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[ppccopener]

Stokes has bowled 20 plus overs in the County game- more for Jimmy A plus a few press up's on the outfield.

We are a better side with those two in it.

glad Rashid is back. Think it turns more at Old Trafford these days.

This series is on, can't wait for the second test.

[brokenbat]

Stokes has bowled 20 plus overs in the County game- more for Jimmy A plus a few press up's on the outfield.

We are a better side with those two in it.

glad Rashid is back. Think it turns more at Old Trafford these days.

This series is on, can't wait for the second test.

Too early to say for sure - but has an ashes 2005 feel to it. Non stop excitement

[InternalTraining]

Looking forward to the second test. Inclusion of Benji  and Anderson in the England side will pose a lot of challenges for Pak batsmen.

[Danny90]

Stokes has bowled 20 plus overs in the County game- more for Jimmy A plus a few press up's on the outfield.

We are a better side with those two in it.

glad Rashid is back. Think it turns more at Old Trafford these days.

This series is on, can't wait for the second test.

I just don't think Rashid has the control for test match cricket. He impressed me in the last couple of odi's though, so hopefully he can continue that form if he gets the chance!

[ppccopener]

I just don't think Rashid has the control for test match cricket. He impressed me in the last couple of odi's though, so hopefully he can continue that form if he gets the chance!

England will be fired up for old Trafford, normally it's our seamers that lead the way so might be a close call between the two spinners. We also don't play that well at lords, so support will be better at the other grounds. England don't make too many changes unless they have to these days. At that position thou we should play our best spinner...the one most likely to get wickets. pretty sure old Trafford should turn the most so if rashid is going to play Manchester should be the best wicket for him.

If it is dry thou Yasir could be even more of a handful.....
 

[cricketbadger]

More Yorkshire players picked to help Middlesex win the league, next they'll be taking Gale to carry drinks and Lees to captain

[FattusCattus]

Mwah hahahah! God bless Angus Fraser!!

Mind you, Middx didn't gripe too much through the 80's when they regularly lost  Gatting, Downton, Edmonds and Embury all at the same time.

Maybe the Jazz-Hatters were more philosophical about supporting England than the dour Northerners - if you had an independent Yorkshire, this wouldn't be a problem!

[smilley792]

Just been reading. This on how 14 become 11


http://www.espncricinfo.com/england-v-pakistan-2016/content/story/1036661.html


Thing I find amusing is many questioning why Ballance was returned to squad(both on here and in press)

Now after one test. In which Vince and Ballance scored similar runs. The entire press seems to be Ballance over Vince. As do the sky pundits.

Did Vince have that bad a test??

[WalkingWicket37]

@smilley792 Vince didn't have a bad Test by any stretch, but I suppose he doesn't have the weight of Test Match runs behind him that Ballance does.
Just remember the press are almost as fickle as the fans, but I expect both to be back on the county circuit before long...

[ppccopener]

@smilley792 Vince didn't have a bad Test by any stretch, but I suppose he doesn't have the weight of Test Match runs behind him that Ballance does.
Just remember the press are almost as fickle as the fans, but I expect both to be back on the county circuit before long...

ive read similar today.... I don't really get it myself and we need not to go back to the days of picking players for a test or two and dropping them. im not convinced about Vince but glad he got a chance, and they have got to give him a few games.

The England management like Balance, he is a good player technical problems or not.

personally you wouldn't have this selection issue if we had picked Stokes to bat only and then only one of balance or Vince at Lords.

Can't help thinking Cook and Bayliss got over ruled on this (stokes as a batter only) as well as the Anderson issue.

Is Stokes as good a batsman as Vince and Balance? well he got 250 odd not so long ago.

I think myself vince will stay in and Anderson and stokes back for ball and finn- with Rashid/ali a close call....

but yes...now we picked Vince he has to be given time.

If however we do play two spinners it's going to be vince or balance that gets dropped- Vince almost certainly

[ppccopener]

@smilley792 Vince didn't have a bad Test by any stretch, but I suppose he doesn't have the weight of Test Match runs behind him that Ballance does.
Just remember the press are almost as fickle as the fans, but I expect both to be back on the county circuit before long...

do you think thou, it's the way Vince got out that has prompted this? caught slashing outside off?  he is an attacking player, if your out your out thou, what's worse playing a forward defensive and getting bowled or trying to take the game on and looking bad when youre out?

[WalkingWicket37]

Thinking about this, wasn't Ballance at number 3 when he scored the majority of his Test runs?

With a couple of changes the selectors could go for something that keeps our best players in the position where they've scored their runs, while (arguably) strengthening the line up

1. Cook*
2. Hales
3. Ballance
4. Root
5. Vince
6. Stokes
7. Bairstow+
8. Woakes
9. Rashid
10. Broad
11. Anderson

Moeen, Finn & Ball would be the players to miss out, but with Stokes, Anderson & Rashid coming in and a slight re-shuffle to the batting line up I think that looks a more balanced side and there are less players out of position.
You could swap Stokes and Bairstow in that batting line up if you see fit, and not counting Broad as a batsman that's a long line up (hopefully) with plenty of runs in it!

[petehosk]

Vince needs until the end of the series to assess really.

I would be tempted to play

Root
Hales
Root
Vince
Ballance
Stokes
Bairstow
Woakes
Rashid/Ali
Broad
Anderson

Can't see them going with another line-up but you never know!! And I suspect they will stick with Ali for the 2nd Test as well.

[FattusCattus]

I'm pretty sure that when Stokes started to make a name for himself in 4 day cricket at Durham, it was as a number 5 bat who bowled a bit.

The slashing all-rounder seems to have come about since he got into the England side (in a desperate attempt to replicate Flintoff and Botham).

Perhaps he should be in as a batter and reminded that this is his primary function, with the 4th seamer role as a blessed bonus.

[northernboy1987]

I'm pretty sure that when Stokes started to make a name for himself in 4 day cricket at Durham, it was as a number 5 bat who bowled a bit.

The slashing all-rounder seems to have come about since he got into the England side (in a desperate attempt to replicate Flintoff and Botham).

Perhaps he should be in as a batter and reminded that this is his primary function, with the 4th seamer role as a blessed bonus.

I'm not sure about his early county days but he played his club cricket at my hometown club and was always played as a genuine all rounder right up until signing for Durham.