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[edge]

On another note I'm still surprised that Jennings has been omitted from these tours altogether, looked accomplished in those conditions last time...

Given they've only taken two top 3 players it seems madness to have left an opener with a good subcontinental record and a safe pair of hands out! Especially when you consider it wouldn't be too controversial leaving Jennings out for Burns in the summer even if Jennings got runs. Imagine the chaos if they do that to Bairstow...

Ali and Woakes out for the first test places Foakes in pole position to play. It'd be a hell of a time for Bracey to make some warmup game runs, especially as there's a definite danger of not having enough keepers in the side!

[SD]

Considering Crawley recently scored 267 at 3 I would say that spot is taken aswell.

Unless you are suggesting Burns is left out permanently?

Crawley is an opener.  He has taken his chance when it has come up to bat at 3 but he will certainly move up to his favourite position in the longer term, perhaps sooner if he has a good winter.  If whoever bats at 3 does well, then Burns may be under pressure to get his place back after a modest summer, if not then he will slot back in.  Ultimately, if we are to improve as a test team, we need the same competition for batting spots as the white ball team has.   

[ppccopener]

I think Crawley has said his preferred position is 3 but he will bat anywhere.

It's been a difficult position for a couple of years for England if I'm not misquoting him he would like this position long term.

Not sure where he bats for Kent in long form cricket thou

[alba caerulea]

Crawley is an opener.  He has taken his chance when it has come up to bat at 3 but he will certainly move up to his favourite position in the longer term, perhaps sooner if he has a good winter.  If whoever bats at 3 does well, then Burns may be under pressure to get his place back after a modest summer, if not then he will slot back in.  Ultimately, if we are to improve as a test team, we need the same competition for batting spots as the white ball team has.

He has previously said he prefers 3. But not too much difference in 3 or opening I guess.

However, throwing Lawrence in at 3 would be a strange call. He definitely doesn't bat that high for Essex nor for the Lions when i watched him do well last winter. I believe he was at 5 or 6 in that series.

Throw in the very alien conditions and debuting at 3 will be a tough gig!

My opinion - at the moment Englands first choice batting order anywhere outside Asia would be

Burns
Sibley
Crawley
Root
Stokes
Pope

I think England like Crawley at 3 and although they've had modest returns so far, two proper openers in Burns and Sibley

[Jimbo]

Would love to see them find a way to bring Lawrence into the team long term, just think he looks such a classy, uncomplicated player. Bit of a nightmare for the selectors that both he and Pope would benefit from a run at 6 to establish themselves. IMO, Lawrence has the game to bat top 3 more so than Pope does.

Alternatively, they could go wildly left field and promote Stokes to 3 in a Kallis role, Root 4, Lawrence 5, Pope 6 with Crawley and Sibley opening so that my dream top 6 could take the field. Throw in Foakes keeping and then I'd realise I was dreaming 😂

[SD]

He has previously said he prefers 3. But not too much difference in 3 or opening I guess.

However, throwing Lawrence in at 3 would be a strange call. He definitely doesn't bat that high for Essex nor for the Lions when i watched him do well last winter. I believe he was at 5 or 6 in that series.

Throw in the very alien conditions and debuting at 3 will be a tough gig!

My opinion - at the moment Englands first choice batting order anywhere outside Asia would be

Burns
Sibley
Crawley
Root
Stokes
Pope

I think England like Crawley at 3 and although they've had modest returns so far, two proper openers in Burns and Sibley

Lawrence has been going in at 4 for his County.  I do recall an interview with him during  Lions call up when he recognised with Root cemented at 4, he would need to move up a place to bat at 3 to fulfil his goal of playing for England.

It is a very early assessment, but he looks to me to have the game to bat in that position.  People talk of Pope moving up long term but he seems far better suited to me to batting at 5 or 6. 

[Bats_Entertainment]

Probably swap Bairstow and Lawrence on the basis that Lawrence would be bowling a fair few overs of spin potentially.

I'd be surprised if Lawrence did much bowling. He'd certainly be well behind Root.

[ppccopener]

Would love to see them find a way to bring Lawrence into the team long term, just think he looks such a classy, uncomplicated player. Bit of a nightmare for the selectors that both he and Pope would benefit from a run at 6 to establish themselves. IMO, Lawrence has the game to bat top 3 more so than Pope does.

Alternatively, they could go wildly left field and promote Stokes to 3 in a Kallis role, Root 4, Lawrence 5, Pope 6 with Crawley and Sibley opening so that my dream top 6 could take the field. Throw in Foakes keeping and then I'd realise I was dreaming 😂

Pope is the genuine article he just needs an injury free period. You cannot be that good at his age and not make it to be a regular international, I think he's potentially as good as Root.

Lawrence is an interesting pick, don't know a great deal about him but he's on the tour and was around the team last summer so he's identified. He's young of course and the England side is slowly changing with younger players coming in.

There a lot of cricket coming up maybe rotation would give Lawrence a chance over the next few months. I really really don't want to start another Bairstow discussion but to read the interview today on BBC comes across as he has nothing to prove.

Perhaps that was not his intention but I'd like to see him take any mis understanding on interviews totally out of the equation and say he has everything to prove.

Which surely he must have, if not someone younger who knows that they have a lot of hard work ahead of them please.

[Bats_Entertainment]

See there's an intra-squad game due. Do touring parties automatically take extra reserves nowadays? Why not just call it a 24 man squad, or whatever?

[Jimbo]

I'd be surprised if Lawrence did much bowling. He'd certainly be well behind Root.

The way he bowled on the last Lions tour, I wouldn't be quite so sure. If they bring in a third front line spinner though then neither will bowl much at all.

[Bats_Entertainment]

Let's hope Lawrence isn't another one of those that everyone thinks is great until he's actually in the team.

[Batoff]

You've all missed the obvious answer, Sibley and Leach to open with Crawley retaining his favoured position at 3. Everyone's a winner.

[rickjames]

Is 2021 the year where Root goes back to his best and usurps the rest of the Fab Four? Ah...

[six and out]

Here are the wickets from the intra-squad warm up.

Anderson cleans up Buttler 1st ball with a beauty.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJyJc6WBwRg/?igshid=19k0v8y8th31e

[blindowl]

You know the wheels have come your innings when your opener bats at 1 and then again at 8!