Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

Nathan Smith

Nathan Smith should not be batting at 8 he is nowhere good enough for that position.

Not much of a test career to sample but a first class average of just under 27 indicates that he is.

Not for me he doesn’t first class average of 27 is poor for a test 8

It's more than Mitchell Starc or Pat Cummins.

Number 8 is the spot where you put the specialist bowler who is the best batsman. Plenty of guys in history have averaged in the high teens ( or in many cases lower ) batting there. Otherwise you put a bits and pieces type player there who might not have made it on bowling alone, fuck that at test level.

But yeah, runs ( or lack of ) from number 8 is pretty low down the list of problems which start from 1-6 from this match.

He won’t average 27 in a test match no way he is not a decent enough test bat he is a weakness at 8 .
I think the pitch was the main problem let’s see how we perform in the other test before we bag proven test batsmen.

@Bovidae said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

We've got bigger problems than Smith batting at 8 at the moment. How about the top order batsmen score some runs?

How about we get to bat on a test pitch not that fucking mess which was Lords before we bag proven test players.

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Bovidae said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

We've got bigger problems than Smith batting at 8 at the moment. How about the top order batsmen score some runs?

How about we get to bat on a test pitch not that fucking mess which was Lords before we bag proven test players.

Some of these proven test batsmen haven't scored many runs in recent seasons. There is no time like now to do it.

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

Nathan Smith

Nathan Smith should not be batting at 8 he is nowhere good enough for that position.

Not much of a test career to sample but a first class average of just under 27 indicates that he is.

Not for me he doesn’t first class average of 27 is poor for a test 8

It's more than Mitchell Starc or Pat Cummins.

Number 8 is the spot where you put the specialist bowler who is the best batsman. Plenty of guys in history have averaged in the high teens ( or in many cases lower ) batting there. Otherwise you put a bits and pieces type player there who might not have made it on bowling alone, fuck that at test level.

But yeah, runs ( or lack of ) from number 8 is pretty low down the list of problems which start from 1-6 from this match.

He won’t average 27 in a test match no way he is not a decent enough test bat he is a weakness at 8 .
I think the pitch was the main problem let’s see how we perform in the other test before we bag proven test batsmen.

Yeah but more pedigree than Jamieson or Henry who have both batted 8 in tests. You need bowlers in a team, any batting talent is a bonus.

Seems a weird and harsh nitpick for a guy who bowled better than anyone too.

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

Nathan Smith

Nathan Smith should not be batting at 8 he is nowhere good enough for that position.

Not much of a test career to sample but a first class average of just under 27 indicates that he is.

Not for me he doesn’t first class average of 27 is poor for a test 8

It's more than Mitchell Starc or Pat Cummins.

Number 8 is the spot where you put the specialist bowler who is the best batsman. Plenty of guys in history have averaged in the high teens ( or in many cases lower ) batting there. Otherwise you put a bits and pieces type player there who might not have made it on bowling alone, fuck that at test level.

But yeah, runs ( or lack of ) from number 8 is pretty low down the list of problems which start from 1-6 from this match.

He won’t average 27 in a test match no way he is not a decent enough test bat he is a weakness at 8 .
I think the pitch was the main problem let’s see how we perform in the other test before we bag proven test batsmen.

Yeah but more pedigree than Jamieson or Henry who have both batted 8 in tests. You need bowlers in a team, any batting talent is a bonus.

Seems a weird and harsh nitpick for a guy who bowled better than anyone too.

We are not talking about his bowling ability are we.
8 is important in test cricket I want a better option there.

@KiwiMurph said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

Nathan Smith is one of those guys who looks like he has a useful technique but he has no ability to hang around for long periods so it doesn't matter.

We've got a bunch of guys that fit that description

@canefan said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@KiwiMurph said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

Nathan Smith is one of those guys who looks like he has a useful technique but he has no ability to hang around for long periods so it doesn't matter.

