It’s all well and good to pick players from the County Championship, but when it’s pushed to the margins of the English summer (and when Somerset get deducted points for producing spinning wickets!), it’s not necessarily going to be the best proving ground for some players, and likewise, it might mean some players succeed domestically but might not have the tools to do it internationally
his record in the last ashes was pretty good. and what nepotism?
i notice that carse, mahmood and stone all figure in this list too. whoever plays for england in the next test, the bowling unit is gonna be very inexperienced. hope woakes stays fit.
His dad has tons of money and hangs out with a lot of former cricketers. Also used that money to send Crawley to a bunch of cricket development camps at a young age and introduced him to guys like key.
Ahem.
You do wonder how they'll play it if Woakes isn't available. Maybe bring in Cox to bat at 6, play Smith at 7 and pick a 4th seamer alongside Atkinson, Potts and Stone instead of Bashir, who didn't really threaten the SL batters. With Root providing the spin from time to time. Either that or they have to find a genuine test bowler who can bat at 7, which might be tricky.
Probably the 4 seamers, with Root and Lawrence as their spin options.
its absolutely crazy how england have ignored liam dawson, he was a must for the india tour, who knows what he could've done if he played there instead of rehan ahmed.
They tried to pick him and he said no.
They were picking him as a squad player/back up/h2o boy and he told them "too old for that" and "no thanks".
In the games he has played for England he hasn't been amazing, Bang average in fact
He played 3 Tests. The one in India where India scored 700+ and he was easily the most economical English spinner, plus he got a 50. The 2 Tests in England he averages 34. Wouldn't disagree with bang average though, but bang average is still in a lot cases better than plenty who got tried ahead of him.
Does anyone who follows franchise cricket know why Josh Hull only played the first two games? Was he dropped or injured?
Was the Originals’ most expensive bowler in those two games, so he was dropped and that’s why he was available for the Lions. Bowled well against a strong, but admittedly undercooked Sri Lanka team, didn’t see him last week in the County Championship, but judging by the scorecard it seemed like a batting track. Wouldn’t want him bowling against a better prepared Sri Lanka team, but I don’t for a second think he will be
I wonder if Cook still wouldn’t get into this team
Don't think anyone thought he'd be a world beater, he didn't need to be. For years England needed an economical spinner who could give the pace bowlers a rest and bat a bit. Someone in the Giles mould.