Will Compton play in the Ashes

the england set up is naturally conservative as shown by some of baffling decisions in this match. it's not in their nature to leave a batsman out after a few low scores and they'd be very reluctant to change the opening partnership for such a crucial series

stating the obvious but opening the batting is the toughest place to bat in test cricket. you always face the best bowlers with new ball often on a fresh pitch. you never get to come in at 300/3 against possibly tired second string bowlers against the old ball. root's got out to the 2nd new ball a couple of times in this series. as for bairstow he's looked promising but compton's 2 hundreds is 2 more than he's got.

why pick someone out of form?

Compton, like Root, has yet to face any decent bowlers in International Test Cricket, but unfortunatly I just can't see Compton getting runs, however I can see Root scoring lots of runs.
Now having seen some of the 40 overs games on the County circuit, shown on sky sports this season, there seems to be a total lack of good bowling and the dross that Derbyshire chucked up this evening, was more fit for Village green cricketers.

Agree with your point re bowling on the county circuit cri**** - what has been shown on sky this season has been woeful.

Compton suffering under a weight of expectation I think.

Root looks a cert, so if KP is fit it looks to be one from Compton or Bairstow.

The other possibility is Trott moving up to open with Cook, but having your two most reliable players at the top not normally the best plan and could expose the middle order.

As mafeking says conservative selection especially amongst batsmen has been a hallmark of England's success, so they'd be very reluctant to tinker with the opening partnership at this stage imo.

"Compton, like Root, has yet to face any decent bowlers in International Test Cricket"

that's unlikely to have changed by the end of the summer.

the kiwi attack is respectable enough in Southee and Boult imho, not Steyn and Philander, but you'd be hard pressed to convince me that it's in a different league to Bird, Harris, Siddle and Starc.

I can't help feeling Flower's announcement is unfair. He's had a sketchy couple of tests at home, but can we really all forget that he's scored two tons in his last four test matches?

yes, he needs some time in the middle, but so too does KP.....

Firstly I believe its important to select the best 6 batsman available, and then decide on the batting order, rather than say pick your best 2 openers, best number 3 etc. Anybody in any position can face the new or the old ball and a good batsman can bat well anywhere.

Obviously KP comes back when fit so someone has to drop out. Root has just had a great series so he is a cert, therefore its between Compton and Bairstow.  Rather than harp on about the fact Compton got 2 centuries in NZ its better to look at their overall contributions.  Too much emphasis is placed on scoring a century as if that magica1 100th run is much more important that the others.  Would you rather have someone get 2 x 99's or 100 and 0?

Comparing Compton and Bairstow the first averages 32 and the second 31 after 9 and 8 tests. Neither are very good averages in a strong batting line up but players usually improve with experience (and age if they are young) As Bairstow is 23 and Compton 29 you would expect him to improve more usually and be a better investment for the future.  Also you have to take current form into account and Bairstow averaged 45 in that series compared to Compton just under 10. So for me it has to be Bairstow and not Compton unless Compton gets a ton or runs in the next month

yes imo

Bairstow will make way for KP.

not saying it is the right decision but England like consistency

d13phe

Bairstow will make way for KP.

not saying it is the right decision but England like consistency


Wouldnt consistancy mean leaving Baitstow in and KP out?

nope

i mean consistency in the team setup

i.e. compton and cook

Trott
KP
Bell
Root

England stand by their players once they have made a call. Bairstow was filling in for KP. Did ok but will not get picked ahead of KP.

Wouldn't totally rule out Carberry opening if he has form between now and then.

only if he gets runs for Somerset, esp v the Aussies

only if he gets runs for Somerset, esp v the Aussies

So does anyone know why he is not playing for Somerset in the current match? He is not in the ODI squad

I've been a Carberry fan for a long time but his face doesn't fit for some reason.

Trott could open with Bell 3, KP 4, Root 5 and Jonny 6.

I've never known an opener be picked for England and then bat at 5. If they truly backed Root in the first place why not open with him? Root may well go from 5 to 2 but I'd be surprised...

still got 3 championship matches and the game against the aussies before the first test. plenty of knocks

gut feeling is they still want to pick him if he shows some form but tbh it's hardly a major issue. whether they choose compton or bairstow you're talking about the weakest member of the side. sure the aussies would like to have such a minor issue

injera, at the start of the latest series Comptons place was not in doubt so Root couldnt open as there was no vacancy. Now there is a vacancy imo

Feels like Flower has backed himself into a corner. Having said Compton needs to go and find form, it's hard to not pick him if he does, and hard to pick him if he doesn't. Given Bairstow probably won't get too many games over the next few weeks, it looks like it's up to Compton. Personally I go with Root at No.2 and Bairstow at No.6, but doubt it will make a difference to the Ashes either way.