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[ppccopener]

There has been a lot of discussion regarding Amir but for me the main threat may actually be Yasir Shah. We all know that England don't play spin well whether it be at home or away. We don't posses much of a spin threat ourselves. What practice do our batters get against top class spin?

got to be honest I thought be was still banned from playing. Depends what wickets we play on and if it's very dry I would think.

We have home advantage on the wickets but if we prepare seamers we could get outbowled......no one has mentioned wahab riaz he has serious wheels and is a hand ful too

it's going to be a cracking series....we will find out if our batters can stand up to high quality bowling  , and can Pak score runs against our attack?  very reliant on misbah and younis khan for their runs....

[brokenbat]

got to be honest I thought be was still banned from playing. Depends what wickets we play on and if it's very dry I would think.

We have home advantage on the wickets but if we prepare seamers we could get outbowled......no one has mentioned wahab riaz he has serious wheels and is a hand ful too

it's going to be a cracking series....we will find out if our batters can stand up to high quality bowling  , and can Pak score runs against our attack?  very reliant on misbah and younis khan for their runs....

I think if Pak take their catches, it's going to be very challenging for Eng.

Green pitches would bring the Pak seam attack in play (may see 3 or 4 day finishes then, no matter who wins).

Flatter pitches would allow pak batsmen just a bit of breathing space, and could open the door for yasir to be the difference.

Can't wait....by far the best series this summer.

[chrisbd]

I also think England need to select based on the decks too. Buttler should be a better player of spin than some other options - and I know a lot of people want him back in the side. Jos at 7? So Cook, Hales, Vince, Root, Bairstow, Stokes (if fit), Woakes, Ali, Broad, Ball, and one other seamer if Finn doesn't play?

[dcullen8]

Squad announcement, as before with Ballance for Compton & Roland-Jones for Anderson. Never saw that coming myself.

[ppccopener]

me neither..  why don't we play Ball? he was in the last squad.

miraculously got a ticket for day 1 at the home of cricket so I will be there 

[Batbuddy99]

Ball in the squad also so most likely he will play and Roland-Jones the backup?

[rickjames]

Gary Ballance? Really?

[ppccopener]

Gary Ballance? Really?

hmmm......are we sure?  not exactly smashed the door down with runs.... I don't really get this squad to be honest.....Anderson is out got that so Ball and Roland Jones(middx)

can we presume Root is now 3 because Balance don't bat 3 for Yorkshire?

[dcullen8]

Averaging 33 in the CC, so clearly thats the reason for his inclusion

[csnew]

Root confirmed as number 3 by cook

[smilley792]

apparently root bats at 3.

So where is Ballance 4,5,6 or 7??? Surely he will play. Unless we are going for Ali top 6 batsmen?

[Calzehbhoy]

Wonder if I can put some money on how many times he'll nick off to a full, swinging Amir half volley throughout the series....

[ppccopener]

vince 4, balance 5, bairstow 6 and Ali 7....

cant help thinking ive missed someone out.

woakes!!!   bairstow 7, woakes 7, ali 8......

[dcullen8]

Wonder if I can put some money on how many times he'll nick off to a full, swinging Amir half volley throughout the series....

gonna be some short short odds that's for sure

[springbok45]

Wonder if I can put some money on how many times he'll nick off to a full, swinging Amir half volley throughout the series....

Guess this shows how relevant the County Championship is to selection, hasn't scored much and it's not like he's been shown wanting against left arm quicks bowling full