RobinRobin

Good post. I agree about specialists rather than all rounders. After all, Foakes got a ton in his first test, didn't he? I am not sure that both Buttler and Bairstow can continue to be picked without getting some red ball runs soon. If either of them is to be the wicket-keeper all rounder, he must score runs. At the moment, Buttler is probably ahead, but neither is the best keeper available, which should always be the relevant factor. I like having Curran in there, both for his potential with the bat but more so because of the different angle he provides. He could do with a bit more pace, but he must be the future. We need to blood some players in NZ this winter, to see how they go. Although I cannot stand the man - he has no class whatsoever (other than as a batsman, obviously) - Smith was the difference. Labuschagne was the next best and probably saved the Lords test for Oz. Just when we had knocked out Smith, another annoyingly tough batsman came along. I don't understand, on that basis and his record in England, he was not chosen from the beginning. Finally, I totally agree about Warner - couldn't have happened to a nicer twat.

Serves him right with a name like that.

ARE YOU LISTENING RAFA?

I think Gloomy's description is better

Won't be for the referendum and ensuing chaos, certainly.

That's what we all said about Spurs, but ... ... 4-0 clearly

The main core does not have to be the same, it just so happens that the best cricketers are the best cricketers. As you say, Stoneman, Jennings and Hameed have not shown up. The real problem was with Hameed, who seemed destined to be the next Cook, when in India, got injured there and has never got any sort of form back. I am sure that everyone was dancing for joy at the ECB in his first test, but I suppose there have been lots of players over the years who have flattered to deceive. He just seemed to have it all, especially at such a young age.

No one willing to be a martyr to the Brexit cause, it seems

They did try it for a while, but when Bayliss came in he was on his own. He is basically a limited overs coach, anyway, and was brought in for the purpose of winning the World Cup - although it would have been nice to have won the Ashes this year, as well. I am all for separate coaches, in principle, but there still needs to be someone over them who can ensure that players are not burned out, because of competing requirements of those separate coaches. For example, the limited overs coach will want his players in the IPL, but the test coach will want them rested for the summer, or playing red ball cricket at home. Not sure how we handle that, because, in the main, the core of the players is the same for each format.

If only

He is from Yorkshire, though, so regards himself as part of a sovereign nation outside the EU and the UK, already.

The bottom line is that the best batsmen (and bowlers) in the world can and do play all forms of the game. The absolute best players (Kohli, Smith, Williamson), though, can and do play the conditions and occasion, not just the same game each time. We need to coach resilience and perspective, not just "see it - hit it", especially early in an innings or when the match needs to be drawn.

Yes - last time we will see that again for a long time

I reckon Cummings will have given it a second thought, and will not have cared, but Johnson won't have considered it at all, because it has no relevance to "getting Brexit done".

Does that not then give Scotland an option to argue they should be allowed to remain in the CU and SM, because it no longer means a breakup of the Union (and Wales)?

I just love how some people always want someone else to be a martyr for the cause, but are unwilling to be one themselves

Pretty unforgivable, but so was everyone else dropping their shoulders as a result.

So Roy was playing the Warner role

As an aside, it was good to see on the rugby broadcast not one SD sign On the other hand, I suppose he pocketed a large amount of cash from England Rugby and the paying punters which will not go towards NUFC

Politicians (all of them) only answer the question they want to answer, not the one put to them. Interviewers, etc, eventually give up. We need Paxman v Howard questioning

Woakes was hardly being used by him anyway, but yes seems an odd decision to leave him for so long. As I understand it, the pitch does not really suit Overton, which calls into question why they made the decision so early, rather than waiting for the toss.

That's what Johnson is relying on, i.e. that Corbyn will say something stupid, put some of his less strident supporters offside, and split the opposition vote.

Neither did I. Would have preferred Curran

Stop sugar-coating it for fuck's sake