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[Neon Cricket]

Blatantly playing both Rashid and Ansari so they can decide which is used in India, Batty will just be sitting out so they can both play together.

Hopefully the India series will look a little like this:

Cook
Hameed
Root
Duckett
Mo
Stokes
Bairstow
Ansari
Woakes
Broad
Batty

Still think they've missed a trick not playing Hameed in these first 2 tests though - Ballance has looked hopeless (again...)

[Felix Tito]

Remember that although this is a test match, in reality its a warm up for India. They know what they are getting with Batty so have decided to have a look at someone else to give themselves as many options as possible i would think.

Batty is nailed on to start the first game in India if you ask me.

I'd hope Batty is a certain starter...but you never know with England...

[joeljonno]

I think there's the Stokes factor still to come. He's had Bangladesh's number thus far on this tour. Any lead will be vital. I'm confused why Batty was dropped. Rashid doesn't offer any control and in a potentially low scoring match I'd take Batty'a control over Rashid's all sorts

I think they rested Batty because he will play in India.

Thus giving Ansari a bit of experience and then you have something to compare between Rashid and Ansari for that third spinners spot behind Moeen and Batty. 

I wouldn't have been all surprised if this was the plan, give each spinner a go to see who clicks first.

[Seniorplayer]

Woakes  was gifted 2 of the luckiest wickets we shall ever see at test level  by bowling halfway down the pitch  if he balls like that to the Indian top order England will get hammered

[WalkingWicket37]

Woakes  was gifted 2 of the luckiest wickets we shall ever see at test level  by bowling halfway down the pitch  if he balls like that to the Indian top order England will get hammered

They might gift him a few more "lucky wickets"

Did Chris Woakes blank you when you asked him for a selfie or something?

[smilley792]

Woakes  was gifted 2 of the luckiest wickets we shall ever see at test level  by bowling halfway down the pitch  if he balls like that to the Indian top order England will get hammered

Seriously did he bed your wife?


Either way it's a snooze fest. Dude was  Our best bowler all year and your still after blood.

[petehosk]

Blatantly playing both Rashid and Ansari so they can decide which is used in India, Batty will just be sitting out so they can both play together.

Hopefully the India series will look a little like this:

Cook
Hameed
Root
Duckett
Mo
Stokes
Bairstow
Ansari
Woakes
Broad
Batty

Still think they've missed a trick not playing Hameed in these first 2 tests though - Ballance has looked hopeless (again...)

Yes - like this choice! I think that Ansari will settle given some more overs and offers left arm plus a decent bat.
Batty would offer some control and Ali is a sure thing now!
For me Ball or Broad depending on who is bowling wel, but Broad is one of their favourites so unlikely to play Ball. However, if they are thinking of resting Broad or another seamer for a Test in India, then I genuinely hope they will choose Ball over Finn!

[Seniorplayer]

Seriously did he bed your wife?


Either way it's a snooze fest. Dude was  Our best bowler all year and your still after blood.

W
Not blood only stating what I saw  which was poor.
I think you need to take a look at the conditions overcast and greentops etc in England  and the   opposition he played against this summer Sri Lanka were poor and Pakistan weren't that great till the sun came out.

[Seniorplayer]

They might gift him a few more "lucky wickets"

Did Chris Woakes blank you when you asked him for a selfie or something?

No cam I blanked him when he ask me for one.

[Manormanic]

Various thoughts from today's play...

Ansari...I wanted to see what he had at the start of the series.  Today has shown that he is nowhere near test class - his was the joint second worst first day in England colours of my life time (Kerrigan first - although they bowled an equal amount of pie, Kegsy had the bigger rep going in).  I have already asked how he managed to get selected ahead of Jack Leach - on this performance, that question should extend to how he got selected ahead of Samit Patel, James Tredwell, Stephen Parry and the ghost of Ian Blackwell.  The Surrey mafia will doubtless jump to his defence, but seriously, embarrassing.

The rest of England's bowling....well, we knew Finn was an odd choice, and Woakes has not yet quite worked out how to bowl on sub continent pitches, whilst Rashid was good but with no luck.  Wor Sturkes was magnificent, and Ali came good late on.

Now can someone explain England's batting policy to me?  As far as I can tell, they've blooded a 22 year old number 5 as an opener (please don't give me the "he opens for Northants" line - there is a massive difference between Division 2, where he scores big but also fails regularly, and test cricket in alien conditions), they have their best batsman at seven and a guy who was batting at eight ahead of him...wassat about?

The Bairstow issue is made even more insane by the fact that five of our top six are lefties, and there is a desperate need for balance.  But not Gary Ballance...look, I like the lad, and he has the potential to be a decent test player.  But, having been somewhat harshly dropped in 2015 the selectors seemed desperate to recall him as soon as he made a score, despite the fact that everyone watching Yorkshire could see that he was painfully out of form - indeed, we had two left handers in Lyth and Lees way more deserving of the call up.  Even in good form - and I reiterate that I do think he is good enough even with a technique that some people question - this is not a situation for a grafter.  As today showed, he'll survive until one has his name on it...but will be really acheive much in the meantime?  For the same reason, Hameed is not the answer.  Buttler, however, may be. 

[Seniorplayer]

Selecting  5 left handers in the top six against off spin shows  poor judgement

[Stuey]

@Manormanic  great post and I concur 100%....Ansari shouldn't be there , basically picked coz he can bowl a bit of spin and bat. Duckett should never open, exactly right opening in test is diff from smacking it around in div 2. And a final hooragghhhh for buttler , I've banged this drum more than we should play less mediocre spinners and more quality quicks....buttler is a genius and is being wasted by not being picked. He knows these conditions in side out having played in the ipl and can smack spin out the park.  And finally Bairstow up the order, YES and let buttler keep, the top order needs bairstows runs.

[Alvaro]

Ali came pretty good removing the two set players. Tamim is a beautiful player to watch.

@Buzz said earlier that Duncan Fletcher can be thanked for the current boon of high quality all round cricketers in the side.

Interesting how good England's catching has been, given how dreadful it was in the summer.

[Manormanic]

I might let YJB keep the gloves, since Butler would be a horses for courses selection. I'd be inclined to set up with right and lefties split.

[tom line]

Just seen the highlights and agree Englands fielding was top drawer, especially root and cook, I like duckett but to me he should be 4 and hammed opening, although I'd be happy to see butler back and johnny up the order instead of ballance, interesting what the stump mic picked up of Bairstow whilst they were 160-1, "come on lads 250 all out here 200 for 5, then 250 all out"
Guess it worked