Think Butler needs a rest, not that Bairstow is performing muh better, but get Taylor in. He's a better batsman than both of them. Did laugh when everyone was slagging off Prior towards end of his career when was injured, he was the best batsman keeper in world at one point and best we had since Stewart and it's showing now how much he's missed as Butler just isn't a test batsman atm.
Ali has gone up the top order because he's better at spin, yet is being bowled out early anyway, what happens when we go to SA he isn't going to open then.... So yet again we have to find someone else to open the batting who will have no experience.
What a load of **** it has to be said. Why can't we find a set of players who can bat? It has been years now since Strauss, Cook, KP, Prior, Trott and Bell. We also had Swan who could bat too. I don't think I've ever been confident since about 2010 an even then it was our bowling which often gave us the edge. There are players in the wrong position (Ali) who can bat with less pressure. Cook is now back to his best and Root is simply brilliant. But then who? Baistow has done so so. But Moeene, Bell and Butler are simply not firing. They are passengers. Butler in 20/20 is apparently the man but needs to go back and score some runs at county level. As I've said Moeene needs to be pushed down the order and Bell I would give another test or two for him to try and build on his last score - if he can't then he needs to go. Stokes is another who hasn't performed with the bat and is inconsistent with the ball. He desperately needs to improve and its imperative he gets a few runs today. Looking back at my time supporting England from the mid-nineties it always seems we're much better at bowling that batting - with the odd stand out batsman. This has to change. Quite a few of our players have lost the ability to play a long innings which is surprising as they aren't caught up in the IPL.
I think they'll manage it. Just needed calm heads and England seem to have that now. Draw was always possible and Pakistan will get disheartened on this pitch soon enough.
18 overs last time I looked but they've whittled that amount down already. I cant see another 1 wicket let alone 2. Unless someone has a brainfart. The ball isnt doing much.
An absolute beauty! Big turn and even bigger bounce as Wood pushes forward to Babar - and misses it by some way. Warning: we are now entering the final hour. 15 overs remaining. Squeaky bum time. What the **** are they doing with a ****ing elephant on the pitch?
