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[ppccopener]

if you asked the England bowlers who do they want up top, someone who can whack a quick 35 at a run a ball or someone who potentially could bat most of the day in hot conditions admittedly at a far slower pace, what would they say?

Cook may not be universally liked but he gives the bowlers a rest when he is in form.

This is going to be tough cricket in SA it's not a 35 over knock about.

[Bats_Entertainment]

I love Alistair Cook. I did at the beginning of last summer when people on here were packing him off to county cricket.

[rickjames]

I like how this is 13 pages long a month before the tour has even started, good work chaps

[Bats_Entertainment]

Weight of runs never bores me. Mediocrity does.

[WalkingWicket37]

Weight of runs never bores me. Mediocrity does.

Thing is these "mediocre" players aren't given a fair chance.
2 series at most, then disposed of if they don't average 100! Anyone given a go is under added presure/scrutiny having seen the production line of openeners before them.

[Bats_Entertainment]

Check the numbers. Compton vs. Ballance? Or me vs. you?

[WalkingWicket37]

Check the numbers. Compton vs. Ballance? Or me vs. you?

Compton
9 tests, 17 innings, 1 50, 2 100's. 479 runs at 31.93

Ballance
15 tests, 27 innings, 6 50's, 4 100's. 1194 runs at 47.76

Me
0 tests. Rest n/a

You
You'll have to get back to me on that?



So, what was I looking at?

[edge]

Trouble with Balance is that his weaknesses got found out and exposed. That's not necessarily a problem, happens to almost everyone in international cricket sooner or later, and the best players who are gonna have long careers work on it, maybe change a few things, and overcome the problem. See Cook, Tendulkar, etc etc. Balance is no doubt a serious batsman, but he's said he won't be changing anything. Might as well have a sign on his back with instructions on how to get him out.

[ppccopener]

Trouble with Balance is that his weaknesses got found out and exposed. That's not necessarily a problem, happens to almost everyone in international cricket sooner or later, and the best players who are gonna have long careers work on it, maybe change a few things, and overcome the problem. See Cook, Tendulkar, etc etc. Balance is no doubt a serious batsman, but he's said he won't be changing anything. Might as well have a sign on his back with instructions on how to get him out.

yes...a bit of an unusual situation with Balance, he averages just under fifty, won't change his method after being found out by high class bowling and is sticking with the same technique.

I can't work out whether he is a mentally tough individual determined not to go running off to a coach or someone in denial about technical faults who is hampering himself.

Every batsman has faults and if you fix one another one might come from no-where.Either way,the bloke is a quality player and if he gets on the field anytime soon will be judged on runs. Someone said it's not how it's how many...

[smilley792]

Compton
9 tests, 17 innings, 1 50, 2 100's. 479 runs at 31.93

Ballance
15 tests, 27 innings, 6 50's, 4 100's. 1194 runs at 47.76

Me
0 tests. Rest n/a

You
You'll have to get back to me on that?



So, what was I looking at?

Just checked, john pincent hasn't played a test either.

[Stuey]

Compton s/b a shoe in just on the basis that we aren't meeitng our SA playing quota since Strauss, KP and Prior left the scene.

[edge]

Compton s/b a shoe in just on the basis that we aren't meeitng our SA playing quota since Strauss, KP and Prior left the scene.

Well in that case:
Roy
Robson
Compton
Ballance
Morgan
Stokes
Wessels
Jordan
Dockrell
Curran
Dernbach

The new commonwealth England XI

[Batbuddy99]

Well in that case:
Roy
Robson
Compton
Ballance
Morgan
Stokes
Wessels
Jordan
Dockrell
Curran
Dernbach

The new commonwealth England XI

surely you should have both Currans in there


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[edge]

surely you should have both Currans in there


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Younger one doesn't qualify, born here.

[ppccopener]

cant believe you have Dernbach in,there MUST be some alternative