Going for easy pickings this morning. (Waiting for a conf call later today to confirm IF I can finally start paying some Income Tax @tokyo-saint )
Pakistan up first. Clearly the sides we picked for the winter that got smashed will give them (and then India) a close game this summer at home, but with a New Chief Selector will he go for a complete rebuild when he announces the team?
Me?
Cook, Gubbins, Root, Malan, Bairstow, Vince, Stokes, Woakes, Broad, Leach, Anderson
Vince FINALLY showed the grit that Egland needed in the winter. On that alone it would be stupid to not give him one more chance to show he has learned his lessons.
Gubbins/Stoneman is such a close call, Woakes/Wood - more for the reliability of Woakes in early English conditions and a few extra runs.
Bairstow as a batsman higher up needs at least one try, IF it proves too much for him (it didn’t for Alex Stewart) then swap Foakes for Malan and bring Bairstow/Vince/Stokes one place up the order.
Equally Root will not want to bat at 3 and I think that is not a good place for Vince yet.
So again, drop Malan, drop Cook to #3 and keep Stoneman.
In other words I have no farking clue
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A bit like the selectors then @dubai_phil 
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Yep wrong already. Leach has broken a finger so is out of the test.
Crane also injured Dawson not tweaking it enough and Moeen having disappeared into the darkside who the heck will they pick as spinner?
Phil’s maiden tax return just about to step up to the crease after prolonged sledging.
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Insh’allah
Actually, before my reboot and second marriage I did have to do one every year even while down here. Then the ex wife took it all so left her the bloody problem.
Meanwhile.
Which position do those 2 payers bat? Maiden and T.A Xreturn?
How is their early season form? Flat track bullies or nurdlers on soggy puddings?
Yeah, summer test, India at the Rose Bowl eh @so5-4bw ?
His first delivery will surely be the wrong-un, or maybe the slider…
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w rzeczywistości będzie w języku polskim
I take it will be at the higher Polish tax rate of 32%.
If it gets me outta this place…
And 32% of salary? Will be well in pocket just in savings on beer purchases 
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Vince dropped. Stoneman stays hmm
Bess is the spinner.
Butler back as a batsman is actually a good idea
Mohammad Abbas to Stoneman, OUT , bowled him! That is an absolute beauty and due reward for Abbas’s diligence this morning. Full, threatening, late swinging, blasting the timbers with the batsman caught on the crease. Another failure for Stoneman, so here comes the skipper!
MD Stoneman b Mohammad Abbas 4 (12b 1x4 0x6) SR: 33.33
Fuck sake, if the Pakistan player had been accurate with his throw then Root would have been out without troubling the scorers. All blame on Cook calling for the run that shouldn’t have been on.
In this summer’s easiest bet of the year competition, Stoneman doesn’t even last 10 overs…
And now Root gone for 4.
Bimey, Granty’s tweet was scarily close to being prophetic
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Hasan Ali to Malan, OUT , gottim, Malan nicks behind! Hasan has another, he’s bounding around Lord’s like Tigger in the Hundred Acre Wood… Finds his line to the lefty, lovely angle across and the ball just leaves Malan enough up the slope as he tries to drop his bat in defence. Thin edge, but Malan knew it, and immediately turns for the hutch
DJ Malan c †Sarfraz Ahmed b Hasan Ali 6 (3b 1x4 0x6) SR: 200.00
1st Test, Pakistan tour of Ireland, England and Scotland at London, May 24-28 2018
Day 1 - Session 1: England won the toss and elected to bat
All over by this time tomorrow then.
