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

[budgetmeansbudget]

Another VERY marginal LBW decision, this series has been full of them.

What I was about to say.

Pisses me off no end.

[Dr Cricket]

pretty certain the english press act like he is a great player and not he will become one.
really the most annoying aspect is that for Stokes poor batting and poor bowling get overlooked.

barring that huge century in SA, Stokes averages about mid 20 with the bat and close to 40 with the ball.
the bowling fiqures are ok if Stokes was a proper batsman and what i seen Stokes with the bat he isn't a proper batsman and should be batting in the top 6, an number 7 bat like Ali.
really only one of Ali or Stokes should play not both of them.

Barring a few Test matches Stokes hasn't done anything in the Test cricket.

I dont read the press tbh, I just watch the games but most on here and all my mates think stokes is far from the finished product

He contributes most games whether it be with bat, ball or the field

He just hasn't got the consistency atm to contribute with all 3

But he can win games out of nothing like vs new zealand

And has shown he can take important wickets, something always happens when he is involved

His stats don't tell the full story imo and the people who pick the team agree with me

good point he does create something out of nothing but that could possible be because he does everything IE Catch, bowl or bat.
think he contributes more in the field than the batting or bowling most of the time.

TBH like Stokes as a cricketer but not sure you can have him in the top 6, 7 is where he should be batting and it is ridiculous how his 2 centuries show he can bat in the top 6 considering Ali got 2 centuries and didn't get much time in the top 6 afterwards.

At the moment stokes doesn't get in with the ball or bat in the team.

Not really sure why their making Stokes a middle order batsman when he isn't one.
he was never going to average 40+ with the bat but is likely to average 30 with the bat and play freely in the lower order and contribute as the 4th seam option.

at the moment Woakes is the better prospect better bowler and better batsman.

[hopeforthebest]

I wondered earlier if England would be bowling today but first with Bairstow and Moeen then Woakes and Moeen going so comfortably I thought we might make the close. Now Finn is in I'm not so sure.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Come on Finn and Anderson, at least hang around for Ali's ton, and also pass 300 in the process.

[backfootpunch]

pretty certain the english press act like he is a great player and not he will become one.
really the most annoying aspect is that for Stokes poor batting and poor bowling get overlooked.

barring that huge century in SA, Stokes averages about mid 20 with the bat and close to 40 with the ball.
the bowling fiqures are ok if Stokes was a proper batsman and what i seen Stokes with the bat he isn't a proper batsman and should be batting in the top 6, an number 7 bat like Ali.
really only one of Ali or Stokes should play not both of them.

Barring a few Test matches Stokes hasn't done anything in the Test cricket.

I dont read the press tbh, I just watch the games but most on here and all my mates think stokes is far from the finished product

He contributes most games whether it be with bat, ball or the field

He just hasn't got the consistency atm to contribute with all 3

But he can win games out of nothing like vs new zealand

And has shown he can take important wickets, something always happens when he is involved

His stats don't tell the full story imo and the people who pick the team agree with me

good point he does create something out of nothing but that could possible be because he does everything IE Catch, bowl or bat.
think he contributes more in the field than the batting or bowling most of the time.

TBH like Stokes as a cricketer but not sure you can have him in the top 6, 7 is where he should be batting and it is ridiculous how his 2 centuries show he can bat in the top 6 considering Ali got 2 centuries and didn't get much time in the top 6 afterwards.

At the moment stokes doesn't get in with the ball or bat in the team.

Not really sure why their making Stokes a middle order batsman when he isn't one.
he was never going to average 40+ with the bat but is likely to average 30 with the bat and play freely in the lower order and contribute as the 4th seam option.

at the moment Woakes is the better prospect better bowler and better batsman.

He has 3 hundreds doesn't he

[backfootpunch]

I see no reason why stokes couldn't reverse his batting and bowling averages

His record is perfectly good for a young all rounder

3 hundreds 6 fifties
2 5 wicket hauls 2 4 wicket hails

In 25 tests

Certainly worth investing some time in, must be way better than Freddie at the same stage

See no reason at all to not persist with him

Let's not mention he is a gun fielder and slip catcher, the catching can make a huge difference

[Making_Splinters]

In an ideal world, one of Stokes or Ali will push on with their batting to become a number 6 and the other will bat 7. Both of them have the potential to make that transition.

Baisrstow is good enough to bat 5 which would leave just a number 4 / 3 and an opener to sort out long term.

[Dr Cricket]

issue is you can only invest in one all rounder not 3 or 4.
at the moment Woakes get in with the ball but what happens if he struggles with the ball and isn't the best 3 seam bowler in the country but can get in with the bat you then have 3 all rounders playing in the team where 2 specialist are missing out.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Just switched the cricket on tv for the first time today, has the weather been overcast like this all day?

[Aidan11]

England got to 300 but they should have had more.

[Making_Splinters]

You can invest in as many all rounders as you want really, providing they can get into the side based on one of their skills. Woakes is in the side as a bowler, not as an all rounder any way.

If Ali has a long term future in the side, he's going to need to be able to get in on the basis of his batting, because we're not going to regularly play 3 pace bowlers and 2 spinners.

[Aidan11]

Ali brings up his ton with a six.

[Making_Splinters]

Great knock from Ali under huge pressure when he came to the crease with England in real danger of being blown away.

.

[yuppie]

Great knock from Ali under huge pressure when he came to the crease with England in real danger of being blown away.

.

Time to put him into the top 6?

Had a great series, good summer.

[hopeforthebest]

Great knock from Ali under huge pressure when he came to the crease with England in real danger of being blown away.

.

Yes top batting.

7 or 8 overs short today how will the scorers get rid of them. A few for the Hales non catch?