Your XIs for each CT Team

[tobe_ornot2]

I'm not sure if this has been done on here but I was wondering what you think would be the best XIs to play for each of the CT sides, now that all squads have been announced. I'll start off with the teams I believe will be the two finalists:

England XI

1. Hales
2. Roy
3. Root
4. Morgan c
5. Buttler wk
6. Stokes
7. Ali
8. Rashid
9. Woakes
10. Willey
11. Wood

Some may say two spinners is overkill but both of them add value to the bowling unit and can bat well enough to help add depth all the way down to 9 and it will be needed if the pitches are as flat as they have been in England recently.

Australia XI

1. Warner
2. Finch
3. Smith c
4. Stoinis
5. Maxwell
6. Wade wk
7. Henriques
8. Starc
9. Zampa
10. Cummins
11. Hazlewood

I think positions 5-7 could change and a number of guys could play in that slot. I reckon that's Australia's biggest weakness at the moment.

 

[NUFAN]

Travis Head was given every chance to succeed during the Australian summer and his performances were good so I think he'll be in our XI.

01 Warner
02 Finch
03 Smith
04 Head
05 Maxwell
06 Stoinis
07 Wade
08 Hastings
09 Cummins
10 Starc
11 Hazlewood

Hastings is the biggest surprise but I think he is the best bowler available to bowl the Faulkner overs. If the pitch is very slow Zampa could come in. This team bats very well down to 10

 

[tobe_ornot2]

Travis Head was given every chance to succeed during the Australian summer and his performances were good so I think he'll be in our XI.

01 Warner
02 Finch
03 Smith
04 Head
05 Maxwell
06 Stoinis
07 Wade
08 Hastings
09 Cummins
10 Starc
11 Hazlewood

Hastings is the biggest surprise but I think he is the best bowler available to bowl the Faulkner overs. If the pitch is very slow Zampa could come in. This team bats very well down to 10

As I expected, a lot of variables below the top 3 and I agree, Wade could have been in my team too. Lots of happens if a bit unsettled at times.

What about the other sides?

 

[tobe_ornot2]

Pakistan XI

1. Shehzad
2. Zaman
3. Azam
4. Hafeez
5. Malik
6. Sarfraz c/wk
7. Wasim
8. Amir
9. Shadab
10. H. Ali
11. Junaid

I'd leave Riaz out as he is too unreliable, Ali, Amir and Shadab have to play. The opening slots are up for debate but picking Azhar would be a problem and Zaman can strike it quite well and should be given a shot. The middle order is solid though and has put on a lot of runs.

 

[ImpatientLime]

surely ali is out of the picture for now. just not enough of a threat with the ball and he is out of position at 7. he's far more effective in one day cricket in the top order.

plunkett in place of ali with root providing back up spin to rashid.

 

[NUFAN]

As I expected, a lot of variables below the top 3 and I agree, Wade could have been in my team too. Lots of happens if a bit unsettled at times.

What about the other sides?

Wade was in your team.

I honestly don't think there are too many variables possible. I would say 9 players are very close to being locked in and we have 1 middle order spot (Stoinis, Lynn, Henriques) and 1 bowling spot available (Hastings, Zampa, Pattinson).

Finch should not be a certainty since he was dropped for the Pakistan series that Lynn was selected for but I think the selectors will like Finch's experience and that 150 he scored in England in a T20I will (wrongfully) help his case.

 

[theegyptian]

surely ali is out of the picture for now. just not enough of a threat with the ball and he is out of position at 7. he's far more effective in one day cricket in the top order.

plunkett in place of ali with root providing back up spin to rashid.

I think Ali will play. His performances don't really merit it, but I think the balance is good with him in there. It caters for if Rashid has a bad day.

Willey is the guy under pressure for his spot imo by Plunkett. That's the only real position up for grabs I'd guess.

 

[tobe_ornot2]

surely ali is out of the picture for now. just not enough of a threat with the ball and he is out of position at 7. he's far more effective in one day cricket in the top order.

plunkett in place of ali with root providing back up spin to rashid.

Moeen has to play. I agree he should be higher up but I can't see him superceding Stokes and Buttler. Root is not a good enough spinner to be taken seriously imo.

Wade was in your team.

I honestly don't think there are too many variables possible. I would say 9 players are very close to being locked in and we have 1 middle order spot (Stoinis, Lynn, Henriques) and 1 bowling spot available (Hastings, Zampa, Pattinson).

Finch should not be a certainty since he was dropped for the Pakistan series that Lynn was selected for but I think the selectors will like Finch's experience and that 150 he scored in England in a T20I will (wrongfully) help his case.

I meant Head.

I'd play Finch simply because of the ability to hit hard although he has not been the most consistent cricketer around.

 

[tobe_ornot2]

I think Ali will play. His performances don't really merit it, but I think the balance is good with him in there. It caters for if Rashid has a bad day.

Willey is the guy under pressure for his spot imo by Plunkett. That's the only real position up for grabs I'd guess.

Ali's 2017 has not been that good and as someone else said, he might be better off higher up the order but these days England prefer hard hitters, even if they are not the most consistent guys around. As you say, his bowling will allow him a place, if not the entire tournament then at least some games.

