4th Test England v Pakistan, The Oval, Aug 11-15

[Dr Cricket]

Swear that looks like the Eiffel tower, where is that in London.

[hopeforthebest]

I wonder how long the gasometer will remain as that iconic landmark beside the Oval? Isn't it owned by the new Duke of Westminster? and the site could be perfect for a Hotel.

[Dr Cricket]

I wonder how long the gasometer will remain as that iconic landmark beside the Oval? Isn't it owned by the new Duke of Westminster? and the site could be perfect for a Hotel.

remember reading or hearing it is a protected site.

[Making_Splinters]

Well you have to score them, and I think he was the second highest in the run charts for England in that series, which is a good performance.

He's had a pretty good summer for me, and I'd absolutely give him the winter series before making any decision on his future.

[backfootpunch]

Don't think that carried

But they may not have enough evidence to overturn because it's so far away

[Making_Splinters]

if Cook is the barometer for merit worthy performance than Carberry, Robson, Compton would have never gotten dropped in the first place since their outscored cook for 2 years.

They probably shouldn't have been, Carbs especially was given a very poor deal by the England selectors.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I wouldn't say that Hales has been poor against Pakistan, he's been on the receiving end of some very good deliveries especially at OT, he also out scored Cook against Sri Lanka which suggests it was a merit worthy performance.

Scored more than Cook in SA too. That's 2/3 series. Unfortunately, not had a stand out series. He, Compo, Robson and Carbs are all everaging about the same (28-31), and there's been a feeling that the others were dropped too soon ( others since Strauss: Trott, Mo, Lyth=12-20). So probably give Hales more of a chance.

[Dr Cricket]

yep you can score them but doesn't stop people questioning the player.
would you still pick hales if he averages around 10-15 in india during the first 3 test.

really england have moved too far the other way and sticked with players far too long sometimes dropping players because of form or not being technically correct is allowed.
although in this case would still stick with hales but wouldn't wait for the end of the winter to make the decision, might make the decision midway through india.

[backfootpunch]

also it is a myth that Hales is a dynamic player so far in his short international career in odi/test he has failed to score runs off good deliveries isn't able to score at a quick pace.
really hales is quite limited in his stroke play.
not that it means he can't play Test but not sure he is the dynamic or attacking player people think he is.

He has a strike rate of 91 in odi cricket and it has been going up

[hopeforthebest]

How can that be given out when the onfield umpire is not sure and the third umpire can't help. If onfield umpire saw it caught he should give it out without needing the third umpire, if he's unsure it should be not out.

[Dr Cricket]

also it is a myth that Hales is a dynamic player so far in his short international career in odi/test he has failed to score runs off good deliveries isn't able to score at a quick pace.
really hales is quite limited in his stroke play.
not that it means he can't play Test but not sure he is the dynamic or attacking player people think he is.

He has a strike rate of 91 in odi cricket and it has been going up

TBH going with what I see with my eye and not the stats, but at the moment as an opposition captain think you feel that you can keep hales quiet or stop him scoring.
Anyway even in ODI he is a slow starter but does score quickly when set which most people do in the white ball cricket.

Think the point still remains hales struggles to score off good balls.
Also looking deeper at his odi stats it still shows it.
only really scored at a good lick against Sri Lanka, NZ.
with normal strike rates against the rest of the teams.
And struggled to score quickly against Australia, India,

although he has improved in the odi game was really good against SA.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Cricinfo says soft signal was out, so without any evidence from camera replays it has to stay on field.

[hopeforthebest]

This series so many decisions have been so marginal they are giving out crazy. No way could those onfield umpires have seen that was a legal catch,if they did why ask for help dreadful decision.

[Making_Splinters]

yep you can score them but doesn't stop people questioning the player.
would you still pick hales if he averages around 10-15 in india during the first 3 test.

really england have moved too far the other way and sticked with players far too long sometimes dropping players because of form or not being technically correct is allowed.
although in this case would still stick with hales but wouldn't wait for the end of the winter to make the decision, might make the decision midway through india.

And bring in a new opener against India in India and expect them to succeed? Madness.

The big problem with England is they've been dropping players in against tough opposition away from home and then hanging them out to dry, see Carbs against Australia and Hales against South Africa or even Lyth against New Zealand even though that was at hom but given he wasn't picked for the West Indies it could count.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I'd keep Hales anyway because he looks a decent player, and wouldn't rule him out after a poor series in India if they are played on borderline lottery pitches. Though if India open with their spinners, there might be a case for England leaving out Hales and going straight into their middle order out there.

Trouble is, the number four is doing worse!