***Official*** England in West Indies 2015

[theegyptian]

So whilst the rest of the world have been playing a pointless ODI tournament, England have been diligently going about their business back in Blighty preparing themselves for their forthcoming test series to the West Indies.

Tour itinerary

April 6-7 - 2-day warm-up, St Kitts
April 8-9 - 2-day warm-up, St Kitts
April 13-17 - 1st Test SVRS, Antigua
April 21-25 - 2nd Test Grenada National Stadium, Grenada
May 1-5 - 3rd Test Kensington Oval, Barbados

Last few days I’ve noticed the English journalist start to speculate on the squad details which should mean squad selection is nigh. Possible selections being mooted by journalists include Jonathan Trott, Mark Wood and Jonny Bairstow.

For the West Indies it’s hard to know what kind of team will turn out and where their heads will be given their current problems and the IPL.

 

[grecian]

Huzzah, proper cricket.

My squad

I'd like them to take Trott, Taylor and Lyth. I also think Monty should go as second-spinner, all this talk of Rashid worries me.

 

[theegyptian]

If they did take Rashid they'd probably have to take another spinner to make 3. I'd forgot Panesar tbh and thought it was an unenvious choice between Riley, Kerrigan, Tredwell but that makes most sense.

What state Panesar's fitness and life are in right now is anyone's guess.

 

[grecian]

If they did take Rashid they'd probably have to take another spinner to make 3. I'd forgot Panesar tbh and thought it was an unenvious choice between Riley, Kerrigan, Tredwell but that makes most sense.

What state Panesar's fitness and life are in right now is anyone's guess.

Quite, but as proper first-class spinner he has no real challengers.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

I'm really hoping the West Indies can compete and hopefully win for these reasons:

A. I (like most of us long for a decent WI)
B. I (like most of us outside the big 3) dislike the big 3
C. It will help NZ as we prepare to (hopefully) move up the test rankings (as presumably England will lose ranking points) with tours to Old Blighty and the convict colony later this year

 

[Neil Pickup]

Not sure to be excited about the prospect of proper cricket or dejected about the likelihood of dull-as-ditchwater cricket-by-numbers from England and a charade of a parody from the West Indies B team, none of whom have any interest in being out there.

 

[fredfertang]

Seem to be playing on West Indies B grounds as well

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Hope Lyth is selected and plays and Plunkett returns, other than that meh.

 

[Cabinet96]

I was planing on making this thread the minute after we went out of the WC.

All I ask in the nine month test marathon is that Cook becomes good again and Woakes cements his place in the team. If that happens I'll be happy and anything else will be a bonus.

 

[andmark]

As bizarre as it seems, this could actually be an exciting series as far as closeness goes. 1-1 I'm predicting.

 

[Cabinet96]

There's a narrative that England are much better in long formats. Wonder if I can make some coin betting that England will suck.

 

[GIMH]

I'll pay you to stop talking about ****ing narratives

 

[Cabinet96]

Not worth it IMO.

 

[GIMH]

That's a shame I was going to pay you in shandies

 

[WalkingWicket]

Sulieman Benn will tear England apart, you heard it here first.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Sulieman Benn will tear England apart, you heard it here first.

No chance. He is rubbish.

 

[wpdavid]

Huzzah, proper cricket.

My squad

I'd like them to take Trott, Taylor and Lyth. I also think Monty should go as second-spinner, all this talk of Rashid worries me.

Not convinced about taking Trott. He'd probably fill his boots against WI's attack on their slow wickets, but he still wouldn't be a decent bet against Johnson & his mates in the summer.

Fine with Taylor & Lyth.
And I'm OK with Rashid actually. Panesar has to do a whole lot more to convince me he's back in the frame after his disasters last season.

I think we'll learn more about our quicks than our batsmen. Whoever opens with Root should probably score a lot of runs out there, but it won't tell us much about whether they'd cope against Australia.
The quicks, otoh, will have to bend their backs in some fairly unforgiving conditions, so we'll learn quite a bit about whoever plays.

 

[theegyptian]

It's certainly conceivable that England could lose the series. The team is still lacking in a whole lot of experience, class and confidence and there are still big questions marks over Cook. Sure they beat India at home in their last test series but India were poor. They've spent the last few months losing albeit in a different format. Be interesting to see how Ballance goes especially against spin.

 

[WalkingWicket]

No chance. He is rubbish.

So are England *nods*

 

[Adders]

Whoever opens with Root should probably score a lot of runs out there, but it won't tell us much about whether they'd cope against Australia.

That should read Cook right??