Selectors do it again

England's selectors surprised everyone again today with the announcement of the squad for the First Test against Zimbabwe at Lord's from May 22-26.

The expected first XI were picked, including uncapped Lancashire seamer James Anderson, and Alec Stewart getting the nod over the younger keepers, but the remaining batsman and bowler positions were shocks.

Sussex's James Kirtley, with 9 ODI caps, beat the "injured" Richard Johnson to the fourth paceman's position, but the buggest surprise was the selection of Anthony McGrath, the Yorkshire captain with a first-class average of 30 as cover for Andy Flintoff...

Comment
The selection of Kirtley, although a little surprising to me, seems reasonable enough as he's looked good this season so far (though has only taken 4 wickets in his last 8 ODIs, which may or may not count for anything). I wasn't aware Richard Johnson was injured however, which apparently kept him out of contention. 14-3-36-3 against Glamorgan today suggests that there's not the most truth in that statement when you consider that Flintoff's in the thirteen...

McGrath as an all-rounder is a pathetic call in my book. His bowling, whilst it may be able to have an effect in the County Championship, it shouldn't damage any Test batting lineup (OK, Zimbabwe may lose a few to him but is this guy really going to be any use for England in the future? I somewhat doubt that). Trescothick, Vaughan and Butcher can bowl if necessary, and if Harmison, Hoggard, Anderson, Kirtley and/or Giles can't get them out what chance does McGrath have?

As a batsman he's down the pecking order behind Troughton, Bell, Jefferson and Crawley. Yeah, the guy showed potential seven years ago, but Troughton and Bell are showing it now, and are in form. Would McGrath have been called up if he was a Glamorgan player? Pull the other one...

The Full Squad
Marcus Trescothick
Michael Vaughan
Mark Butcher
*Nasser Hussain
Robert Key
Andrew Flintoff
+Alec Stewart
Ashley Giles
Matthew Hoggard
Steven Harmison
James Anderson
Anthony McGrath
James Kirtley

Posted by Neil