England Team Discussion

[Cabinet96]

Cricinfo have just announced that KP will miss the whole tournament after another setback on his knee injury.

In a way, this solves what would've been a pretty tricky selection dilemma, as all the batters from the NZ series could argue that they deserved to be in the strongest XI for the first game.

For me, the side pretty much picks itself now with KP out.

1. Cook*
2. Bell
3. Trott
4. Root
5. Morgan
6. Buttler +
7. Bresnan
8. Broad
9. Swann
10. Finn
11. Anderson

12. Patel
13. Tredwell
14. Woakes
15. Bairstow/Kieswetter

Woakes can come in for any of the seamers if there is a fitness issue, and will probably be competing with Bresnan for the number 7 spot, after going OK in NZ. I'm personally a big fan of picking five specialist bowlers, trying to restrict the opposition as much as possible, then using quality batsman to get the runs. In England with two new balls in use I think it's the best method. Given it worked well for England last summer, I see no reason to change method.

Others might have different players and team set ups in mind though. Discuss.

 

[Prince EWS]

Completely agree with all of that, especially your opinion on team balance. It's definitely the way to go for ODIs in England, particularly if you have the players to do it - back your top six to chase/set 250-275 batting properly and back a proper full bowling lineup to defend/restrict the opposition to that total with two new balls in English conditions.

It's why England have become so hard to beat at home in ODIs; ODIs in England resemble Test cricket more than anywhere else in the world due to the conditions.

 

[Cabinet96]

Yeah, if you have a decent attack it also means you don't need to score big runs, so can therefore stack your batting line up with test class batsman, and less hit or miss big hitters. England were the only test playing nation to not make 300 in an ODI in 2012, but they also had a record of played 14, won 12.

 

[BackFootPunch]

Will Swann be back in time for the Champions Trophy?

 

[benchmark00]

Not sure about this lack of three openers with two new balls though......

 

[Prince EWS]

Not sure about this lack of three openers with two new balls though......

They've put the third one at four.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Agree with that squad but maybe wouldn't have Patel as 3 spinners in the squad in England is a bit much. Perhaps Luke Wright instead or maybe Ben Stokes.

 

[Prince EWS]

Agree with that squad but maybe wouldn't have Patel as 3 spinners in the squad in England is a bit much. Perhaps Luke Wright instead or maybe Ben Stokes.

I think it's the right call. Patel isn't really there as a spinner; he's there as a backup middle order bat and alternative balance option. He's actually been quite good with the bat of late in limited overs cricket for England when he's got a game. Tredwell is just there in case Swann gets injured.

 

[Furball]

Agree with that squad but maybe wouldn't have Patel as 3 spinners in the squad in England is a bit much. Perhaps Luke Wright instead or maybe Ben Stokes.

I really wish people would stop regarding Samit Patel as a spinner.

 

[Cabinet96]

I don't really think there are many better alternatives with the bat in limited overs cricket for England. If Pietersen was fit he would be in the squad in Patel's place, but he's not. Maybe in the future Stokes could get in, but I think it's a bit early for that now.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

I was thinking more along the lines of a bat who is a part time pace bowler rather than a bat who is a part time spinner. Think there isn't a lot between Patel and Wright with Stokes the young pretender. Be the same for the World Cup down under too, think the fact the balls are both new all the way through negates the spin options a bit.

 

[grecian]

I was thinking more along the lines of a bat who is a part time pace bowler rather than a bat who is a part time spinner. Think there isn't a lot between Patel and Wright with Stokes the young pretender. Be the same for the World Cup down under too, think the fact the balls are both new all the way through negates the spin options a bit.

Patel has really hit at a decent run-rate coming down the order foe England recently, it is often a part of the game England fail at miserably.

 

[theegyptian]

Ravi!

 

[theegyptian]

I'm not sure the selectors have taken any of the last 12 months into account. His batting form from an already low standard has fallen off the edge of the cliff.

His bowling is tidy enough and will probably be decent in England in June but what you gonna bat him at 7?

It's just awful that we've got no-one better.

 

[Pothas]

Yeah love it, just for the reaction we are going to get.

It is both a reasonable selection, in that he did well in the first bit of last summer, and a totally unjustifiable one, in that he has done nothing whatsoever to deserve being brought back.

He better not actually make the side though.

 

[Pothas]

Let us look at the positives though, no Jade.

 

[grecian]

Let us look at the positives though, no Jade.

Yep, definitely the high-point. Feel a bit sorry for Hales and Patel, but I guess English conditions is the key factor.

 

[Cabinet96]

Meh. He just replaces Samit in the squad I posted in the OP. Won't play in the strongest XI. Just have to pray there are no other injuries to batsman.

It's pretty tough for Hales to get in, though. A reserve opener is pretty pointless given that in the unlikely event of an opener getting injured, there's already two other people in the line up who could do a fine job at the top. The two reserve batting spots have to be a wicketkeeper and middle order bat really.

 

[Spikey]

Luke Wright @lukewright204
Disappointed and frustrated.





that Maggie tweet coming back to haunt Luke imo

 

[uvelocity]

Luke Wright @lukewright204
Disappointed and frustrated.





that Maggie tweet coming back to haunt Luke imo

tweet him about the girl trouble thread