Stick Or Twist: Who Should England Drop?

The last wicket has fallen, the last Pimms has been drunk, and the test summer is in the books. How can you tell? Because the weather is still glorious and everyone wants to see England and Pakistan play a decider. Yeah. Good luck with that.

Anyway, before the players put on their fetching pyjamas, and substitute a red ball for a white one, we’re here to run the rule over the XI that played at The Oval. Who’s hot, who’s not, and who should be bundled into the back of a plane and dropped somewhere in the Gobi desert so we never have to see them play again? Here’s the TFT verdict.

Sir Alastair Nathaniel Cook

After a prolific tour of the UAE, and a not quite so prolific tour of South Africa, Chef had his best summer in England shirt for some time. He looked fluent throughout and increasingly confident. People talk about him being a somewhat ugly player – he still looks a tad ungainly on the drive – but nobody in world cricket cuts and pulls more handsomely.

The negative side, however, is that Cook simply isn’t scoring hundreds. In his last 37 test innings he’s scored just two centuries – and these were on absolute roads in Dubai and at Old Trafford.

Cook has reached thirty on 16 separate occasions during this time without going on to post three figures. Anyone else would be in the dock for that. Because England have such a poor batting line-up, we need a better conversation rate from one of our two rocks.

Verdict: Stick

Alexander Hales

Poor Alex Hales. You know a man’s under pressure when he visits the 3rd umpires room and has a bit of a whinge. You also knows he’s under pressure when one of his mates comes to his aid on Twitter and gets fined in the process. I wonder which of the two of them was borrowing the communal brain cell that day?

After briefly flirting with the idea that Hales could be a good foil for Cook back in 2013, I soon realised the error of my ways when I saw him open in white ball cricket. I’m not sure why the selectors thought differently.

There was never any logic in trying Hales as a test opener. He’s not David Warner. Although he made an immediate impact in T20 cricket, the start of his ODI career was actually quite painful. He looked rushed against fast bowlers like Pat Cummins and his technique looked about as watertight as a pair of Y-fronts.

Although he’s finally improved in ODIs, we’re still waiting for some kind of improvement in tests. Unfortunately, an average of just 27 in 21 test innings says it all. It’s time to order that plane to outer Mongolia.

Verdict: Twist

Joseph Root

Has young Joe’s promotion to No.3 worked? Hmmm. I’ll let other people argue about that. Joe is a terrific player who averaged over 50 this summer. He’s one of the top 3 batsmen in the world, scores all around the wicket, and recently became the second fastest Englishman to 4,000 test runs in the modern era. The fastest was Kevin Pietersen, who took 83 innings to Joe’s 84.

Forget all the nonsense about ‘youngest’ to reach 4,000 by the way. Certain media use this useless measure of batting prowess in order to avoid putting Pietersen at the top of their pile. They’d rather use a measurement that places Tendulkar (86 innings) and Cook (96 innings) in a flattering light instead.

However, although I think Root is bloody good, his confidence can often be his weakness. Now he’s coming in at No.3 he needs to be a bit more careful. He’s got out driving ambitiously off the back-foot – what Boycott might call a ‘millionaires shot’ – early in his innings far too much.

If Joe wants to take his game to the next level he must improve his conversion rate. It’s currently way under 50%. Younus Khan, on the other hand, has more test hundreds than test fifties. Joe could learn a lot from a guy like that.

Verdict: Stick

James Michael Vince

It was worth giving Vince a go but things simply haven’t worked out. The warnings from the shires about his temperament proved prudent. I don’t see the point in doing much analysis here. We all know the score.

Although Vince drives elegantly, and rarely looks all at sea, he’s too loose outside off stump and switches off to easily. Is he the new Ravi Bopara? It’s time to move on.

Verdict: Twist

Gareth Ballance

‘Fat Gaz’, or just ‘Gaz’ as he’s known these days, was recalled to the test team without working on his technical frailties and despite being in poor form for Yorkshire. I really have no idea why the selectors thought recalling him at this point was a good idea.

What alarmed me most was the nature of his dismissals: he was trapped by the spinner down the leg-side (or dismissed after moving too far across his stumps) three times. That doesn’t bode well for the winter.

