The Ashes

[Luis Anaconda]

Archer out for the summer

and no Ben Foakes in the squad, by a distance the best wicketkeeper. Joke

Archer out is a bugger but the Foakes thing makes sense for Ireland - let all seven batsman have a shoot out and can pick from there. I quite the idea of Stokes opening. Probably has a better technique than most. Foakes opening would be an option for me

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

Archer out is a bugger but the Foakes thing makes sense for Ireland - let all seven batsman have a shoot out and can pick from there. I quite the idea of Stokes opening. Probably has a better technique than most. Foakes opening would be an option for me

I like the sound of that. My idea was to put Root as opener. Like his first Ashes series when he scored 180 or something. Brook, Bairstow, Stokes and Foakes at 4-7. But Brook before he got his place, he's talked to YCCC about opening as he thought it was his best chance of breaking into the Eng team.

He says his fave shot is a forward defensive that dribbles to point.

But if Foakes opens you have the Alec Stewart problem - 'keeping all day and then having to open the batting straight away.

[Luis Anaconda]

I like the sound of that. My idea was to put Root as opener. Like his first Ashes series when he scored 180 or something. Brook, Bairstow, Stokes and Foakes at 4-7. But Brook before he got his place, he's talked to YCCC about opening as he thought it was his best chance of breaking into the Eng team.

He says his fave shot is a forward defensive that dribbles to point.

But if Foakes opens you have the Alec Stewart problem - 'keeping all day and then having to open the batting straight away.

Indeed - though if it is particularly long you can always throw the gloves to Jonny (thinking outside the box )