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  • If any player deserves a proper farewell it's Ali Cook, he's been the great gentleman of the sport and maintained a great reputation as a man even at testing times.

     @earwhighoney And that is one hell of a good send off. 
    Yes, a fine achievement to mark his incredible career. 
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11415
    When you see him play like this, you really wish he could go on a bit longer.

    Great way to go out though.
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  • scrumhalfscrumhalf Frets: 11262
    I can see him coming back. He's not old for a test batsman, he's in good physical nick and he may well get tired of carting county bowling attacks all over the place.
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  • I think people will learn from this regarding schedules and proper breaks will be instituted. Had he missed an entire winter over the last two years, perhaps he'd still be going now. Watching him bat today truly was watching a man with the shackles lifted. 

    And it means I'll be at the Oval tomorrow. Thank God we've finally got a proper 5 day Test match. This is what happens when you prepare a good cricket wicket. 



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  • At the Oval to witness both tons. 
    A declaration , then some quick wickets please
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  • guitars4youguitars4you Frets: 14038
    tFB Trader
    At the Oval to witness both tons. 
    A declaration , then some quick wickets please
    enjoy it

    Just got in the ballot for my Ashes tickets for next year - fingers crossed 
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  • scrumhalfscrumhalf Frets: 11262
    The Indian run chase has started well...
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11415
    Like what Foakes is doing to rescue it after the inevitable top order shambles.

    Best bit is that we will have a decent keeper if he stays in the side.
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  • Stokes at 3 then in the next test.

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  • sixstringsuppliessixstringsupplies Frets: 429
    tFB Trader
    Many will demand that Bairstow should be in the team...it would be extremely harsh on Burns but the only way to fit him in is to drop an opener.

    Bairstow hasn't had the best test summer and I've heard whispers that he sulks at any threat of the gloves being taken away from him (rumours going back 2 years or so). That debate seems over. He needs to learn to play solely as a batsman. 

    Regarding Stokes, I agree with many of the pundits that he has a textbook technique...Could be a masterstroke. We'll see when I wake up early to watch it!
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11415
    You could drop a bowler to get Bairstow in.  As it stands you have 6 bowlers.  It's nice to have three spinners in Asian conditions and still have 3 quick bowlers.  Anywhere else in the world, you would leave out one of the spinners to play an extra batsman.  On a raging turner in Sri Lanka though, it's worth having the third spinner - and it would be a big risk to only go in with 2 quick bowlers.
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  • Stokes technique will hold up to 3. He has played a few defensive innings now when he has needed. I think I said earlier in the thread I fancied him at 3 a few months back. 

    Let Bairstow recover fully and then he can come back. 

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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11415
    Given the players England have available, then Stokes at 3 looks to be the best bet.  It worked for Kallis as an allrounder.
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  • Standard this morning then. 
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  • scrumhalfscrumhalf Frets: 11262
    Anderson and Leach to open the batting? If we're going to be four or five down for 100, we might as well let the tailenders get out.
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  • It's a good call because Stokes isn't going to be bowling a huge number of overs. His technique is there so it's all down to mindset. Get the right mindset, make yourself get into that side as a batsman alone and see the bowling as a very useful bonus. 

    Dropping Burns would have been regressive. He's there through sheer weight of runs. Plenty of players get nervous on debut (Michael Hussey was awful on Test debut despite having played a lot of ODI cricket beforehand). He deserves this and the next series to press his case. Good start today on a tough wicket. 

    No problems with YJB not playing. He's not been in great form for some time. 

      



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  • Many will demand that Bairstow should be in the team...it would be extremely harsh on Burns but the only way to fit him in is to drop an opener.

    Bairstow hasn't had the best test summer and I've heard whispers that he sulks at any threat of the gloves being taken away from him (rumours going back 2 years or so). That debate seems over. He needs to learn to play solely as a batsman. 

    Regarding Stokes, I agree with many of the pundits that he has a textbook technique...Could be a masterstroke. We'll see when I wake up early to watch it!

    Going back through this thread, I've been calling for Buttler and YJB to be played as batsmen only. The example was there of a supremely talented keeper batsman who dropped the gloves in favour of the bat in Sangakkara yet we did not follow it. A keeper-batsman who averages 40 is a good thing to have: when you have two keeper batsmen who could average 40 but who could slot in higher up and average more in the top order where we are weak, you have to wonder why it took us so long to actually get to the position. 

    And how have we have reached this position where we have an out and out keeper of quality in Foakes, Buttler batting as well as he has ever done, and a fired up YJB batting very well today in the same side? 

    A freak injury. There wasn't a call or decision made from the management. We've come into the Third Test and we have experimented. Finally! 

    That line up looks very solid now. 



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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11415
    Not convinced Bairstow's technique is tight enough to bat 3 in places where the ball does more for the fast bowlers like England, NZ, or SA.

    Still wonder if we would be better with Stokes trying to do the Kallis role at 3 with Bairstow 5 and Buttler 5.
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  • I’m definitely with you on Stokes at 3. I. also agree that playing 2 batsmen at 5 would be an interesting development. 
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11415
    Meant to say Bairstow 5, Buttler 6!
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