It is the squad that was seemingly leaked into the press yesterday. I have pretty much mixed feelings about it, I do like James Vince, he's a positive cricketer and a lovely batsman to watch in full flow, there is clearly some Michael Vaughan style thinking behind this, he has not tore it up in County cricket this season but is a strokemaker of the Vaughan mold and they're hoping to evoke memories of the fantastic Vaughan series all those years ago! It's all I can think of because his CC form has been average and not sure how entirely fair it is on Vince himself to select him when he's clearly not in prime form.
The Ballance selection was an obvious one they were going to make, he has had a fantastic CC season but I still worry a lot about how he's going to score runs agasint this Aussie attack on their pitches.
Jake Ball and Craig Overton are surely similar picks and with the Lions already being over there surely Mark Wood was worth a punt for something different. A skiddy, quicker bowler that can reverse it just extends our options and if his fitness lets him down at some point, we have the Lions security blanket there anyway. Unless of course his injury woes are worse and are indeed hindering his pace and ability to play a single five-day game at full tilt.
I'm pleased Ben Foakes got the nod, deservedly so ahead of Jos Buttler, despite the huge ability Butler possesses, his four-day game has been poor this season and he hasn't played enough of it for me.
Mason Crane is a huge gamble, unless they intend to call someone else up ahead of him from the Lions squad if Moeen has to pull out of a Test with an injury and he's only ever considered to play alongside Moeen and never as a sole spinner. Feel a little for Rashid though, but Crane is an exciting pick.
