*Official* Fifth Test at the Oval

[Son Of Coco]

Bring back Watto and Haddin. Play Nevill as a bowler. Make Starc keep. Now that would be getting funky.

 

[CzechMikey]

In all seriousness, with Lyth rubbish and the usual calls for 2 spinners, Ansari not a completely terrible option on his home ground IMO.

His bowling has been very strong this season but he has struggled for runs a bit. His last three FC scores are 6,10,0. It's his LA that has impressed me this season; he's got a bowling average of less than 30 and a batting average touching 40 so I would be considering him for the ODI squad if any middle order batsman get injured or out of form.

 

[hazsa19]

I'd bring Rashid in for Bairstow, Ali to bat at 5. Harsh on Jonny I know but that's the way I would go in Asia. I think Ali is capable of playing a proper test innings too.

 

[Top_Cat]

I feel that the rapid breakdown of fast bowlers in recent years has it's root causes in psychological well being. Back in 80's and 90's, I remember bowlers bowled a lot in international and domestic games but still rarely broke down, I believe it's because outside cricket they lived much simpler lives compared to fast paced lifestyle today.

Yeah, the psychology of the time said bowl through the pain rather than skip a game so they'd have a career-ending injury at 26 or come back with a sharp reduction in pace instead. Guys bowling genuine wheels after 30 basically didn't exist until recently and the reason is better management.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

All these calls for Compton are conveniently forgetting he has hardly scored a run since he was dropped.

 

[King Pietersen]

He's not been that bad really, not good enough to be selected again, but he's not playing terribly. 8th leading run scorer in the 1st division this year, and has a ton to his name, and made 2 hundreds and averaged 43 last year.

 

[Dan]

All these calls for Compton are conveniently forgetting he has hardly scored a run since he was dropped.

Averaged ~40, which isn't bad when you've been told "you'll never play again" and hence have had your motivation completely shot.

 

[Riggins]

Averaged ~40, which isn't bad when you've been told "you'll never play again" and hence have had your motivation completely shot.

 

[Pothas]

Never really understood the CW love for Compton. In retrospect sure he should not have been dropped but he really was never that good.

 

[Furball]

For me it's just what his dropping represents. He replaced Strauss, did OK without ever really excelling but got dumped because we wanted Root to open. Since then, it's just been a constant merry go round.

 

[Cabinet96]

Ftr, pretty sure there were only 2/3/4 of us tops who didn't want Compton to be dropped at the time. A lot of hindsight experts have arrived since IMO.

 

[Furball]

I can't remember if I was or not. At the time I might not have been bothered because his replacement was Root. It's the constant churning of openers since that's annoyed me.

 

[Pothas]

Yeah I was all for dropping him, largely because of Root.

Since then I don't think the selectors have actually done all that much wrong, it looks kind of ridiculous but I don't actually think any of the individual decisions have really been that bad.

 

[wpdavid]

Yeah I was all for dropping him, largely because of Root.

Since then I don't think the selectors have actually done all that much wrong, it looks kind of ridiculous but I don't actually think any of the individual decisions have really been that bad.

I think that Moores lost the plot somewhat in the Caribbean, bringing back Trott as an opener and playing that Tredwell instead of having a look at Rashid.
And the pick of bowlers for the 2013/14 Ashes was nonsense.

Other than that, they haven't done badly.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Sure I read a report recently that said Compton's somewhat intense personality was a factor in him getting the arse.

If England are prepared to dump KP for being a prick, there's no hope for a journeyman opener with technical flaws.

Not saying it's right, but our record of handling the spikier souls is pretty dire at best.

 

[GIMH]

Ftr, pretty sure there were only 2/3/4 of us tops who didn't want Compton to be dropped at the time. A lot of hindsight experts have arrived since IMO.

Sometimes it's wise to use the benefit of hindsight ftr

 

[Pothas]

I think that Moores lost the plot somewhat in the Caribbean, bringing back Trott as an opener and playing that Tredwell instead of having a look at Rashid.
And the pick of bowlers for the 2013/14 Ashes was nonsense.

Other than that, they haven't done badly.

Tredwell being on the tour at all was silly but was just talking about the opening thing, I think the Trott move was understandable, sure it failed but I can see why the wanted to get him in the side and it was the obvious way to do it.

 

[wpdavid]

Tredwell being on the tour at all was silly but was just talking about the opening thing, I think the Trott move was understandable, sure it failed but I can see why the wanted to get him in the side and it was the obvious way to do it.

Yeah, iirc opinions were divided along our lines at the time. And you'll have to forgive me for sticking to pretty much the only prediction I've got right recently.

 

[Tangles]

I could see one of the guys with questionable futures tonning up in a dead rubber and confusing the selectors. In order of most likely to do it:

Watson
Darsh
Voges

Watson won't play but the other 2 if they play ( think they both will) are good candidates.

Pairs for them both and a Clarke double would be a victory.

 

[theegyptian]

Not really sure why Clarke is playing this test. He isn't worth his place in the team and he isn't sticking on after the series. Seems Australia would be better served if they started their rebuilding one test earlier.

*only good reason I can see why they would select him is that they don't know who they want next as captain but that seems a done deal.