The English Test Summer

I am not sure how to sum up the last half an hour of Sunday's climax really. In contrast to the World Cup final that was agony for hours, this game built to a tight finish out of no where. I felt we would get 300 or there about but I never felt we would win the game, even when we needed 10 to win I felt that Australia would have another chance as the pressure swung back towards England. It was an incredible innings by a batsmen who has looked on the cusp of realizing his potential for a while now. What I admire about Stokes is that, in contrast to his peers, he has developed his game. He has clearly worked very hard to develop a defensive technique that he feels he can trust. The assault at the end was astonishing but, inevitably contained an element of good fortune and he is not the only player in the Country who is capable of destroying an attack. The difference is that Stokes had the ability to build an innings and wear the bowlers down. If his bowling wasn't so important, his versatility and defensive technique would make him a good number 3.

Leach did well to support him and showed up some of the others in that batting line up. Archer for example has too much talent to gift his wicket like that when the best player in the side is well set at the other end.

What do we do moving forward? I am still not convinced by Roy, Denley or Burns at this level. Denley got runs but continued to aim flashy drives to deliveries that were at best weighted 70:30 in the bowlers favour. Add to that a weakness against a short ball. I think we have better options at number 4. Roy hasn't looked like scoring a run so the options are, switch Denley and Roy or Denley opens and Pope or even Foakes comes into the side at 4. Pope is an exciting player and is in form so he may well get the nod.

Anderson will probably come in for Woakes, who has been horribly under - bowled by Root. Makes our tail look pretty long though, especially as it was meant to be an area of strength leading into the series.

The big question is, is that England's big collapse for this series, or do they have another one in them? I suspect Australia are yet to have theirs, but England will not get away with another one. I think another sub 100 score is not out of the question, and so for that reason, I still think the Ashes are Australia's to lose.

Joe Denly?...discuss (shouldn't take too long)

And Bairstow and Buttler

FWIW2...I understand that a limited amount of red ball cricket has been played lately but we can't keep on playing the same way Test after Test. It's way past time to start prioritising winning the Ashes back in 2 years time i.e. batsmen that stay in and fast bowlers. Time to drop Denley, Roy, Bairstow & Buttler for all their own good.

There are too many big name players in the team that have not fulfilled their potential or who are not in form at the moment. Bairstow, Buttler, Moeen and Stokes all average circa 35 with the bat and only one of those looks like the average is improving rather than heading South. Even Root has had a disappointing couple of years.

Burns has exceeded expectations and demonstrates the virtues of having some red ball experience to fall back on. His technique is limited but he has built a game to overcome that and he has the ability to defend on the front foot. He also seems to be improving with more exposure to Test cricket.

It also suggests that a good record in County Cricket over a long period of time should count of something. The issue with lots of the batsmen we've tried is that their first class record is not all that strong. Problem is, there aren't too many more batsmen in County cricket who have a first class average in excess of 40.

Denely has scored a couple of 50s but I thought he was lucky to get there both times. The question is, are the players who are next in line ready to make the step up? Crawley has a career average of 32 and has an average less than 40 this season. He seems to be in the reckoning based on Rob Key having a big mouth and a high media presence. He might be one for the future but I would want him to score more runs in First Class cricket before picking him. Sibley has a better record and has had a great season. He has patients and can apply himself. It's just about timing really. If the selectors and Paul Farbrace think he would benefit from having another season in County cricket then keep Denely in the side. If not, then I would pick Sibley.

Roy has had a go and it hasn't worked. The gap he left between bat and pad yesterday was enormous. He doesn't have the technique to play test cricket. I would move on. Sam Northeast deserves a chance. A bit like Burns, he has a wealth of experience behind him and is comfortable batting at number 4.

I also think Bairstow needs a kick up the arse. He has so much ability and should be a consistent run scorer at this level but his returns over the last couple of years have been really disappointing. We have a ready made replacement in Ben Foakes, all-be-it, Foakes hasn't had a great season with the bat.

Last one up for discussion is Jos Buttler. I would not have brought him back into the team last year, but, for a while it looked like a master stroke. I do feel that he is trying to adapt his game and find his tempo in test cricket and he could be an absolute superstar, but he has one hundred from 35 tests. Time is running out. I think that Ollie Pope would score more runs than him at number 6. I also feel that Pope could develop into a number 4. I don't think Buttler will ever bat higher than 5. The only thing that really counts in Buttler's favour is that I would want to know for sure that he won't make it in Test cricket before moving on once and for all. I think I would give him the winter and see where we are from there, but he has to go back up the order to 6.

For the next test then, I would pick;

Burns
Sibley
Root
Northeast
Stokes
Buttler
Foakes
Woakes
Archer
Leach
Broad

I suspect though that they will make one change to the batting line up with Pope coming in for Roy.

Well, putting England in first was a surprise to most including Justin Langer who was furious with his capt, but we rallied in an up and down innings.

England ending the day on 271-8, Root 57, Burns 47 and Buttler 64 not out, sets it up nicely for us to at least post 300 and make a game of it.