Posted by Ravi Bopara’s found another way of missing out on a Test match. We don’t know what it is, but it’s led to England selecting James Taylor in his place. We really don’t understand this.
Taylor plays the kind of innings where everyone coos about his ‘class’ and says how it won’t be long before he plays for England, yet somehow they don’t notice that he’s again been dismissed for 23. He scored one hundred in the second division of the County Championship last year and has scored one hundred and one fifty so far this year.
To be fair, he has scored quite a lot of runs for England Lions. That seems to be the meaningful arena these days, which makes you wonder whether there’s really much point to the County Championship. Taylor also scored a run when he played a one-day international and apparently it was an absolute cracker.
Good luck to him, anyway. We want England to find a good number six. We’re just worried that he’s a shiny new thing which on closer inspection doesn’t actually do a right lot.
Extraordinary decision. Is Bopara injured? The selectors are clearly still employing the strategy that worked with Vaughan, Tresco and Strauss. Not many runs in county cricket but “class is class”. All the best to Taylor. He’s very short – maybe there’s some comedy material in that?
He is small, isn’t he – something of a sweet baby James. I feel he’ll do well in blistering heat of the sub-continent and during an English summer, having seen both fire and rain. Test cricket requires concentration, so let’s hope he keeps his mind on batting and not on Carolina.
He’ll need a friend in the team, though.
I see what you did there, nicely done.
Nothing like a good contemporary pop culture reference, Bert
Look, the world was confusing enough with two James Taylors to have to distinguish. Now there’s three, I just don’t know what I’m going to do. Stay indoors, probably.
One of my best friends at primary school was called James Taylor. He used to call himself “Jay Tay”. Deal with that.
No.
A quartet of James Taylors! Will this madness never end?
How’s he going to get his Hammond on the pitch?
Guess I’ll only be rooting for ten England players this time, then (well, 9 really, ‘cos I still don’t like Stuart Broad either).
Still haven’t forgiven the tiny little Judas.
If England win I’m prepared for Taylor to have a good game, although I’d prefer it if he didn’t.
Bopara unavailable due to “personal issues”
Anyone got any more info?
There was this thing about him being rather..well maybe not, but then again, nothing can be discounted, youknowwhatiamsaying. So there, you have it.
What? You mean you don’t know?
I thought everyone knew?
Of course we do. I was just pulling Sam’s leg because he clearly doesn’t know.
Can’t believe Sam doesn’t know.
How can you not know? How have you avoided this information.
I feel ashamed, embarrassed, chastened and hungry. You all obviously have far better sources than me.