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Just because someone’s due, it doesn’t mean anything’s actually going to happen any time soon. Trust us on this.
Referring to Jason Roy, Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur alluded to the concept of dueness, saying: “We had a discussion in the bus this morning. I was particularly worried that Roy hadn’t fired yet because I think he’s very close to something quite good.”
Arthur went on to question Jonny Bairstow’s credentials as an opener, so it seems fair to assume that the opposition are in favour of England naming an unchanged side. Such is the nature of pre-match bullshittery.
Eoin Morgan deployed all of the ifs in his armoury when floating the possibility that England might make the change. They all paled in significance beside the fact that he was entertaining the prospect at all though.
If someone’s a marginal selection, standard practice is to talk them up and bolster them. Failure to do so rather implies that the decision has been made.
Assuming Bairstow plays, what happens to the great stockpile of runs that Roy has been painstakingly hoarding now?
I have the runs today – I think they must be Roy’s but they’ve got to be released somehow, haven’t they?
Mild not wild, we hope.
At present, yes. Thanks for your concern. Better than getting caught out backing up, I guess.
England’s batting seems to have picked up the runs from you Mike.
Indeed, as strong and stable at batting performance as my stomach at present. A real banana skin for England.
Even such a modest target as 212 might yet prove to be well within the scope of a classic ‘Pakistanning’ though…
Pakistan are several steps ahead of us all Mike – they are currently Pakistanning by being unpredictably consistent in the first 15 overs.
He could donate them to charity. Ashley O40s are in need of a few right now – 72 all out against Davenham the other week, a total that the Daves knocked off with ten wickets in hand.
Yes, the cricket equivalent of a food bank. Bring along your unused runs for those less fortunate than you to take from. No Australians.