11-27-2019, 03:30 AM
Sir Ian Botham believes England should consider recalling leg-spinner Adil Rashid for the third Test against Pakistan as a replacement for the injured Ben Stokes. Ray Black Jersey . Stokes has been ruled out of the game in Birmingham, which begins on Wednesday, and is also unlikely to play in the final Test with a torn calf muscle sustained in Englands series-levelling 330-run victory at Old Trafford.Englands selectors, who have named Rashid alongside seamers Steven Finn and Jake Ball in a 13-man squad for the third Test, have steered clear from playing two spinners in recent home Tests - the last instance came in 2013 when Graeme Swann and Simon Kerrigan featured against Australia at The Oval. However, with the Edgbaston wicket suited to spin, former Test captain Botham believes the Yorkshire bowler should get his chance as England look to take a stranglehold on the series. Rashid celebrates taking a wicket during the ODI series with Sri Lanka Id really like to see Rashid play, said Botham. Edgbaston is a turning wicket and having another spinner in the side will give England more options.The selectors traditionally dont like playing two spinners but I know this is something they are seriously talking about for this Test. BEEFYS BETS Sir Ian Botham expects Joe Root to star again at Edgbaston and has tipped him at 5/1 to be top bat. Rashid is yet to figure in a Test on home soil but has proved a valuable part of Englands limited-overs squad with both bat and ball.The Yorkshireman would provide extra strength to the batting, particularly in Stokes absence, but Botham feels Rashid should be picked for his bowling and is his tip to claim most England first-innings wickets with Sky Bet at 5/1.I wouldnt select him just because he can bat, Botham added.Hes an improving bowler who will only get better by playing and bowling in Test matches. England should have enough strength in their batting with the likes of Chris Woakes batting at nine. Chris Woakes boosts Englands lower-order batting England head into Wednesdays match, live on Sky Sports 2, as Sky Bets strong 4/6 favourites after their defeat of Pakistan at Old Trafford.Their recent record at the ground is impressive, winning seven and drawing three of the last 13 Tests since 2000, while Pakistan have never won at Edgbaston and suffered a crushing nine-wicket defeat on their last visit in 2010.England recorded a similar nine-wicket win over Australia at the ground last season, with last weeks hero Joe Root hitting 63, and Botham expects the Yorkshire run-machine to heap further agony to Pakistans bowlers next week. Englands Joe Root says removing risk from his game by batting at No 3 has helped his performances after receiving the man of the match award again Root landed the man-of-the-match award for his 254 at Manchester and has now scored 382 runs in the series.Botham added: Root is Englands best player and well see plenty more big scores from him in his career.Last week, the Sky Bet tipster enjoyed a clean sweep with all three selections - Joe Root (7/2) top England bat, Chris Woakes top England bowler (5/2) and the England win returning at a combined price of 16/1.BEEFYS THIRD TEST BETSEngland win - 4/6Top England bat 1st inns: Joe Root - 5/2Top England bowler 1st inns: Adil Rashid - 5/1 (Chris Woakes 5/2 if Rashid doesnt start)Joe Root top England bat and Adil Rashid top England bowler (1st inns) - 14/1Joe Root top England bat and Adil Rashid top England bowler and England win - 20/1 Also See: Fixtures/results Live cricket on Sky Get Sky Sports Cricket videos Adrian Houser Jersey . On Sunday, head coach Patrick Roy said the teams leading scorer will skate at Mondays morning practice and the club will make a decision on his status for Game 6 at that point. Fake Brewers Jerseys . Price was hurt at the start of Wednesdays practice after facing just one shot as the team worked on their power play. He left the ice in discomfort and appeared to be favouring his leg. A Habs source told TSNs John Lu that Price suffered the injury in Sochi and not before the Olympics. https://www.cheapbrewers.com/ . "We were left with the overall impression that the team wasnt trending toward being able to compete for a Stanley Cup," Capitals owner Ted Leonsis said in a news conference at the clubs arena. "And that was just a clear signal and why it was time to make those changes.Quick bowler Stuart Broad wants England to be feared by opposition teams and believes they need to be more ruthless, starting with the third Investec Test against Sri Lanka at Lords. England have already won the three-match series, courtesy of victories at Headingley and Chester-le-Street, but Broad insists the side will be going all out to record their first Test series whitewash since 2011.That comfort zone is a very dangerous place to be in sport, he told Sky Sports News HQ. We know that we won the Ashes and lost the last Test match and won in South Africa then lost the last Test match. Broad believes England need to be more ruthless Weve not been very good at stamping our authority on series and being ruthless. Were very aware that if we want to be the best team in the world then weve got to step up and raise our game even if the series is won or lost.We want to be a ruthless team, we want to be the team that people fear playing. I think you need a bit of that to be the best team in the world.While reaching the Test No 1 ranking may be the goal for Alastair Cooks men, Broad insists that the team are well aware they have improvements to make. I dont think weve clean swept a series since 2011, when we beat India 4-0, so thats quite a long time as a team and shows that weve got a lot of areas to improve on, he added.Weve played really well up at Headingley and Durham but there is still a lot of potential in this team that has been left out there slightly. There are areas we can certainly improve on and theres no better place to starting improving than at Lords this week.Being at Lords is a bonus, were so well supported there and its always a huge buzz to be there so that should certainly switch our minds on to put in a strong performance again. Jay Jackson Jersey. One man who has started the summer in fine form is James Anderson, who passed 450 Test wickets in the second Test and has since replaced Broad as the worlds No 1 ranked Test bowler. James Anderson has taken 18 wickets in the two Tests with Sri Lanka He beat me at golf this morning as well so Ive had a tough week! said Broad. Its fantastic for the team that weve got two bowlers in the top three.I know when Trevor Bayliss took over he said he wanted more of our players to be up in the rankings because it means well be doing better as a team.Its great to see one of my great mates and bowling partners get to No 1 following Beefy (Sir Ian Botham) and Harmy (Steve Harmison) so hes delighted. Im sure hes not said that, hes not really smiled yet! But I know he is delighted to have reached that and its a great battle for us to have as well.Its quite exciting, [competing with] one of your best mates and partners for nine or 10 years trying to be the best in the world, it can only help the team.Stuart Broad was speaking as an ambassador of Hardys, the official wine of England cricket.Watch England take on Sri Lanka in the third Investec Test from 10am on Thursday, live on Sky Sports 2 HD. Also See: Jonny Bairstow column Ramps: Still plenty to play for Ball dreams of England debut WATCH: Buttler wants to move up ' ' '