**Official** New Zealand in England

[Flem274*]

Can't believe we've managed to keep the tour thread updated for so long. *little whinge* Its been far too long a gap in between series IMO. *little whinge*

So, who likes muffins?

 

[Richard]

Wholemeal > white like with all bread, naturally, but they're both good.

 

[gettingbetter]

Can't believe we've managed to keep the tour thread updated for so long. *little whinge* Its been far too long a gap in between series IMO. *little whinge*

So, who likes muffins?

You might be able to help me, whats the difference betweena muffin and a cup cake?

 

[GIMH]

I hope not and not respectively, but TBH I'll be fairly surprised if Mustard doesn't remain in the side.

Tremlett does appear to be fit for the time being, but took just a single wicket (while Bond nabbed seven) in the only innings of his only game so far this season. Harmison bowled overs at less than a-run-an-over against the might of Durham UCCE in his only game so far this season but has yet to play, never mind take wickets in, a genuine match.

And I'll say it again - don't be in the least surprised to see Anderson picked ahead of Hoggard for the opening Test. It'd be deplorable, but I still rate it more likely than the other way around.

Hopefully it'll be those three - Shah and Joyce for the middle-order, Key for an opener (and I still rate his chances medium-term higher than Strauss'). Can't shake the feeling Bopara might unworthily force his way ahead of Joyce again however.

Went okay in the OD game yesterday actually, but obviously I wouldn't advocate Test selection based on domestic OD form, and Plunkett also emerged with excellent figures, it was a seaming track

 

[GIMH]

On the subject of backup batsmen, I read somewhere a few weeks back that Matt Prior was looking to break into the side as a specialist batsman? What do we think?

 

[GIMH]

Richard may like this

26 man performance squad announced, Key included.

Squad in full:

England Performance Squad 2008 Tim Ambrose (Warwickshire), James Anderson (Lancashire) *, Ian Bell (Warwickshire) *, Ravi Bopara (Essex), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Michael Carberry (Hampshire), Paul Collingwood (Durham)*, Alastair Cook (Essex)*, Andrew Flintoff (Lancashire) *, Stephen Harmison (Durham)*, Matthew Hoggard (Yorkshire)*, Robert Key (Kent), Dimitri Mascarenhas (Hampshire), Philip Mustard (Durham), Monty Panesar (Northamptonshire)*, Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire)*, Matthew Prior (Sussex), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire),Owais Shah (Middlesex), Andrew Strauss (Middlesex)*, Ryan Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire)*, Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire), James Tredwell (Kent), Chris Tremlett (Hampshire), Michael Vaughan (Yorkshire)*, Luke Wright (Sussex)

*indicates central contract BTW

 

[Prince EWS]

On the subject of backup batsmen, I read somewhere a few weeks back that Matt Prior was looking to break into the side as a specialist batsman? What do we think?

I think he has the ability. Obviously he shouldn't be anywhere near the side as a specialist batsman at the moment, but if he averaged 50+ in First Class cricket for three seasons running, for example, which I don't think is beyond him, I'd not be against it. I always had a bit of time for Prior the batsman.

 

[gettingbetter]

What exactly is this squad? Do they receive any financial benefits or is just saying that the selectors are keeping there eyes on these players.

BTW, I am starting to feel sorry for Rashid. Even though he hasn't been selected for a team of note yet, you get the feeling that he will unfortunately never amount to anything he or others have claimed to be.

 

[GIMH]

I'm not exactly sure, basically if you ain't in this you haven't got much chance of being selected for England over the coming season, and I think England can withdraw these players from domestic matches more easily than if they were to just pluck somebody out of their county. Not sure though.

 

[Prince EWS]

Richard may like this

26 man performance squad announced, Key included.

