Joe Root is batting brilliantly on his debut. Mr and Mrs Root may want to start considering booking

[Rich]

flights to New Zealand for early 2013 as it looks as though their son might be playing.

Would like to see Compton dropped and Root opening with Captain Cook. Compton is a fine county player and obviously has a solid technique, but he's not a youngster and certainly looks no better than Root. I'd prefer to see a young opening partnership that could feasably open the batting for England for a decade.

Also, love a batsman who dons the cap when there's a spinner at each end. Personally, I wear a wide-brimmed hat under such circumstances but a cap is still a fine choice over a helmet.

Stay with him Swanny, let's post 350.

[Rich]

[Luis Anaconda]

But I agree with you re Compton/Root. I think come the Ashes Root will be opening with Cook. Proper Yorkshire opener


Oh and the cap thing http://www.awimb.com/images/smiley_icons/cloudnine.gif I love that when it happened, though like you I always preferred the sun hat to bat in, the cap to field.


This will almost certainly be Jorge's thread of the day

[redgunamo]

Stil, a decent fighting total. And Prior at least does tend to wear a cap when possible. Good man.

We can't seem to win with the "open batting for England for a decade" policy, can we. We say it and are then accused of making the team a closed shop. Although, I suppose nowadays central contracts make the team something like that, in any case. At least in principle.

[Luis Anaconda]

away from the chop and change policy of the 90s - we have 8/9 certainties to start the first Ashes Test fitness permitting and two spaces to fight for/room for manoeuverability ie can play 2 spinners, or pick a Patel at 6 or even move Prior up one and play 5 bowlers. Have to praise the selectors for the Root choice, by which I mean

WHY WON'T THEY DROP IAN BELL

[redgunamo]