England 87-2 at lunch. Jennings out for 10, Bairstow for 4. Burns 35no, Root 30no.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKO44295

Hopefully Burns can assert himself in this series and cement his place for the Ashes. Not that he's under lots pressure but it'll be good if we go into the summer knowing he had a good tour of the Windies.

Buttler will be in the XI so the question is which 2 from the 12 drop out for the first test. Woakes will most likely be 1 but who will be the other?

England 284 for 10 wickets at the close. The top scorers were Root 87, Stokes 56 and Burns who didn't add to his 35 unfortunately.

Leach or Curran could drop out of the 12 along with Woakes, depending on the pitch.

We seem to have finally understood that you can't try your home teams in away conditions.

Windies pitches have become a lot more sub over recent years, though maybe not to the same degree as Sri Lanka.

I would expect we will play 2 spinners. Ali will be first choice. Its a toss up between Leach and Rashid.

That said, and slightly contradictory, we must start to have one eye on the Ashes. I believe this is our last Test series before it. That is a concern but it is what it is.

Burns must start in the Ashes. He looks really solid and has been the stand out County batsman. He deserves a good run.

Bairstow at 3. We need one of the middle order to move up. I always wanted to see Buttler at 3 last year as I feel he has the game. However, our reluctance to do it suggests neither he nor the management feel he is suitable for it.

Sam Curran has to play. He has been outstanding in 2018 and is the x factor player. Regardless of his lack of pace he seems to get wickets, may increase his pace as he gets older and offers a left arm option (before we even get started on the batting).

Jennings is a concern. He is unlikely to face much spin here and not too much in the Ashes. His batting against pace is a massive problem. If he flops in the first 2 Tests its time to move on.

I would be looking at:

Burns
Jennings
Bairstow
Root C
Buttler
Stokes
Foakes WK
Ali
S. Curran
Leach
Anderson

Ashes wise, Broad would come in for Leach.

If Jennings flops I have no idea who to bring in from County cricket. May depend on how players start the season. Roy has been mentioned, but is a long shot. Gubbins is out of form and Alex Davies seems to be in the Lions ODI and not Test set up. I have always felt Robson at Middlesex, despite last seasons poor form, has the game for Test cricket.

President's XI 64-5. 2 wickets for Anderson and Curran, 1 for Leach.

Test & odi's should be walk over for England. Windies do not give much attention to test and current english team is one of the best ever odi sides.

Jennings century a few tests ago ensures he gets another 5-8 test minimum unless he get 4-5 ducks in a row.

Stone has been ruled out of the series, he would have been unlikely to play anyway but it's a shame that he's not over his injury issues.

I think Yorkie's XI is likely to be the line up for the first test although England will probably make a decision based on the pitch as to whether to go with 1 spinner or 2. Broad/Leach is likely to be the only decision we need to make although I'd prefer Leach to play if we go with 4 seamers and 1 spinner despite Moeen being seen as the first choice spinner.

I think top order problems are likely to remain going into the Ashes and whilst that isn't ideal, the rest of the side is good enough to make up for that at home.

Bad luck for Stone. Mark Wood has been called up.

In the latest warm-up Bairstow hit 98 and Burns 68. Unfortunately Jennings only got 7.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKO45523

Burns, Jennings, Bairstow, Root (c), Stokes, Buttler, Foakes(wk), Moeen, Curran, Leach/Broad, Anderson


Picks itself for me except at number 10 which will depend on the pitch as already mentioned.

Cant believe we are sticking with Jennings. he wont get a run against Australia. not with his technique. We should be trying someone else.

When I mean against Australia, that's more important than the west-indies. so should be looking forward to get players who can do the job,

The question is who would replace Jennings?

Meanwhile some of the the papers are suggesting there will be a choice between Curran or Rashid to go in the team, depending on the pitch.

comment by Blue Heaven (U20912)
posted 14 hours, 54 minutes ago
The question is who would replace Jennings?

Meanwhile some of the the papers are suggesting there will be a choice between Curran or Rashid to go in the team, depending on the pitch.
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as an opener ?

comment by Blue Heaven (U20912)
posted 1 day, 12 hours ago
The question is who would replace Jennings?

Meanwhile some of the the papers are suggesting there will be a choice between Curran or Rashid to go in the team, depending on the pitch.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Considering how well we did with 3 spinners, I guess there is going to be a temptation to pick all 3 again as the WI pitches are slow and it's not like we've got the pace bowlers to counter that.

Root okay as a 3rd spinner though? would have to drop a batsman to fit in 3 spinners

No idea who can replace Jennings. maybe someone who played for the England lions..
Jennings is not even first class level.. never mind international level.

comment by Phenom (U20037)
posted 8 hours, 20 minutes ago
Root okay as a 3rd spinner though? would have to drop a batsman to fit in 3 spinners
----------------------------------------------------------------------
He is, I don't think England will pick all 3 but can understand why they'd want to consider that option. Reckon England will pick 4 seamers though for this game and just go with Mo as the sole spinner.

personally wouldnt have bothered with Rashid and played Broad instead

No Leach or is it that Rashid can bat and he can’t?

comment by (Kash) I'm the Mane (U1108)
posted 12 seconds ago
No Leach or is it that Rashid can bat and he can’t?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
you got it. and its ridiculous considering we have Ali, Foakes and Curran at 7,8,9.

I have no time for this series. when England have little respect for the windies and play a 4th seamer as an opening bowler.

7 billion on earth could have told you this was gonna be a slow pitch.
It seems England were obsessed they were gonna with the toss and bat first
You should never go into a game with Curran as an opening bowler.. Root is a clueless captain.

Not sure it's a sign of little respect at all. England are playing what they believe is their strongest side to win the series. Whether you agree with that or not, this is not England underestimating the Windies

You think going into the game with a 4th seamer as an opening bowler and stokes as back up is respecting the west-indies?. They thought they would get away with it,.
Like I say. it didn't take a mastermind to work out the pitch was gonna be slow.
England may still win. But its the attitude that stinks to me.