England v Pakistan, 3rd Test , The Oval, Aug 18-22, 2010

No change for England methinks.

Cooks last chance for the moment? Agree, there will be no changes given the interviews given after the last test.

England have been outstanding so there is no need for a change.For Pakistan Yousuf and Wahab Riaz will come in for Amin and Gul.

Cook's case shows why its SO advantageous to play on a winning side because now his poor form is being ignored.

I am not a big fan of Cook and i really hope that for the 4th test England replace him with some one like Ian Bell or Ravi Bopara.

Cook will probably be safe for the fourth test as well. He'd better get some runs as he averages 26 against the Aussies. Mind you, they probably need something that crap to have a sniff.

PlanetPakistan wrote:Cook's case shows why its SO advantageous to play on a winning side because now his poor form is being ignored.

I am not a big fan of Cook and i really hope that for the 4th test England replace him with some one like Ian Bell or Ravi Bopara.

Crikey ...you REALLY dont like Cook

Cook's been 'out of form' for 3 years. I think we need to accept that he'll always have a few technical issues.

Having said that, he really does appear to be out of nick. He is now worrying too much about technique and he's forgotten that cricket is a simple see the ball, hit the ball game. Carberry is breathing down his neck. There's also the option of Bell playing as an opener when he's fit again.

Cook will play in the next two tests - Strausser has already alluded to this.
It's a done deal by all accounts.

The problem is : what happens if he fails in the last 4 test innings this summer?
He shouldn't - Oval and Lord's = "help yourself son" - but what if he does!

England go to Oz without him and re-elect another vice captain?

Bum scratching time ....

It's OK , Merls ....Michael Vaughan has made himself available for the Ashes

Bell is experienced enough to step in as an opener in Aus if Cook's slide continues. Cook is averaging 50 this year and is now a senior player. I guess he deserves to be given 2 more tests.

And make Colly vice captain FFS. He's not a great captain, but I think he'd be a useful deputy.

embee wrote:It's OK , Merls ....Michael Vaughan has made himself available for the Ashes

Actually I've softened (only slightly) towards him after hearing him on TMS.
He's got a decent (dry) sense of humour (for a Lancastrian Tyke) - and to hear him and Tuffers having a go at each other, when allowed to, is bloody hilarious.
Describing Kamrans dolly drop off Colly - "This keeper fella's a numpity ... is he for real?"
Carry on MPV.

Henry wrote:Bell is experienced enough to step in as an opener in Aus if Cook's slide continues. Cook is averaging 50 this year and is now a senior player. I guess he deserves to be given 2 more tests.

And make Colly vice captain FFS. He's not a great captain, but I think he'd be a useful deputy.

The talk is of opening with Trott with Bell at 3.

We're f**ked if that's the case.

I think Trott is showing some very good attributes as a number three.........so yeah, I can see why England are thinking of moving him.

Bell opened against Pakistan in late 2005 when Tres first started having his problems and did an ok job.

Call me sceptical, but Bell batting at 3 fills me with a hollow sense of foreboding.
He'll be worked out in a matter of minutes by the Aussie quicks, but will, in accordance with the England managements past record, own that 3 berth until such time as he finally makes a half decent score - by which time, of course, we will have lost the Ashes.

Bell is "better" when protected down at 6 - he cannot be trusted anywhere higher than that - which means, of course, he dislodges a much sounder (left hander) and composed batsman in Morgan.

I hate Bell - he's a f**king enigma ... a boil you can't lance ... an itch you can't scratch ... pretty to watch when the pressures off - totally undependable when under the cosh.

Let's hope his mettatarsal takes 12 months to heal.

Meh, he's made some tough runs in the last 6 months.

They don't come any tougher than those ground out Down Under.

Actually, I think making runs wont be a problem for us on the flat Aussie pitches against their average attack. Taking 20 wickets will be the challenge.

Unlike some on here, I suspect that England are capable of taking 20 wickets.
And a lot of those wickets will have Swann's name on them.

I agree with Merls ..... I can see Swann doing well down there.

As he also said on another thread - don't write off Anderson yet either. Don't be fooled by his record last time .... most people seem to have forgotten that he played one Test in February, a couple of CC games for Lancs and a handful of one-dayers that year having missed most of the season with a stress fracture.

OK so he won't get the swing he does here, but while he may not be as effective he won't be the "cannon fodder" so many seem to imagine. Broad can do well too - he'll get some yap from the crowd, and I'm sure the likes of Watson will be in his lug-'ole, He just needs to channel the needle into serious hostile bowling and not get involved in any bollox.

PS I hope someone warns him not to sling the ball at Ponting, or he'll end up with the bat up his clacker wide end first .....

So when's Monster gonna get the @rse. Or is he the new Ollie North? Allowed to make a long string of low scores punctuated by a ton?

Monster = who d'ya mean ??

Monsta = Monty the Panesar = history now.

I wouldn't pick him but i've a funny feeling Monty is going to get the 2nd spinners gig to Aus. Rashids face disnae fit, and the only alternative is James Mediocrewell.

Monty will probably go. Harsh on Rashid.

Don't see why you'd promote Bell to open just because Cook is struggling. Don't like all this talk of Trott to open that I've heard. As Henry said, why move him up when he is doing well at 3?

Carberry has had a brilliant FC season but doesn't seem to be getting a look in at the moment. If you're going to drop Cook surely it has to be for him?

Carbs will probably break his hand again to save any possible decision anyway.

Clamson wrote: Don't like all this talk of Trott to open that I've heard. As Henry said, why move him up when he is doing well at 3?

Carberry has had a brilliant FC season but doesn't seem to be getting a look in at the moment. If you're going to drop Cook surely it has to be for him?

Me neither, number 3 had been a problem position which is currently seeing Trott do well at. Added to the fact Bell is best at 6.