When you realise that the country you love is basically South Africa without a tendency to bottle it...
It's funny isn't it that the 3 games we have lost did not feature the bloke that has taken the most wickets between overs 11-40 in the last 4 years. Why Moeen is playing ahead of Plunkett amazes me. Root can give you a load of overs and we get rid of the bearded buffoon.
David Willey offers a lot more than Moeen too for me. I wonder if there are players Morgan favours that get selected, if so it's starting to backfire now. Pakistan have a fairly good chance to beat New Zealand at the moment and thats going to put even more pressure on us for the last matches.
Yep, I think we should have selected Willey instead of Wood. As nice as it is to have two 90mph bowlers, Willey offers something else. Look at what starc and Amir have done for their countries. It does make you wonder like you say. I think Hales being sent to coventry for his bellendishness hasn't helped our strength in depth for the batting either, which has ultimately being our downfall in the last 2 matches. vince just not up to the job.
Moeen is probably our second best spinner, so had to be in the squad. He is likely to have a major part to play vs India if the Edgbaston wicket plays as it did today. If Willey was included it'd be at the expense of another pace bowler, more than likely Plunkett, It was a difficult choice, any call would have been correct if we win, wrong if not. Certainly no conspiracies. I just think our planning has all been for flat tracks, and we just haven't had the pitches we'd expected. Our plan A of aggression from the start was scuppered by Roy's injury and then Hales unavailability to replace him. Vince is not the same sort of player and looks totally lost. Incidentally, Wood was one of the leading wicket takers upto the last round.
Disagree on your claim on Moeen. There are a couple of better spinners in the county game than him. He just does not cut it for me. Batting wise, he is ok when we are 300/4 but he's never turned up with the bat when 160/6 and the pressure is on. We've tinkered too much with the bowling to accomodate Archer, which was the right call btw. I'd have played him instead of Wood and kept the ballance and difference of Willey, Plunkett and stokes. If you want more spin, bowl Root more.
Completely agree with this, as it's so easy to say selection issues would have changed the outcomes but I doubt it. Archer and Wood have been excellent and you can't contemplate not playing either. The reason we have had some great years has been down to Ali and Rashid and playing two spinners so we had to play them. My only issues is that Vince is not like for like with Roy, I would honestly still have gone for Hales but get their point.
….goes on for too long.... ….is ****e...… ….as about three good teams, then England.. ….as lost all relevance since it left free to view TV. Take your pick.
Great 100 by Bairstow, good to see Jason Roy back and getting a good few. Morgan fails again, Root and Stokes in now, let's hope they can push on 211-3 with 15 over to go.
Root needs to get himself out quick, get Buttler in for the last half dozen overs. edit: Well well! as I was typing...