I was a bit worried listening on the drive home, when Morgan went and Buttler was looking unsure, but I think they’ve got it stable now and even if these two go, the remaining batsmen should get them.
Should.
I’ll put this in this thread, since it’s about English cricket. The squad for the South Africa tour has been announced, and it’s an interesting one. Bell and Rashid stay home, Compton gets the nod. Mark Wood is also dropped, but I think he’s injured at the moment. Interesting inclusion of Samit Patel, too, think I would rather have Rashid.
Fair enough I think. No point being prepared to win the previous test series.
Interestingly, KP has made a (yet another) frenzied outpouring that makes an argument for Bell along the lines of…vey experienced, 100+ tests, has been brilliant in the past, won tests for England before…etc, etc,
One could almost imagine he’s making an argument for someone else’s inclusion…any guesses?
KP also has a book to sell, so a bit more publicity probably wouldn’t hurt. Both motivations can obviously be in play.
Wood and Finn are both injured. Stokes has somehow recovered. I’d like to think that Compton is going to open and Hales is going to go in at 3, as he does for Notts. Ballance is a curious selection - his average against pace bowlers recently is lower than 20 and SA have some pretty handy quicks - I hope that he doesn’t play much if at all. Adil looks like he’s being ushered towards the box marked “limited overs specialist”, as they want him to play Big Bash to get ready for the International T20.
Have stayed quiet on the ODI stuff - Pakistan appear to be in the process of blowing their own toes off most of the time but good job England are putting them away when they do so - but I have been reasonably impressed with Woakes. He may well get a start or two, especially with Finn, Wood and Plunkett all not selected. Suspect it could well be a choice between him and Footitt.
Joss Buttler, eh?
Stunning hundred in the last ten overs of the innings to put England in a very strong position at 355/5, leaving Pakistan needing over 7 an over to win.
Buttler’s first 19 balls got him 17 runs, his last 33 balls got him 99.