England thread

[Daemon]

He wasn't coaxed out of retirement at all. He simply retired to avoid playing ODIs he saw as beneath him and then rocked up to the WC to steal a deserving player's spot. Cowardice.

Stupid. You don’t need to earn your spot through putting in the grind with hours, games, runs, overs or whatever. You just need to be the better player. Which he is.

That aside, Stokes retired from ODIs to manage his career, physical and mental health. It worked. He led England to success in Tests while not missing out on anything of note in ODIs. In fact his absence (and that of other first XI players from time to time) has allowed many players to have a go in the format too.

 

[honestbharani]

I think trundy is angry that "retirement" is basically used as a leave excuse right now. I am assuming he wont have been so mad if Stokes simply said he was missing those JAMODIs to take care of his body but always said he will come back for WC.

 

[Ashes81]

Stokes should 100% be in our squad, as should Brook.

Hopefully our selectors will see sense and drop Roy and bring Brook in.

This would be my 11.
Bairstow
Root
Stokes
Brook
Buttler
Mo
Livingstone
Curran
Woakes
Wood
Rashid

There's good depth in the batting and plenty of bowling options.

 

[Prince EWS]

Since the last World Cup, Moeen averages 23 (SR: 85) with the bat and 57 (Econ: 5.6) with the ball.

I'd probably still pick him in the squad as backup (although I might have given Jacks and Dawson a few more chances to change my mind) but he's been putrid and shouldn't be in the best eleven IMO. His bowling isn't adding anything that couldn't be provided by Root and Livingstone bowling slightly more, he's not making runs and he's not even providing quick cameos anymore.

I'd go with this:

Bairstow
Malan
Root
Brook
Stokes
Buttler
Livingstone
Curran
Woakes
Wood
Rashid

Extra squad members: Roy, Moeen, two spare quicks.

 

[Owzat]

Yeah, it may also keep out a lesser player

Stokes pretty much won the 2019 final, did nothing in the first few T20I World Cup matches then guided England home in his last two innings, one in the final although the injury for the opposition aided that big time

Brook may well repeat his performances in all forms of cricket at the World Cup given the chance but picking a player like Stokes, as a batsman or all-rounder, who has shown he can win matches out of nowhere is sensible

Brook could take an attack apart and win England big games, Stokes HAS

 

[Owzat]

Stokes should 100% be in our squad, as should Brook.

Hopefully our selectors will see sense and drop Roy and bring Brook in.

This would be my 11.
Bairstow
Root
Stokes
Brook
Buttler
Mo
Livingstone
Curran
Woakes
Wood
Rashid

There's good depth in the batting and plenty of bowling options.

Yeah, I find it amusing people pick on Stokes as somehow "stealing" Brook's place, not that Brook has the place to steal, when I'd suggest there are 1-2 other batsmen minimum behind Stokes in the "first on the team sheet" Stokes, I mean stakes

might not be Roy for my money though, 63 average last World Cup and he is an opener not shoved in as many do with Malan, averaged 38.33 in India last tour out there. talking of Malan, you've left him out??

 

[Burgey]

Stokes pretty much won the 2019 final, did nothing in the first few T20I World Cup matches then guided England home in his last two innings, one in the final although the injury for the opposition aided that big time

Brook may well repeat his performances in all forms of cricket at the World Cup given the chance but picking a player like Stokes, as a batsman or all-rounder, who has shown he can win matches out of nowhere is sensible

Brook could take an attack apart and win England big games, Stokes HAS

Ok

 

[Howe_zat]

Assuming Stokes is fit to bowl at least a handful of overs I would probably just make room for Brook by picking fewer bowlers

1. Bairstow
2. Roy/Malan
3. Root
4. Brook
5. Stokes
6. Buttler
7. Ali/Livingstone
8. Curran
9. Woakes/Willey
10. Rashid
11. Wood/Topley/Atkinson

I don't really want Moeen Ali batting in the top six and if Livingstone isn't going to bowl much then Brook probably adds more as a middle order bat anyway. Looking at those reserve options in the bowlers having all three of Willey, Topley and Atkinson in reserve seems completely surplus to requirements

 

[GIMH]

Assuming Stokes is fit to bowl at least a handful of overs I would probably just make room for Brook by picking fewer bowlers

1. Bairstow
2. Roy/Malan
3. Root
4. Brook
5. Stokes
6. Butller
7. Ali/Livingstone
8. Curran
9. Woakes
10. Wood
11. Rashid

I don't really want Moeen Ali batting in the top six and if Livingstone isn't going to bowl much then Brook probably adds more as a middle order bat anyway

Jarrod Kimber did an interesting pod on it recently, talking about Brook largely being a victim of us not trusting our attack and needing to pick more bowlers as a result.

