The team is always better balanced with an all rounder in it, and Stokes isn’t it at the moment. Clearly, he has to play so the answer would seem to be that either he, or more likely Bairstow open in place of Crawley.
That none of Anderson, Broad, Leach or Robinson (presumably your first choice seamers) are overly sharp with the bat does give us a long tail, Woakes can add some balance but I’m not sure how much.

Woakes is a great batting all rounder. Sadly he has never quite lived up to the expectation of replacing Jimmy as our swing bowler.

Woakes is a great batting all rounder. Sadly he has never quite lived up to the expectation of replacing Jimmy as our swing bowler.

Which is why I’m surprised there is no Curran. I know the IPL has not gone well for him this year; but someone with money thought his long term form was worthy of being the highest paid player in the league. I know it’s a different format and maybe he’s just no longer interested but I’m surprised he/they have not moulded him into a potent test weapon. Maybe Stoke’s presence in the side has meant he never saw a place for himself to make that the priority. Or money.

Who do you drop for Curran, though?

Broad is the most likely – but, well, hmmm.

I’ve just read that squad list properly – no Foakes – WTAF?

He hasn’t put a foot or glove wrong – I hope we’re not going back down the road of fielders with gloves like Bairstow and Buttler.

Who do you drop for Curran, though?

I think I’d be bold and replace Crawley with him, punting Bairstow up the order.

Is a 15 man squads the rules or just convention? With the rotation of the fast bowlers between matches in a series pretty much a thing across all teams now, it does not leave much room in the squad for options elsewhere.

Is a 15 man squads the rules or just convention?

Just convention. They can pick who they like.

Dropping Crawley for Curran is a weird one as you are dropping a batsman for an all-rounder with the aim of strengthening the batting! But such is Crawley’s hit and miss nature it may not end up being like that.

I think it will be a bonkers series. I’m not sure if it matters who is in the team from a batting point of view if the mantra is going to be teeing off pretty much from ball one. 🤔

Dropping Crawley for Curran is a weird one as you are dropping a batsman for an all-rounder with the aim of strengthening the batting!

Yep, doesn’t make much sense does it! My theory is that Stokes is basically taking the allrounders place in the side – but in effect he is no more an allrounder than Root these days. So in reality he’s just a batsman – so the batting lineup is one too long. Curran is not a good enough bowler to make the side in one of the pure bowling slots, so you need to make space for him to be in the allrounder position. If Stokes can’t be dropped, then you have to drop the worst batsman in the lineup, which is currently Crawley. Then to make the side work someone has to open and it might as well be Bairstow if he’s keeping (i.e. there to do another job, so if he’s not in the best spot for his batting skills and underperforms it does not feel as bad as one of the others not performing – kind of!).

Maybe the elephant in the room is Leach – is there an international spinner as naff at batting in international cricket right now? Or rather, is there a mediocre front line spinner as bad at batting? He very much adds to the long tail. You could forgive it if he was Muralidaran, but he’s not – and arguably a worse batsman than he was in any case.

Can’t believe there’s no Foakes ..best keeper by a country mile…

Maybe the elephant in the room is Leach – is there an international spinner as naff at batting in international cricket right now?

Maybe it is.

Leach buys his wickets at 34.

But Lyon at 31 – that surprised me, I must admit.

Ashwin at 24 – but half his games played in India.

Aaaargh – trickier than I thought! I had formed an opinion of Leach as a buyer of wickets, but perhaps not as much as I thought. Can’t have Root as the only spinner if there is intent to play one.

Definitely dismayed by the Foakes one, though. Maybe if we don’t have a spinner we don’t need a proper keeper?!

. But then you look at what’s left – a 37 year old and a 41 year old (by the summer) and a Woods who has been a walking injury time bomb his whole career.

And Robinson who is our best bowler and Woakes who has the next best home test stats

Woakes

He does a job. But name one match winning or match saving performance by him.

I know he’s not really that kind of player but he seemingly only ever contributes to rather than makes, if you see what I mean.

Vs Pakistan 2016 Lords

And Robinson who is our best bowler and Woakes who has the next best home test stats

I was listing the potential injury frailties rather than the complete set.

Just read the actual article – Bairstow confirmed to bat at 7…..so only 4 bowlers plus the bits and bobs (if you include Stokes as a bits and bobs bowler). That means either no Leach in the 11 or a first change bowler that has to be Stokes if playing Leach and you want a quick at both ends on 1st change. There will need to be some mighty long bowling stints so I’m not expecting Anderson and Broad to be in the same side too often.

Anderson’s (and Broad’s) last home series? Or maybe last series completely….After the 5th Ashes test, there is no more test cricket for England for another 6 months.

Vs Pakistan 2016 Lords

Thank you. Genuinely – I had forgotten about that.

Every team has to have these good ‘team men’, and he will do a job. His name on a team sheet has never provoked any reaction in me other than “oh, ok”.

It’s probably my issue!

