*Official* Pakistan in England 2020

[aussie tragic]

^ I guess Foakes will have to be the concussion/covid sub for the batsmen

 

[Starfighter]

I'll be disappointed if England don't go full New South Wales and pick Curran and have five fast-medium bowlers and only four specialist batsmen.

 

[BoyBrumby]

^ I guess Foakes will have to be the concussion/covid sub for the batsmen

Yeah, but think he'd take the gloves if he came in. Buttler played as a specialist bat when Foakes kept in SL and the Windies.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Yeah, but think he'd take the gloves if he came in. Buttler played as a specialist bat when Foakes kept in SL and the Windies.

Not sure that would fit in with the "like-for-like" status of the concussion sub if he came in after the match started. In theory you can toss the gloves to anyone, but the referee has the power to prevent any team from taking the pea eye double S.

 

[Woodster]

So it seems Jimmy is a certain starter for today’s Test, Crawley surely comes in for Stokes as the only possible option and it may be either Archer or Wood as the only other change. Really hoping for Wood.

 

[Howe_zat]

Warm and sunny in Keswick today.

 

[Woodster]

Curran comes in for Archer.....slightly disappointing, seems the fact Root mentioned Curran’s batting will give us depth I do hope that’s not the reason he gets the nod over Wood.

 

[MW1304]

Fawad!

 

[Howe_zat]

England have won their last three matches without Ben Stokes, the most recent two by an innings.

 

[nightprowler10]

Wait, why is Archer out?

 

[aussie tragic]

Wow, Fawad Alam hasn't played since 2009.

Is that a record for longest breaks between tests (maybe beats Bob Simpson when he came back during WSC)

 

[MW1304]

Wait, why is Archer out?

Root's suggestion was that the lower order needed strengthening, which always meant a place for Curran.

The humid weather also suggests it could be good for swing bowling, so Archer would miss out over Jimmy there. Can see the reasoning but personally always want Jofra in the team if fit.

 

[Howe_zat]

Wow, Fawad Alam hasn't played since 2009.

Is that a record for longest breaks between tests (maybe beats Bob Simpson when he came back during WSC)

Warren Beardsley had a 14 year gap from 1912 to 1926. There might be some NZers who played before and after ww2 with very big gaps too.

This might be the longest gap in terms of tests missed, though.

 

[Gremlin]

Wow, Fawad Alam hasn't played since 2009.

Is that a record for longest breaks between tests (maybe beats Bob Simpson when he came back during WSC)

Seem to remember (without looking it up, I'm sure someone will) that Brian Close had a weird record like that. I met him once in a bar in Leeds where his mate kept pointing out the dints in his head caused by the Windies quicks.

 

[ImpatientLime]

Curran comes in for Archer.....slightly disappointing, seems the fact Root mentioned Curran’s batting will give us depth I do hope that’s not the reason he gets the nod over Wood.

curran picked because he is the better bowler in england.

 

[Uppercut]

Why hasn't Fawad played more tests?

 

[91Jmay]

Suppose with Lawrence & Stokes out we are kind short of batsmen, are there any others inside the bubble even? Weak team though.

 

[ImpatientLime]

Suppose with Lawrence & Stokes out we are kind short of batsmen, are there any others inside the bubble even? Weak team though.

foakes at a push? is bracey still there?

 

[91Jmay]

foakes at a push? is bracey still there?

Ye, would not have been bad options down the order instead of a bowler. Think either of them for Anderson wouldn't have been an unfair or poor selection.

 

[MW1304]

Why hasn't Fawad played more tests?

Strange PCB politics, I believe.