Ashes, Third Test, Edgbaston, July 29-Aug 2

[budgetmeansbudget]

What a bummer.

[Aidan11]

The crowd are lively this evening.

[Making_Splinters]

And who do you suggest comes in for him, if the leading run scorer in the LVCC last season isn't good enough?

Well he deserved a chance with his form, but you can only rate what you see when you see it, and so far he is failing on all levels... technically, shot selection, mentality, mindset.... blank/blank/blank/blank.

I will say again though, I would have never have dropped Compton or Robson. While Compton wasnt scoring that many, what he did do was see off the new ball. In India he showed tremendous patience to get starts, and that allowed Cook and KP to make runs after him.

We dont need a player to average 55 to be useful, just someone with stickability to allow the 3 and 4 to come in against older balls and more tired bowlers.

Or Carbs for that matter, I thought he fronted up pretty damn well down under when all the senior players were hardly leading the way.

The long story short is that England have burnt through all of the promising options without giving any of them a real shot at it. Lyth maybe struggling, but, he has to be given a decent run.

[Making_Splinters]

Other than that, the name that sticks out for me (or two) is Taylor, who keeps doing his job and needs to be in the team for me (with Root opening) or Borthwick, simply because in tough batting conditions in Durham where bowlers thrive and batsman struggle, his runs seem to mean a lot more than others.

Both of these elevate Root to opener.... for me he has to step up

Root should stay in the middle order, he's a long term 3 or 4. Just because England are struggling to find an opener doesn't mean they should mess about one of the few young players who has actually succeeded. Cutting your nose off to spite your face springs to mind.

[Aidan11]

Root owning MitchJ.

[Aidan11]

Ricky Ponting used to be the panto villain. Now it's MitchJ.

[sussexpob]

The long story short is that England have burnt through all of the promising options without giving any of them a real shot at it. Lyth maybe struggling, but, he has to be given a decent run.

They have, I agree, but the talent has been damaged now and the talent on form is all in the top and middle order. I cant see other batsman being the solution at opener.

I dont see Root's elevation to opener as "cutting the nose of to spite face", I see it as a natural progression for him, and he did emerge in a Yorkshire team opening I believe.

I usually agree with the "dont fix what isnt broken" adage, but I think Root averaging lower as an opener but doing well will bring more runs from a top 7 unit short of confidence and in need of their top positions to put guys lower down in better positions.

[Aidan11]

50 for Bell.

[Aidan11]

This is why Bell should not be dropped.

[Making_Splinters]

Fantastic innings thus far from Bell. Needs to go on though.

[sussexpob]

Or Carbs for that matter, I thought he fronted up pretty damn well down under when all the senior players were hardly leading the way

.

Well indeed, Carberry didnt return massive scores but he tried damn hard to fight the tide, and that for me is what I am not seeing from Lyth. You have to at least satisfy some criteria, but with Lyth he neither technically looks like a test opener, nor has the mentality.

If he had survive to the close of play, edge a few good balls, been dropped three times, but was not out without scoring I would applaud him. Instead he seems to play at balls under pressure and find ways to get out, and that for a test opener is a dangerous tendency.

A vast improvement is needed in the next 3 innings or, for me, he doesnt see out the series.

[backfootpunch]

This is why Bell should not be dropped.

dropping one of your only two experienced batsmen who has 22 test hundreds in the middle of an ashes series and coming off a heavy loss was never really an option

especially with the next test at his home ground

[sussexpob]

Fantastic innings thus far from Bell. Needs to go on though.

Nope

[Aidan11]

Bugger.

[hopeforthebest]

OMG bell does it again, should have taken a look first.