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[Biggie Smalls]

I for 1 agree that Wood is a quality bowler with pace and could absolutely do some damage in Aus. Let's remember that Plunkett also has 90mph+ pace, as does Woakes. We are lucky at the moment in that we have Stokes, Woakes and Ali as high quality bowling all-rounders plus Bairstow as a high quality keeper batsman! I have certainly never know us to have so many!! Normally we are more than happy with 1 genuine all-rounder!
The trick we need to perform now is finding that ideal balance for the team!! 

I'll keep saying it until the ashes starts ...

Cook
Hameed
Westley/Stoneman/some guy from the pub/anyone with a uk passport in oz at the time...no Garry ballance
Root
Hales
Stokes
Bairstow
Ali
Woakes
Broad
Trj ( to be swapped for Anderson at Adelaide and any green seamer encountered )

This is your team balance !
Oh , and @Seniorplayer , if eng pick 5 seamers in the 11 they will be toast ! Build the batting strength and back Stokes and Ali to make healthy contributions with the ball .

[t2ylo]

I'll keep saying it until the ashes starts ...

Cook
Hameed
Westley/Stoneman/some guy from the pub/anyone with a uk passport in oz at the time...no Garry ballance
Root
Hales
Stokes
Bairstow
Ali
Woakes
Broad
Trj ( to be swapped for Anderson at Adelaide and any green seamer encountered )

...back Stokes and Ali to make healthy contributions with the ball .

This man knows his onions - I'd take Roy as a wildcard opener but otherwise I'm in total agreement

[petehosk]

I'll keep saying it until the ashes starts ...

Cook
Hameed
Westley/Stoneman/some guy from the pub/anyone with a uk passport in oz at the time...no Garry ballance
Root
Hales
Stokes
Bairstow
Ali
Woakes
Broad
Trj ( to be swapped for Anderson at Adelaide and any green seamer encountered )

This is your team balance !
Oh , and @Seniorplayer , if eng pick 5 seamers in the 11 they will be toast ! Build the batting strength and back Stokes and Ali to make healthy contributions with the ball .

Would not bat Ballance above 5 at International level!
I know that the look of Hales at 5 followed by Stoke, Bairstow and Ali sounds amazing, but I would seriously bat Hameed at 5 to get him bedded into International cricket! Maybe bat him there for 3 or 4 Test series, so 18 months or more. Then move him up to 2/3!! He is young and needs to be eased in gently, so easy does it as he is hopefully in for the long haul!
I just hope that Stoneman and Westley perform half decently in the rest of the Windies Tests so that we can start to fill in the gaps we have had for a while now!

Love the idea of not playing Anderson on the wickets where he is unlikely to be useful, then play him on the greener wickets! This would hopefully keep him injury-free during the Ashes. Plus Ali ay 8, Woakes 9, TRJ at 10 and Broad at 11 is some batting right down the order, although all they will do is bounce Broad until he starts backing away a bit, then full and straight!!

[Seniorplayer]

Don't like it as 5 seamers upsets the balance of the side  if 4 can't do it 5 won't but due to unresolved issues around Malan Westley Stoneman that's what  England will probably do. Can't see the next 2 WI tests telling us anything  positive about these guys unless they  score  Alister  Cook big
hundreds.

[northernboy1987]

Whisper it quietly... is Mark Wood actually that quick?

Whisper it even more quietly...is Mark Wood actually that good with a red ball? I'm not convinced as much as I want to be.

[hopwoodbear]

Agree with this...In fact I don't believe we have a single quick who consistently bowls 90mph,merely high eighties with the odd 90mph delivery.

could be decent on oz pitches but seems to have lost some pace recently

[northernboy1987]

Root's confirmed Woakes will be starting in place of TRJ tomorrow

[ppccopener]

boom
Woakes is back

[Seniorplayer]

boom
Woakes is back

Yep  against these windes runs and 5 fors expected.

[rickjames]

Won the toss and we're having a bat. Meh.

[roco]

hopefully chef books in for bed and breakfast and stoneman can get a start then show what he is made of as not his fault only getting 1 bat in last match and getting out to a worldy

[petehosk]

Won the toss and we're having a bat. Meh.

Does Root have a magic coin?! He always seems to win the toss at the moment!

[roco]

Does Root have a magic coin?! He always seems to win the toss at the moment!

He's just a momumental ............. too easy

[Biggie Smalls]

where is my favourite english supporter ?.... ive not seen the Cookie Monster yet this english summer . Did i miss him , or is he on holiday with Minnie Mouse ?

[petehosk]

Windies look stronger too. Bowling unit definitely looks a lot stronger and should be able to give England batsman more of a challenge this Test!
I bet Westley and Stoneman are gutted that they couldn't take advantage of the Windies bowlers last Test!! Granted that Stoneman got a peach of a delivery so just got to hope that one of them has a decent knock!

People seem more concerned with Westley than they are with Stoneman - but this could leave the door open for Hameed to slot in at 3?