Prior's engagement alters the balance

Balance is much talked about when it comes to selecting cricket teams, I’m usually an advocate of a simple process of picking your best six batsmen, wicketkeeper and four bowlers and asking them to do the jobs they’re paid for. But with Matt Prior returning home, to keep nappies and bottles rather than wickets, and Flintoff succumbing inevitably to injury the selectors are left with some serious thinking to find the right combination to win the fourth test.

When Flintoff was ruled out the obvious solution was to move Prior up the order to number six and bring an the extra bowler, but now with Prior unavailable (why the modern trend dictates that highly rewarded, massively privileged and responsible sportsmen always return home in these situations beats me) it’s just not a viable option to bat Ambrose at six in a test match which means bringing in an additional batsman and relying on four bowlers to take the twenty West Indian wickets needed to win the game.

While neither Freddie or Prior could command a place in the test line up on their batting alone, they are both close to the genuine article as all-rounders, which gave the line up that all important balance. Without both of them the onus is going to have to lie with the bowlers to pick up the slack.

It does leave a couple of questions though:

Which four bowlers are best equipped to take on the challenge?
Assuming fitness for all Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann have inked their names in after the performances in the last test, on top of that I’d go with Anderson, and have Sidebottom in to replace Harmison due to his left arm variety, heart, and ability to get through more overs at a tighter run rate.

Who bats at number six?
I think the ever-cautious selectors will go for Bell (who at least has a much better record down the order than at three), but I’d have Bopara in like a shot and give him the chance to go out there and prove himself. I can’t for the life of me see how Ian Bell can have changed as a batsman, or a person in the week since he wasn’t considered good enough for the Antigua test.

The only other solution I can see is more aggressive and risky, so wouldn’t even be considered by those in charge, but how about asking Stuart Broad to bat at six and deliver on the promise he’s already shown with the bat. In his short career to date he’s displayed the character to rise to a challenge, and it just might be the making of him. That would allow England to pick five bowlers and go all out for the win. Worth a punt?