Worst Selections of All Time

[Third_Man]

Kerrigan had a strong FC record at that point, I think. And he'd taken a CC 9fer. He was pretty much Jack Leach-level, just got Watsoned.

Agreed

With what appeared to be zero support from his captain. I also thought at the time that as Lancs always selected Parry in the limited over stuff he had been denied the opportunity to develop his game when under attack. His 9fer came when Hampshire tried to block all day totally surrending the initiative to Kerrigan.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Take your pick between 3 spinners for England all of whom played 1 test each Simon Kerrigan 0-53
Mason Crane 1-193
Matt Parkinson 1-47

Not only did all 3 make virtually no contribution, it harmed their future careers significantly.

Scott Borthwick

Also Moeen Ali for the last game has to be up there. No FC cricket for 18 months, what do you know, couldn't handle bowling more than a handful of overs. Shocker. Not to mention he has always been terrible against Australia even when at his best

 

[GoodAreasShane]

I must admit Crane actually did better than I thought he would in that Sydney Test, although that says more about just how lowly I expected of him beforehand. Had a piss awful FC record (still does to an extent) and bowled steaming hot garbage in the tour games he played.

Most notably the one where Jason Sangha tonked him around en route to a ton and in the process conned people into thinking he was the next big thing for a little while. In reality he was just lucky to be able to feast out on the Mason Crane pie cart

 

[Third_Man]

Livingstone hasn't played first class since his test in Dec 22.
Only 5 FC games in 2021 before that (non in 2022) average 11 batting and 62 with the ball.
Only two FC games in 2020 average 18
In his test he was injured fielding. Only 16 runs and did not bowl. HS 9

 

[Ashes81]

Scott Borthwick

Also Moeen Ali for the last game has to be up there. No FC cricket for 18 months, what do you know, couldn't handle bowling more than a handful of overs. Shocker. Not to mention he has always been terrible against Australia even when at his best

To be honest as an England supporter we're spoiled for choice on this one.

Going back a bit, Ian Greig was a shocking pick an 'all rounder' who couldn't bat or bowl.

Chris Cowdrey, who was even worse than Greig. He captained England in our summer of 4 captains. Nothing to do of course with chief selector Peter May being his Godfather.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Ronnie Irani's recall for the 4th (and deciding) test of NZ's tour of 1999 (AKA the year England hit the bottom of the test rankings) after over thirty six months since he'd last underwhelmed in the gold standard format was, at best, an optimistic shout, and smacked of a) desperation; & b) being a club mate of the skipper.

He scored 1 & 9 with the bat, took 1/38 in NZ's first knock and wasn't called on to bowl in their second.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Ronnie Irani's recall for the 4th (and deciding) test of NZ's tour of 1999 (AKA the year England hit the bottom of the test rankings) after over thirty six months since he'd last underwhelmed in the gold standard format was, at best, an optimistic shout, and smacked of a) desperation; & b) being a club mate of the skipper.

He scored 1 & 9 with the bat, took 1/38 in NZ's first knock and wasn't called on to bowl in their second.

Wow NZ played a 4 Test series

 

[ankitj]

Non selection of Ashwin in WTC final

 

[wpdavid]

I know the selection of Bairstow over Foakes at the start of the current series has been done to death elsewehere, but at least that owed something to trying to squeeze all of the batters into the side since the emergence of Brook. Surely keeping YJB behind the stumps now we're without Pope is a far worse decision. Made no sense at all.

 

[Third_Man]

I know the selection of Bairstow over Foakes at the start of the current series has been done to death elsewehere, but at least that owed something to trying to squeeze all of the batters into the side since the emergence of Brook. Surely keeping YJB behind the stumps now we're without Pope is a far worse decision. Made no sense at all.

Possibly, even probably but there is no way that they would be seen to cut YJB after the Lord's test, it would be seen as attaching blame as well as admission of a mistake - a double not in their compass. Especially for Headingley.

 

[wpdavid]

Possibly, even probably but there is no way that they would be seen to cut YJB after the Lord's test, it would be seen as attaching blame as well as admission of a mistake - a double not in their compass. Especially for Headingley.

Yeah, but my point is they didn't have to drop YJB once Pope was injured, just have him bat at 5 without having to keep wicket. Effectively, it would have meant reverting to how we lined up last summer, albeit with Brook at 3 instead of Pope.

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

While I agree with you that not picking Foakes has been Kinda Bad, tbf for this Test they clearly wanted an extra bowler for Pope due to Stokes not being fit to bowl, so would have been hard to fit him in.

 

[Third_Man]

Yeah, but my point is they didn't have to drop YJB once Pope was injured, just have him bat at 5 without having to keep wicket. Effectively, it would have meant reverting to how we lined up last summer, albeit with Brook at 3 instead of Pope.

Probably mis read you post. Apologies.
Still unlikely as even taking the gloves off YJB would be seen as not be 100% behind him, and keeping the squad as one almost as important as entertaiment in bazball, surely

 

[Kirkut]

In the 2015 Australia tour, Suresh Raina was picked over Pujara to play in a test match after not having played in one for 3 years.

He got a pair.

That brainfade against short pitched bowling was so serious that he literally played everything on the backfoot. The seconds innings dismissal was hilarious, Watson bowled an 80 mph ball gun barrel straight on a full length, plumb lbw lol.

 

[Kirkut]

I really hate that RP Singh recall. Made worse because they flew him out at the end of a series they were already down 2-0 in.

He had not played a game for more than half a year at that point.

The bowling at that time looked so toothless that the management was ready to experiment with anything. Probably RP's inclusion was based on having a left arm swing bowler who brings variety and coming around the wicket to right handers.

Praveen Kumar for all his limitations made the most of his skills in that series.

 

[Qlder]

Will easily be David Warner selected for the 4th and 5th Ashes test