***Official*** West Indies in England

[King Pietersen]

I'm just happy to see some new blood in the bowling attack, as opposed to the usual Sidebottom or Harmison that we've been seeing. Nice to see Amjad Khan's been dumped already as well. I'm not too bothered about only having 6 proper batsmen. I'm assuming Broad will bat 7, with Bresnan at 8 and Swann at 9, that's more than enough lower order batting, with all 3 more than capable of handling a bat.

 

[Richard]

Onions hardly comes as a suprise. Pretty much been included in every England A / Lions tour over the previous 2-3 years. Selectors obviously like him, was just waiting for some form like he shown so far this season.

Onions has done exactly this season what he's done before - take a handful of wickets in a small number of games. He's extremely likely to fade away again, same way he has done all career.

Yet another nothing bowler picked because options have run short. Amjad Khan was the most recent one before this game; the list runs longer than anyone could possibly hope to get started on.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Six months ago he wasn't even in Durham's first XI.

Yep. Reckon he'd still be 4th choice seamer for Durham - behind Davies, Harmison and Thorp if they were all fit. If Ottis Gibson hadn't have retired Onions wouldn't have played a great deal.

Onions doesn't seem to do a great deal generally, but will occasionally surprise you by ripping through a lineup.

 

[Richard]

Bresnan has come a long way from the bowler who was flayed to all parts by Sanath Jayasuriya.

Yeah, he has - he was an absolutely terrible bowler at that time, and he's now a merely below-average one. He's just about, these days, good enough for county cricket.

Anyone seriously expecting anything more than that is going to be disappointed.

 

[Penguinissimo]

Onions doesn't seem to do a great deal generally, but will occasionally surprise you by ripping through a lineup.

Sounds like Jimmy Anderson.

 

[wpdavid]

(re. Onions) Yep. Reckon he'd still be 4th choice seamer for Durham - behind Davies, Harmison and Thorp if they were all fit. If Ottis Gibson hadn't have retired Onions wouldn't have played a great deal.

Looks like Davies has picked a bummer of a time to get injured again.

 

[Pothas]

The interesting thing, thinking about this selection more, is that this squad screams "KP at 3" - I really don't think Bopara is going to be sent in at first drop. You could argue Bresnan deserves a spot, since he was pretty consistent last season, can hold a bat properly (useful when only playing five batsmen) and did well in the one-dayers he got picked for.

Well, it's a better argument than for Onions. My team prediction:

Strauss
Cook
KP
Colly
Bopara
Prior
Broad
Bresnan
Swann
Anderson
Panesar

Just read Aggers article and he seems to be under the impression that Bopara is going to bat at 3.
At least is an interesting selection....
Can't say anyhting more for it than that, but at least England selectors are not quite as predictable as we thought they were. Not sure that it is really a good thing though.

 

[zaremba]

I'm a little bit concerned with the indications that England are trying to "build for the future" this season. That's completely the wrong way to look at things. An Ashes summer is not a time to build for the future, it's a time to select the strongest possible team that you can. For that reason I'd rather see someone like Glen Chapple in the team, who at least is a proven county seamer (and who can bat), rather than taking a punt on Onions in the hope that in 3 years' time he might develop into a competent performer. Unless, of course, we've given up on winning the Ashes this year.

I can't say I've seen much of Onions' bowling but I can't help noticing that his career FC bowling average is nearly 33. For someone whose home ground is bowler-friendly, that doesn't suggest to me that he's a Test match bowler of either the present or the future.

 

[_Ed_]

That squad suggests to me that there's a bit of complacency leading into the WI series...not healthy, IMO.

Don't see Shiv getting out once in the series to that attack.

 

[TT Boy]

Bresnan has come a long way from the bowler who was flayed to all parts by Sanath Jayasuriya.

What has changed about his game? I have read he has learnt to bowl a more consistant line and length. But what about some pure wicket taking deliveries?

I would imagine his selection doesn't go down well with many members of this forum.

His batting has got better? Seems to be the rationale the selectors like the most, that or pace and poor domestic average (see Onions).

 

[Noble One]

I'm a little bit concerned with the indications that England are trying to "build for the future" this season. That's completely the wrong way to look at things. An Ashes summer is not a time to build for the future, it's a time to select the strongest possible team that you can. For that reason I'd rather see someone like Glen Chapple in the team, who at least is a proven county seamer (and who can bat), rather than taking a punt on Onions in the hope that in 3 years' time he might develop into a competent performer. Unless, of course, we've given up on winning the Ashes this year.

