The Ashes, 5 Th Test: Opportunity Missed?

[ChillDoubt]

Whilst I applaud the introduction of the 2 new lads, isn't it the batting that needs looking at?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/23745001

As Sir Geoffrey of Boycott says, you need to take 20 wickets to win a match, which is something we've managed pretty well thus far despite the recognised batters who haven't been solid, with only the odd contribution from them (bar Ian Bell, who has been majestic).
Surely Prior could have sat this one out, Bairstow take the gloves as he's a wicketkeeper/batsman, Root back down to 6 and try out a new opener?
Root is obviously the future but if opening he'll need a 50 at least in the last Test to silence the doubters before we go to Oz in the winter, surely?

We've been taking the wickets, it's the runs that haven't flowed too well.

[jim360]

Yes, I'd tend to agree with that. Prior in particular has been disappointing, and the batsmen have never come good at the same time, really. I think Cook and Trott have both hit three fifties, Root's had one good innings, KP two, Bell only one bad one so far. So maybe the thinking is that everything is fine, just not all at once. But I would have liked to have seen some experimenting.

[Sqad]

Chilli....I can't fault your reasoning but I am not surprised at the squad.

Root......all the pundits feel that Root is the future opener for England for the foreseeable future. As you know from my previous comments i do not agree that he is an opener.
So clearly, he must remain.

Bairstow/Prior........same,same as wicketkeeper and runscorer.........yes Prior has had a bad series, but his face seem to fit and he can score runs quickly. Neither of them leave me with a feeling of confidence, but they are the best we have, so I would stay with the status quo.

Trott is another concern for me........but his potential is too great to leave out.

[jno]

Bresnan and Onions are injured (Tremlett too?), Anderson's looking tired, Broad's brilliant in short bursts, Finn is inconsistent. Agreed the bowlers have been doing better than the batsmen, though a lot of that is down to Swann, but their job is much more stressful and they get a lot of injuries. It's a good opportunity to try out some new boys against the Aussies.

[doctordb]

I'm glad to see England stick with the same group. It shows that the days of panicking and headless chicken selections have been consigned to history. Throughout the late eighties and nineties England chopped and changed at every dip in form. The list of talented cricketers discarded after a couple of games is as long as your arm but fortunately Duncan fletcher came in and put an end to the revolving door policy.

Let's concentrate on winning the series 4-0 with the same team that put us 3 up, then take that momentum down under. You don't experiment in the last test before a tough away ashes series. Leave the experimenting for series' against the likes of Bangladesh and the windies.

[ChillDoubt]

Let's concentrate on winning the series 4-0 with the same team that put us 3 up, then take that momentum down under.
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Why? Series is won, this is an opportunity to just try someone else in a couple of key positions, as by the looks of things we've slightly lulled ourselves into a false sense of security (tourists way below par in first 2 Tests) and may not be able to cope with a mini crisis Down Under.
It's easier trying guys out at home than it is flying them in from wherever they're touring with the Lions etc.
One or two are at the point where they're being picked on past glory and are only being rescued by the heroics of the bowlers, Prior in particular, who has been lucky to scrape a rating of 'average' at best.

[Sqad]

Chilli...LOL..LOL..can't disagree with you, but i agree with doctorb, some of these "average test players" better learn quickly what test cricket is all about.

[doctordb]

How many games would you give your new opener chill and who would it be?

[ChillDoubt]

Just the one doctordb, use the Test as an opportunity to blood them against half-decent opposition and help prepare them for (hopefully) a future Test career.

Gary Ballance. I did mention Daniel Bell-Drummond a week or two back, maybe a little too early though.

[doctordb]

It doesn't make sense chill. Giving a player one game achieves nothing. Many england crickters have had their carrers ruined by being given just one or two games. A batsman needs an extended run to prove himself and to adapt. I'd stick with root. Form is temporary, class is permanent.

[ChillDoubt]

If it doesn't make sense doctordb, I'd have to counter-argue:

Then why pick the 2 new lads in the OP for one game? It's the same reasoning as mine, plus Bairstow would get a bit of time with the gloves, which is what he does for his county.

[jim360]

Surely the picking of Woakes and Kerrigan is because they have to pick two new bowlers as cover for the injured Bresnan and Onions. I'd still agree with an experiment though.

[ChillDoubt]

But Finn and Tremlett are in the squad too Jim, so maybe the new lads are there for the possibility of blooding/introduction to England atmosphere and experience, in the same way that we could have done with my suggestion, which would have been justified IMHO given current form.