David Kelly

Some of them are wanting Pardew now

He is pretty much. He got an injury in the champions trophy so missed most of the summer and is only really coming back to fitness now. He would be the most vulnerable of our seamers compared to Anderson and Broad (and Stokes but more down to his batting) but I'd still expect him to play most if not all of the matches.

Baby Driver and Free Fire are both on Kodi and well worth a watch if you've not seen them. I really enjoyed Skull Island too.

Woakes is a vastly improved cricketer in both forms of the games (has three wickets so far today) and is bordering on allrounder status these days.

Vince played in the big bash for one of the Sydney teams last time around. Surely you'd heard of Chris Woakes? He's played 18 tests and 66 ODI's.

I doubt even he knows

Taylor retiring is a real shame, not just for him obviously. He was really starting to look the part.

Game over then.

Stoneman for Jennings (which already happened against West Indies), Vince for Westley and Woakes for Rowland Jones. Maybe Ballance challenging Malan too.

Completely agree.

Wasn't on the hard pitches though which is what I assume Ken's getting at. Mind you, they would have been hard when we beat them in SA.

I think it will be close too. I think Australia have the edge playing at home but I don't think it's a forgone conclusion.

Agree with that.

What about the pitches when you played South Africa?

That's five bolwers though. Doubt they'll do that. Most of them can bat a bit but none of them are all rounders. I'd guess they'll play another batsman.

I've just googled them both and yeah they have been injured but it doesn't seem like they're too concerned about them not being available. Them two, and Cummings with Lyons for Spin is certainly a strong attack in their conditions. I don't think it's a forgone conclusion that we'll lose though and I certainly don't see us getting the thrashing we got last time.

The thing I'm clinging to is that they don't look any great shakes either at the moment. Warner and Smith are obviously class but beyond that I don't think they have anyone up to the standard of Stokes, Bairstow and Ali. Bowling is probably going to be key though and that might depend on who they have available. The last few times I've seen them, they haven't had Starc or Hazlewood playing. I don't know if this because they are resting them or if they have injury problems, but if either of them are missing it would really even things up.

I'd have definitely taken Hales. He's not an opener at test level (or any level of red ball cricket tbf to him) but he's an experienced international batsman. Compared to taking three uncapped players, I think he'd be a very good addition to the squad. Can't for the life of me understand why they persist with Ballance. Shame about Wood but it's understandable given his fitness issues. I doubt we'll see much past Anderson, Broad, Woakes and Stokes (assuming availability) in the fast bowling department anyway mind, even if Wood is the best suited.

Rafa won't play 2 up front because he believes the formation we have best covers us for where we need to have players. If he moves one of those players to play an extra forward it will take a player from the position he wants them to be in and we will be short. He might do it for spells if we are a goal down and thinks it worth risking us defensively for an extra forward but I don't see him ever starting with a different formation to what he's played every game for the last two seasons. Personally I don't think swapping an ineffective number 10 for a potentially effective number 9 weakens us defensively but my opinion counts for nothing to Rafa.

Not convinced his and Hall's ideas for the club were for reasons other than to benefit themselves, but they did know that something could be made of the club and they tried to make it happen. Which is a damn sight more than any of the other owners we've had in my lifetime have done. RIP

Hales out too but it doesn't sound like he did anything. Jennings and (probably) Onions going to Lancashire next season. Will Smith (not the Fresh Prince) heading back to Durham.

I'm with Tom, he's nothing like Hernandez other than in terms of his size. I also disagree with Fish (and RobinRobin) that Merino would be better than Shelvey pushed further forward. Merino is making more tackles for us than anyone else in the team. He also wins a lot in the air (he's was excellent in this respect in the first half against West Ham) and I wouldn't want to lose that, which I think you would, if he was moved forward. Shelvey doesn't have that in his locker.

We're still wondering why the posts appear at all. I'd take a draw all day like.

I remember Cacapa looking class for Lyon like. I still think Milner is shit. I can't believe he's moved for the money he has in his career or played for England so much.

Football is dead isn't it.