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[Buzz]

Root and Bairstow absolutely smashing it against the Ray.

[smilley792]

Sam Robson with another ton.


Put him in to open and drop hales to three.......

[northernboy1987]

Compton hasn't really done his case many favours so far has he, no scores over 45 while everyone else has been racking up runs, do we think he'll play the first test?

[ppccopener]

Compton hasn't really done his case many favours so far has he, no scores over 45 while everyone else has been racking up runs, do we think he'll play the first test?

selection is going to be very interesting in a couple of days. If you believe the newspapers Bayliss wants attacking batsmen at 3 and 4. Basically the Australian way.

Bit different playing on a flat deck on one of the Aussies pitches and Durham/Trent Bridge/Headingly...in May.

I would have Compton in as I reckon we still need a technically and mentally equipped player in the top order. I don't believe that's gone out of fashion

But the game has moved on and i'm a bit stuck in the mud oldie. 

[Alvaro]

Root and Bairstow absolutely smashing it against the Ray.

I think referring to Surrey as the Rey is precisely why everyone else, well me, wants them to get smashed.

[ElPerro]

I think referring to Surrey as the Rey is precisely why everyone else, well me, wants them to get smashed.

What's behind the Rey nickname?

[Kulli]

Sur-Rey, if you're 'well spoken enough' I presumed.

[northernboy1987]

selection is going to be very interesting in a couple of days. If you believe the newspapers Bayliss wants attacking batsmen at 3 and 4. Basically the Australian way.

Bit different playing on a flat deck on one of the Aussies pitches and Durham/Trent Bridge/Headingly...in May.

I would have Compton in as I reckon we still need a technically and mentally equipped player in the top order. I don't believe that's gone out of fashion

But the game has moved on and i'm a bit stuck in the mud oldie. 

I wonder if they'd consider switching Compton and Hales round?

[rickjames]

Compton's issue as an opener was that he wasn't scoring quickly enough. Can't see it ending well if he did...

[Manormanic]

I get the feeling Compton is a gonner.  Justified or not, that just seems to be the way the wind is blowing.

[northernboy1987]

I get the feeling Compton is a gonner.  Justified or not, that just seems to be the way the wind is blowing.

I agree, there's something about him that just doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the team for whatever reason. I don't know what it is but there must be something!

 If Bayliss wants an Australian style (attacking) number 3 Compton is definitely not the man for the job and I'm not sold on Hales' suitability as a Test opener (hopefully will prove me wrong!) so that's why I was musing over the idea of Hales at 3, Robson is making a pretty strong case for himself to come back in as an opener but has he fixed his previous issues?

[ppccopener]

I get the feeling Compton is a gonner.  Justified or not, that just seems to be the way the wind is blowing.

yep i've got that feeling too. I would have him in the side either opening or three. I think and hope Vince gets in in place of JT but Bayliss saying he wants aggressive batsmen might be a hint.

I find this a bit odd as in South Africa Compton did a job for us, we actually have a lot of stroke players in the side.....not everyone can attack in a five day test....

aside from his last test series how important was Jonathan Trott for us? Test cricket ain't changed that much in 24 months.....

[bk]

The bit that confuses me about Hales is that he's been selected to do a similar role for us to what Warner does for Australia. But Warner didn't really change his approach much. He just wound it back a notch. Hales looks like he's also trying to adopt a new technique especially outside off stump early on. I'd like to see him given a long opportunity to take advantage of the new ball with Vince at 3. You can see Cook, Hales, Vince and Root as a solid top 4 for the next few years. With Bairstow, Stokes and Buttler behind them it could look vey exciting.

[ppccopener]

The bit that confuses me about Hales is that he's been selected to do a similar role for us to what Warner does for Australia. But Warner didn't really change his approach much. He just wound it back a notch. Hales looks like he's also trying to adopt a new technique especially outside off stump early on. I'd like to see him given a long opportunity to take advantage of the new ball with Vince at 3. You can see Cook, Hales, Vince and Root as a solid top 4 for the next few years. With Bairstow, Stokes and Buttler behind them it could look vey exciting.

Struggling to see any comparision with Warner and Hales to be honest. Warner may be the bloke us English fans love to hate, but he is an exceptionally talented cricketer, not many of these guys about that can take apart top class bowling. Sehwag, Warner,Brendon Mac...these guys are few and far between. Hales is not in this class by a long way IMO....

[petehosk]

Hales is a very good ODI batsman, who was on excellent ODI form a year or two ago but has dipped a little since! Hales hs currently gone down 30 places or so! Ok, he has proved himself to be a decent limited overs bat, but adapting to Test cricket is something that only few can manage!!
To be fair, Warner has managed that ODI-> Test transformation fantastically well - something I didn't think Warner would adapt to!! But he is proving himself in the Test arena and is still playing limited overs stuff to a superb level.
Will be interested to see if Hales is given the nod. With Root, Vince, Robson, Westley, Bairstow and others around the possible England squad seemingly hitting runs for fun at the moment, Compton is looking on poor form and Hales gets a start but still not hitting any form.
So I would be surely looking at the likes of Robson, Bell, Westley and Vince to compete for the 2, 3 and 5 batting positions!