Channel 4 to broadcast Tests v India

[bwildered]

 Capt Kohli, plays a tailenders drive to Ali, who up to then was pretty shabby. Crowd stunned, Kohli more so, but credit to Moen who kept to the task. Stone bowled fast and straight. Wicket not to last five days so early inroads vital.

[honkytonk]

Aswell as Stone over Woakes (which I am happy about) I would have played Crane or Parkinson over Ali. 

[nat]

Aswell as Stone over Woakes (which I am happy about) I would have played Crane or Parkinson over Ali.

every day of the week.

[Andy]

Modem Ali is too flakey and really not a test spinner. Dropping Bess, who is as good a bat as Ali, seems an unnecessary change given that we were having to rest Jimmy, Buttler can’t keep for more than one test, we’ve sent Bairstow home and Stokes is seemingly finished as an all rounder. Bizarre state of affairs.

[Oldhasbeen]

Modem Ali is too flakey and really not a test spinner. Dropping Bess, who is as good a bat as Ali, seems an unnecessary change given that we were having to rest Jimmy, Buttler can’t keep for more than one test, we’ve sent Bairstow home and Stokes is seemingly finished as an all rounder. Bizarre state of affairs.

If you want to hear why Bess was dropped:
https://www.bt.com/sport/news/2021/february/england-right-to-drop-tired-dom-bess-says-spin-bowling-coach-jeetan-patel

Is Stokes really "finished as an all-rounder"? He's certainly bowling less at the moment but IMHO  it seems premature to write his bowling off.

Agree that sending Bairstow home was a mistake, especially when all 3 openers are unproven against top class spin.

[JasonP]

Modem Ali is too flakey and really not a test spinner. Dropping Bess, who is as good a bat as Ali, seems an unnecessary change given that we were having to rest Jimmy, Buttler can’t keep for more than one test, we’ve sent Bairstow home and Stokes is seemingly finished as an all rounder. Bizarre state of affairs.

I know Moeen has lost a bit of form recently but Moeen is a totally different level to Bess as a batsman.  He has 40 centuries in all forms of cricket.  Moeen did a pretty decent job for England as a spinner for a number of years but unfortunatly now does look done.  Bess is very average and bowled awfully in the 2nd innings of the last test.  It's not an easy job selecting the second spinner as neither Moeen or Bess really look the answer currently.  The fact that Mason Crane has been mentioned on here says it all.  He's not shown that he's anywhere near good enough for Hampshire in 4 day cricket yet.  He averages 45 in first class cricket.

[SirChef26]

Modem Ali is too flakey and really not a test spinner. Dropping Bess, who is as good a bat as Ali, seems an unnecessary change given that we were having to rest Jimmy, Buttler can’t keep for more than one test, we’ve sent Bairstow home and Stokes is seemingly finished as an all rounder. Bizarre state of affairs.

This post genuinely might be the worst cricketing take I've ever read in my life. Stokes finished as all-rounder! Bess as good a bat as Moeen! Whatever meds you're on Andy, get them changed!

[bwildered]

Burns goes again before any runs on the board , which immediately puts pressure on those who follow. Dan goes for last ball before lunch. Scratched around for his nine although he did time at the crease. Imagine Crawley gets recall if fit, with Dan the man to make way.
However the impressive Foakes with bat and gloves, sees England pass the follow with the only innings of substance.

[nat]

Burns goes again before any runs on the board , which immediately puts pressure on those who follow. Dan goes for last ball before lunch. Scratched around for his nine although he did time at the crease. Imagine Crawley gets recall if fit, with Dan the man to make way.
However the impressive Foakes with bat and gloves, sees England pass the follow with the only innings of substance.

Lawrence out of his depth at the moment.

[Oldhasbeen]

Burns goes again before any runs on the board , which immediately puts pressure on those who follow. Dan goes for last ball before lunch. Scratched around for his nine although he did time at the crease. Imagine Crawley gets recall if fit, with Dan the man to make way.
However the impressive Foakes with bat and gloves, sees England pass the follow with the only innings of substance.

Will Bairstow be available for the 3rd Test?
Sadly Dan's not ready to be an England number 3 .

[LeedsExile]

I wonder if Dan's test career will mirror that of Tom Westley? When everyone is available he will be well down the pecking order unless he gets a big score second innings. I agree that the comparisons between Moeen and Bess do not bare scrutiny. Bess is very much a work in progress but I think he will do very well at Yorkshire.

[Oldhasbeen]

I wonder if Dan's test career will mirror that of Tom Westley? When everyone is available he will be well down the pecking order unless he gets a big score second innings. I agree that the comparisons between Moeen and Bess do not bare scrutiny. Bess is very much a work in progress but I think he will do very well at Yorkshire.

I think Dan's in a better position than Tom was, he's much younger than Tom was at his Test debut for a start. He's just not a number 3 at the moment.

I hope you'll be watching Dom B getting a lot of long, successful,  bowls with the Yorkies next summer, it'll do him the world of good.  I can't see England playing 2 spinners much at home and, purely as a bowler, Jack Leach is far better. IMHO Dom will only get much Test action if the selectors are trying to shoehorn a lot of tail-end seamers into the same team: pick Jack with any 3 from Jimmy, Big Stu, Joff, Ollie and Mark W and you've got Jack (or Mark w?)at 8. If Chris Woakes or Sam Curran fill the number 8 spot, playing Jack L is a no-brainer IMHO.

[Andy]

Modem Ali is too flakey and really not a test spinner. Dropping Bess, who is as good a bat as Ali, seems an unnecessary change given that we were having to rest Jimmy, Buttler can’t keep for more than one test, we’ve sent Bairstow home and Stokes is seemingly finished as an all rounder. Bizarre state of affairs.

This post genuinely might be the worst cricketing take I've ever read in my life. Stokes finished as all-rounder! Bess as good a bat as Moeen! Whatever meds you're on Andy, get them changed!

Alex. Stokes is seemingly less and less able to fill the all rounder role: he’s been increasingly used for a handful here or there, but that is NOT an all rounder. 

Moeen slogs it around but hasn’t been convincing hence his slide down the batting order. Bess has a bit of what Duncan Fletcher called the dogfight (I replaced the original with ‘fight’) whereas Moeen seems to be lacking. I guess both were bowling full tosses and long hops, but Moeen has been around too long to be doing that.  He may do a Leach and roll India over second dig, but he’s cost us a Test on a raging bunsen where Root ended up having to bowl.

Good to see Foakes showing what he can do. Presumably Butler/Bairstow will be given back the gloves as they have undue influence in the dressing room, but I’d rather have BF keep in tests and let the other two concentrate on batting.  Pity about the corrupt umpiring, but this is India...

[honkytonk]

Ive wanted Foakes to keep for a long time.  Needs to be given a run in the team.

Moeen is done as a Test  player for me.  Bess is a young kid learning his trade, Ali is not and yet he is still a pretty average Test bowler.  Get Parkinson or Crane in. Yes Crane has a high average, many young wrist spinners do while they are learning.  I would expect more from Ali and its not happening.  I would have more faith in Bess getting stuck in than Ali (I dont think Ali has the fight for it now).

[Andy]

Ive wanted Foakes to keep for a long time.  Needs to be given a run in the team.

I would expect more from Ali and its not happening.  I would have more faith in Bess getting stuck in than Ali (I dont think Ali has the fight for it now).

Agreed on all counts. Incidentally are the likes of Parkinson getting any experience in South Asia?  Seems to me to be one good thing about the IPL, given the greentops in the county game and the opportunity to learn more about the dark arts of wrist spin (and buying off the umpires).