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[Alvaro]

Keaton Jennings was very very unlucky not to be with the group..

Not sure the answer is really I have not seen anything in Duckett to suggest a test player is there yet but agree needs a good go in better conditions.

But we need a settled side and need to give people as long as possible.

There's a spot for him at the top of the Proteas order.

[Bats_Entertainment]

The problem no.4 position. Formerly known as the problem no.3 position.

[petehosk]

To be fair it looks as though most slots are looking quite positive:

1-3 Cook, Hammed, Root

5-7 Ali (+spin) Stokes (A/R) Bairstow (W/K)
8-11 Bowlers - Woakes (Semi A/R) Broad, Anderson, Ball, Woods, Finn (not my pick), Rashid, Ansari, Batty, etc.

If you wanted to be picky, you could argue that we don't have a top class spinner (a la Warne) but Rashid seems to be proving himself well and Ali is pretty ok too.
We have loads of decent options for seam/pace so that's looking rather funky!
So we really need Duckett to step up to the mark and seal the number 4 spot. It could be a sleepless night for him and it is not going to be an easy wicket to bat on.
But a 50 from him tomorrow would start to make a rea case for him. And if he gets out, he had better make sure that it is due to an excellent ball from the bowler and not another very poor shot or technique! 

[FattusCattus]

Moving past India, the side below gives 4 seamers, 2 spinners and in theory bats down to 9, plus batting in this order mixes the Lefties and the Righties up a bit better -

Cook
Hameed
Root
Duckett
Bairstow
Stokes
Moeen
Woakes
Rashid
Broad
Anderson

[FattusCattus]

However - the imbalance in the 'next off the rank' options for seam against spin are very worrying -

Seam:

Wood
BallOverton
S Curran
T Curran
Roland-Jones
Brooks
+ many,many more


Spin:
Leach
Rayner
Crane

ermm...................

[Buzz]

I agree, he is certainly better than your average nightwatchman.  I would have said - based on what I have seen in county cricket - that he is a batsman who turns his arm over rather than a frontline bowler who can hold a bat. 

@Buzz I'd be interested to hear - regardless of the merits of selecting him as a bowler - where you'd bat him in the current England set up (with Woakes in the side).

After Woakes! Woakes is a genuine batsman with more experience and runs in the bank.
I was trolling a bit with Ansari really. He needs to bowl a load more and get more runs in the bank before he can bat higher than 8.

Our batting line up is a bizarre mix of duckett, Moeen, Stokes, woakes and Ansari whose natural position is probably number 6 in the order with Rashid a seven. Bairstow should be 4 really, but keeping prohibits that.

[Manormanic]

However - the imbalance in the 'next off the rank' options for seam against spin are very worrying -

Seam:

Wood
BallOverton
S Curran
T Curran
Roland-Jones
Brooks
+ many,many more


Spin:
Leach
Rayner
Crane

ermm...................

Most countries have the same issue - I guess with four quicks to one spinner inmost sides its not that bad of a deal.

As a ...you could name Dom Bess, Stephen Parry, Liam Dawson, Parkinson, Scott Borthwick.  Not stellar but better than Australia or South Africa's options.

[Manormanic]

After Woakes! Woakes is a genuine batsman with more experience and runs in the bank.
I was trolling a bit with Ansari really. He needs to bowl a load more and get more runs in the bank before he can bat higher than 8.

Difficult really - you can't hold against the lad that he wsa selected.  Its not like any reasonable person says "thanks, Mr Whittaker, but I really think you've gone a tad loopy" after all.  Its clear that he is being treated as a bits and pieces player in the side, which gives him no chance to prove anything but gives people ammunition to say he's not up to it.

For all I've dissed the lad, he has some talent/potential.  England are NOT helping him at the moment.

[ppccopener]

Ansari is in a very similar position to Moeen has been batting down the order for a while, whether Ansari can be as important to the team in a years time who knows...

Rashid is bowling much better now Cook has more confidence in him, chicken and egg that, he is bowling well so Cook has confidence to go to him first, then Ali and Ansari last.

If it does seam In Mohali, one spinner will drop out so there is a space..ball maybe or get Butler in...

For now we need everyone to get runs tommorow just to draw. I actually think Ansari will be a batsman who bowls rather than a bowler going forward, we don't play 3 spinners very often.

Everything crossed we get out of this game with a draw, I'd like to see Root rein it in a bit and slow down, he's so fluent he gets carried away.

[smilley792]

Ansari needs to aim for out batting duckett.

If he can prove he can he might get a shot at the number 4 slot at home.
Or we move everyone up one and he slots it at 7..... or somewhere in between.

He is a batsmen after all. Even though he is coming in after Rashid currently.

[Bats_Entertainment]

I've seen a lot of Zafar, and much as I like him, I don't think he will ever play for England as a batsman.

[Felix Tito]

Too many LHB, get Buttler in at 6(on the presumption that Bairstow will retain the gloves) and get Woakes back in at 8. Duckett and Ansari obviously getting removed

[smilley792]

Definately not what I wanted to wake up to.

Having seen duckett made non of 16 balls, a big sweep was no what I was expecting to see as his wicket. He obviously doesn't know weather to stick or twist. And he got no where near it with bat(gloves he did).

Might be better to rest the kid than ruin him permanently on this tour.
Ballance isn't what we want, also mentally tired and a leftie. Buttler might get a chance.


Stokes and Ali got done with turn on a fifth day pitch.

Root but of reverse, good to see despite him being our messiah, he really didn't want to review that and only did because bairstow made him.

Rashid should have left that in a rearguard fight for a draw.


Johnny b looks like he's having a net...... lol.  Still we made it to dinner on day five!

[ppccopener]

Yes deflating to wake up to couple of unplayable ones couple of bad shots-but we are in there battling which is what is needed.
Cooks wicket last night was a hammer blow to us.
England have shown good character before after a loss we are going to need that in the next match

[csnew]

Oh dear...the end is near with asari getting a grubber.
The game really does come back to bite you - bet duckett won't be tweeting a reverse sweep any time soon given he can't play a forward defence.