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[Buzz]

Agreed - it seems nonsensical to me when you have a ready-made reserve in Foakes, who plays a lot of 4-day stuff, and seems to be doing pretty well. Plus a great opportunity to involve him in the squad and get used to the Test and touring scene.

Still, it's all subjective, isn't it. I also don't know why people suddenly think Hales is a shoe-in as a test no.4 or wood as a test-match bowler.

Hales is a shoe in because he is an experienced international, knows his game and has score loads if runs recently in all forma of cricket.
Not sure what else he can do!

Stoneman's ton today was also helpful for him.

[petehosk]

Totally agree about Hales - he has Test experience batting at 2, but batting at 5 I reckon he would be more comfortable and even lethal and destructive if he's on form.
As I said somewhere else, if Stoneman and Hameed (or other number 3) perform, then the top 4 are taken care of. Then Hales, Stokes, Bairstow, Ali and Woakes or TRJ to follow from 5-9 batting......that would be quite scary for a lot of teams!!
But Malan did look quite good too - so my selection has either option at 5, but can't see either at 4 really! Plus Root is unlikely to give up 4!!
 

[hanif]

I was just stating the 11 players I would choose to take to OZ. As for stokes never batting at 5 and only batting at 6 it is just a number and he has proven he can perform under pressure when the team needs him the most.

Buttler may not have played a lot of red ball cricket but he can win games and take matches away from the opposition. Seeing some one a destructive as Buttler at 7 is likely to unsettle any team. If Woakes can get fit he would be a great addition to the side, but he looked far from his best with the ball against the Windies. He did look in decent touch with the bat.

[FattusCattus]

Why didn't Hales play against the Windies then?  would seem to have been a great opportunity to try him out, rather than chucking him in against the Aussies.

(Disclaimer - I don't have a problem with him in the side, nothing would give me greater pleasure than watching him go mental at number 5 and batter everyone out of the park)

[edge]

I'd love Buttler in the side, but with that in mind he's off for a Lions tour for me, to get some more red ball gametime. Imagine having to bowl at him and Livingstone mind!

Plunkett is a good shout, I'd quite possibly take him ahead of Ball.

The issue with Hales - he's a proven international player, no problems there, but he got stuck under the pressure of tests last time. Which doesn't bode well for an away Ashes...

[Bats_Entertainment]

Why didn't Hales play against the Windies then?  would seem to have been a great opportunity to try him out, rather than chucking him in against the Aussies.

Because Westley and Malan did?

[Bats_Entertainment]

I quite liked Shane Warne's squad, if anyone saw it? I doubt Mason Crane's really ready, though.

[LateBloomer]

Let me throw a name into Englands middle order quandry

A man with a proven test record and experience of winning Ashes series home and away

Ian Bell. Granted not had the greatest of seasons domestically but if he was available I'd pick him ahead of Westley, Malan and Hales in a heartbeat.

I would also go with Foakes ahead of Buttler. Been class all season with gloves and bat

[ppccopener]

Let me throw a name into Englands middle order quandry

A man with a proven test record and experience of winning Ashes series home and away

Ian Bell. Granted not had the greatest of seasons domestically but if he was available I'd pick him ahead of Westley, Malan and Hales in a heartbeat.

I would also go with Foakes ahead of Buttler. Been class all season with gloves and bat

Superb!  this will get the forum talking and it's healthy to have different views.

Lots of debate on here on different threads and Ian bell. One of my favourite players and a class act.

His time has gone thou I think. Shame he seemed to lose motivation after being dropped by England.

In my book thou.....a wonderful player.

[Manormanic]

There are probably twelve certainties already:

Cook, Stoneman, Root, Malan
Bairstow
Stokes, Ali, Woakes
Anderson, Broad, Roland-Jones, Wood

So, they need one more batsman for the Test XI, a reserve, a spare keeper, and then whatever spare spinners and seamers they want to take.

I think the keeper will be Foakes, and Bayliss has more or less said Hales will be one of the batsmen.  If there is a second spinner, it'll be Crane, because Rashid will not be a positive influence carrying drinks for three months, and another seamer would be a toss up between Ball and Overton (tall, horses for courses pick).

The last batting slot is interesting.  Westley might have dragged it out of the fire, but they will also talk about Hameed, Vince and Ballance. 

[Manormanic]

Superb!  this will get the forum talking and it's healthy to have different views.

Lots of debate on here on different threads and Ian bell. One of my favourite players and a class act.

His time has gone thou I think. Shame he seemed to lose motivation after being dropped by England.

In my book thou.....a wonderful player.

If Bell had Collingwood's sense of fight, this wopuldn't be the worst bet.  But I think he might find himself mentally disintegrated pretty quickly...

[Harry L]

There are probably twelve certainties already:

Cook, Stoneman, Root, Malan
Bairstow
Stokes, Ali, Woakes
Anderson, Broad, Roland-Jones, Wood

So, they need one more batsman for the Test XI, a reserve, a spare keeper, and then whatever spare spinners and seamers they want to take.

I think the keeper will be Foakes, and Bayliss has more or less said Hales will be one of the batsmen.  If there is a second spinner, it'll be Crane, because Rashid will not be a positive influence carrying drinks for three months, and another seamer would be a toss up between Ball and Overton (tall, horses for courses pick).

The last batting slot is interesting.  Westley might have dragged it out of the fire, but they will also talk about Hameed, Vince and Ballance.

Mark wood is never a guarantee as he can't stay fit, he hasn't even taken many wickets in div 2.

[ppccopener]

If Bell had Collingwood's sense of fight, this wopuldn't be the worst bet.  But I think he might find himself mentally disintegrated pretty quickly...

Bell was never that sort of player, it was all Too easy at his best. He got some 'harder' runs towards the end of his career but agree didn't show it thru most of it. In comparison with westley and Malan...well there just Isn't one

Good squad thou manor , you wrong about Wood thou, he is not fit and has ankle problems. I. Afraid he will not be the player we all want him to be.

[Bats_Entertainment]

Bayliss said there won't be new names. Doesn't this suggest Foakes won't be going?

[smilley792]

Bayliss said there won't be names. Doesn't this suggest Foakes won't be going?

Presumtion you meant "no new names" (as this is what bayliss said).

Which to me means buttler is the spare keeper.