*Official* 3rd Test at Edgbaston

[hendrix]

Poor representation from the Lankans, really. Such good role models with pimptastic Sanga (heard some interesting narrations of his tours of NZ), and we all know Mahela punches well above his weight. Chandimal et al have some work to do, clearly.

 

[vic_orthdox]

I don't know if Anwar Ali is good looking enough to be in the squad once, let alone twice.

 

[Tangles]

At 1-0 Australia drop Watson for Marsh and Rad is unavailable. At 1-1 England drop Ballance and move Bell and Root. Feels like a win for Australia. Series even but no 3 is punted and the sides best bat has been moved.

 

[Spikey]

I don't know if Anwar Ali is good looking enough to be in the squad once, let alone twice.

there's gotta be two cricketers called anwar ali

 

[hendrix]

oh jesus i must be confusing him for someone else, who am I thinking of?

 

[hendrix]

Couldn't find whoever it was, but I think we'll put Afridi in there.

 

[Kirkut]

Edgbaston curators.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

At 1-0 Australia drop Watson for Marsh and Rad is unavailable. At 1-1 England drop Ballance and move Bell and Root. Feels like a win for Australia. Series even but no 3 is punted and the sides best bat has been moved.

I think Root can bat at 4, what's the problem with it?

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Ditto Damien Martyn iirc? And Steve Waugh took forever to adjust to test cricket.

From an English pov, Gooch springs immediately to mind. Plus there are loads of others, of course.

Honestly among batsmen from Australia's dominant period, being selected, struggling and being dropped and coming back later and playing much better is the norm rather than the exception I think. Steve Waugh, Ponting, Martyn, Clarke, Hayden, Langer... the only one of Australia's great test batsmen I can remember who wasn't dropped at some point early in their career was Gilchrist, and he didn't debut until 29. I guess maybe Hussey too, similar cirumstances. It's pretty rare to be successful as a test batsmen from the start, and it's also harder to hold your place in a good team.

 

[Tangles]

I think Root can bat at 4, what's the problem with it?

He might but you risk losing his runs if he doesn't adapt to it. If it isn't broke you know.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Honestly among batsmen from Australia's dominant period, being selected, struggling and being dropped and coming back later and playing much better is the norm rather than the exception I think. Steve Waugh, Ponting, Martyn, Clarke, Hayden, Langer... the only one of Australia's great test batsmen I can remember who wasn't dropped at some point early in their career was Gilchrist, and he didn't debut until 29. I guess maybe Hussey too, similar cirumstances. It's pretty rare to be successful as a test batsmen from the start, and it's also harder to hold your place in a good team.

Mark Waugh as well, after his troubles in SL around 1992?

 

[cnerd123]

Don't like this decision. England's batting order now looks a bit...un-Ballanced.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

I'd rather have seen Bell replaced with a potentially more productive player. Struggling to think of anyone who wouldn't contribute more than Bell's combo of no runs plus dropped catches over the last six months.

 

[BackFootPunch]

Would it be fair to say that if Bell was to get dropped now then that'd pretty much be it for him? I think they've made the right call in dropping Ballance rather than Bell. Ballance can go back to county cricket, sort himself out and still has time to be very successful. They're doing him a bit of a favour really, and obviously trying to improve their side.

Dropping Bell wouldn't do much for anyone. There aren't that many other candidates to bat three and Bell really has nothing to prove in CC. May as well give him as much of a chance to contribute as possible, then bin him for good if he's still done nothing by the end of the 4th or 5th match.

 

[cnerd123]

Yea, they should already know what Bell's capable of, and he's not going to undergo any massive technical overhauls soon (unless he enters a Sachin-After-Tennis-Elbow style phase).

He's either in or gone for good.

 

[Spikey]

simply love discussions about batting positions.

 

[Jono]

jono's XI:

Cook
Kraigg Brathwaite
hendrix
Kohli
George Worker
AB before he went bald
Shahid Afridi
Southee
Mitch McCleneghan
James Pattinson
Richie Berrington


Reserves:
Jason Holder
Gulbadin Naib
Adam Milne
Mohammed Amir

kudos

 

[Compton]

Remember when Pietersen was a doubt for OT 2 years ago? There was debate about who to bring in as cover, and Boycott said no Compton because he's an opener* despite the fact Comp had played most of his stuff for Somerset at 3 or lower. Might be rare but it definitely happens to an extent.

*he therefore suggested Chopra, you know, the guy who opens in every format for his county, the idjit.

Ahh yes, Boycott is one famed for his balanced and reasonable opinions.

 

[The Battlers Prince]

He might but you risk losing his runs if he doesn't adapt to it. If it isn't broke you know.

But the team might need him higher because the English top order's pretty broken

 

[Jono]

"Ballance and (Ian) Bell - where they are at the moment, they almost seem like two easy wickets," Warner said prior to Ballance's omission.


shots fired.


England drop 'easy wicket' Gary Ballance | SBS News