I can't say I've seen much of Onions' bowling but I can't help noticing that his career FC bowling average is nearly 33. For someone whose home ground is bowler-friendly, that doesn't suggest to me that he's a Test match bowler of either the present or the future.

Agree entirely.

Quite frankly I will never understand any international selectors intention to plan for the future. Every test match is unique, and should be treated as such. You should select the best XI based on who the best XI cricketers in the country are, not the possible best XI in two years time.

Some argue that cricketers need the experience to fully flourish at international level; well what is wrong with 5-10 years of consistant first class performance? If Onions or Bresnan are indeed the next big things in English test cricket, why not see them actually show this at first class level? Test cricket is not for gambling on cricketing prospects. The cream will always rise to the top.

 

[TT Boy]

That squad suggests to me that there's a bit of complacency leading into the WI series...not healthy, IMO.

Don't see Shiv getting out once in the series to that attack.

Not sure about complacency, rather a lackluster but surprising side.

Only good thing is that there is no Bell and Harmy but the bad thing is that they are almost guaranteed selection for the Ashes now.

 

[iamdavid]

I'm a little bit concerned with the indications that England are trying to "build for the future" this season. That's completely the wrong way to look at things. An Ashes summer is not a time to build for the future, it's a time to select the strongest possible team that you can.

I agree with this completely, particularly given that with Australia's declining fortunes of late England might stand half a chance.

I certainly hope this is not the sort of side they're looking at picking for the Ashes..
Bopara looks a decent prospect, but nothing more despite all the hype.
I'd give him a consistent run in the side at number 5 or 6 and allow him the opportunity to adjust to test cricket...He isn't being handled very well at the moment, picking him seemingly at random in different positions and leaving him out after his first test hundred.
And at the end of the day I don't really think he's a good enough player at this stage to bat number 3 against Australia, I think if Johnson and Siddle bowl the way they did in South Africa they'll have him for breakfast.

And the less said about that attack the better...although there don't appear to have been a whole lot of options right now, I'm sure they could've still found better than Tim Bresnan.

 

[four_or_six]

Really quite surprised, didn't see this squad coming. Bopara might turn out to be an inspired pick, but I'm disappointed he isn't going to be brought into the test team via the middle order. I might be wrong, but I don't think he has always batted three for Essex and he hasn't been that great opening/first drop in ODIs (one 50 in nine innings).

As for Bresnan/Onions/Panesar... would rather have Harmison/Sidebottom/Rashid tbh.

Edit: looks as though Bopara has been at 3 for Essex since 2006.

 

[TT Boy]

Possible bad news for the Windies with Gayle struggling to run in the IPL...

 

[NUFAN]

Pretty sure that Bresnan is the guy that I suggested earlier this year and Richard replied that the selectors would never go for him as his time has passed.

Don't know if the search feature will allow me to find this.

 

[TT Boy]

Pretty sure that Bresnan is the guy that I suggested earlier this year and Richard replied that the selectors would never go for him as his time has passed.
Don't know if the search feature will allow me to find this.

Only turned 24 recently, so that is a pretty strange thing to say.

 

[four_or_six]

Pretty sure that Bresnan is the guy that I suggested earlier this year and Richard replied that the selectors would never go for him as his time has passed.

Don't know if the search feature will allow me to find this.

Saying that the England selectors will never go for anyone seems very risky atm.

 

[superkingdave]

That squad suggests to me that there's a bit of complacency leading into the WI series...not healthy, IMO.

Don't see Shiv getting out once in the series to that attack.

Broad (3 times), Swann and Anderson all managed to get him out in the Carribean on flat pitches.

Doubt there's any complacency, its just a pretty standard English selection, pick players who a) don't have a good county record b) the selectors have seen do well on Sky once c) are bowlers who can bat a bit.

The only thing unusual about the squad is that they haven't recalled Harmison, Bell or Vaughan...which is probably the only thing they got right about the squad.

IMO a complacent view would have meant playing Vaughan (to get settled back in the test side before the Ashes) and playing one less bowler (attitude that we don't need 5 bowlers to bowl out the West Indies). To play the extra bowler without Flintoff says to me they are worried about West Indies ability to score big totals.

 

[wpdavid]

Can anyone locate the FC stats for Bresnan & Onions over the last couple of seasons?