England players and selection discussion thread

[theegyptian]

If Bell scores runs in county season the calls for him to start the ashes at 3 will be big imo. 12 rounds of championship games before England play a test match this summer. It's a lot of games.

The irony being if Bell was recalled is that his best postion is in the middle order like every one else (averages 48 at 5 + 60 at 6) - and like Bairstow he was promoted up the order to 3 + 4, and failed there and was then dropped.

Burns, X, Bell, Root, Buttler, Stokes, Bairstow, Ali, Woakes/Curran, Broad, Anderson


Just then need to recall Bopara to the ODI side to make it four 50 over world cups he's played in, and nothing can stop us.

 

[Bijed]

If Bell scores runs in county season the calls for him to start the ashes at 3 will be big imo. 12 rounds of championship games before England play a test match this summer. It's a lot of games.

The irony being if Bell was recalled is that his best postion is in the middle order like every one else (averages 48 at 5 + 60 at 6) - and like Bairstow he was promoted up the order to 3 + 4, and failed there and was then dropped.

Burns, X, Bell, Root, Buttler, Stokes, Bairstow, Ali, Woakes/Curran, Broad, Anderson


Just then need to recall Bopara to the ODI side to make it four 50 over world cups he's played in, and nothing can stop us.

Slightly plausible* starting ashes 'B' team (in ways more than one)

Burns
Bopara
Ballance
Bell
Bairstow
Buttler
Billings
Barker
Borthwick
Broad
Brooks

Hopfully they all see off the Aussie's main bowlers and regular part-timers, before falling b Burns

And of course, they're coached by Bayliss

*to the extent that they haven't retired yet

 

[Andy1993]

Lol there's worse sides around than that one

 

[tooextracool]

Joe Root's reluctance at bat at number 3 is emblematic of the problems with the team - a player who spent a significant portion of his career opening the batting for Yorkshire but doesn't have the confidence or the bloody mindedness to make this position his own because it would involve having to face the new ball. This lack of belief is also instilled into the other England batters all of whom are unsure of whether to stick or twist because they don't truly understand their role in the side after constantly being shunted up and down the order.

To top this all off, we're all bemoaning the lack of top order bats in county cricket despite, for reasons unbeknownst to everyone, routinely ignoring a player who averages 40+ for Somerset and who has scored 1000+ runs in three out of the last four seasons batting at number 4. We leave out a spin bowler with a sub 26 average who offers control for one that takes wickets @ 35, gave up on county cricket and who the captain has never had any confidence in or even knows how to use. I have to shake my head when I see all of this, because time and time again we make the process of selection more complicated than it needs to be.

 

[Tom Flint]

Hildreth was the player I was most hoping we took to Sri Lanka. I don't think root should bat 3 but I do agree leach should be first choice spinner

 

[Andy1993]

I dont know what or who Hildreth has done or upset but its crazy that he has never been selected for test cricket, the guy has scored thousands and thousands of runs!!!! and Yea Leach should be first choice spinner!

 

[Tom Flint]

Scoring runs at number 3 away on seamers and at home on turners all while doing it in the top order which we have struggled to fill. The only things against him is not being south african and his age which is our own fault for leaving it so long to select him!

 

[Andy1993]

Age is just a number, if he's still good enough, get him in there..

 

[Tom Flint]

I agree, see Rogers voges hussey

 

[Andy1993]

Hildreth is 34, if he can debut against Ireland etc you can get 3-4 years out of him at least, the guy is a run machine

 

[theegyptian]

Scoring runs at number 3 away on seamers and at home on turners all while doing it in the top order which we have struggled to fill. The only things against him is not being south african and his age which is our own fault for leaving it so long to select him!

Hildreth has barely batted at 3 throughout his career. He's another middle order bat. He's moved upto 4 at Somerset in the last three years but before that he was mainly at 5 iirc. It was telling a few years ago when Somerset had injuries, and needed a captain and top order bat. It was Kieswetter who batted 3 and took over the captaincy, with Hildreth staying where he was at.

He doesn't seem that bothered about furthering his career tbh. Hasn't played any fc cricket overseas, hasn't took on somerset captaincy, hasn't batted higher in order at somerset to gain more attention, hasn't moved clubs to challenge himself. etc.