In terms of Plunkett v Willey, the latter adds a lil bit more with the bat I feel.

 

[tobe_ornot2]

SA and Ind

SA

1. Amla
2. QDK wk
3. Faf c
4. ABD
5. Miller
6. JP
7. Morris
8. Parnell
9. Pretorius
10. Tahir
11. Rabada

Once again, a very good squad and a very good team. That batting line up is flexible and if everyone fires, it can set big scores and chase them down. The bowlin gis slightly inexperienced but Tahir is the best ODI bowler on the planet for my money and Rabada is the best young quick going. I wana watch them play!

Ind

1. Dhawan
2. Sharma
3. Kohli c
4. Pandey
5. K. Yadav
6. Dhoni wk
7. Jadeja
8. Pandya
9. Shami
10. U. Yadav
11. Kumar

A team of names but little in terms of form although India are a very good tournament side so I expect the likes of Kohli, Sharma, Dhawav, Dhoni and Jadeja to turn it up when needed.

 

[Moonsorrow999]

Don't see why Willey should play, he is only good for the first couple of overs. England always get bossed in the middle overs. Also every English person I have spoken to seems to be dead set on not including Bairstow in the team, can't understand this tbh, he can't be popular in the dressing room or people have a huge problem with ginger haired people.

Willey: 33.48 at 5.64
Plunkett: 31.38 at 5.78
Woakes: 32.60 at 5.60
Stokes: 37.91 at 6.09
Rashid: 33.44 at 5.62
Wood: 42.66 at 5.65

Starc: 19.88 at 4.81
Hazlewood: 25.18 at 4.65
Cummins: 25.54 at 5.52
Hastings: 29.67 at 4.97
Zampa: 29.14 at 5.46

Just thought I'd throw that one out there...

But yeah, the boys:

FInch
Warner
Smith
Stoinis
Head
Maxwell
Wade
Starc
Cummins
Hazelwood
Zampa/Hastings

Wouldn't mind seeing Chris Lynn come in, but for whom I don't know.

 

[tobe_ornot2]

Yes, England's bowling is a major weak link but it gets backed up by very good fielding and tbh, the figures at all bad for modern cricket. Onbiously the Aussie bowling line up is stronger.

In terms of Bairstow, where would he fit in?

 

[Moonsorrow999]

Yes, England's bowling is a major weak link but it gets backed up by very good fielding and tbh, the figures at all bad for modern cricket. Onbiously the Aussie bowling line up is stronger.

In terms of Bairstow, where would he fit in?

Was it just in the test series they were dropping dollies left, right and centre? Also feel ability wise Bairstow could be as good as Warner, Williamson, Root, Smith, AB, Kohli etc in ODI cricket and getting him in sooner rather than later could only help England. He just seems deadly consistent whereas someone like a Buttler, yes he can do crazy things but people speak about him in terms of the players I mentioned before which I find baffling. He has tremendous ability, sure, but so do so many cricketers nowadays. It's about consistency and Bairstow gives that.

Actually I'll throw QDK up there, he is the best wicket keeper batsman in the world by a fair distance. QDK 12 100s from 79, Buttler 4 100s from 87. Mmmkay if Buttler is incredible the QDK is from an entire other universe. Yes he opens but considering England's collapses he basically bats 3/4.

 

[theegyptian]

Buttler might be a little inconsistent but England need his game winning ability. The bowling is average so you do need that gamechanger with the bat. The batting order is long so you can cater for the odd failure. He basically has the same average as Bairstow but strikes at 118sr compared to Bairstow with 91. Rest of the world would laugh and rejoice if we replaced Buttler with Bairstow.

Bairstow needs to replace someone else if he gets into the team. Personally I rather think you are overrating Bairstow. He's not quite Kieswetter block or bash, but he does hit the field quite often and I think the better teams in time would find it fairly easy to bowl to him.



Fwiw I have thought that England might need a little more stability in the middle order. Apart from Root they are all attacking, streaky bats who aren't exactly reliable.

Dawson would add some stability at 7 over Ali. Normally I wouldn't be pushing for someone like Dawson at 7 as he doesn't have the range of strokes but given all the rest of the batsman around him can smash it, he wouldn't be a bad bet at 7 to hang around with the in bat or rebuild. Of course that is reliant on his bowling being upto international standard which is debeatable.

 

[tobe_ornot2]

I guess Bairstow will get a game at some point and have a chance to prove himself.

 

[NUFAN]

I'd play Finch simply because of the ability to hit hard although he has not been the most consistent cricketer around.

Chris Lynn hits hard too so I would be annoyed if I was Lynn to see someone inconsistent get picked ahead of me on the basis of being able to hit hard.

@moonsorrow Aus could open with Head and bat Lynn in the middle order or perhaps give Lynn full license up top to treat it very similar to a T20 match and hope our long batting order can last 300 balls, this is risky though but if Warner and Smith are in form, it could work. I suppose if they are in fine form Finch could act like its a T20 too.