What’s more, Wahab Riaz showed he’s still vulnerable to pace bowling. He forced him back with a few short balls at The Oval and then got him prodding half-heartedly at full one. Gary seemed too tentative – his harshest critics might say intimidated – to get forward. It’s never good to see a specialist batsman sorted out like a tail-ender.

Despite all this I’m not entirely ready to give up on Ballance just yet – despite the fact that writing his name with the auto-correct feature turned on is a constant irritation. He wouldn’t be in my team for now (hence the verdict below) but there’s something to be said for a Chanderpaul type player amongst England’s stroke-makers.

Verdict: Twist

Benjamin Stokes

He’s not the finished article by any means but he’s one of the most exciting all round cricketers in the world and could turn out to be a superstar. He just needs to stay fit. Unfortunately this is proving rather difficult for him. Sort it out, Ben.

Verdict: Stick.

Jonathan Bairstow

Go Jonny Go. I mean stay Jonny stay. Where the hell would we be without you?! This summer Jonny has proved that his performances in South Africa weren’t a fluke He’s no longer vulnerable to the ball moving back into him and scored shed loads as a result.

It will be interesting to see if Bairstow can continue his great form this winter. He never used to play quality spin bowling particularly well so this won’t be straightforward. I suggest he uses his feet, keeps attacking, and keeps things simple. If he can average over 40 in India then I think we can call him world-class.

The negative, of course, is his wicket keeping. The management cling to any sign of progress, and keep backing him publicly (what else are they going to do?), but many people, including myself, aren’t completely convinced yet.

Although some pointed to his diving one-handed catch at The Oval as a sign of progress, everyone sat around us thought he would’ve taken it two-handed had he moved more fluently and reacted slightly faster. Tough crowd!

Verdict: Stick

Moeen Munir Ali

Mo is a legend. He’s my favourite England cricketer for some time – not because I think he’s the best player we’ve ever had (far from it) but because he’s a lovely batsman to watch and he’s a complete dude.

His batting has really blossomed this summer and he’s looked the real deal at times. Mo’s bowling, however, remains a problem. At best he’s adequate; at worst he looks like a club spinner from the Pratt’s Bottom 2nd XI (apologies to Rufus Smythe).

England really need to decide what to do with Mo. He isn’t a bowling all-rounder; he’s a batting one; therefore he either needs to bat five or six, and play primarily as a specialist batsman (who bowls occasionally), or be dropped altogether.

Thankfully, because Moeen played Yasir so well this summer (Lord’s apart) he’s earned the right to play as a specialist batsman in India this winter. I really hope he can crack it. Life’s more colourful with Mo around.

Verdict: Stick

Saint Christopher Woakes

Chris Woakes gets this summer’s ‘stick it to ya critics’ award. He’s always been a good batsman, and a very useful cricketer, but now he’s added an extra yard of pace to his bowling he’s beginning to look like a very handy all-rounder indeed. He could, and perhaps should, bat higher up the order too.

Having said that, this winter is going to be a challenge for Chris. India is not the kind of place that particularly orthodox fast-medium bowlers do well; it can be a graveyard unless you’re skiddy and can reverse-swing the ball.

Thankfully Woakes is a fast learner. I just hope he gets the ball in his hands when it’s still relatively hard and new. Stuart Broad can’t afford to waste the new ball too often or the Warwickshire man will leapfrog him in the pecking order.

Verdict: Stick

Stuart of Broad

Old Stu Pot, as nobody calls him, took 12 wickets at 25 against Sri Lanka and 13 wickets at 29 against Pakistan. On the surface that seems like a pretty decent return. The truth is, however, that he wasn’t quite at his best this summer: he was frequently down on pace and a little out of rhythm.

We weren’t the only people to notice Broad’s travails. Sky’s analysts picked up on the problem and diagnosed it as a fault with his wrist position. I guess this is something he can fix in the nets and he’ll be back to his best soon.

What will never return to its best, however, is his batting. He managed just 59 runs all summer. That’s Chris Martin bad.

Verdict: Stick

Steven Thomas Finn

I wonder what it’s like being Steve Finn? He’s a sensitive soul, a good bloke, and obviously a bit of a thinker. One might say he thinks too much. Sometimes fast bowlers are better off with nothing between their ears.