However regardless of all this he's been unlucky not to play for England given his career, and now more than anytime in his career he seems to be consistent. A couple of years he was close to selection and went away with the lions, but then had poor following seasons.

Like I don't see him capable of batting 3 for England if he's basically never done it over a 16 year career with Somerset. Root obviously wants to bat 4. Would Hildreth be a better player at 5 than Buttler. Well possibly but HiIldreth is now 34 and has shown little ambition to further his career.
If they could convince Root to bat 3, then Hildreth at 4 wouldn't be a bad shout.

 

[Tom Flint]

But then hope got picked to bat at 3 despite going in at number 6 for Surrey? Don't know why he would have to change clubs either considering Somerset are knocking on the door of winning div 1 most seasons and is getting perfect practice for touring by playing on a turning wicket every 2nd game.

 

[theegyptian]

But then hope got picked to bat at 3 despite going in at number 6 for Surrey? Don't know why he would have to change clubs either considering Somerset are knocking on the door of winning div 1 most seasons and is getting perfect practice for touring by playing on a turning wicket every 2nd game.

Pope batted 4 for England and that was wrong of England too. (As an aside it looks like Pope is tightening up his game which is good news. Ollie Pope takes Kohli orders in bid to come again with England | ESPNcricinfo.com)

Hildreth not going to change clubs now. But maybe 5 years ago when he was 29 or 30, he might have moved if he was looking to play for England. Guys like Moeen, Buttler, Compton, Jennings, Borthwick, Clarke have moved clubs to try and get england honours. Some of it's perception, some is the broadening of experiences. In isolation it doesn't look much but together with the other stuff I've mentioned it plays into the narrative that he isn't giving everything to play for England.

 

[theegyptian]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/mar/09/jason-roy-england-ashes

Roy set to open in ashes apparently.

I mean really? This seems like bull****. Surely you wait the 5 months of cricket between now and then and make a decision at that point.

And even still Roy at the top of the order with all the other flaky attacking options would seem to compound England's issues rather than ease them/

 

[Starfighter]

Hopefully we can ruin his career like Finch's was ruined. That would require our opening bowlers to bowl well though, which is usually a bit too much to ask. I note that they state his average but don't mention it was from only two matches.

 

[Bijed]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/mar/09/jason-roy-england-ashes

Roy set to open in ashes apparently.

I mean really? This seems like bull****. Surely you wait the 5 months of cricket between now and then and make a decision at that point.

And even still Roy at the top of the order with all the other flaky attacking options would seem to compound England's issues rather than ease them/

I agree that it seems early to be saying this. I don't really mind his (apparent) selection, though - I don't think it will go well, but realistically he can't be much worse than Jennings and some of the others we've tried and he has at least had (admittedly a bit inconsistent) success at international level. Agree that he's not the type of player we'd bring in in an ideal world, but I don't think we've got a lot of choice tbh

 

[Tom Flint]

Doesn't even open for Surrey.

 

[BoyBrumby]

It's not ideal, but it's not like he's leapfrogging Hutton and Hobbs either. On balance I'm more in favour than anti.

As Bijed observes he has at least made a decent go of international cricket in the other formats. In the bad old days England had a wrong-headed habit of using ODIs as auditions for the test XI. Happily those days are long gone (at least for now), but, judging by the success (or lack thereof) of those who've earned a go by their CC performances I think Roy might be the least bad option currently.

 

[Prince EWS]

He definitely wouldn't be my pick - he might not even be in my top 10 picks for that spot - but none of the choices inspire any confidence at all, so if they want to a take a bit of a weird punt on it, meh. It's hardly the blunder of the century.

 

[BoyBrumby]

He definitely wouldn't be my pick - he might not even be in my top 10 picks for that spot - but none of the choices inspire any confidence at all, so if they want to a take a bit of a weird punt on it, meh. It's hardly the blunder of the century.

Care to stick you head over the parapet and tell us who would be?

I do think Roy will keep the slips interested, especially early on. Does go pretty hard at it. Unless Hameed remembers how to play though Smith isn't exactly overburdened with other viable opening options.