24-03-2018, 12:32
Its was so diabolical it became funny. I've long been an advocate of changing the selection process, that has begun now. But what can we do about that shambles? Who is droppable and who is there to replace them. Some would say its only one innings, but its not, its straight off the back of a poor ashes series too.
Cant drop root, bairstow, anderson, broad and really overton as he showed fight. Woakes is there as a bowler who bats so probably gets a benefit of the doubt.
You're then left with cook, ali, malan and stoneman. Out of those england will always pick cook out of loyalty, malan was one of the finds in the ashes after a poor summer, he changed his technique before that and I'd hope he'd be looking at what happened the other day. Stoneman showed grit in the ashes, but grit only gets you so far, he's in need of an innings otherwise we are back at square one again.
Now ali is the interesting one. Good summer, absolute shambles of a winter. Hardly any runs or wickets, yet he looks fine in the white ball arena. Now England won't drop him because it 'weakens' the batting line-up, I mean Livingston could come in but then you dont have a 'main' spinner. Maybe it is time for us to focus on playing an out and out spinner seeing as we have numerous bowling allrounders. Leach has been leading wicket taker for a few years, surely that counts for something?
I've left stokes off and thats because of the cloud over his head, otherwise he'd be in pot one. Going forward who could we possibly even look at that is the major issue, as some of the 'better' talent comes in the form of bowlers, ie the curran brothers, who just cant fit into the team unless one or more get injured. Batting wise we dont seem to have much and what we do have we pick after they reached peak form like we did with stoneman. We hesitated whilst he was scoring hundreds and persisted with Jennings and ultimately ruined him for confidence.
For me if we make a change in the long run to the opening batter I'd be inclined to pick hameed as he did nothing wrong whilst in possession only injuries cost him then lack of form to get back in. The other role is cooks until he calls time, then its square one again, but I would suggest that the new selection process would identify the options better than at the moment. In regards to the middle order, at the moment Livingston should be the next cab off the rank.
After that its whoever starts the season well whilst looking competent enough to play at the top level.
Now will any eyes ever be cast towards the coaching staff or will that always remain as the old school shirt and tie?
Cant drop root, bairstow, anderson, broad and really overton as he showed fight. Woakes is there as a bowler who bats so probably gets a benefit of the doubt.
You're then left with cook, ali, malan and stoneman. Out of those england will always pick cook out of loyalty, malan was one of the finds in the ashes after a poor summer, he changed his technique before that and I'd hope he'd be looking at what happened the other day. Stoneman showed grit in the ashes, but grit only gets you so far, he's in need of an innings otherwise we are back at square one again.
Now ali is the interesting one. Good summer, absolute shambles of a winter. Hardly any runs or wickets, yet he looks fine in the white ball arena. Now England won't drop him because it 'weakens' the batting line-up, I mean Livingston could come in but then you dont have a 'main' spinner. Maybe it is time for us to focus on playing an out and out spinner seeing as we have numerous bowling allrounders. Leach has been leading wicket taker for a few years, surely that counts for something?
I've left stokes off and thats because of the cloud over his head, otherwise he'd be in pot one. Going forward who could we possibly even look at that is the major issue, as some of the 'better' talent comes in the form of bowlers, ie the curran brothers, who just cant fit into the team unless one or more get injured. Batting wise we dont seem to have much and what we do have we pick after they reached peak form like we did with stoneman. We hesitated whilst he was scoring hundreds and persisted with Jennings and ultimately ruined him for confidence.
For me if we make a change in the long run to the opening batter I'd be inclined to pick hameed as he did nothing wrong whilst in possession only injuries cost him then lack of form to get back in. The other role is cooks until he calls time, then its square one again, but I would suggest that the new selection process would identify the options better than at the moment. In regards to the middle order, at the moment Livingston should be the next cab off the rank.
After that its whoever starts the season well whilst looking competent enough to play at the top level.
Now will any eyes ever be cast towards the coaching staff or will that always remain as the old school shirt and tie?