If Pope is injured for the third test, can see Stokes moving up to 3, and Sam Curran coming in. Liam Dawson also making a mockery of his omission with his performance in the County Championship
Sam Curran can't play Test Cricket. Hasn't got the technique or the mental toughness to do it. If Pope is injured, then Foakes should keep with Bairstow playing as a batter. Haven't a clue who'd bat three though.
He'd be fine as a 4th seamer / 7th batter. While I think Foakes should be playing, bringing him in in place of Pope doesn't get around the fact that Stokes can't bowl his share of overs as a genuine all rounder.
Agree - was just thinking of a stop gap tbf. We have to pick a spinner for the next test - whether that's for Pope/Bairstow/Anderson or whoever. Here's a question. If Stokes isn't fit to bowl, is he good enough to hold down a position in the side as a batter? CAVEAT. I really, really like Stokes. It's just a hypothetical question.
It's an interesting one. If you'd asked that question 12-18 months ago, I'd have said absolutely. But we've since seen Brook come into the team, Bairstow smash century after century as a specialist batter and Pope get the sort of numbers at 3 that have been unheard of since Jonathan Trott. To be honest, if everybody is fit, and Stokes can't bowl, I'd have him open the batting instead of Crawley.
Credit where credit is due to Bairstow who took a superb catch from Anderson’s wavering ball. Watch the slowmo
Sam Curran is still only young and has played in over 20 Tests and is a good all rounder. Hasn’t he been out for a while with a stress fracture or is that his brother ? Sam is a left hander so he’s important for a bit of variety and we are lacking young all round players
Only once as a team batting first at Lords got over 400 and lost and it was England against Australia in 1930. So that's that then.
Records are there to be broken so Crawley will get 200 and we’ll get 650 and bowl them out for 200. Best take my medication now !
Lost a wicket and didn't even need @Redhelen to give the kiss of death by saying how well it's going.
A lot of the conversation is around Lyon but he is really their only massive threat? Pope and Duckett look like they might breeze us to near 250 then we still have Rooty, Stokes, Johnny to come. Think we are on for a thrilling Sunday run chase here.