batting for your life" his mental strength is unparalleled amongst modern cricketers in my eyes.
 

definatley, we actually were 2-3 overs from winning in abu dhabi, only just lost the last test, and had we taken a stumping-dunno is anyone else saw the highlights but that was a obviously googly-and have put down chances. We should be chasing 150 here not 280....

but England actually and no further forward, what do we do about an opener and a decent spinner? Rashid maybe, Ali back to number 8 and gawd knows about opening for SA, Hales hasn't had any time in the middle at all.....

[northernboy1987]

I'm not sure about the opening position to be honest. I'm not convinced Hales has the nous for it but I would love to be proven wrong. As far as the spinner goes Rashid has had a very mixed time of things in this series (and more bad than good!) but I'd like to see the ECB back him and give him an honest crack at it over an extended period of time, I always think leg spin in particular is a confidence game and Warne spoke highly of him the other day which (unless it was just for the cameras) must count for something. I think all that means you have to leave Ali out though, I don't think he'll score anymore runs at 8 than Rashid would.

[uknsaunders]

Losing Ansari was probably crucial.

[ppccopener]

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.

[ppccopener]

Losing Ansari was probably crucial.

looks that way, but if not picking a player who has never played a test and only just started his 1st class career it  shows more about how much of a problem the spin position is?

[northernboy1987]

Is Ansari as an opener and 2nd spin option England's long term plan do you think? Or are they hoping to use him as a genuine spinner who can bat down at 8?

[uknsaunders]

looks that way, but if not picking a player who has never played a test and only just started his 1st class career it  shows more about how much of a problem the spin position is?

Yep are spin options are week. The Anderson interview to cricinfo was pretty damning, the England spinners "have to learn quick" was his comment I think. They bemoan the lack of a Tredwell or Batty. Just goes to show how much we missed one steady spinner and I imagine Ansari would do this role better going forward.

Is Ansari as an opener and 2nd spin option England's long term plan do you think? Or are they hoping to use him as a genuine spinner who can bat down at 8?

Ansari can bat eight and move up the order as far as I'm concerned. The main job is to bowl some decent reliable spin. If you conclude spin won't play much part in SA then taking Ali and Ansari makes more sense than taking Rashid. I'm not against taking all 3 but only 1 will play in the test series assuming Stokes is fit. However, if Ansari is the future we need to get him in the England setup and playing well before we trot off to India again.

[ppccopener]

He's a proper batsman in Championship cricket, dunno if the hype is justified but he's very highly rated and not just by Surrey fans.

You're thinking England could kill two birds with one stone and throw him in. Right now..that doesn't look the worst idea.

[uknsaunders]

Big call but why not open with Ansari in SA. Can't do any worse than Ali and leaves Ali to play shots down at 8. Playing 2 spinners for the next 12 months might not be a bad thing if they have to improve:-

Cook
Ansari
Root
Taylor
Bell
Bairstow
Stokes
Ali
Wood
Broad
Anderson

[jezza39]

And that's that. What on earth was Cook doing?