I like your thinking there in a lot of ways. Iād certainly have Buttler keeping, but not so sure about Bairstow opening. Stoneman has a quality of obduracy that an opener needs - heās probably as good a choice as any right now. I always like to see Moeen in the team, and he should certainly bat higher then seven. Mind you, on the showing of this summer, so should Curran. But he can come in at seven for the time being, and move up in time - which he pretty clearly will.
We still need a proper number three though. It looks like the old problem of trying to select the best players, but not giving sufficient consideration to positions in the team. But if you select Stoneman, Bairstow, Root, Stokes, Moeen, Buttler, Curran, Woakes, Broad and Anderson thereās still room for either an additional bowler or, more likely, a proper number three batsman. Now then, can anyone think of a batsman who prefers that position and whoās scored a lot of runs in the Championship this summer? Tricky one, I know.
Sometimes I think the number three role needs to be forced on someone. There seems to be a bit of a hoodoo over it; KP wouldnāt take it, Michael Clarke, Ian Bell in his primeā¦
Iād be inclined to put Root there. If push came to shove (and this is a longer-term argument that Iām prepared to give some breathing space to), perhaps Bairstow would make a better, more proactive captain, and Root could concentrate on averaging 60-odd in a key position. Because his average is phenomenal and the junked up debate about his conversion rate disguises how lucky England are to have him.
9.55am āItās a fine morning,ā says George Dobell, whoās reached the Ageas Bowl bright and early. āPretty much perfect for batting. Lovely day. Full house expected.ā
Broad to Rahul, OUT , big appeal for lbw, and Broad starts celebrating before appealing. A bit of hesitation from Kumar Dharmasena before he raises his finger. No hesitation from Rahul in reviewing. A good inswinger, but was it a bit high, perhaps? Seemed to hit him slightly above the knee-roll, in line with middle and off stumps, and according to ball-tracking that would have hit a good portion of the top of middle stump. Good decision from Dharmasena. Rahul didnāt really get a stride in as he came forward to defend, and the ball swung past his inside edge. Didnāt really get his front leg that far in front of the crease. Not the first time heās been out to the incoming ball in this series. England have attacked this weakness relentlessly
50/2 Shikar Dharwan (Lynx advert guy??) gone, Kholi in
Broad to Dhawan, OUT , full, temptingā¦ and Dhawan takes the bait! All that self-denial, but he canāt override those natural instincts to feel bat on ball. Still,it was a super line from Broad, just pushed in towards off and then snaking away, kissing the edge before settling in Buttlerās gloves as he went low to his left
S Dhawan c ā Buttler b Broad 23 (53b 3x4 0x6) SR: 43.39
Over the wicket, change of angle and Curran has Kohli caught by Cook (yes, I know I am as shocked as you!!)
142/3
Curran to Kohli, OUT , and he gets his man! Slants a good-length ball across, and when Kohli played at it it was at least on a fifth-stump line. Could have left it, perhaps, but the threat of the inswing probably drew him to push at it. Nicks it, and Cook takes a low catch at first slip tumbling to his right
V Kohli c Cook b Curran 46 (71b 6x4 0x6) SR: 64.78
Stokes to Rahane, OUT , big inswinger, Rahane trapped in front - and Oxenford gives it! But the call to review comes quickly. Is it a no-ball? Very tight on the line, but Stokes might just have some heel behind when his toes hit the turfā¦ and third umpire Joel Wilson says āfair delivery!ā That was Rahaneās best chance, because this delivery is homing in on leg stump
Pant is caught pants down on the stroke of tea. 29 balls without troubling the scorers
181-5
Ali to Pant, OUT , flighted, spinning on middle and leg, thuds into the pad - up goes the finger! India have no reviews, so he canāt contest it, but that looked a good decision, and Hawk-Eye quickly backs it up, suggesting the ball would have straightened to hit plenty of leg stump
Ali to Pandya, OUT , got him, heās flicked that in the air! Lovely flight again outside off, dip too, and Pandya has been stretching out to get close to the pitch of the ball rather than using his feet. Doesnāt get close enough to the pitch this time as he stretches out to try and clip it with the turn, and short midwicket dives to his left and takes a good, sharp catch. Classic offspinnerās dismissal
Ali to Ashwin, OUT , bowled him, that was a poor choice of shot. The line was too close to off stump for Ashwin to play the reverse-sweep, and he makes an absolute mess of it. Bottom-edges it, and the ball rolls into his stumps to give Moeen his third wicket. Thatās Indiaās last recognised batsman
Collapse claxon, collapse claxon, and itās not England this time!!
Ali on a hat-trick
Ali to Mohammed Shami, OUT , and heās gone first ball! Typical tail-enderās dismissal, playing down the wrong line. Goes back and across to defend this one that spins in from outside off. Unfortunately for Shami, it spins a little less than he expects, and his bat comes down at an angle, allowing the ball to miss the outside edge and peg back off stump
taken again and Rahulās wildly confident of it even though the ball comes to him very very low. The umpires come together and throw it up to their friend in the box. The soft signal is out
Ripper of a ball from Ishant, and itās the result of his angle from round the wicket again. He pitches it up on middle. Moeenās feet are planted, growing roots. The hands compensate for that, pushing at the ball, offering the edge up. Rahul is alert at second slip, diving forward and to his right. āIām happy that fingers are under the ball,ā says third umpire Joel Wilson and away goes Moeen
