*Official* Road to the 2010/11 Ashes

[flibbertyjibber]

Him being good enough for international cricket (test cricket mainly) was never in doubt.

I disagree,never really rated him at all.Lacks the oomph needed,seems to just put it there almost apologetically.Will get hammered by the Aussies if he plays any matches.

 

[Uppercut]

Well feasting on Div 2 bats is what looks like earning Tremlett a place in the party,god knows why as i don't rate him at all.

I think they were always inclined to pick Tremlett again if he ever proved his fitness. He was pretty good in his debut series.

 

[Top_Cat]

I think they were always inclined to pick Tremlett again if he ever proved his fitness. He was pretty good in his debut series.

He's tall, hits the deck and bowls good pace. The man was born to bowl here.

Only big concern is accuracy from what I can see. If he hits a length, though, watch out OZ.

 

[ozone]

I disagree,never really rated him at all.Lacks the oomph needed,seems to just put it there almost apologetically.Will get hammered by the Aussies if he plays any matches.

How often have you seen him bowl? IMO, he certainly doesn't lack 'oomph', it is only his accuracy that has been a problem when he is fit and his height means he will always cause a problem on Australian pitches. If he had stayed fit, he would almost certainly have played regular test cricket for England (and would have ended Harmisons career significantly earlier).

 

[grecian]

Can't say I'm wildly excited about this. I think Monty will get picked, but really think if Swanneh gets injured they'll take Adil or Tredwell from the development squad, for the balance. Just a reward for a good season for the Python, and if they ever feel like playing two spinners, he's the more obvious foil to Swann.

Same with the bowlers really, Tremlett and Shahzad will go, but they're both injury prone, so wouldn't be shocked if they were replaced. It's not like the olden days, when you had to make do with what was in your squad really.

 

[Uppercut]

He's tall, hits the deck and bowls good pace. The man was born to bowl here.

Only big concern is accuracy from what I can see. If he hits a length, though, watch out OZ.

Don't remember him being particularly wayward against India. But it's hard to say what you're going to get with Tremlett. He's remodelled his action several times so if he does go to Australia he could be an entirely different bowler to the one I remember.

 

[Themer]

Tremlett, Monty and Bresnan.

I don't mind Monty and Tremlett they've had pretty decent season even though they were in Division 2 but why oh why have we gone for Bresnan. Shahzad would have been alot better pick.

The Performance squad that's going over as well looks extremely good as back up.

 

[ozone]

Bresnan and Tremlett both make it then, with Shahzad missing out, and Panesar the second spinner, and Rashid not even in the performance squad, bit odd.

EDIT: Danny Briggs in Performance Squad though, and no Ravi Bopara either, that squad is more interesting than the real one.

 

[Themer]

Only just realised that they've not picked Rashid for either squad to give him a break. Seriously that is just a very odd exclusion.

 

[GIMH]

Just eleven central contracts given out this season, i guess that says a lot about how settled the side is

 

[Prince EWS]

Would've picked Rashid ahead of Panesar; other than that it would've been my squad.

 

[ozone]

Bopara going to play First Class in South Africa instead of going with the rest basically confirms he's going to be the first choice call-up if one of the batsmen gets injured. Incidentally, only an incremental contract for Morgan, what's all that about?

 

[Prince EWS]

Just eleven central contracts given out this season, i guess that says a lot about how settled the side is

There's nothing like a tour of Australia to unhinge a settled England side though.

 

[Prince EWS]

Bopara going to play First Class in South Africa instead of going with the rest basically confirms he's going to be the first choice call-up if one of the batsmen gets injured. Incidentally, only an incremental contract for Morgan, what's all that about?

Well the first choice Test team seem to have all got contracts, and he's obviously not in that.

 

[four_or_six]

Gah.

 

[Flem274*]

Panesar is so average. Rashid has a lot more going for him from the admittedley little I've seen of him.

Tremlett is a good pick.

 

[zaremba]

Happy enough with that squad.

My main reservation concerns the selection of Monty. I can't help feeling that the second spinner will be kicking his heels until Sydney - perhaps it'd be better to have him actually playing cricket elsewhere in the meantime rather than carrying drinks, keeping a seat warm on the dressing room balcony, or (God forbid) acting as an occasional sub fielder. And I'm not convinced that Monty is the 2nd best spinner in the country either - don't let bowling stats against Div 2 rabble deceive you.

The seam attack also looks a bit one-dimensional, namely vertical. Anderson can't be dropped but we all know he's likely to struggle in Oz. Which leaves Broad, Finn and Tremlett all of whom purvey the same back-of-a-length, hit-the-splice sort of stuff. I suppose Bresnan might get to play on the basis of his (justified) reputation as a workhorse and his batting, but he hardly offers much variety. It would have been nice to have seen a left-armer or a genuine quick who can pitch it up, but I suppose both of those types of bowlers are in pretty short supply.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Somewhat baffling stuff. It looks a very defensive, negative squad. So England need to pick two spinners somewhere... we're either going to have two finger spinners and two seamers, leaving us very vulnerable if Donkey gets attacked or the pitch ends up more seam orientated for a part of the game. Or we pick three seamers and have a laughably bad lower order. Why on Earth do England need 'all-rounder' cover in Bresnan? They're playing 4 bowlers ffs and at depending on who gets injured you'll have at least one guy who averages 25+ with the bat. I don't see any scenario in which Bresnan plays. I also don't see what team England can pick if they need to force a victory, without being horribly unbalanced.

 

[GIMH]

There's nothing like a tour of Australia to unhinge a settled England side though.

When was the last time we went to Australia with a settled side?

 

[zaremba]

I also don't see what team England can pick if they need to force a victory, without being horribly unbalanced.

Strauss
Cook
Trott
KP
Bell / Colly / Spud
Prior
Bresnan
Broad
Swann
Tremlett / Finn / Monty
Anderson

Not too bad - Bresnan a place too high at 7 but counterbalanced by a strongish 8 and 9 below him.