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

[Aidan11]

I have a feeling Bairstow will come in for Ballance (only change) and they'll move Moeen up to 3 and Bairstow will be at seven with Buttler at 8.

This would totally unbalance the side IMO (no pun intended).

[budgetmeansbudget]

I can't help feeling that the Aussies would eat someone like Taylor for breakfast. He isn't a great innings starter and his form has been a bit ropey in the CC this season.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Root has to bat at 3. I liken him to Steve Smith who made the transition successfully.

[braveneutral]

All I would say on Bairstow is that we have seen him before.

Not at all but he has had sensational form before (albeit not this sensational). Only time will tell.

[hopeforthebest]

I have a feeling Bairstow will come in for Ballance (only change) and they'll move Moeen up to 3 and Bairstow will be at seven with Buttler at 8.

This would totally unbalance the side IMO (no pun intended).

If you're correct about Ballance being the only change, which I doubt, I would move Bell to 3 (it his position with Warks after all), move Root to 4 and Bairstow at 5.
Movng Moeen up to three is once again 3 left hand bats in a row.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Bell is already struggling at 4, you can't stick him up to 3.

[braveneutral]

If Lyth, Ballance and Bell go, who comes in?

[hopeforthebest]

Bell is already struggling at 4, you can't stick him up to 3.

If Bell remains in the team giving him the responsibility to bat at 3 might be just the catalyst to get him going. Personally I would bring in Compton in that position.

[Aidan11]

We have a right handed middle-order batsman who played over 100 tests and has over 8000 test runs.

His county average this season isn't too bad either.


But England wont pick him.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Isn't it time for the vice captain to make the move to 3. I know people will say he's making a load of runs at 5 so don't mess him about by changing his position. He's currently our best batsman by a mile and isn't the old adage you're best batter should come in at 3. Besides he's just had two failures at 5 due to the increasing pressure he is being put under by the top four. Put him in at 3 because right now he is coming in with the new ball being not that old in anycase due to the top order failures so he can do it. At the same time it might arrest the problem of us being 30/3 every innings.

[hopeforthebest]

We have a right handed middle-order batsman who played over 100 tests and has over 8000 test runs.

His county average this season isn't too bad either.


But England wont pick him.

Pietersen is over the hill for longer versions of the game. His big score was at an out ground where everyone scores centuries and since then he's constantly suffered niggles that have caused him to miss a game and get treatment during games. His body won't allow him to play 5/4 day games anymore.

He's no longer the elephant in room.

[from_the_stands]

We have a right handed middle-order batsman who played over 100 tests and has over 8000 test runs.

His county average this season isn't too bad either.


But England wont pick him.

Pietersen is over the hill for longer versions of the game. His big score was at an out ground where everyone scores centuries and since then he's constantly suffered niggles that have caused him to miss a game and get treatment during games. His body won't allow him to play 5/4 day games anymore.

He's no longer the elephant in room.

I'd have him in there in a flash; Cook, Lyth (or possibly someone else), Root, KP, Ballance & Stokes would be my top six.

[yorker_129-7]

Root has to bat at 3. I liken him to Steve Smith who made the transition successfully.

Why move the only batsman bar Cook in the line-up who appears to be happy with their position? We tried to turn him into something he isn't before, and that didn't work. If we're promoting anyone to 3 it should be either Bell or Ali.

[yorker_129-7]

We have a right handed middle-order batsman who played over 100 tests and has over 8000 test runs.

His county average this season isn't too bad either.


But England wont pick him.

Might have something to do with his dodgy ankle, bang average recent international record, the fact his county average is inflated by smashing the worst team in the country around on a road at the Oval and the fact he's likely to start writing books about how everyone but him is some sort of tosser given half a chance.

I'd rather pick literally anyone else then Pietersen. Luke Wright even.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Root has to bat at 3. I liken him to Steve Smith who made the transition successfully.

Why move the only batsman bar Cook in the line-up who appears to be happy with their position? We tried to turn him into something he isn't before, and that didn't work. If we're promoting anyone to 3 it should be either Bell or Ali.

I've answered your question in detail in a later post.