We've world cricket has got a bunch of guys that fit that description

Fixed

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

Nathan Smith

Nathan Smith should not be batting at 8 he is nowhere good enough for that position.

Not much of a test career to sample but a first class average of just under 27 indicates that he is.

Not for me he doesn’t first class average of 27 is poor for a test 8

It's more than Mitchell Starc or Pat Cummins.

Number 8 is the spot where you put the specialist bowler who is the best batsman. Plenty of guys in history have averaged in the high teens ( or in many cases lower ) batting there. Otherwise you put a bits and pieces type player there who might not have made it on bowling alone, fuck that at test level.

But yeah, runs ( or lack of ) from number 8 is pretty low down the list of problems which start from 1-6 from this match.

He won’t average 27 in a test match no way he is not a decent enough test bat he is a weakness at 8 .
I think the pitch was the main problem let’s see how we perform in the other test before we bag proven test batsmen.

Yeah but more pedigree than Jamieson or Henry who have both batted 8 in tests. You need bowlers in a team, any batting talent is a bonus.

Seems a weird and harsh nitpick for a guy who bowled better than anyone too.

We are not talking about his bowling ability are we.
8 is important in test cricket I want a better option there.

Remind me what position Timmy used to bat?

@mariner4life said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@canefan said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@KiwiMurph said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

Nathan Smith is one of those guys who looks like he has a useful technique but he has no ability to hang around for long periods so it doesn't matter.

We've world cricket has got a bunch of guys that fit that description

Fixed

Blame T20

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

Nathan Smith

Nathan Smith should not be batting at 8 he is nowhere good enough for that position.

Not much of a test career to sample but a first class average of just under 27 indicates that he is.

Not for me he doesn’t first class average of 27 is poor for a test 8

It's more than Mitchell Starc or Pat Cummins.

Number 8 is the spot where you put the specialist bowler who is the best batsman. Plenty of guys in history have averaged in the high teens ( or in many cases lower ) batting there. Otherwise you put a bits and pieces type player there who might not have made it on bowling alone, fuck that at test level.

But yeah, runs ( or lack of ) from number 8 is pretty low down the list of problems which start from 1-6 from this match.

He won’t average 27 in a test match no way he is not a decent enough test bat he is a weakness at 8 .
I think the pitch was the main problem let’s see how we perform in the other test before we bag proven test batsmen.

Yeah but more pedigree than Jamieson or Henry who have both batted 8 in tests. You need bowlers in a team, any batting talent is a bonus.

Seems a weird and harsh nitpick for a guy who bowled better than anyone too.

We are not talking about his bowling ability are we.
8 is important in test cricket I want a better option there.

Fair enough. Who then ?

Bear in mind with Henry broken and Jamieson and O'Rourke in constant danger of doing so Smith becomes all the more important in the lineup.

@canefan said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

Nathan Smith

Nathan Smith should not be batting at 8 he is nowhere good enough for that position.

Not much of a test career to sample but a first class average of just under 27 indicates that he is.

Not for me he doesn’t first class average of 27 is poor for a test 8

It's more than Mitchell Starc or Pat Cummins.

Number 8 is the spot where you put the specialist bowler who is the best batsman. Plenty of guys in history have averaged in the high teens ( or in many cases lower ) batting there. Otherwise you put a bits and pieces type player there who might not have made it on bowling alone, fuck that at test level.

But yeah, runs ( or lack of ) from number 8 is pretty low down the list of problems which start from 1-6 from this match.

He won’t average 27 in a test match no way he is not a decent enough test bat he is a weakness at 8 .
I think the pitch was the main problem let’s see how we perform in the other test before we bag proven test batsmen.

Yeah but more pedigree than Jamieson or Henry who have both batted 8 in tests. You need bowlers in a team, any batting talent is a bonus.

Seems a weird and harsh nitpick for a guy who bowled better than anyone too.

We are not talking about his bowling ability are we.
8 is important in test cricket I want a better option there.