The summer started ok for Finny when he took 7 wickets at 28 against Sri Lanka. He never really hit his straps though. His pace was frustratingly ordinary and he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Strangely enough, he seemed to bowl at bit better against Pakistan, when he took just 5 wickets at 70. It looked like someone had said to him: “forget all the b*ll**ks, Stevie, just run in hard and bloody kill ‘em”. It very nearly worked.

At this point I’m not sure what the future holds for Steve. I don’t like his action but I do like his physical attributes. I like him when he’s in rhythm but I don’t like his inconsistency. Consequently, when Ben Stokes returns to the side, I think Finn should be the bowler to make way. Mark Wood will also be after his place.

Verdict: Twist

James “you talkin’ to me?” Anderson

Finally we come to Jimmy – the king of swing; the burnley barnacle; the hair that can’t keep his hair on. What a brilliant summer he had – taking a quite brilliant 30 wickets at just 15. That’s got to be some kind of record. The only negative is that his pace was slightly down at times. Those bones are probably starting to ache.

We all know the score when it comes to Jimmy. He’s devastating in England and the UAE, he’s good in the West Indies, and he’s decent enough in New Zealand. However, he’s not so hot in Australia, South Africa and Sri Lanka where it tends not to swing that much.

How long can he go on for? I say he’s got one or two years left. However, with a long Ashes tour coming up next winter, there’s a chance this could be his last winter before he throws in the towel. He’ll be a key man in India though. His record over there is pretty good and Zaheer Khan has shown that wily old foxes can flourish on the dust bowls.

Verdict: Stick

Finally, before I sign off, I’d like to predict how many of the above players England will actually drop. I’m guessing just one: James Vince.

Dropping three  batsmen at once would be the right thing to do; it would also be the brave thing to do; however doing so would be an admission that previous decisions were wrong. I don’t think Jimmy, Gus and Mick will be willing to do that. They’re too stubborn and too frightened.

Rumour has it, however, that they might not get the chance to dig their heels in. Andrew Strauss apparently wasn’t impressed by their handling of the Jimmy Anderson situation earlier this summer (when he was omitted at Lord’s despite claiming he was fit) and they might all get the chop. Hallelujah.

James Morgan

22 comments

  • Agree with all your assessments. I would drop all three of those known to Geoffrey Boycott as the “wobblies” .
    Robson deserves another chance opening after his county form this year. Bell needs to return and Moeen needs promoting to 5 in the batting order. Job done!

  • Of course we can all argue (and do!) about the specifics, but in principle, dropping someone doesn’t mean it wasn’t the right decision to give them a shot in the first place. So I’d disagree with your penultimate.

    Also, appreciate it may not be the scope of your article but discussions around proposed replacements are important? I’m guessing from your previous you’re thinking Bell, Rashid, and A.N. Other? As you said previously – you want to ensure a replacement is an improvement on whoever is being dropped.

    The only one I’d definitely drop is Vince. Hameed’s emergence (another couple of centuries against Yorkshire at the weekend) is starting to convince me that he’s worth a shot on the basis of “if you’re good enough, you’re old enough” and we don’t have a great deal to lose at this stage. For me there are too many unknowns around a number of the other proposed batsmen. Also I don’t think Ballance should be classed with the other two at this stage and deserves the winter.

    Slightly pedantic point but 50 to 100 conversation rate can’t be over 100%. If Khan’s 100s are more than his 50s, that implies a rate > 50%. Very impressive either way though!

    • As you can tell, I’m really, really crap at Maths. I’ve amended that passage. Cheers!

      I don’t think it was the wrong decision to try Vince by the way (once they’d decided not to pick Bell). We’ve got to find out about these players. I do think, however, than Ballance was a bad choice in the circumstances and too much faith has been placed in Hales.

      PS I think the selectors worry about what people think (I would if I was in their position too); therefore I reckon they’ll be worried about people pointing fingers if they dropped all three, even though one could argue that Hales, Vince and Ballance weren’t necessarily all mistakes at the time (if you get my meaning). It’s the perception I was referring to.

      • It’s an interesting quandry the selectors are in here, do they stick by their men and say we believe they are the best, do they go halfway house? Make Vince the fall guy and pick 1 or both of the other 2. Or cut their losses, put a brave face on it and say it didn’t work out here’s some more players to try.

