Pakistan vs England in United Arab Emirates - October/November 2015

[Markkkkk]

Gary Ballance
James Vince (Still would of scored more then Bell)
Alex Hales (and Moeen Ali bats in the middle)
Jos Buttler
Ben Stokes
Michael Carberry
Compton

And Im sure there are a couple more who I missed but all of these players didnt play in this Test match but they all would out perform Bell in this series...

 

[blockerdave]

I've said all along that he'll retire after this match. His mind sounded as if it was made up after the ashes. Therefore, he probably shouldn't have gone to the UAE. I refuse to slag off a player that has been a tremendous servant to English cricket. 20 tons, 5 ashes wins........... I'd prefer to thank him for all the good times.

Anyway, as Boycs keeps reiterating, who is better that can come in? Please, nobody say KP

Are you seriously saying nobody could have averaged over 30 the last 2 years?? Ballance did & we dropped him.

5 ashes wins... Of which he contributed to one. 3 good innings in 7 series, if you include the whitewashes.

 

[bigred]

Gary Ballance
James Vince (Still would of scored more then Bell)
Alex Hales (and Moeen Ali bats in the middle)
Jos Buttler
Ben Stokes
Michael Carberry
Compton

And Im sure there are a couple more who I missed but all of these players didnt play in this Test match but they all would out perform Bell in this series...

Stokes is in the team, so not sure how he can replace Bell.

Buttler and Ballance have recently been dropped for doing worse than Bell.

Carberry is 2 years older than Bell.

Compton also isn't getting any younger and fell out with management.

Vince is the only one I'm inclined to agree with. Good young player. Just a Shane he had a terrible domestic season in red ball cricket.

 

[MUFC1987]

This is the thing that gets me about a lot of people regarding England. Nobody seems to want to give anyone a chance. Bell looked poor, so why not pick someone who did well last season and give them a chance? There's one in the squad in Hales, but you could pick anyone with a decent average last year and give them an opportunity. We're never going to know who is going to do well or badly until they have an opportunity to do so. I don't see why age makes a difference either, this is about winning a Test series, not building up to one in 4 years time like in ODIs.

 

[bigred]

Regardless of age, I genuinely do not believe Carberry or Compton would've averaged more than 40 in UAE, which was what Bell was averaging before today's duck.

I'm not ruling out players like Ballance. I'd actually have him in the team for SA. But he was playing really badly during the summer, so it's no surprise that he didn't go on the first winter tour.

 

[blockerdave]

Stokes is in the team, so not sure how he can replace Bell.

Buttler and Ballance have recently been dropped for doing worse than Bell.

Carberry is 2 years older than Bell.

Compton also isn't getting any younger and fell out with management.

Vince is the only one I'm inclined to agree with. Good young player. Just a Shane he had a terrible domestic season in red ball cricket.

Ballance massively out scored Bell throughout his time in the team. Ballance failed for 2 series, Bell has failed for 2 years. Are you really saying nobody in the domestic game could have averaged over 30 in the last two years?

 

[bigred]

Ballance massively out scored Bell throughout his time in the team. Ballance failed for 2 series, Bell has failed for 2 years. Are you really saying nobody in the domestic game could have averaged over 30 in the last two years?

I think you're a little blind to all that is considered when selecting this team. Of course, Bell's form would've been discussed and other players would've been mentioned, but they were worried about the inexperience of the team. Particularly the batting line up. Bell gives them an experienced head and a solid character. I'd imagine that he's also good for the touring party as he's quite nurturing towards younger players. We also don't know how much Cook relies on him for support. Yes, eventually the statistics tell, and the numbers will invariably get you, but in this transitional phase, I had no issue with Bell playing.

The only negative is that he's had to finish his career at a time when 'fans' of his own team are posting pretty outrageous things about him on the ECB twitter account. It would have been nice to go out on a high rather than with a torrent of abuse.

 

[stefan]

I've said all along that he'll retire after this match. His mind sounded as if it was made up after the ashes. Therefore, he probably shouldn't have gone to the UAE. I refuse to slag off a player that has been a tremendous servant to English cricket. 20 tons, 5 ashes wins........... I'd prefer to thank him for all the good times.

Anyway, as Boycs keeps reiterating, who is better that can come in? Please, nobody say KP

Why isn't his name allowed to be mentioned...He is still a better player then any in this england lineup. Showed his class again yesterday. The fact that england prefer mediocre players above him doesn't change that fact.

Nice collapse by this great batting lineup today...

 

[Rehan_24]

Wowww 64/6 England, What a stuff by Pakistan on a bowlers supportive track, If Pakistan wins today this will clearly be a shut up call for those who say Pak can't perform well in supporting tracks.

 

[Markkkkk]

Stokes is in the team, so not sure how he can replace Bell.

Buttler and Ballance have recently been dropped for doing worse than Bell.

Carberry is 2 years older than Bell.

Compton also isn't getting any younger and fell out with management.

Vince is the only one I'm inclined to agree with. Good young player. Just a Shane he had a terrible domestic season in red ball cricket.

Stokes is not in the team for this test match, and thus can replace him.

Buttler and Ballance have averaged more than 30 over the last two years (and they can improve)

Carberry can still have 2 years in him, which he deserves after he was poorly dropped.

Compton still has 3-4 years. Maybe England should swap the management out for KP and Compton.

All of these players are better then Bell either short term or long term.

Edit: Stokes is in the team but he could still bat where Bell is batting now

 

[Dutch]

Cant believe that this is the first time Broad and Cook have batted together in 87 tests!

 

[blockerdave]

I think you're a little blind to all that is considered when selecting this team. Of course, Bell's form would've been discussed and other players would've been mentioned, but they were worried about the inexperience of the team. Particularly the batting line up. Bell gives them an experienced head and a solid character. I'd imagine that he's also good for the touring party as he's quite nurturing towards younger players. We also don't know how much Cook relies on him for support. Yes, eventually the statistics tell, and the numbers will invariably get you, but in this transitional phase, I had no issue with Bell playing.

The only negative is that he's had to finish his career at a time when 'fans' of his own team are posting pretty outrageous things about him on the ECB twitter account. It would have been nice to go out on a high rather than with a torrent of abuse.

The junior players don't need nurturing from a mentally-weak has been/never was...

They would also have benefited more from a senior player being worth his place in the team, rather than then having to carry him.

Cook relied on him so much they stripped him of the vice captaincy.

Bizarre.

 

[Dutch]

Hope one thing: Cook to get a ton. Deserves it.

 

[Dutch]

Congrats Pakistan: outplayed, outsmarted, outspun........

 

[Rehan_24]

Remarkable win by Team Pakistan. For me, The difference between two sides was Yasir Shah and some determined batting at crucial times.

England fared well relative to their last UAE tour under Strauss Captaincy.