Remind me what position Timmy used to bat?

To fucking high

To me, that pitch was a piece of shit, The bowlers get a pass for getting out cheap. I would have liked to have seen more fight from the top and middle order. The poor catching in the field is criminal

Between Smith, Jamieson, and Henry we have three guys who would all ideally be at about number ten in a Test batting order.

Batters on Day one struggled with the line, but after that the variable length added too much into the mix.

Fielding has fallen away over the last few years it feels like, mainly accuracy - but effort too at times.

@Donsteppa said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

Between Smith, Jamieson, and Henry we have three guys who would all ideally be at about number ten in a Test batting order.

Batters on Day one struggled with the line, but after that the variable length added too much into the mix.

Fielding has fallen away over the last few years it feels like, mainly accuracy - but effort too at times.

Na, number nines at least. Again, do we stack the team with part rounders just to lengthen the batting order ? Fuck no.

AI says that the best number 8 batsmen of all time are Wasim Akram, Daniel Vettori and Ravi Ashwin. Averages of 22, 30 and 25 respectively.

We'll see if Smith can match that long term !

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

Nathan Smith

Nathan Smith should not be batting at 8 he is nowhere good enough for that position.

Not much of a test career to sample but a first class average of just under 27 indicates that he is.

Not for me he doesn’t first class average of 27 is poor for a test 8

It's more than Mitchell Starc or Pat Cummins.

Number 8 is the spot where you put the specialist bowler who is the best batsman. Plenty of guys in history have averaged in the high teens ( or in many cases lower ) batting there. Otherwise you put a bits and pieces type player there who might not have made it on bowling alone, fuck that at test level.

But yeah, runs ( or lack of ) from number 8 is pretty low down the list of problems which start from 1-6 from this match.

He won’t average 27 in a test match no way he is not a decent enough test bat he is a weakness at 8 .
I think the pitch was the main problem let’s see how we perform in the other test before we bag proven test batsmen.

Yeah but more pedigree than Jamieson or Henry who have both batted 8 in tests. You need bowlers in a team, any batting talent is a bonus.

Seems a weird and harsh nitpick for a guy who bowled better than anyone too.

We are not talking about his bowling ability are we.
8 is important in test cricket I want a better option there.

Fair enough. Who then ?

Bear in mind with Henry broken and Jamieson and O'Rourke in constant danger of doing so Smith becomes all the more important in the lineup.

Santner we don’t need 4 quicks in most tests

Blundel is too high at 6 he can’t score test runs anymore with a weak 8 the top 7 in compromised

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

Nathan Smith

Nathan Smith should not be batting at 8 he is nowhere good enough for that position.

Not much of a test career to sample but a first class average of just under 27 indicates that he is.

Not for me he doesn’t first class average of 27 is poor for a test 8

It's more than Mitchell Starc or Pat Cummins.

Number 8 is the spot where you put the specialist bowler who is the best batsman. Plenty of guys in history have averaged in the high teens ( or in many cases lower ) batting there. Otherwise you put a bits and pieces type player there who might not have made it on bowling alone, fuck that at test level.

But yeah, runs ( or lack of ) from number 8 is pretty low down the list of problems which start from 1-6 from this match.

He won’t average 27 in a test match no way he is not a decent enough test bat he is a weakness at 8 .
I think the pitch was the main problem let’s see how we perform in the other test before we bag proven test batsmen.

Yeah but more pedigree than Jamieson or Henry who have both batted 8 in tests. You need bowlers in a team, any batting talent is a bonus.

Seems a weird and harsh nitpick for a guy who bowled better than anyone too.

We are not talking about his bowling ability are we.
8 is important in test cricket I want a better option there.

Fair enough. Who then ?

Bear in mind with Henry broken and Jamieson and O'Rourke in constant danger of doing so Smith becomes all the more important in the lineup.