Good Morning everyone

England win toss and bowl

Here we go, the summer starts here.

So Vaughny is back on TMS, don’t know what to think about that

So Vaughny is back on TMS, don’t know what to think about that

I know how I feel.
I didn’t like him before the allegations were made so that stance has remained unchanged. I was quite pleased when he was removed and I’m not overly chuffed he’s back.

Very noticeable how the Ireland batters are trying to play the ball late. It’s a sensible policy, but if you don’t put the half volley away it allows the bowlers to go fuller where the movement is more dangerous.

Good to see Potts back too – for me he is an integral part of the post Anderson-Broad succession plan.

Agreed – he fits the Ben/Baz mould too.

The McCollum dismissal is a case in point. Broad wouldn’t have felt able to bowl enough balls that full if every other one was being driven through extra cover.

If England are using this game as a bit of praccy, now would be a good time for Potts and Tongue to have a bowl.

Potts and Tongue – sounds like an old opticians or similar.

No Stokes bowling yet. I know they are doing ok right now, but against a better side this would look like a very unbalanced side if Stokes can’t bowl (or slip field). Bairstow down at 7 then the batting talent falls off a cliff with Broad at 8 – 3 quick and one real spinner and bits and pieces of Root – in England – not going to cut it against a better team.

Pope must be an irritating bugger to bowl at. Quick singles, glides, full-blooded drives. Very difficult to keep quiet.

Crawley’s was a very streaky inning. His driving is so good, but he gives so many chances away as well. I’m just not convinced he’s the right level.

I’m OK with Stokes not bowling, if he has a niggle I’d rather he didn’t aggravate against a 2nd rate Ireland side they can beat without him.

Crawley could be brilliant and consistently so. But the BazBall thing is actually working against him – as is the management’s unconditional support for him.

First thing one of the aussies should say as he takes guard at Edgbaston – “Lot of pressure on him here lads, Foakes is kicking his heels in County cricket. The lad needs runs”. Crawley can stay off social media all he likes – if your place in the team doesn’t look warranted, the oppo will be into you about it from ball 1.

I’m not sure test status without playing much test cricket is doing Ireland any good. Their entire bowling attack is clearly used to limited overs fields with sweepers out. Clearly they’re not going to be a world beating bowling unit, but I haven’t seen much nous or creativity at all.

There’s a fine line between ‘useful warm-up test’ and ‘complacency-generating romp’.

it’s a bit rubbish if stokes and bairstow don’t get any time in the middle :/

Sat on a Highland beach in bright blue sunshine and crystal clear waters  with Ollie Pope’s aunt. Safe to say she is having a good day!

There’s a fine line between ‘useful warm-up test’ and ‘complacency-generating romp’.

It does feel like alligator wrestlers gearing up for a big season with a seal clubbing trip.

So, a victory. And an easy one at that.
But Stokes concerns me. If he can’t bowl, and I suspect that’s the case we’re very short of bowling. Does that mean Woakes as an all rounder? It certainly changes the team balance.

But Stokes concerns me.

Agreed. But I fear the new England mindset might mean they are arrogant enough to go into an ashes test with a non bowling allrounder just because he’s the skipper. He needs to makes the team as a legitimate batsman to make way for an allrounder who can actually bowl. And if he doesn’t make the grade for his batting alone so be it.

I think we can rule Stokes out as a bowler. Just fielding the ball seems to be an issue and degenerative knee injuries don’t heal in a fortnight. This is obviously a concern. The aussies do have a potential world class all-rounder in Cameron Green, so their balance is all the better for it. Sadly, it also reduces the chance of Foakes getting back in.

Cameron Green very underated player in my opinion. It’s obvious the English new cricket style is either going to be a success or a whitewashing.
But hugely exciting for younger fans

there was a good piece at lunch yesterday about Bazball and the impact on the Aussies. It was pointed out that in the past when put under that sort of pressure – eg: Stokes at Headingley – quickly they lose focus and composure and start to panic, make bad decisions, **** up easy run outs, burn umpire referrals and leave themselves without one when they really needed it, etc. So much of top level sport is in the head and when the panic sets in…..

Then again – knowing that’s what England will set out to do, can you train that clarity of thought in to negate the effect? or is there nothing that can recreate suddenly being in that position where no matter what you do the ball’s disappearing into the confectionery stand and back out again? Has Cummins been on a course where he has to solve tricky logic puzzles against the clock while enduring a mix of crowd noise, Jerusalem and a horde of giant ginger men whacking balls at him?

It’s one test series where I’m not sure who has the edge.
bookies have england to win.

Jack Leach out for the whole series!

That’s a bit of a blow. Blowed more overs than any other bowled since the start of bazball, and taken more wickets too I think. It seems to be a daft thing to say about a team that has won 11 of the last 13 tests, but the wheels feel like they could be about to fall off. Anderson or Wood unable to play and they are looking in a bit of a crisis I still think Sam Curran should be in the 16.

But Will Jacks could be the answer to the all rounder conundrum.