Squad in full:

England Performance Squad 2008 Tim Ambrose (Warwickshire), James Anderson (Lancashire) *, Ian Bell (Warwickshire) *, Ravi Bopara (Essex), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Michael Carberry (Hampshire), Paul Collingwood (Durham)*, Alastair Cook (Essex)*, Andrew Flintoff (Lancashire) *, Stephen Harmison (Durham)*, Matthew Hoggard (Yorkshire)*, Robert Key (Kent), Dimitri Mascarenhas (Hampshire), Philip Mustard (Durham), Monty Panesar (Northamptonshire)*, Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire)*, Matthew Prior (Sussex), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire),Owais Shah (Middlesex), Andrew Strauss (Middlesex)*, Ryan Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire)*, Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire), James Tredwell (Kent), Chris Tremlett (Hampshire), Michael Vaughan (Yorkshire)*, Luke Wright (Sussex)

*indicates central contract BTW

No Ramprakash is disappointing, although expected.

 

[gettingbetter]

No Plunkett or Mahmood either. I know many don't want them there, but considering that they would of been in this type of squad 12-18 months ago...

 

[Days of Grace]

You might be able to help me, whats the difference betweena muffin and a cup cake?

Me girlfriend is a cup cake, whilst me mum is a muffin...

 

[Richard]

You might be able to help me, whats the difference betweena muffin and a cup cake?

Muffins are plain, cupcakes are cakes.

 

[Richard]

Richard may like this

26 man performance squad announced, Key included.

Squad in full:

England Performance Squad 2008 Tim Ambrose (Warwickshire), James Anderson (Lancashire) *, Ian Bell (Warwickshire) *, Ravi Bopara (Essex), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Michael Carberry (Hampshire), Paul Collingwood (Durham)*, Alastair Cook (Essex)*, Andrew Flintoff (Lancashire) *, Stephen Harmison (Durham)*, Matthew Hoggard (Yorkshire)*, Robert Key (Kent), Dimitri Mascarenhas (Hampshire), Philip Mustard (Durham), Monty Panesar (Northamptonshire)*, Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire)*, Matthew Prior (Sussex), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire),Owais Shah (Middlesex), Andrew Strauss (Middlesex)*, Ryan Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire)*, Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire), James Tredwell (Kent), Chris Tremlett (Hampshire), Michael Vaughan (Yorkshire)*, Luke Wright (Sussex)

*indicates central contract BTW

I can't say I do, really. Yet again it shows they are not thinking enough about the separate-ness of Test and ODI cricket, simply picking one squad containing players to play both.

I'd be so much happier if they gave ODI and Test, rather than all-encompassing, contracts, never mind picked big "development" squads.

This sort of thing simply encourages what we already see quite enough (too much - far too much - in fact) of - the next cab on the Test rank being picked for ODIs because a place is more likely to present itself, despite of the (often lacking) merits of the player in question for the one-day game.

I mean, does anyone seriously think James Tredwell or Luke Wright are ever going to be anything even close to Test-standard? So what is the point in them being in a squad inclusive of Test cricket?

 

[GIMH]

I just meant the Rob Key bit, the headline of the link

 

[BoyBrumby]

BTW, I am starting to feel sorry for Rashid. Even though he hasn't been selected for a team of note yet, you get the feeling that he will unfortunately never amount to anything he or others have claimed to be.

Had my first proper look at the boy yesterday. Bowled decently (4 overs for 10 runs) without being hugely threatening. He has impressive control, landed pretty much every ball on the spot, but his action means he's never going to be a massive turner of the ball. Nick Knight said his bowling reminded him of Shahid Afridi's & that wasn't a bad call; he pushes it through quite quickly from a quite high arm action. I'd hope he'd give it more air in first-class games, but we rarely get them over here so won't know until I see him.

Anyway, no huge surprises in the squad; Tredwell was in the ODI squad to NZ, Rashid is clearly the annointed one & Carberry did well on the A tour to India.

 

[Richard]

I just meant the Rob Key bit, the headline of the link

Aha. Well frankly if you pick 26 players right now and Key isn't one of them, it really would show no more than that you'd lost your mind.

 

[Leslie1]

Prince EWS should listen in to Radiosport for Skippy's interview. Darcy is the interviewer.

Check out audiobank in radiosport.co.nz - from 3:15pm onwards.

 

[sportychic33]

Prince EWS should listen in to Radiosport for Skippy's interview. Darcy is the interviewer.

Check out audiobank in radiosport.co.nz - from 3:15pm onwards.

Leslie, was that an off the record? Or just an interview?

 

[Leslie1]

Off the record. I thought he was an out and out Aussie, but obviously not.