So what does everyone reckon then for the last test? Should we make wholesale changes and give others a go, or persevere with this diabolical batting line up? (Not saying they are poor batsmen, just that they are woefully lacking in confidence and form).
Keep it as it is , but trip Cook of the captaincy after ( Broad for me ) , and time IMHO for Flower to move on . " REST " KP for a series .
I think I would drop Root and Cook (although he won't be as he is captain), and give the captaincy to Ian Bell. Always talks a good game, performs consistently and a team player. I would give Carbs one more game to prove himself.
That would be harsh, as if you looked at the performances of the top order batsmen, he wouldn't be bottom. I know he was taken out poorly, but if he was getting 30, 40 or 50 alongside someone getting a 100 or 60, 70 then he'd be considered an important cog.
I agree with Tom on Carberry. He's not currently good enough and he's too old to be given much time to improve. However, I think the batting has to stay the same for Sydney because the only spare batsman in the squad is Ballance and he's not an opener. So Carberry gets one last shot and needs to make a big score to retain his place in the summer. I'd probably move Bell to 3 and Root to 5 but there's no much more that can and should be changed. In the summer I can see someone younger (Sam Robson?) coming into the team to open. I heard a suggestion that Cook should drop to 3 so he has more time to prepare for batting and I quite like the idea but I don't see how that would work. KP will stay at 4, Stokes deserves a run at 6 and both Bell and Root will stay in the side. Unless you move Root back to opening (and he already looks too high at 3) Cook will have to keep opening. The bowling is interesting. Anderson and Broad will keep their places but the third seamer spot is still up for grabs and Monty isn't bowling anywhere near well enough to justify his poor batting and fielding so I'd expect a new spinner too.
Well this is a bit more like it (though I fear the damage Mitchell Johnson will do on this pitch......)
