Play at Edgbaston begins at 2.15pm BST / 11.15pm AESTAshes bluffers’ guide | The Spin: our cricket newsletterGet in touch: email Taha or tweet @tahahashim
Foakes for Brook? To be honest, I hadn’t considered that. But Richard O’Hagan makes an intersting point that has got me thinking:
“I know that this will be controversial, but I think you have to choose between Bairstow and Brook. Brook came into the side as the replacement for the injured Bairstow and from a batting perspective they are probably on a par with one another, save that YJB is vastly more experienced. But at the same time the runs that England have conceded as a result of Bairstow’s rustiness with the gloves could well be the difference between winning and losing this Test, as they pretty much negate his contribution with the bat. For my money Foakes has to play and one of those two has to stand down if England are to have any chance of winning this series.”
