Enough is surely enough with this England batting line up the problem is the lack of options that are good enough every recent to top order pick has looked out of his depth so I’m thinking outside of the box a bit, assuming Bairstow can play can play which is doubtful I would go;

Bairstow
Woakes
Cook
Root
Stokes
Moeen
Buttler
Curran
Rashid
Broad
Anderson

Not the most balanced team I know but at least it’s eleven that has shown itself to be good enough to play International Cricket, this bizarre inconsistency has gone on too long. If Bairstow is injured Ian Bell would be in my thoughts as I refuse to believe he’d score less runs than some of the recent picks. Who looks at Jennings and thinks he’ll score runs in Test Cricket?

Just get the feeling that the selectors have little option at this level.
I would go with your selection plus Sir Geoffrey!

Jennings is a cert to be dropped, Cook will probably getthe nod although he's hardly in better form... Problem is where are the others putting their hands up to come in especially at the top of the order - a lot of them have already been tried, or (like Hameed) are so far out of form that they are simply unpickable at the moment. To be honest, assuming Bairstow won't play, I'd look at the following....

Cook
Burns
Root
Buttler
Pope
Stokes
Foakes (Wk)
Ali
Woakes
Broad
Anderson

Longer term, I'd be looking for another captain to be honest - Root's really struggling for form, and I think he'd be better without the burden of Captaincy. He wouldn't be the first to play better having lost the Captaincy.... Problem is, who? It's usually a Batsman, but who out of anyone is an automatic pick in the middle order?

I would certainly agree Jennings doesn't and never has looked like he can cut the mustard at Test level. I think it's worth giving Pope a run, terrible dismissal today but he looks to have something.

On the point above about Root I didn't want him to get the captaincy in the 1st place for that very reason and it appears to be slowly wearing his performance down (as well as batting at 3 and coming in very early every single game). He averages 44 in 2018 Tests vs his overall career average which was above 50 - not sure exactly what it is now with current scores. Give Jimmy it for a couple a years before he retires, he's the only other person I reckon a certain pick in the team at moment and he's obviously very experienced.

Had to edit my message, I would bring Curran back in, thought it was very harsh to drop him in 1st place and he offers variation. Foakes could be a good call, I had the pleasure of having a chat to Chris Read last year (the best English wicketkeeper I have seen by some distance - slightly too young to have seen Knott - and maybe harsh on Russell) and he rates Foakes highly. If Foakes is a long term prospect to take the gloves get him in. Bairstow has improved his keeping but I think he has more potential to score runs as a batter and I don't remember the exact numbers but his average when we bat 1st or he is not keeping is about 10 runs better.

I wouldn’t have made Root captain in the first place for that very reason but who are the other options right now? Anderson or Broad? Buttler??

People are saying drop Cook but they can’t even find anyone good enough to open with him!!

Sorry PJ, your 11 looks like a one day side apart from Broad and Anderson. Admittedly the current top order is poor, but the search for an opener who can stick around for 100 balls an innings and see off the new ball must go on.

Actually make that two openers - as I said in the winter, Cook must know his best days as a Test batsman are well behind him and will retire soon. Averaging 16 this series, which is less than Keaton Jennings!

No need to apologise I said it’s outside the box buts nothing like an ODI team. Apart from Rashid and Buttler who are already in the Test Eleven none of them are white ball specialists.

Technically in defence Woakes is as good as anyone in the England team, Bairstow has opened plenty of times in his career. Everyone knows Cooks best days are behind him but I don’t think he’s finished either he’s not that old for a start, as strange as it sounds he doesn’t look that out of knick right now in the periods in his career when he has been he’s looked awful at the moment he doesn’t look that out of sorts. If we had people good enough queuing up for his place then it would maybe time to move on but England are some way from having that luxury. Maybe dropping one place down the order could help him and get Root to his preffered four.

The only change needed is Jennings to go. No need to make major changes just because we're about to lose this test. We're still 2-1up.

I gather we might be without Cook next test anyway as his wife is due to give birth.

Too reliant on the middle order. I'd like to see a brand new opening partnership but god knows where from. Jennings and Cook probably won't play in the next match so here's an opportunity for somebody (x2) to stake their claims...

I,d put Featherstone in to open!

Former Pools Players who were useful cricketers

Graham Normanton
Mike Smithies
Peter Creamer

They all played for Seaton Carew

Sure Graeme Hedley played for Blackhall as well.

I seem to remember that Clive Bircham (early 60's) was a keen cricketer who played in the Durham Senior League. He continued playing cricket after moving to Boston United.

He did indeed, and Seaton for a bit.