Print

[six and out]

As much as this will annoy the Yorkies on here.

Ballance has been selected because he is Roots mate. Simples.

Dawson is in because Woakes isn't fit and Baylis prefers an allrounder at 8 with batting callibre.

[Seniorplayer]

Balance at three could be a master stroke if England lose an opener early on.

[ppccopener]

As much as this will annoy the Yorkies on here.

Ballance has been selected because he is Roots mate. Simples.

Dawson is in because Woakes isn't fit and Baylis prefers an allrounder at 8 with batting callibre.

He's a mate with benefits, Gaz is averaging  98 in the four day game.thats a good argument?

I quite like him as a player, he is mentally tough, yes lots of debate on here (we are the centre of the cricket world after all!) about technical faults but pretty much every batsman has them to some degree.

It's runs in the book that count whatever level you play at and he's got them.

Probably would not of played had Hameed Ben in form thou, fair to say that.

[Shinpathy]

Hameed been worked out with the short ball or what?

After effects of his finger injury? 

[Bats_Entertainment]

I suspect Ballance may bat at 4.

[six and out]

He's a mate with benefits, Gaz is averaging  98 in the four day game.thats a good argument?

I quite like him as a player, he is mentally tough, yes lots of debate on here (we are the centre of the cricket world after all!) about technical faults but pretty much every batsman has them to some degree.

It's runs in the book that count whatever level you play at and he's got them.

Probably would not of played had Hameed Ben in form thou, fair to say that.

He may be averaging loads but we have seen it before a number of times (including with Ballance) Championship runs don't equal Test runs.

Hes been picked now so lets see what number he bats and how he goes.

[play-yourself-in]

Living in the USA for the last 18 months has developed my love of a conspiracie theory.  Seems to me that Ballance has been included so that New Balance can slowly start to take over the England team!!!!!!

Plunkett will be in by the next test, mark my words!

[rickjames]

I wonder if Bayliss watched Stoneman today. Ah.

[Biggie Smalls]

Living in the USA for the last 18 months has developed my love of a conspiracie theory.  Seems to me that Ballance has been included so that New Balance can slowly start to take over the England team!!!!!!

Plunkett will be in by the next test, mark my words!

Yep , i think i heard alex jones mention that on info wars the other day..... 'new balance new world order'  is under way ! 

[Alvaro]

Rashid is a bottler.

This is also the dreariest brave new era selection going. It's not going to much of a watch.

[ppccopener]

I'm not on a one man mission to promote Gary and his new balance kit (I don't like the stickers myself)  but if there is one spot in the batting.....hameed  out and prob right you can't pick him in the form he is in ....although long term I think he is the answer at 1 or 3......but Ballance has test runs behind him,he happens to have scored heavy in the championship. It's not guarantee of runs in the test quite right but he has scored previously pretty well.

The point I am trying to make is there is one spot, who would you pick? There are lots of players who could be picked but have they done enough? Westley, northeast, bell drummond(never gets much of a mention on here), Stoneman has been a bit u lucky not to be capped so far.....Sam Robson of Middlesex?

Be interesting to see if others think there is another stand out candidate because I can't think of one banging the door down to get in....

Stand to be corrected thou..as usual ! 

[six and out]

I'm not on a one man mission to promote Gary and his new balance kit (I don't like the stickers myself)  but if there is one spot in the batting.....hameed  out and prob right you can't pick him in the form he is in ....although long term I think he is the answer at 1 or 3......but Ballance has test runs behind him,he happens to have scored heavy in the championship. It's not guarantee of runs in the test quite right but he has scored previously pretty well.

The point I am trying to make is there is one spot, who would you pick? There are lots of players who could be picked but have they done enough? Westley, northeast, bell drummond(never gets much of a mention on here), Stoneman has been a bit u lucky not to be capped so far.....Sam Robson of Middlesex?

Be interesting to see if others think there is another stand out candidate because I can't think of one banging the door down to get in....

Stand to be corrected thou..as usual ! 

You say 1 spot available. I would think there should be 2. But it completely depends how Root wants to balance the side. We are going into the 1st Test with an extra bowler be it Dawson or TRJ due to injury concerns over others. Do we really need 6 bowlers plus Root? I wouldn't think so when everyone is fully fit.

[Buzz]

You say 1 spot available. I would think there should be 2. But it completely depends how Root wants to balance the side. We are going into the 1st Test with an extra bowler be it Dawson or TRJ due to injury concerns over others. Do we really need 6 bowlers plus Root? I wouldn't think so when everyone is fully fit.

This is right in my view.
All these bowlers are being picked because of the injury concerns to the current bowlers. Especially for Lords which in recent years has been a graveyard for bowlers.

[Buzz]

Team for first test

Cook
Jennings
Ballance (earned his recall but I wouldn't pick him personally)
Roooooooot
Bairstow
Stokes
Moeen
Dawson
Broad
Anderson
Wood

Personally I would have picked Westley over Balance.
The problem is that all the quicks have injury issues which isn't ideal. Toby Roland jones in the squad as well.

Cough...

[Biggie Smalls]

Thank god i finally get to watch some test cricket...... better lap it up while i can because at this rate i might not get to witness a home ashes series this summer .
Anyway , looking forward to this match , not so keen on some of the ecb selections though .