He then went on to talk about the 15 man squad being antiquated and too small by a good few which I probably agree with.

 

[Burgey]

and too small

@thierry henry to comment here

 

[Nicky]

1. Roy
2. Bairstow
3. Root
4. Brook
5. Stokes
6. Buttler
7. Ali
8. Curran/Woakes
9. Rashid
10. Wood
11. Topley

Would be nice to have both Curran & Woakes, but that would mean getting rid of a batter...

 

[Ashes81]

Yeah, I find it amusing people pick on Stokes as somehow "stealing" Brook's place, not that Brook has the place to steal, when I'd suggest there are 1-2 other batsmen minimum behind Stokes in the "first on the team sheet" Stokes, I mean stakes

might not be Roy for my money though, 63 average last World Cup and he is an opener not shoved in as many do with Malan, averaged 38.33 in India last tour out there. talking of Malan, you've left him out??

I'm a big fan of Malan and he'd be in my squad but it's either him or Root to open and I went with Root.

 

[Ashes81]

Jarrod Kimber did an interesting pod on it recently, talking about Brook largely being a victim of us not trusting our attack and needing to pick more bowlers as a result.

He then went on to talk about the 15 man squad being antiquated and too small by a good few which I probably agree with.

I think Kimber is probably right about Brook's non selection.

I think 15 is very tight squad wise for such a long tournament, there's 9 games before we get to semi finals.

 

[Molehill]

Sounds like Brook is being drafted into the squad. Carse has been added too (which suggests all might not be well with the seamers?).

Malan killed the impetus provided by Bairstow last night. He may have scored more than Brook, but it's no doubt where it started going wrong. I suspect it's one or the other of these 2 now.

 

[Ashes81]

Sounds like Brook is being drafted into the squad. Carse has been added too (which suggests all might not be well with the seamers?).

Malan killed the impetus provided by Bairstow last night. He may have scored more than Brook, but it's no doubt where it started going wrong. I suspect it's one or the other of these 2 now.

I think Brook will make the squad judging by Mott's comments and rightly so.

Both Malan and Roy are badly out of nick so it may be whoever doesn't perform againt NZ and Ireland will miss out.

Carse has looked decent in the T20s but its less obvious who will miss out if he makes the cut.

 

[GIMH]

What’s the source for this? I just listened to an interview with Mott where he said it would be a different squad for Ireland and Brook would likely feature. Is there something else?

 

[Molehill]

Carse has looked decent in the T20s but its less obvious who will miss out if he makes the cut.

I think it's probably injury cover - hopefully nothing wrong with Woakes or Wood.

 

[Chin Music]

I think Brook will make the squad judging by Mott's comments and rightly so.

Both Malan and Roy are badly out of nick so it may be whoever doesn't perform againt NZ and Ireland will miss out.

Carse has looked decent in the T20s but its less obvious who will miss out if he makes the cut.

At a guess, I would think that Mark Wood might be an injury concern. He usually is. He hasn't really been all that consistent as an ODI bowler but would always be a point of difference because at least in theory he could blast 2/3 out in quick succession.

 

[mackembhoy]

I think Brook will make the squad judging by Mott's comments and rightly so.

Both Malan and Roy are badly out of nick so it may be whoever doesn't perform againt NZ and Ireland will miss out.

Carse has looked decent in the T20s but its less obvious who will miss out if he makes the cut.

That's not true at all is it though. In ODI cricket this year Roy averages 46 and Malan 62. T20 shouldn't really be an indicator.

Malan Roy and Brook will all be in India anyway so this is moot. One might be a travelling reserve or may all be in the squad with one less seamer in it.

I think Livingstone/Ali as the second/third spinner. Also your 6 and 7 is more concerning than our top order.

They are going under the radar cos of Brook. Brook would be in the side at 4 and Stokes at 5, if Stokes could bowl anyway. Then you wouldn't need one of Livingstone or Ali.

 

[Nintendo]

That's not true at all is it though. In ODI cricket this year Roy averages 46 and Malan 62.

Malan Roy and Brook will all be in India anyway so this is moot. One might be a travelling reserve or may all be in the squad with one less seamer in it.

I'm more concerned about Livingstone and Ali than anyone in the top order. Both flatter to deceive.

Yeah your pretty much forced to play both Livingstone and moeen to fill in the equivelent of one spot unless root bowls a ton.