Santner we don’t need 4 quicks in most tests

Blundel is too high at 6 he can’t score test runs anymore with a weak 8 the top 7 in compromised

I forgot about Satnav. If he's fit, why not?

@canefan said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

Nathan Smith

Nathan Smith should not be batting at 8 he is nowhere good enough for that position.

Not much of a test career to sample but a first class average of just under 27 indicates that he is.

Not for me he doesn’t first class average of 27 is poor for a test 8

It's more than Mitchell Starc or Pat Cummins.

Number 8 is the spot where you put the specialist bowler who is the best batsman. Plenty of guys in history have averaged in the high teens ( or in many cases lower ) batting there. Otherwise you put a bits and pieces type player there who might not have made it on bowling alone, fuck that at test level.

But yeah, runs ( or lack of ) from number 8 is pretty low down the list of problems which start from 1-6 from this match.

He won’t average 27 in a test match no way he is not a decent enough test bat he is a weakness at 8 .
I think the pitch was the main problem let’s see how we perform in the other test before we bag proven test batsmen.

Yeah but more pedigree than Jamieson or Henry who have both batted 8 in tests. You need bowlers in a team, any batting talent is a bonus.

Seems a weird and harsh nitpick for a guy who bowled better than anyone too.

We are not talking about his bowling ability are we.
8 is important in test cricket I want a better option there.

Fair enough. Who then ?

Bear in mind with Henry broken and Jamieson and O'Rourke in constant danger of doing so Smith becomes all the more important in the lineup.

Santner we don’t need 4 quicks in most tests

Blundel is too high at 6 he can’t score test runs anymore with a weak 8 the top 7 in compromised

I forgot about Satnav. If he's fit, why not?

Whilst his efforts in Pune will live long in the memory as one of the greatest individual performances ever I don't think he'll reach anywhere near those heights again.

Batting average of 25.83 is too low apparently anyway

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@canefan said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

Nathan Smith

Nathan Smith should not be batting at 8 he is nowhere good enough for that position.

Not much of a test career to sample but a first class average of just under 27 indicates that he is.

Not for me he doesn’t first class average of 27 is poor for a test 8

It's more than Mitchell Starc or Pat Cummins.

Number 8 is the spot where you put the specialist bowler who is the best batsman. Plenty of guys in history have averaged in the high teens ( or in many cases lower ) batting there. Otherwise you put a bits and pieces type player there who might not have made it on bowling alone, fuck that at test level.

But yeah, runs ( or lack of ) from number 8 is pretty low down the list of problems which start from 1-6 from this match.

He won’t average 27 in a test match no way he is not a decent enough test bat he is a weakness at 8 .
I think the pitch was the main problem let’s see how we perform in the other test before we bag proven test batsmen.

Yeah but more pedigree than Jamieson or Henry who have both batted 8 in tests. You need bowlers in a team, any batting talent is a bonus.

Seems a weird and harsh nitpick for a guy who bowled better than anyone too.

We are not talking about his bowling ability are we.
8 is important in test cricket I want a better option there.

Fair enough. Who then ?

Bear in mind with Henry broken and Jamieson and O'Rourke in constant danger of doing so Smith becomes all the more important in the lineup.

Santner we don’t need 4 quicks in most tests

Blundel is too high at 6 he can’t score test runs anymore with a weak 8 the top 7 in compromised

I forgot about Satnav. If he's fit, why not?

Whilst his efforts in Pune will live long in the memory as one of the greatest individual performances ever I don't think he'll reach anywhere near those heights again.

Batting average of 25.83 is too low apparently anyway

A bit like home, the wicket didn't suit spin. I guess the failure of the top and middle order, along with our poor fielding, makes us look even worse

@canefan said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@canefan said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

Nathan Smith

Nathan Smith should not be batting at 8 he is nowhere good enough for that position.

Not much of a test career to sample but a first class average of just under 27 indicates that he is.

Not for me he doesn’t first class average of 27 is poor for a test 8

It's more than Mitchell Starc or Pat Cummins.

