England - Some players have got to go!!!

[Andy]

Well, at least Chef isn't copping all the blame - although plenty seem to want to drop him as well. Makes you wonder whether they were too hasty dropping his partner for batting 'too slowly'.

Real shame (personally if not for our team) that Browne and Lawrence didn't kick on enough early season. Makes you wonder whether Bell might be recalled...stranger things have happened.

[JasonP]

At least Cook showed some resistance (as always) & once again top scored & batted appreciably longer than anybody else. Quite often I've noticed not just in Test cricket but also in CC matches that sides are totally unable to bat out/defend where necessary preferring to go instead for huge aimless heaves, poor strokes which show a lack of technique which is a byproduct of too much 1 day cricket BTW I am a huge fan of both 1 day formats but Test cricket has suffered in England.
Jennings should be persevered with, Hameed needs another season at least in CC, Ballance unfortunately has had enough chances & has come up short - poor technique etc, much as I enjoy watching Tom Westley bat, a very attractive stroke player who has tightened up his defensive play & added consistency to his natural talent he is not quite good enough for England, bowlers like Philander & Morkel will soon find him out.The obvious choice is Mark Stoneman who has a few years of experience in CC1 with a lot of runs & can bat anywhere in the top 5. It is a pity Jonathan Trott cannot play Test cricket these days as he would be ideal at 3 even now. As for the argument for either Buttler or Billings as W/K No way!! Bairstow is far better & much more consistent than both - they are purely & simply good 1 day players not Test players, bowling wise Woakes should return when match fot, Wood needs a few more 4 day games for Durham & then recall him by all means, not sure about Dawson but no obvious replacement. Worrying times indeed.

I can barely ever remember England ever picking two spinners at home.  You don't need more than one.  Pick another batsman and drop Stokes and Ali down one place in the order.

[smandlej]

Having watched Stoneman for a number of seasons, he's rather too 'aerial' for our liking - unless that's been drilled out of him now he's at Surrey.  We lost count of the number of times he got to 30-odd and then skied one to the nearest fielder.

Lynda and Steve

[Blocky]

133 all out.

The most abject batting display by an England team since......?

I struggle to think of a worse one since the West Indies pacemen were murdering us in the 1980s.

having stood in the mass of Indian supporters on the last day of the 5th test in Chennai last year, I can assure you that there has been a surrender as bad as this (or nearly) since the mid 70's when holding and Roberts destroyed us.
the only difference was that India batted so long we only needed 2 sessions to capitulate!

[Blocky]

Well, at least Chef isn't copping all the blame - although plenty seem to want to drop him as well. Makes you wonder whether they were too hasty dropping his partner for batting 'too slowly'.

Real shame (personally if not for our team) that Browne and Lawrence didn't kick on enough early season. Makes you wonder whether Bell might be recalled...stranger things have happened.

Agree mate.  The idiots whinging about run rate on Day 4 of the Lords test needed to take a long look at what happened when cookie got out on 70+.  the rest, who have no batting application at all, got out, because the pitch had big demons, and the ball started swinging.
It did loads on Day 2 at Trent bridge, and same again yesterday.  Again, Cook the only man who knows how to leave a swinging ball.  too much white ball slashing outside off. 

I hope they do drop him.  We'll be running round Chelmsford with a big cup if they do....

[mawallace]

How about this - Sri Lanka chased down more than 300 to win a Test match. I know it's against Zimbabwe but....

http://www.espncricinfo.com/sri-lanka-v-zimbabwe-2017/content/story/1111717.html

[honkytonk]

Ballance out....who in???

[JasonP]

Ballance out....who in???

Probably Stoneman but possibly Westley or Malan.  From the England Lions team almost certainly.

[SirChef26]

I'll be shocked if it's anyone other than Westley or Stoneman. If it's Stoneman then they'll probably move Jennings to three. Westley would just be a straight switch.

[Slogger]

Well I hope it's not Westley. Being purely selfish we need him for the championship run in

[Oldhasbeen]

I'll be shocked if it's anyone other than Westley or Stoneman. If it's Stoneman then they'll probably move Jennings to three. Westley would just be a straight switch.

Is suspect you are right. I also suspect that the Saffers will be very happy with that selection, I can hear de Plessis telling the team "same bunch of losers, boys!" a mile away.

I hope I'm wrong, but I think it's a mistake to keep with Jennings as he looks like a walking wicket, getting bowled through the gate by Philander on Sunday said it all. Graham Smith really ripped his technique apart from the commentary box. I think it'd be better for him to go back to the county game and work on his technique, and get some confidence from big scores.

Stoneman deserves a chance but I'd still be concerned about starting the innings with 3 defensively minded left handers with positions 5-7 occupied by blokes who don't know how to graft. Seems to me that left-right combos frequently  give bowlers, especially speedsters, adjustment problems. 

Dawson has promise but I can't see a case for a second spinner at the Oval. I'd rather strengthen the batting.

[nat]

Stoneman is no grafter which is part of his problem.

[honkytonk]

Westley in. Bad for us. Well done him.  Without sounding dramatic, I can see our tittle charge dropping!!!

[nat]

Westley in. Bad for us. Well done him.  Without sounding dramatic, I can see our tittle charge dropping!!!

What?! Losing one batsman for one game will de-rail our CC campaign? Yaaawkshire will be without Bairstow, Balance at least.

[Oldhasbeen]

Westley in. Bad for us. Well done him.  Without sounding dramatic, I can see our tittle charge dropping!!!

We certainly have some, er, "challenges" without Tom & Ally. Time for Wheater, Velani, & Taylor to show what they are made of?

Slightly surprised that Malan got into the squad ahead of Stoneman, but at least the selectors are thinking of the extra batsman. Dawson may have promise, but at the moment he's a luxury we can't afford.
And how fit is Mark Wood?