Reply With QuoteOriginally Posted by Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult
Selectors look at more than just averages for one thing.
Buttler 40 and Malan 37. Why has he not been given a go, especially considering that he's meant to be by far the best wicket keeper in the country and that would have allowed YJB to bat at 4.
YJB's average before he's kept wicket is far, far higher than afterwards, the same reason Sanga gave up the gloves.
I know that Malan scored a ton down under, but if Foakes can score more runs, improve the keeping and improve YJB's batting why did we play the Welsher?
And having Stokes, Foakes and Woakes would be great.
I accept that and I openly admit I've never seen him.
But Alec Stewart says he's the best keeper in the world. YJB is our best batsman after Root and could bat higher if he didn't have to keep. (Look at his white ball batting without the gloves.) And if he's averaging in the mid 40s despite batting lower down he must have something about him.
And if we can keep Pope and get Moeen back, we could have a slip cordon made up of wicket keepers and a bowling attack of all rounders.
Actually - I would like to have seen Foakes play after he was selected for the Ashes, but I kind of want Buttler to succeed giving all the whining there was when he was selected. I think the main issue is that Bairstow wants to keep and the selectors won't take the gloves off him. But what do they know, g?
Just Wicketkeepers and all rounders - nice
I want Buttler to succeed to. Not just because the palaver, but because it would be great to have a counter-attacking number 7 who averages mid-40s in tests.
If you look at how many times the lower-middle order has bailed us out, and how many no.7s we've had who have swung us the game then another would be great. Stokes, YJB, Moeen and now Woakes have done that so another one would be ace.
But I think:
1. It shouldn't be up to YJB. It's what's best for the team. I agree that him keeping gave him the confidence he needed when he came back into the team as a wkt-kpr/batsman. He was comparing himself with Prior, not KP. But he's good enough now to specialise, like Sanga was. He would be the perfect no.4 for us. Then two of Buttler, Foakes and Pope with Stokes at nos. 5, 6 and 7. But if Alec Stewart's right, then we should select the best keeper if it doesn't weaken the batting. And as said, he could be better than Malan and improve YJB personally, and by him batting higher, the middle order.
2. But if Pope or Buttler fail, then Foakes should be given a go. If he fails, fine, go back. Maybe try Moeen again, or give the dropped one another go, or the next cab off the rank.
But why do you think it is that we have all these all-rounder types (wkt-kpr or bowling) who can do so well at no.7 or there abouts? And can we use this to our advantage?
Is it because in Eng, that when the sun comes out in the afternoon and the bowlers tire, it becomes much easier to bat? In the last two innings, Curran and Woakes have looked our best batsmen when that can't be the case in reality.
btw, if Woakes and Curran keep performing like this with bat and ball, is there a reason why we couldn't go with 5 quicks instead of a spinner? I mean if as well as Jimmy and Broady, we have 3 proper quicks who average 30+ with the bat and less than that with the ball, all capable of fiverfers and innings turning spells, could we not go with them?
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