Number 8 is the spot where you put the specialist bowler who is the best batsman. Plenty of guys in history have averaged in the high teens ( or in many cases lower ) batting there. Otherwise you put a bits and pieces type player there who might not have made it on bowling alone, fuck that at test level.

But yeah, runs ( or lack of ) from number 8 is pretty low down the list of problems which start from 1-6 from this match.

He won’t average 27 in a test match no way he is not a decent enough test bat he is a weakness at 8 .
I think the pitch was the main problem let’s see how we perform in the other test before we bag proven test batsmen.

Yeah but more pedigree than Jamieson or Henry who have both batted 8 in tests. You need bowlers in a team, any batting talent is a bonus.

Seems a weird and harsh nitpick for a guy who bowled better than anyone too.

We are not talking about his bowling ability are we.
8 is important in test cricket I want a better option there.

Fair enough. Who then ?

Bear in mind with Henry broken and Jamieson and O'Rourke in constant danger of doing so Smith becomes all the more important in the lineup.

Santner we don’t need 4 quicks in most tests

Blundel is too high at 6 he can’t score test runs anymore with a weak 8 the top 7 in compromised

I forgot about Satnav. If he's fit, why not?

Whilst his efforts in Pune will live long in the memory as one of the greatest individual performances ever I don't think he'll reach anywhere near those heights again.

Batting average of 25.83 is too low apparently anyway

A bit like home, the wicket didn't suit spin. I guess the failure of the top and middle order, along with our poor fielding, makes us look even worse

Santner plays if Phillips doesn't.

Bracewell plays if neither of those two does.

like it or not Blundell plays the next two tests and probably bats six.

....and yeah sounds like the fielding was dogshit.

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@canefan said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@canefan said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@Chris said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

Nathan Smith

Nathan Smith should not be batting at 8 he is nowhere good enough for that position.

Not much of a test career to sample but a first class average of just under 27 indicates that he is.

Not for me he doesn’t first class average of 27 is poor for a test 8

It's more than Mitchell Starc or Pat Cummins.

Number 8 is the spot where you put the specialist bowler who is the best batsman. Plenty of guys in history have averaged in the high teens ( or in many cases lower ) batting there. Otherwise you put a bits and pieces type player there who might not have made it on bowling alone, fuck that at test level.

But yeah, runs ( or lack of ) from number 8 is pretty low down the list of problems which start from 1-6 from this match.

He won’t average 27 in a test match no way he is not a decent enough test bat he is a weakness at 8 .
I think the pitch was the main problem let’s see how we perform in the other test before we bag proven test batsmen.

Yeah but more pedigree than Jamieson or Henry who have both batted 8 in tests. You need bowlers in a team, any batting talent is a bonus.

Seems a weird and harsh nitpick for a guy who bowled better than anyone too.

We are not talking about his bowling ability are we.
8 is important in test cricket I want a better option there.

Fair enough. Who then ?

Bear in mind with Henry broken and Jamieson and O'Rourke in constant danger of doing so Smith becomes all the more important in the lineup.

Santner we don’t need 4 quicks in most tests

Blundel is too high at 6 he can’t score test runs anymore with a weak 8 the top 7 in compromised

I forgot about Satnav. If he's fit, why not?

Whilst his efforts in Pune will live long in the memory as one of the greatest individual performances ever I don't think he'll reach anywhere near those heights again.

Batting average of 25.83 is too low apparently anyway

A bit like home, the wicket didn't suit spin. I guess the failure of the top and middle order, along with our poor fielding, makes us look even worse

Santner plays if Phillips doesn't.

Bracewell plays if neither of those two does.

like it or not Blundell plays the next two tests and probably bats six.

....and yeah sounds like the fielding was dogshit.

No you can play Phillips and Santner Phillips holds his spot at 7 should be 6 as a bat and fielder..
Phillips bowling is a bonus on the 4 th and 5th day if it turns.