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***Official*** England in South Africa 2015/16

Cabinet96

Global Moderator
Compton better score heavily on this tour after a couple of years of people moaning he was wrongly dropped. Not expecting anything from him though as I don't think he is that good.
Nah, there's a difference between thinking he shouldn't have got dropped for the Ashes two and a half years ago and thinking he's going to dominate in SA as a top order player next month. All he had to do in the Ashes to justify getting picked ahead of Bairstow would've been score two fifties, and Root might have done better in the middle order too.

I don't think anyone had really considered the possibility of him getting a recall either.
 

theegyptian

International Vice-Captain
Big moan incoming but the selectors have no idea what they are doing.

Bell should have been dropped before the start of the india series - if (and it's what they've done) they were going to drop him after playing allright on the India tour. Bell has always been average in Asia.
Taylor was always the better bet in Asian conditions. Every mother****er could see it. They basically wasted two tests playing lots of ****. Taylor should have been in from the first test or they should have stuck with Bell through this SA tour. I'd expect Bell to easily outscore Taylor in SA.

Bell can't have any complaints about being dropped though. The only reason he would keep getting selected was the shortcomings of others and the practicalities of the top order. His performances weren't up to it (but you could say that of half the team)

Buttler selection? Either they're bringing him straight back into the team in which case they've dropped a guy for one test, will screw over Bairstow, and will still bring someone back into the team who isn't up to test cricket - or they've selected him to be reserve wicketkeeper which is perverse given the schedule that players who play 3 formats for England. He's better off resting in the short term (or broadening his experiences and playing Big bash) and staying fit and keen for 50 over and t20 where he is a real asset rather than sticking around the test team where he is kind of average at best anyway.

Compton? Well once they drop Bell they had to bring a Compton/Carberry back to bat in the top 3. I'd have just stuck with Bell because him averaging 30 is basically the best you can hope of Compton.

What exactly has Ballance done to get back in the team?


Bayliss has done a few interviews and he doesn't exactly inspire confidence that he knows much about his players. I don't think they're doing a very good job of playing to the players strengths right now.
 

Dan

Hall of Fame Member
COMPO!
Absolutely stoked at this news tbh. So glad he's back in the England side.

1. Cook
2. Compton
3. Taylor
4. Root
5. Ballance
6. Stokes
7. Bairstow +
8. Moeen
9. Woakes
10. Broad
11. Anderson

12. Hales
13. Patel
14. Buttler
15. Jordan
16. Footitt

Love me some Jos, but South Africa is not the place to try to get him back into Test form.

Jordan over Plunkett disappointing, and I'd rather Ansari over Patel if Zafar is fit again, but otherwise I quite like this squad.
 

Spikey

Request Your Custom Title Now!
pews can merge a thread but he can't edit the disgusting title? 2014-15 pls
 

Gnske

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Dec 26 - Wed Dec 30 10:00 local (08:00 GMT | 09:00 CET)
1st Test - South Africa v England
Kingsmead, Durban

Sat Jan 2 - Wed Jan 6 10:30 local (08:30 GMT | 09:30 CET)
2nd Test - South Africa v England
Newlands, Cape Town
Lel is this right, two day turnaround between tests?
 

Watson33

U19 12th Man
Is the dropping of Rashid a surprise?

I thought he looked all right in the UAE (although I didn't follow it that closely).

Think he would be the spinner to give SA the most problems, compared to Patel and Ali?

I assume that Ali will also drop down the order again?

Strong rumours he'll go on and play in the BBL (strong rumours it will be with Adelaide too, of course linking him up with Dizzy again). Maybe first signs that Strauss does actually mean it when he says he's putting more weight on white-ball cricket?
 

Marius

International Debutant
Lel is this right, two day turnaround between tests?
Yes, it is.

All Boxing Day and New Years Tests have a two-day turnaround, whether played in Aus, SA, or NZ.

Have you ever watched cricket in any of those countries?
 

Spikey

Request Your Custom Title Now!
hasnt been a 2 day turnaround for the New Year's test for years

edit in aus
 

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
Yeah can't remember if it was for the 06-07 Ashes but defo was for 10-11

Not really interested in any other years tbf
 

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