        I’d look at it slightly differently. Plan for India as a one off tour. Pick the 6 best players of spin (if we have 6) of which 5 will play.
        If Hales, Vince & Ballance are in that 6 they go.
        I think I’d also move Ali to 5, so with Cook & Root in that’s 2 starting spots available.
        So for the county cricket watchers out there. Who do they feel are the best players of spin?

        • It’s impossible to know who the best players of spin are because there aren’t any spinners (not decent ones) in county cricket! Guess they’ll pick whichever Lions players have looked best against Merlin up at Loughborough ;-)

          • I was kind of expecting that answer :-)
            Looking at the hammering South Africa received last year, and Australia have suffered in Sri Lanka recently
            We need players with half a clue.

            • That’s unfair on the Saffers. The wickets for the Ind v SA series were horrendous for both sides batsmen.

              The Sri Lankan wickets were placid compared to them. That was just the Aussies being spooked by anything that meant they couldn’t hit through the line.

  • I think this is an interesting challenge. Ballance in my mind should never have been picked and Vince was picked off the back of a recommendation from Andy Flower.

    Hales is different. Personally I would keep with him, he is also a good player of spin, so I would stick him at 4.

    Bell has score no runs this year and done nothing to merit being selected.

    Then with what you have for India,
    Cook
    ?
    Root
    Hales
    Bairstow the highest he can bat and keep. (unless you get a better keeper the. Hales goes)
    Stokes
    Moeen.
    Woakes
    Batty (best spinner in county cricket right now) but more likely Rashid
    Broad
    Anderson

    Will be the way to go.
    If you want a better keeper, they bat at 7 or 8 Moeen goes to 5 and Bairstow 4.

    That is pretty simple. I know batty is a bit random. But there isn’t a genuine better spinner around.

    As for opening. Well the Lancashire opener has done well and as we have seen with Cook, Root, broad, Anderson sometimes picking the callow youth is worth the investment. But there are a few talented opening bats around, Lees, Browne, DB-D before you think about Lyth and Robson.

    We are only really having to think about 2-3 places in a well balanced side. That is a positive thing.

  • I agree with your assessment as a view of the starting XI (with Rashid for Finn and the Ballance replacement as 12th man, Bell for Vince and 2 others for Hales/Ballance) but the selectors will be picking a tour party of (I guess) 16 or 17. So the question becomes whether any of those dropped from the preferred first XI still goes on tour (when anything can happen, including the traditional food upsets) and who come in as understudies. The easy one (for me) is Billings as the second keeper (and bat). I would also take Tredwell as a 3rd spinner. That leaves 3 slots. I would take Robson as a back up opener. I would also take Hildreth, as Indian tours benefit from experience. My last slot would be Mark Wood as he gives something different to the other seamers.

    So who comes in for Hales and Ballance? I am drawn to Hameed as opening partner for Cook. I especially like his strike rate of 38. That shows real application, especially for someone scoring so heavily. It may be a bit early for him but we will only know by trying him. The last slot (Ballance’ replacement) is a real problem for me. There are no outstanding candidates. So, if not Ballance, who? So I end with a party that looks like

    First XI;
    Cook
    Hameed
    Root
    Bell
    Bairstow
    Stokes
    Ali
    Woakes
    Rashid
    Broad
    Anderson

    and with Billings, Hildreth, Wood, Tredwell, Robson and the Ballance replacement(if we take 17). No doubt a conservative choice but blooding two new players (Hameed and Billings) seems enough for an Indian tour.

    • “I like his strike rate of 38”

      Bloody hell we’re old school around here. And I love it!

      • Old school? That sort of strike rate is T20 at my club! In one league game last year I opened and my partner got off the mark first ball (with an inside edge to fine leg). 75 minutes later, with the score on 53, he got his second run. And people think that Chris Tavare was a one off! :)

    • You only have one replacement pace bowler in your 17 and numerous batting options. I would also take Finn and Jake Ball. You then don’t need a zBalance replacement and could leave out Hildreth.

      • 5 seamers and 3 spinners for an Indian tour seems enough to me, especially when you can call for a replacement so easily these days in the event of injury. Hildreth is there for an experienced head as back up. Maybe we should just take the 16 given the ability to fly out replacements (so no need for a Ballance replacement). Ball still looks a bit ordinary to me and would benefit more from playing on a Lions tour than being head waiter.

