England players and selection discussion thread

[ImpatientLime]

 

[reyrey]

Good to see Leach back in the squad. Hoping Carse gets picked sooner rather than later to do the job Woakes will inevitably fail to do.

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayee]

Crawley has obviously lifted his game in the last couple of years, but like Duckett and Pope, their game management leaves me baffled at times. They are no longer new kids on the block, and with him and Pope, they have gone long past the stage where they look like rabbits in the headlights. However, I still have a forlornly hope that they could be a tad more consistent than they are. Pope's issues are defensive of course and they aren't of a level that you would expect of a test number 3, despite the fact that his number there are still reasonably good even if boosted by the big double ton v Ireland.

Crawley and Duckett at least consistently get in and give Root a much better platform compared to what came before them, which is the first job of an opener, although it would be nice if they got more tons. Pope is basically the opposite, but playing in the top 3 is such a tough job and there are so few viable alternatives so better the devil you know

 

[Blenkinsop]

If getting 70-odd at a run a ball more often than not is consistency then I'm happy with Duckett's consistency.

 

[Ali TT]

This feels a bit like a change period for England, a bit like 2014, 2008/9 and 2002/3. The players available don't instill me with a huge amount of confidence yet but at the same time good to see some new guys have a chance to make a case.

 

[Chin Music]

This feels a bit like a change period for England, a bit like 2014, 2008/9 and 2002/3. The players available don't instill me with a huge amount of confidence yet but at the same time good to see some new guys have a chance to make a case.

The first of those you mention precipitated what constitutes wilderness years. The latter two were actually preludes to very good times indeed.

The current squad has had quite a number of players who have been around quite some time with only Cox, Hull and Smith being very new on the scene. Even Carse has been in England squads, even if white ball, for quite some time.

 

[Molehill]

This feels a bit like a change period for England, a bit like 2014, 2008/9 and 2002/3. The players available don't instill me with a huge amount of confidence yet but at the same time good to see some new guys have a chance to make a case.

I think this is most noticeable in the white ball squads. The last 2 World Cups have highlighted the lack of wicket takers, whilst I don't think we realised how good that batting line up was that kept pushing back the records. The likes of Salt and Jacks are clearly not in the same class as Roy and Hales.

I have far more faith in the Test team than the others.......hopefully Baz can sort those out too, but not sure there's the talent coming through.

 

[GIMH]

Stokes signing a two year deal

 

[Third_Man]

Stokes signing a two year deal

Guardian reported:

"The ECB will offer fewer long-term deals this year as it has been left to count the cost of some expensive mistakes 12 months ago. Jonny Bairstow signed a two-year deal worth £800,000 a year last October but has not played for England since the T20 World Cup in June and has little chance of a recall, the ECB paying him more than £1m not to play.
....
Jamie Smith is certain to be given his first central contract after impressing as a wicketkeeper-batter this summer, while the 6ft 7in fast bowler Josh Hull is also in the frame after being selected for the Pakistan tour, but may have to settle for a development contract.

Most of the eight players whose one-year deals are expiring will not be offered new ones, as James Anderson, Moeen Ali and Dawid Malan have retired, while Ben Foakes and Ollie Robinson are out of favour. Jack Leach and Reece Topley are likely to be offered new one-year deals."

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayee]

Guardian reported:

"The ECB will offer fewer long-term deals this year as it has been left to count the cost of some expensive mistakes 12 months ago. Jonny Bairstow signed a two-year deal worth £800,000 a year last October but has not played for England since the T20 World Cup in June and has little chance of a recall, the ECB paying him more than £1m not to play.
....
Jamie Smith is certain to be given his first central contract after impressing as a wicketkeeper-batter this summer, while the 6ft 7in fast bowler Josh Hull is also in the frame after being selected for the Pakistan tour, but may have to settle for a development contract.

Most of the eight players whose one-year deals are expiring will not be offered new ones, as James Anderson, Moeen Ali and Dawid Malan have retired, while Ben Foakes and Ollie Robinson are out of favour. Jack Leach and Reece Topley are likely to be offered new one-year deals."

Considering what happened with Bairstow and Malan, it doesn’t really make any difference what type of contract they are offered does it? Kid’s been picked for Sri Lanka and now Pakistan, surely with a view to having a go on those bouncy pitches Down Under, so you’d think whatever contract he is given, he’ll be in the squad going forward