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[edge]

Surprised a few of them put Ballance in, yes he's scored a lot of career runs, but he's still getting out like this! (second clip) https://twitter.com/CountyChamp/status/727195855661355008?ref_src=twsrc^tfw

[wcc]

Cook
Hales
Compton
Root
Vince
Stokes
Bairstow
Ali
Broad
Finn
Anderson

[liscon12]

As the old saying goes, better to give someone too many games than too little, I mean this regarding Compton and Hales. Both had an okay tour to SA but if they want to cement their place in the test squad they've this summer to prove it too the selectors, if not then we start the merry go round all over again come the winter. Compton hasn't done anything wrong necessarily to be dropped however the dismissals towards the back end of the SA Test tour do make you think, hopefully he can score at a reasonable rate and play somewhat at his best and not get bogged down like he did a couple of years during our summer. I do understand that at times we need a player like Compton to grind down the bowlers and absorb the pressure of the new ball and this might mean scoring at a low rate. England are searching for that Trott successor and at the moment Compton might be our best bet.

Ballance's form in the CC has been average at best and with Vince getting that hundred against Yorkshire the other week puts him at the top of the pecking order. Bairstow has earned the right to keep the gloves for a good while now due to the runs he's scored in the Championship this year and last and hopefully the form he's in now will continue for a while.

Ali will always trump Rashid, his batting does add weight to his argument of being in the squad and the fact he does take regular wickets means he will always start, for me he needs to learn to bowl more dot balls and build pressure, far too often he comes on and the scoring rate increases whether it is down to batsmen going after him or simply bowling poor balls.

One name to mention in the bowling department is Liam Plunkett, he is tall and fast and if one of the other guys gets injured then I think he should come in, obviously a fit Wood would be first ahead of Plunkett. His batting ability would really create a long tail in the England squad however Finn has the ability to really get good swing and seam at pace and for this reason he will always start in my XI as you need bowlers to take 20 wickets to win games, they shouldn't need to bat as that is the top 6-7 job.

England selectors have become very strict when it comes to making changes, only changing one or two at a time. What the Sky pundits are suggesting would never happen as making huge sweeping changes to a team will not only destabilise the balance and feel of the squad but it will also put fear into players by showing them that their place isn't safe and they could end up focusing on themselves and becoming more inwards rather than thinking of the teams goals. Now players will always say they want to see England win and want to perform but if they have it in the back of their mind that they could be gone the very next game then it could turn very toxic. I doubt this would ever happen to this bunch of lads as they seen very settled and appear to enjoy each others company but why take the risk in making huge changes, the good thing is though that the players who are in the mix are already involved in the England setup and have been on previous tours etc so they know what its like when you're not playing.

I really do hope we have a great summer and that we show skills and talent proving people we are becoming the best in the world. Lets hope the weather keeps it end of the bargain up.

[Bats_Galore]

1. Cook
2. Hales
3. Root
4. Bell
5. Bairstow
6. Stokes
7. Butler
8. Ali
9. Finn
10. Broad
11. Anderson

[six and out]

My Starting XI, these are players who I see taking the field, not necessarily the ones I want to see playing though.

1- Cook
2- Hales
3- Compton
4- Root
5- Vince
6- Stokes
7- Bairstow
8- Ali
9- Broad
10- Anderson
11- Finn

For me like a few of you have said i think liscon12 posted the side that will be picked.

However the side i would like to see is below - i simply don't think you can play Compton and Cook in the same side in this day and age of Test Cricket. I also think Butler needs to be given the gloves back, as a keeper i know it is difficult to keep both disciplines going well and i think if Bairstow is to bat at 5 (or 6) he needs to be just a batter, then say to Butler be a great keeper and your batting will follow. At the moment we don't have someone who is doing both well etc...

1 - Cook (c)
2 - Hales
3 - Vince
4 - Root
5/6 - Bairstow
5/6 - Stokes
7 - Butler (wk)
8 - Ali
9 - Broad
10 - Finn
11 - Anderson

[jamielsn15]

Buttler will get another shot, but he hasn't been playing CC cricket, he's off with the travelling circus.

Concern with Hales is that he hasn't been playing while Robson, Bell-Drummond and other openers have been getting involved in the early season run-fest.

Compton''s a funny one.  He'll get another go at 3, but there's clearly something about him that doesn't fit - and that's across two different coaching and management set ups...

Has Bell done enough to get back, assuming Strauss and Bayliss didn't have the bottle to tell him he will never be back (see Ramprakash in 2006)?  Dunno.  Don't think he'll get a go against Sri Lanka, but assuming Ballance or Vince get a go and Compton/Ballance doesn't perform I wouldn't be surprised at all if Bell got a shot at Pakistan.  Assuming what he's been told stands.

