England players and selection discussion thread

[Third_Man]

Wont be Parkinson: appears to have been dropped by Lancashire today. Shouldn't be Livingstone.
Most likely to be Rehan Ahmed in the first instance.

 

[Blenkinsop]

Liam Dawson?

 

[Starfighter]

Wow. Wouldn't have though Leach's action was stressful enough and he plays little limited overs or off season stuff aside from the test tours.

Since England want flat pitches they'll want a spinner and I think they've got themselves into a position where Ahmed is their only viable choice who's played tests recently, but an average of 54 at 4.5 an over this season will give a little pause for thought (but then again, Tongue did better than expected so the vibes might influence them). The other option is one of the finger spinners going around CC - Dawson has test experience too I suppose, otherwise is a case of make a lucky pick.

 

[Ali TT]

A big headache for England. No fan of Leach but he was the best option available, practically by default given the quality of the alternatives. Not sure Ahmed could or should be asked to step up. However, what are the options? Leach has 18 wickets in county cricket this summer so far, while past test picks like Dawson and Bess have 9. Being that very few English spinners have even had a chance to bowl, let alone impress with wickets.

A last hurrah for Mo?

 

[kevinw]

Dawson would do a steady job, and he's unlucky to have not played more for England. Just can't see him being very threatening, so could only play as part of a five man attack. That's the case for any spinner who isn't Leach. If England are bold, it's Crawley out, Woakes in.

 

[honestbharani]

I would actually pick Rehan. Whoever they pick will mostly end up being expensive, but Rehan has as much of a shot of getting batsmen out as any of their other spinners plus he can bat.

 

[social]

In the event that they can’t convince Moeen to play, replace him with Woakes and live with whatever over rate penalties apply

 

[honestbharani]

Will be funny if they do that and incur overrate penalties because of which Stokes can't play and then they play Mo and he wins them games.

 

[Starfighter]

Will be funny if they do that and incur overrate penalties because of which Stokes can't play and then they play Mo and he wins them games.

It irritates me how many people - including you - have been living under a rock and don't realise it's been several years since captains were banned for over rates. Teams lose WTC points instead, and are fined 20% of match fee per over lost.

 

[kevinw]

Media are talking up an approach to Mo. This makes a lot of sense, if wants it. Doesn't have a great record vs Aus but experience is crucial and he could bat in the top seven. Wonder if he fancies it.

 

[Nintendo]

Why is noene talking about jacks? Has a few games of county under his belt this season, is in form and took 6fer on debut in Pakistan.

 

[KinPer]

Media are talking up an approach to Mo. This makes a lot of sense, if wants it. Doesn't have a great record vs Aus but experience is crucial and he could bat in the top seven. Wonder if he fancies it.

Sometimes experience is not crucial either. Anyway, it will be interesting.

 

[Burgey]

Averages 35 with the bat and 22 with the ball in England.

Averaged 33 with the ball and 20 with the bat in 2019 though.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Why is noene talking about jacks? Has a few games of county under his belt this season, is in form and took 6fer on debut in Pakistan.

He's bowled exactly 12 FC overs this season.

Which is fair enough for the part-timer he obviously is (29 FC wickets ever), but for a first choice spinner in a first Ashes test?

I actually think his bowling is a (slight) upgrade on Root's for all that though, but not enough to omit (say) Woakes or Broad for the sake of playing a quote-unquote "specialist".

 

[Burgey]

FMD England will be hoping it's cloudy AF if they don't have a front line spinner to run with. Is the cupboard as bare as what's being suggested here or are people just being funky in looking to #batdeep by plyaing some part timers/ spinning allrounders?

 

[Starfighter]

I actually think his bowling is a (slight) upgrade on Root's for all that though

I don't, but if anything I perhaps overate Root's bowling. But I don't think you want your best bat bowling a lot of overs unless they're Sobers' quality with the ball.

 

[BoyBrumby]

FMD England will be hoping it's cloudy AF if they don't have a front line spinner to run with. Is the cupboard as bare as what's being suggested here or are people just being funky in looking to #batdeep by plyaing some part timers/ spinning allrounders?

Why can't it be both?

Seriously, for everyone one of the potentials I've seen touted (Ali, Ahmed, Bess, Dawson, Jacks & Rashid) their batting is a selling point; Leach is the only specialist spinner who's a genuine tailender who's anywhere near the squad.

 

[Nintendo]

Averaged 33 with the ball and 20 with the bat in 2019 though.

Fair.

 

[Nintendo]

He's bowled exactly 12 FC overs this season.

Which is fair enough for the part-timer he obviously is (29 FC wickets ever), but for a first choice spinner in a first Ashes test?

I actually think his bowling is a (slight) upgrade on Root's for all that though, but not enough to omit (say) Woakes or Broad for the sake of playing a quote-unquote "specialist".

I was more thinking jacks #7. Moeen hasn't played redball in ages and when he did he looked benign.

Leach is averaging ~40 in his past 12 tests and has been smashed around a fair bit, and England are 10 from 12 in that time. Stokes also hasnt been bowling much/at all in a fair few of those tesrs. Some of the sides they've played in that run have been a bit shite but they beat a full strength Indian side and a near full strength NZ in ENG in that span. They may just be able to get away with jacks/moeen/rehan as the main spinner.

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

Is the cupboard as bare as what's being suggested here or are people just being funky in looking to #batdeep by plyaing some part timers/ spinning allrounders?

Spin cupboard is bare.