I am a little concerned with Stoinis at 4 tbh. He is the type of batsman who will be 10* from 24 balls or so in typical number 4 situations, and teams will be able to bowl there spinner/5th bowler at him - of course he did show in NZ that he can make it up. I'm a Stoinis fan but I think he is going to be more useful at 5 or 6 unless we actually do lose some early wickets and we want someone to just stick around during a good spell.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Bairstow is currently averaging 53.60 with a strike of 115.51 in the 2017 Royal London One-Day Cup...

...If current form in the same format and same country counts for anything?

(Ben Foakes is at 154.50/104.04 in the same competition by the way!).

 

[straw man]

NZ XI:
Tom Latham (wk)
Martin Guptill
Kane Williamson (c)
Ross Taylor
Neil Broom
Jimmy Neesham
Colin de Grandhomme
Mitchell Santner
Adam Milne
Mitchell McClenaghan/ Tim Southee
Trent Boult

Reserves:
Corey Anderson
Luke Ronchi
Jeetan Patel
Tim Southee/ Mitchell McClenaghan

Comments:
Best I could do, feels like a bit of a hodge podge and there are a huge number of permutations through that middle order. Squad has lots of bowling and all-rounder options, fewer batting options, so while Broom is not the most proven at 5, I was reluctant to push Neesham to 5 and CDG to 6.

Milne makes the side assuming he's going to be fit and bowling at 145+. If not, he's not much good and misses out. A slower wicket might see Patel come in as the second spinner.

 

[tobe_ornot2]

Chris Lynn hits hard too so I would be annoyed if I was Lynn to see someone inconsistent get picked ahead of me on the basis of being able to hit hard.

@moonsorrow Aus could open with Head and bat Lynn in the middle order or perhaps give Lynn full license up top to treat it very similar to a T20 match and hope our long batting order can last 300 balls, this is risky though but if Warner and Smith are in form, it could work. I suppose if they are in fine form Finch could act like its a T20 too.

I am a little concerned with Stoinis at 4 tbh. He is the type of batsman who will be 10* from 24 balls or so in typical number 4 situations, and teams will be able to bowl there spinner/5th bowler at him - of course he did show in NZ that he can make it up. I'm a Stoinis fan but I think he is going to be more useful at 5 or 6 unless we actually do lose some early wickets and we want someone to just stick around during a good spell.

On what basis are you picking Lynn? His international t20 run is subpar and he only has one ODI. If you are picking him simply based on the IPL then it would be a massive problem because the quality of bowlers he is going to come up against in his group are going to be better. Finch on the other hand has 7 ODI centuries and although his recent form has been off, initially I'd rather go with the experienced man than someone who may or may not do well at the highest level.

NZ XI:
Tom Latham (wk)
Martin Guptill
Kane Williamson (c)
Ross Taylor
Neil Broom
Jimmy Neesham
Colin de Grandhomme
Mitchell Santner
Adam Milne
Mitchell McClenaghan/ Tim Southee
Trent Boult

Reserves:
Corey Anderson
Luke Ronchi
Jeetan Patel
Tim Southee/ Mitchell McClenaghan

Comments:
Best I could do, feels like a bit of a hodge podge and there are a huge number of permutations through that middle order. Squad has lots of bowling and all-rounder options, fewer batting options, so while Broom is not the most proven at 5, I was reluctant to push Neesham to 5 and CDG to 6.

Milne makes the side assuming he's going to be fit and bowling at 145+. If not, he's not much good and misses out. A slower wicket might see Patel come in as the second spinner.

Yes, I need to look into my NZ side too. Much like you, I feel NZ has a team that can change based on conditions and they haven't had a hugely settled middle/lower order for a while now.

 

[Zinzan]

NZ XI:
Tom Latham (wk)
Martin Guptill
Kane Williamson (c)
Ross Taylor
Neil Broom
Jimmy Neesham
Colin de Grandhomme
Mitchell Santner
Adam Milne
Mitchell McClenaghan/ Tim Southee
Trent Boult

Reserves:
Corey Anderson
Luke Ronchi
Jeetan Patel
Tim Southee/ Mitchell McClenaghan

Comments:
Best I could do, feels like a bit of a hodge podge and there are a huge number of permutations through that middle order. Squad has lots of bowling and all-rounder options, fewer batting options, so while Broom is not the most proven at 5, I was reluctant to push Neesham to 5 and CDG to 6.

Milne makes the side assuming he's going to be fit and bowling at 145+. If not, he's not much good and misses out. A slower wicket might see Patel come in as the second spinner.

I'd probably prefer Latham than Ronchi, but I'm picking they'll go with Ronchi after how terrible Tommy was with the gloves in the home summer... either way the keeper needs to open.

For me

Latham/Ronchi+
Guptill
KW
Taylor
Neesham/Broom (Neesham not allowed to bowl)
Anderson
de Grandhomme
Santner
Patel (on a spinning deck, one of the below if seaming)
Milne/McClenaghan/Bennett/Southee
Boult

I really don't give NZ much of chance progressing out of their group with just 3 world class batsmen and 1 world class bowler. Look at other sides in the tournament like Australia, South Africa who have arguably 7-8 world class players.

If NZ lose early wickets, they just don't have the quality down the order to be able to recover.