Fifth and final dead rubber test

Yes - it would have been crazy with 2 big tours coming up.  We're going to particularly need him in UAE where other seamers are likely to struggle to find purchase.

Disapointed we've made no changes though.  I can understand sticking with Lyth in the circumstances because there's no other obvious candidate and you may as well give him the series to see if he can make any kind of claim.  But I feel Buttler has struggled sufficiently for it to be worth having a look at somebody else.  Personally I think I'd have given Bairstow the gloves (and yes I know he's not the best keeper in the World but neither is Buttler) and picked Rashid.  Baffled why they haven't found a way of working him into the lineup especially as we have a nicely flexible lineup, he's perfectly capable with the bat and you don't want the quickies over exerting themselves in a dead rubber.

Aus look set for a big score at 274/3. Will be tough for us to win this match I think.

Latest: 4.55pm
Australia 481 all out
England 58-2

In a lot of bother now, 64/4

England are being/have been so passive in their batting today. Clarke can rotate his bowlers when he chooses. Surely, England have to score some runs and hopefully put pressure on Clarke (and the bowlers) so that he has to make bowling changes when he probably doesn't want to? Isn't that what batting is all about?

I think what it shows is that the standard of test cricket at the moment is pretty desperate. Batsmen all around the world don't have the technique to graft when things aren't in their favour which is one of the reasons so many sides have dreadful records away from home.

England have some massive flaws and to have won the series through being slightly less bad leaves me feeling hollow. Even at Trent Bridge and Edgbaston we missed the chance to really ram home our advantage by scoring 400 in our first innings,

Unless their is significant seam or swing our bowlers look mediocre, moeen takes his fair share of wickets but unless he can find some control he is not the answer and baring Root, our batsmen are flakey.

Before this series we had four issues; namely an opener, a number 3, our spinner and our 3rd seamer. I reckon you can add the keepers position to that list now.

I can't see how we're going to take 20 wickets or score the runs we'll need to exert some scoreboard pressure in the UAE and the thought of our batsmen facing the South African attack is worrying. This group has potential but while others are finding their feet it would really help if Cook and Bell could start to score big runs again on a regular basis.

A thoroughly deserved defeat.

What do we do about Pakistan?

We need two spinners, which you assume means picking Rashid. Goughie was on the radio suggesting for that series at least, bumping Moeen up to open to replace Lyth and you can slot Rashid in.

I basically agree but I think what has changed is that Root is now seen as too valuable to risk at the top of the order.  The last 12 months suggest we might have a very special player indeed in Root and he's more likely to become that batting 3/4/5 than he is at the top.  I think that is the logic, ie. that Root is our best player now and is therefore not worth risking at the top of the order.  I've never known England have such an empty cupboard when it comes to openers.  It's what we always produced in droves - solid opening batsman, work horse seamers and good quality wicket keepers.  English conditions are good for producing these but perhaps it's a marker of how the game is played now.  A Mike Atherton type opener would be encouraged (and it would be in his interests) to become more expansive at quite an early age if he wanted to develop to the pro-level.  Whereas before counties prioritised bringing through Championship players and thought about how they would contribute in the one day game as an afterthought now I think it's the other way around.  There is a real dearth of openers out there. 

I suppose the thought process on Moeen is that he could get us off to a fast start with the fielders in and it would give us flexibility in selection.  Plus if they try him and he fails they haven't really lost anything because the candidates aren't exactly queuing up in droves.  The same thing would apply if they gave Hales a shot at it - though I don't personally think he's done much yet at international level that suggests he's up to it in the short format let alone a test match.  A few eye catching knocks is not sufficient to account for his failure rate.  They must be tempted to find a way to 'release' Moeen.  He was 3rd in our averages and really deserved to be batting ahead of Buttler come the end of that series.  I don't think Moeen really has much of a future as our frontline spinner surely a better bet will come along eventually - maybe even Monty could resurrect himself, stranger things have happened.  But Moeen is exciting, he's talented, he has a terrific attitude and is someone people would pay money to watch.  So at some point they're going to have to bite the bullet and see if he can do it with the bat for a prolonged period of time.  Opener is where we currently have a slot available.

If they're going to give him a go in the position then UAE makes as much sense as anywhere.  His weakness against the short ball won't be as big an issue and it moves sideways less.  It would be a reasonable place for an audition.  If he passed then he would be thrown into the lions den v South Africa, if not back to the drawing board again.  I'm not sure we have much choice but to be a bit innovative about this.  Ultimately I just have this vague feeling that it could be a good move.  Certainly makes sense in UAE because we can then pick a 2nd spinner.

Agree with Ballance at 5 - that's what I would have done anyway instead of bringing Bairstow in I think.  Have to still be question marks about Bell at 3 as well.   I also like Vince but he never seems to quite get the volume of runs that you think he should - I never really understood what Taylor's done wrong with England.  Always seems to come in do alright and then get left out for large amounts of time.  Not sure I'd bring either of them in at this point though.