All this talk of using a "part time" spinner in Test cricket is barmy, it is crucial to have a main line spinner in the line up for a balanced bowling attack.
The facts to consider are (1) The Australian heat which can be very sapping on energy. (2) We have our Two best bowlers Anderson and Broad who are at an age when they should have been putting their feet up years ago, but the fact is we desperatly need them and where would we be without them? also we now have Stokes back in the fold as an important part of our bowling attack, which suggests ALL Three of these players need to be treated carefully in how they are used so as to get the best out of them.
And this is where the inclusion of a "proper" spinner takes that burden away as he would be capable of comfortably bowling 25/30 overs per innings which then provides the pacemen with much needed rest and eases the burden on them. Yes we know Joe Root can do a job for say 6/8 overs but it need better at this level, also how much more of a burden can/should we put on our One true World class batsman.
Unfortunately we have just not been able to unearth a Test quality spinner for some time now, and that has been of a real concern when playing Test cricket and is something we must try to rectify as soon as possible, but how often have we said that.
But as for this Ashes series especially in Australia, we always knew it was a bridge too far with this current unpredictable and sub standard group of players apart from possibly Four of the usual we know who players.

Depending on the pitch, of course....

But the bottom line is :

1 - We don't have one. We haven't had one since Swann retired 8 years ago.
2 - The ECB white-ball priority & red ball schedule is not conducive to us finding one.

Travis Head talking about how spin plays a massive part at his home ground. It would be bafflingly unfair to pick Leach for Brisbane then drop him for Adelaide, which is exactly why they will do it probably.

Matt Parkinson should be playing if a spinner is to be selected. Why he isn't in the squad (along with Saqib Mahmood) is incredible. Yet Dom Bess is there instead, another who offers next to nothing in terms of control or variation to take wickets.

Leach isn't a top international spin bowler though. Play the 4 seamers and let Root bowl 12-15 overs. He would probably keep it tighter than Leach and be more of a wicket threat. The pink ball will move about and Anderson, Broad, Robinson and Woakes all get plenty of movement.

As others have said Parkinson should be out there instead of Leach or Bess.

Can someone please work out what time the lunch interval will be our time tomorrow morning. I'm trying to plan my alarm call and am too lazy to do it myself.

6am surely...just add two hours

I promise I'm not as stupid as I may currently seem

10.5 hours difference between UK and South Australia.

WHAT IS HAPPENING.

4am start. 6am lunch. Our time.

Day-Night game starting at 4am it says here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/...res/2021-12-16

Two hour first session until 6am, 40 minutes for lunch and middle session to start at 6:40am presumably?

Well he would say that, wouldn't he?

With apologies to Mandy-Rice Davies for the mis-quote....

10.5 hour time diff though. So would lunch be 6 or 6.30?!

BBC says start time is 04.00GMT. Australia start time likely to be strange as it is a day-nighter. 04:00 start London = 2:30pm Adelaide.

Lunch 06:00 our time.

Is south Australia one of the last place son earth to have bloody half hour time zones?

I believe India does too

You learn something new etc.

Iran and N. Korea too methinks.

ebyeeck getting savaged here.