So Hales, Ballance and Vince managed 14 runs between them

[Burney]

Trio of ****ing ****s.

[Ash]

Trio of ****ing ****s.

If there isn't anyone better available they could at least **** one of Ballance and Vince out the window, move the next few up a peg and bring Rashid in.

[Burney]

If there isn't anyone better available they could at least **** one of Ballance and Vince out the window, move the next few up a peg and bring Rashid in.

I'm with you on Rashid and there simply must be someone better out there, because neither of those two is a test batsman. The only other option is bring Butler back as keeper, bat him low down and push Bairstow up.

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

I'm with you on Rashid and there simply must be someone better out there, because neither of those two is a test batsman. The only other option is bring Butler back as keeper, bat him low down and push Bairstow up.

I's like to see Bairstow at 4 or 5.

We're also missing Stokes. But I agree that if Vince and Ballance are the best middle-order batsmen in the country other than Root and Bairstow then we are completely ****ed. Middle order bastmen always used to grow on trees. {Even if we did need to harvest them from Southern Africa like Lamb, Hick, Smith, KP and Trott.} What's gone wrong?

[Burney]

I's like to see Bairstow at 4 or 5.

We're also missing Stokes. But I agree that if Vince and Ballance are the best middle-order batsmen in the country other than Root and Bairstow then we are completely ****ed. Middle order bastmen always used to grow on trees. {Even if we did need to harvest them from Southern Africa like Lamb, Hick, Smith, KP and Trott.} What's gone wrong?

Yes, I'd forgotten Stokes. But he's a crash, bang, wallop merchant, really. He's not going to rebuild an innings for you, is he? And, given that Ali currently averages 100 at 7, you're not going to move him from there, which is going to result in someone being higher up the order than they'd like.

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

Yes, I'd forgotten Stokes. But he's a crash, bang, wallop merchant, really. He's not going to rebuild an innings for you, is he? And, given that Ali currently averages 100 at 7, you're not going to move him from there, which is going to result in someone being higher up the order than they'd like.

His first ton vs Aus, he came in at 121-4 and was 7th out over 200 runs later. Against NZ, he came in at 30-4 and put on 160 for the next wicket. That's pretty much rebuilding an innings. And a quick look shows his 87 vs Aus was another coming in at 30-4 and added 145.

While he has had his slogfests, the first and third of those were at a strike rate in the 60s, so he can rebuild an innings like a normal counter attacking no.6, as opposed to just an out and out slogger.

*******s. Woakes is out for 45. No hotspot but done by RTS. He did put on about 80 with Ali. But now just the tail as Broad can't bat any more. Stokes would have made a difference imo. He's better than Vince and Ballance.