Latest newspaper story is Denly won't go and nor will Jennings. Bairstow will bat at three. Foakes is likely to be recalled. (The Guardian)

comment by Phendombele (U20037)
posted 2 hours, 46 minutes ago
all joking aside about Moeen that would give us the best balance imo
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I agree, if he were on form and had earned his way back into the side.

Putting him straight back in - let alone at 3 - would be a horrible message. Just like it would be if Bairstow came in at 3. Or at all.

Have to go with 3 front line spinners. Moeen, Leach and Rashid took 48 of the 60 wickets when we won 3-0. Bess deserves a chance and he has done a lot of bowling in tandem with Leach so I'd be happy with that pair. Perhaps a more experienced spinner is worthwhile if there isn't enough faith in Parkinson.

Bairstow to return at 3? FFS. I know he got a hundred in his one test there last time but he's been awful for ages now and is horrible against spin. Just stick with Denly, he's solid enough and offers an option with the ball.

Bairstow probably more likely to be coming in as keeper than Foakes to replace Buttler though

Really hope the Denly and Bairstow stuff isn't true. Even if Denly isn't getting big scores he at least blunts the ball and helps tire the bowlers.

I'd much rather have a number 3 who scores 25(80) than Bairstow who'll score 30(50), and that's being kind to Bairstow based on his last 18 months.

comment by The Welsh Xavi (U15412)
posted 17 minutes ago
Really hope the Denly and Bairstow stuff isn't true. Even if Denly isn't getting big scores he at least blunts the ball and helps tire the bowlers.

I'd much rather have a number 3 who scores 25(80) than Bairstow who'll score 30(50), and that's being kind to Bairstow based on his last 18 months.
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More likely 18 (20)

Bairstow

If the article about Bairstow batting at 3 is correct then I'd be surprised if they gave him the gloves as well.

Part of me understands the rationale because he's an experienced player who played a test in the 3-0 win in Sri Lanka and that one test was at 3 when he scored a century. With Buttler likely to miss out and Foakes called up then he also offers a back up keeper option. Pope covers this but I can understand not wanting to burden him with gloves dealing with over after over of spin on turning tracks. On that basis, it's also difficult for a young hopeful like a Clarke, Lawrence or Hain to step up.

I just don't have much time for him. His best now days is as a belligerent opener in the shorter format. Which is why I'd rather we just stuck with Denly who is more likely to knuckle down and work hard for runs. The top order was a success in South Africa and Denly bar the last test was a part of that. I'm not even a Denly fan, I just don't want to see a return for Bairstow

I don't get why if they've decided Denly isn't good enough we don't just keep him for Sri Lanka and then drop him when Burns is back, with Crawley moving to 3.

^Yeah, pretty much that. Although I do quite like Denly, even if I realise he's not the long-term fix for the #3 position. He's done a decent holding job at a tricky transitional time and I don't think he deserves to be given the boot right now.

Frankly if we're looking to bring in a random new #3 just for the Sri Lanka tour, we might as well bring in Jennings. Note: I am NOT calling for Jennings to be brought back, but in many ways it makes more sense than Bairstow. Jennings' only Test 50s and 100s have come in India and Sri Lanka, where he averages comfortably over 40 compared to somewhere around 20 at home... but then again Jennings hasn't scored any county runs in the past year either, so he'd be another bad pick.

I just think sticking with Denly is the best option until Burns returns, at which point Crawley can drop to 3.

Agree with that, Jennings would be a better choice for 2 tests away to Sri Lanka. Then if we don't think Denly has anymore of a future, you can stick Crawley at 3, open with Jennings for these two tests and then replace him with Burns for the summer.

I don't like that option but it would probably be a better one than bringing back Yorkshire's Jonny Bairstow to bat at 3. With positive selections like Sibley and Pope coming into the side, it'd be a shame to see the test team take a backwards step by bringing Bairstow back into the frame again.

At least the one positive is that we only have one problem position at the moment in the top 6 rather than 3 or 4.

Archer ruled out for Sri Lanka now

comment by Sheriff JW Pepper (U1007)
posted 6 minutes ago
Archer ruled out for Sri Lanka now
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Not ideal, but also not the worst thing. I'd rather he got the chance to rest up properly, recover fully and have some time at Sussex to build up fitness ahead of the Windies series. If he were ever going to sit a series out, it'd be a gruelling spin-friendly tour to the subcontinent.

Has that been confirmed? I read that he's definitely out of the ODIs and T20s and that he might not go to Sri Lanka but it depends what the medical team say.

If he is struggling though then it makes sense to rest him for a 2 test series where spin will be the deciding factor and get him firing for the summer.

not confirmed

What a crock

England have won the first one-day warm-up with Roy hitting a ton.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKO46040

Ton from Bairstow in the second warm up game. Root out for 91. Denly approaching a half century and Bainton at the crease. Hopefully he can get some runs as he's likely to play in the first ODI and is a huge talent.

England lost the second warm-up, not that it matters much. Denly made 85 then took 2 wickets. Parkinson took 3 in an over. However, Mahmood conceded 22 runs off his last over and Tom Curran's figures were 1 wicket for 42 runs from 5 overs.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/scorecard/ECKO46041

1st ODI about to get underway England batting first

6 of our first 11 have surnames ending in "n"... First random fact of the day

Jason Roy started nicely

Nice to see both Currans playing. I always like seeing brothers playing together at professional level.

Going right back to the Underwoods playing rugby for England when I was a kid.

Jason Roy is just a ridiculous player when he's on it.

Hopefully no mockers there...

A couple of sloppy shots from Roy despite his good start

I'm looking forward to seeing banton