  • Vince clearly needs to go back to the Shires and find form again – he will come again but needs to find a new county and start a fresh and get a different view of batting, for all the negative press the guy has areas of weakness that have been exposed so he needs to work on them and come back stronger but a new county is key to his development.

    Ian Bell (34) are you serious!!!!! move on, try other younger more progressive cricketers to break through Nothing to see hear move on.
    I do have one name that no one seems to mention that is well worth a series is Sam Northeast from Kent (for all those that say he is only Div2!!! get over yourself ) he is impressive and scored well this year and at 26 he is nearly missing the boat and worth a chance i would have thought
    Sam Robson also worth a go again at 27
    Both are not green and mature enough to handle a step up
    I would like to see Vince replaced with Northeast or Robson
    Lees (Quality), Browne, Leaning (Hits the ball a mile) and the impressive Hameed are all waiting but deserve more than a mention going forward with England.

    Likelihood is Vince will go and that will be the only change but Balance is walking a tightrope

  • Pretty much spot on with the observations. What is worrying is the century returns of the “big 2”. You make the point over 2 tons in 37 innings for Cook, yet it isn’t really a recent problem if you decide to look back to the summer of 2013. Since the start of the first Ashes test of that summer he has scored 4 centuries in 41 tests. For all the talk of the volume of runs and a chance to go past SRT that is not the return of someone who is a true great of the game.

    This also goes to Root. An average of well above 50 speaks volumes of just how gifted he is but even so if we take the start of last summer as a guideline he has 4 centuries in 21 tests. He too has a number of unconverted 50s. This is something that they will need to overcome in India as they are likely to find that they won’t be well supported.

    I can only agree with the promotion of Ali to the main batting spots in India. His ability to play spin will be needed there. India don’t play spin as well as their north-western neighbours but unfortunately Mo’s bowling as it is at the moment will offer up too many freebies.

    As for a replacement opener for Hales, where do you start? It really isn’t that easy. Do you go for the youth and talent of Hameed, the blossoming but inexperienced Bell-Drummond (as we know selectors don’t think too much of div 2 runs) or someone else?

    All questions to ponder.

  • From an Aussie there is only one thing to say after being flogged by the Lankans.

    Sack the three of them just bring back Belly and Kevin.

    Oh and sack the Coach.

    • As a short term expedient, that has something to be said for it, but I think the young Hameed looks a better bet than Bell.
      … And I’d poach Muralitheran as a bowling coach.

      • But the comparison/choice is not Hameed/Bell but rather Bell/Hales (or Vince or Ballance). Hameed is an opener. If he goes Hales (if he also goes) would be moved down the order. I would take Hameed and Bell (in place of Hales and Vince).

  • Really not sure what England should do with their batting. Well, they should definitely drop Vince.

    The problem is that there are a lot of players doing well in the Championship without there being clear solutions. Choice is both good and bad!

    For the opening position, you could return to Robson or Lyth. In terms of new faces, there are four Div 2 options in Browne, Westley (though he’s been batting mostly at 3), Duckett and Bell-Drummond; and in Div 1 there’s Gubbins, Lees and Hameed.

    In the middle-order you could look at Westley (again) or Borthwick. Or Duckett, given he is supposed to be stronger against spin. Or you promote internally, sticking Ali up the order and pick a better spinner. Or recall Buttler (or, though unlikely, Bell). Hildreth has a lot of fans too, though crucially not in the England set-up it seems.

    If you like your averages, not many of the above have 40+ career averages – rather some are having a good couple of seasons following lean starts to their career.

    And then the spinners! Ali will be there, Rashid will be back in the XI too. But who else? Ansari is bowling a lot of overs but is still a second spinner. Dawson also a second spinner. Batty is in his late 30s.

    Might as well use a dartboard?

    Thankfully the quick bowling department is straightforward. Broad, Anderson and Woakes to start, with Stokes as the all-rounder, with Finn and Wood in the squad. Ball goes if they want an extra option.

    • If Hameed carries on making runs, I’d be inclined to take him rather than Hales – either represent a bit of a gamble, but Hameed is without a shadow of doubt the more natural opener, and if you’re good enough, you’re old enough.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

copywriter copywriting