1. Cook
2. Hales
3. Compton
4. Root
5. Ballance
6. Stokes
7. Bairstow*
8. Ali
9. Broad
10. Anderson
11. Finn

I'd have Bell at 5. But I completely get why many wouldn't.

[ScottParko]

I think it's extremely unlikely we see Buttler before the short form part of the series. Him being allowed to go to the IPL was probably as a result of him losing the gloves and it looking like he wouldn't get them back for the time being.

If he was still the man in control of the gloves then I would bet my life he wouldn't have been allowed to go to the IPL. They are starting to classify players as long form and short form now I suspect, and I think Buttler is probably going to be a short form specialist for the foreseeable future with Jonny B being the man for 5 day stuff.

[uknsaunders]

I think there are few things you need to remember:-

1. The pundits are picking there wet dreams and not looking at what will actually happen
2. @liscon12 was spot on with his team, 1 change
3. England love consistency, Hales and Compton will get more chances - Sri Lanka aren't SA and they deserve to muck that up first before getting droppoed.
4. Bairstow has done a fine job at 7 and keeping, why change it for Buttler (who's playing IPL)
5. England go to India, the next guy in has to be decent against spin - playing Sri Lanka and Pakistan is almost an audition in that respect.

I think Bell might get the nod, with point 5 in mind. Still some mileage in him if they use him properly and bat him at 5 instead of shoving him up the order.

[jamielsn15]

I see Micky Arthur's got himself a summer temp job - Pakistan coach...

[ppccopener]

it's quite interesting how many of you have got Bell in, or certainly not objecting if he was in, that I can read anyway.

Saunders is right, number 5 does seem to be his spot....Root doesn't want to move from 4.....KP didn't either..   I guess some players mentally just have a position and they bat well there.

I've watched the whole of Bell's England career and you just think 'this guy is a number 5' and a very good one at that....

Bell is also a very good player of spin.......

[jamielsn15]

Graham Thorpe had an entire career (pretty much) at 5, at a time when we were moving players all over the place.  I would assume they recognised his importance in that position and, like Thorpe, Bell's always batted well with the lower order and tail when required and that was without players of the ability of Stokes and Bairstow below him.

I'm not sure Bell's as good a player of spin as people think, not that I would say he's bad, far from it - simply a tendency to get bogged down, but that could have been reflective of his poor form and mindset.

I just don't think you can discount 22 test hundreds and an excellent average batting at 5 when you have series in India and the Ashes coming up.  Yes Ballance averages 47, but I'd bet Bell averages similar at 5

[ProCricketer1982]

number 5 does seem to be his spot

I can't believe people are only just realising this.. It's been obvious since 2005


Root is not a top 3 bat, his technique isn't good enough.. Nicky Nicky offy stumpy.. KP was never good enough for top 3 either.

People need to get out of the 'better players play higher' theory and put players in their best position.. Just because someone is good at 4 doesn't mean they'll be good at 3. Different skills, pressures and techniques needed.

Unless you go down the white ball theory where technique isn't important and hittyness (hales, Roy etc)

[uknsaunders]

I certainly don't think Bell is a wonderful player of spin, you only have to witness some of his struggles in the UAE to know this. He is however probably a better player of spin than Ballance and certainly more experienced than Vince overseas. Not saying Vince should get a gig but we have enough iffy players of spin without making it worse. I reckon only Cook and Root, possibly Ali would be nailed on to score runs in India.

[Alvaro]

@uknsaunders

1 Don't agree at all. Remember Sky knew about Moores losing his job before he did. That the three batters into two spots are Ballance, Vince and Bell tells you something.

[Manormanic]

I reckon there is realistically two places in a squad of 12 up for grabs - those of three bat and reserve seamer.  In this twelve, the two spots are the ones in CAPS:

Cook
Hales
COMPTON OR BELL
Root
Vince
Stokes
Bairstow
Ali
Broad
Finn
Anderson
12 - BALL or OVERTON

What would I go for?  Tough - the only nailed on selection I would definitely change is Ali, who I would drop in favour of the much more talented Rashid.  On the basis that Compton just doesn't quite fit and Bell can come back in anytime, I'd use three tests against weaker opposition to test someone else though - that could mean Vince at three with Roy at five or it could mean Hales moving to first dig to allow Lyth  second shot or Bell Drummond a go as opener.

Longer term, Bairstow will go to five and Buttler or Foakes will keep.