"A moment" suggests something short term. He has one innings left in 2019 to try and get his yearly average up to 20! (And this run of his goes back to even before then.) How anyone, staff or captain, can justify recalling him ahead of Crawley - after just one test for the latter - I don't know.
Two innings gone in this test. Curran has taken our joint-highest wickets - all of whom were top 7 wickets, had the best economy, and made our fourth highest score. And yet we left with him out for practically the entire Ashes. And yet many fans wouldn't even select him in their own sides.
Imagine if Hants signed Philander on a Kolpak deal. We'd have the best bowling attack in the country by quite a distance.
That's a slightly different debate though, in the context of this particular match. If Buttler was missing from this match, and we had given Bairstow the gloves, then yes arguing why Bairstow is our reserve keeper rather than Foakes would be absolutely justifiable. But it's Pope who is missing. We've taken the decision that Bairstow is our next best batting option. Even though Crawley is in the squad. If the likes of Silverwood and Root don't actually want to use Crawley as our reserve batsman, then make the case for someone like Northeast or Hain or Lawrence (or whoever) to be selected in his place. Don't instead turn to Bairstow.
Somerset have it 99% done, by all accounts. Just a case of waiting for this series to be over, before announcing it. (And Pretorious has already signed for Notts. Although that was before he got called up for this test. Apparently if he goes well this series, Smith and Pretorious will speak to Notts about seeing if the contract can be cancelled.)
I just can´t help but think that yet again England have gone on a tour underprepared. Two quick warm-up matches is no way to prepare for the varying conditions England are facing out there. Add to that the acclimatisation process and get use to the food and water!!!
Joe Root is ill now. I was taken ill in Tunisia years ago and was told by a guide that the English are ill first, then the Germans...with the French the last to succumb.
Add in the amount of air mileage these guys do getting not only from NZ to SA, but within SA itself, they are prone to pick up bugs from a number of sources.