England Tour Squad for Australia

[theegyptian]

Woakes toured NZ last winter and played the last test this summer so it wouldn't be completely out of context if he were to turn up in the test squad. Stokes is a bit too raw still and he'd be better off playing some cricket somewhere and turning up later for the ODI's.


Cook, Root, Trott, Pietersen, Bell, Bairstow, Prior, Bresnan, Broad, Swann, Anderson, Compton, Taylor, Onions, Panesar, Rankin, Finn (-1 if as predicted the squad is 16).

Onions has signed on for some south african franchise for the winter so he possibly knows something we don't and might not make the squad. Finn will most likely get the call although I almost feel like it would be good if he wasn't in the squad but can't see it happening. Maybe one of Finn/Rankin. Bairstow will be second keeper as the other options are doing nothing and England will need to make up their mind on the final batting spot before they pick the squad. Just can't see Tremlett going- think England think of him as a write off.

Don't really know the details of lions/performance squad so I came up with two lists of potentials.

Lions - Robson, Carberry, Chopra, Borthwick, Ballance, Stokes, Woakes, Kieswetter, Buttler, Jordan, J Overton, Willey, Barker, Kerrigan, Rushworth, Roland-Jones, Ali, (Allenby)
Performance Squad - Lees, Dent, Wells, Burns, Roderick, Thakor, L Evans, Foakes, Rafiq, R Patel, Topley, Mills, Miles, Dunn, Edwards, M Wood, Ansari, Reece, Dawson


Players like Woakes, Patel, Tremlett, Bopara not selected as England know what they do and can go off and play elsewhere for foreign teams if they want. And the squads will be cut with players injured or already arranged grade cricket etc.

 

[Scaly piscine]

I reckon Australian conditions would suit Stokes personally, he's not actually that suited to Durham conditions - he nicks off a lot with the movement as he's not really disciplined. On a flat pitch his reverse, pace, shot making and aggression will be better rewarded. England will want him around the set-up, but playing regular games with the Lions or whatever.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Now or ever? Because it's not like England have an endless conveyor belt of talented players to call upon. Tough life for Stokes and Woakes at 22 and 24 and never going to make it as test cricketers. Neither are good enough at the moment but plenty worse players have made England squads, even in recent times. It's not like most countries squads are going to be made up off 16 or 17+ players all capable of being good test cricketers at the present moment. Australia the only team in recent memory capable of that accolade probably.

Are James Taylor or Jonny Bairstow test quality at present?

I wouldn't take Stokes or Woakes if Bresnan is fit but county cricket doesn't produce enough good players to go around just dismissing two of the best young players in county cricket as never gonna make its.

Wouldn't take them this winter. This thread is about this winters squad and as it stands none are good enough. Maybe in the future they will be but not yet.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Stokes's bowling at least looks like that, with careful husbandry, a following wind and the planets aligning, it could potentially cut it at test level.

Woakes's, frankly, doesn't.

Neither should be anywhere near a four man attack currently tho so, and this isn't a phrase I use lightly, I'd actually pick Ravi ahead of either for the fourth seamer/sixth batsman fudge role.

 

[91Jmay]

Stokes/Woakes are a lot better than Bresnan was at 24. Silly to write them off already, even if they aren't ready now.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Stokes's bowling at least looks like that, with careful husbandry, a following wind and the planets aligning, it could potentially cut it at test level.

Woakes's, frankly, doesn't.

Neither should be anywhere near a four man attack currently tho so, and this isn't a phrase I use lightly, I'd actually pick Ravi ahead of either for the fourth seamer/sixth batsman fudge role.

Stokes' bowling is more suited to Tests - being a bit skiddy is not a bad thing in Test cricket, but his batting is currently more suited to limited overs. So you have a slightly different player if you consider him for a Test squad. I'm happy with the way England have handled him in the last month or so - he's played in all the ODIs but still been involved with FC matches for Durham which are both important for his development. Ultimately I think by this time next year Stokes will have played Test cricket for England.

As for sadsack in Test cricket his bowling should be about as much as a factor as it is in picking Trott.

Woakes needs to find something with his bowling, so it's not completely ordinary. But that could happen in a few months, a few years or not at all.

 

[FBU]

Yeah, Morgan's probably the first player to ever get an English central contract for limited overs alone. Although I certainly think he was closer in the test frame last year than others would like to think.

Morgan played his first Test 27 May 2010 and received his central contract 1 October 2011.

 

[Watson33]

Root, Cook, Compton, Trott, KP, Bell, Prior, Finn, Anderson, Rankin, Swann, Tremlett, Buttler, Stokes, Broad, Taylor, Bairstow.


Could possibly see Steven Davies taken as back-up wicket keeper as selectors might not see Buttler as a player suited for test matches. Rankin's pace and height could cause a lot of problems in Australia with the bounce they get over there.

 

[Howe_zat]

It's to be named at midday on Monday.

 

[grecian]

Root, Cook, Compton, Trott, KP, Bell, Prior, Finn, Anderson, Rankin, Swann, Tremlett, Buttler, Stokes, Broad, Taylor, Bairstow.


Could possibly see Steven Davies taken as back-up wicket keeper as selectors might not see Buttler as a player suited for test matches. Rankin's pace and height could cause a lot of problems in Australia with the bounce they get over there.

The selectors rate Jos, which make them on the side of the angels, the only thing which might not put him in the squad is if they feel he'd be better going to the development thingy.

 

[Howe_zat]

Which backup keeper did they take to India?

They'll take Bairstow and an extra batsman. Buttler and Foakes in the performance squad. Seems Davies is seen as just another county player now

 

[grecian]

Which backup keeper did they take to India?

They'll take Bairstow and an extra batsman. Buttler and Foakes in the performance squad. Seems Davies is seen as just another county player now

It was Bairstow.

As you say they'll probably go the same way, and he's cover middle-order-wise.

Yet it wouldn't shock me if an injury happened to Prior they'd go to one in the development squad.

It's a shame about Davies, I think he's been giving short-shrift by England myself.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Alec Stewart's Ashes squad

From the BBC:

Full squad:

Cook, Root, Trott, Pietersen, Bell, Compton, Bairstow, Prior, Stokes, Broad, Swann, Anderson, Bresnan, Tremlett, Rankin, Finn, Panesar

I suppose Compton as the reserve bat, Stokes as the all-rounder (which I'm not convinced we'll take) and six specialist seamers (none of whom are Onions) are the big talking points.

 

[fredfertang]

Can't see them taking 17

 

[grecian]

Stokes has got to be in the development squad FFS. We don't need an all-rounder. Onions can go, he can't gfain anything from being in the other squad, and our seamers are vulnerable.

 

[Cabinet96]

If I was to take a 16, I'd bring Onions in for Tremlett, Woakes in for Stokes and leave out Monty.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Really can't see Woakes making the cut.

The Oz decks won't suit his bowing one iota.

Monty a must, IMHO. If Swanneh has a dodgy kangaroo kebab and we've no reserve spinner...

 

[grecian]

Really can't see Woakes making the cut.

The Oz decks won't suit his bowing one iota.

Monty a must, IMHO. If Swanneh has a dodgy kangaroo kebab and we've no reserve spinner...

Yep, Monty has to go, there's little point him being in the development squad, and the difference between our top two spinners and the rest is gulftastic.

 

[Cabinet96]

Rather have Woakes at six than Bairstow tbh.

 

[NUFAN]

Bairstow is going to perform above most peoples expectations if he is given a shot at 6 in Australia.

I actually really like Alec Stewart's squad. Only really debate for mine is whether Onions should be picked ahead of Finn, Rankin or Stokes.