Agreed that it is a risk but those two haven't even looked like scoring runs. Im just drooling over a bowling attack of Broad, Anderson and Archer. This will be one of the few times we might see it with Anderson surely retiring soon
As am I. But an attack of Broad, Anderson, Archer and Woakes makes me drool even more.
Woakes is averaging 28 this series, so he's hardly not scoring. 28 is absolutely fine for a number 8.
In fact, it's a better average that Buttler, Roy, Bairstow and Denly. Just one innings ago, only Burns, Stokes and Root had out-scored him - and Root with a lower average.
Even if you put aside the long tail which would be caused by picking all of Archer, Broad, Anderson and Leach, for at least a year now I've been tempted to see what harm can come from picking Woakes in the top three. If it doesn't work, well nothing lost. Not that I would expect it to anywhere near the same level of success, but Australia went down that route with Watson.
Woakes might not be a "batsman", but when he's out-performing Roy and Buttler with the bat - and can then offer a whole different option, as a bowler - dropping him is a crazy notion in my book. But like I say, it's what I'm expecting.
