England options for Sri Lanka Tour

Well since this test series is a dead duck already I got to thinking ahead to the winter.

Obviously the first XI plus Bresnan and Finn will go.
It appears that Bopara is the reserve batsman
Reserve keeper is now..keisswetter?
Samit Patel trained with the squad beofre this test, seems pretty certain he'll go as a "two spinners" option.
Panessar as the reserve front line spinner?

Id think at least one player will get get rested for the Pakistan games which could give a chance for Taylor to step up.

Any reason to doubt this squad? (ie this is not a "well Id take that 14 tyear old who took a 8 fer last week agaisnt kent second XI" debate but one on who England actually will take)

How big is the touring team again?

Starting XI (likely)

1) Strauss
2) Cook
3) Trott
4) Pietersen
5) Bell
6) Morgan
7) Prior
8) Broad
9) Swann
10) Tremlett
11) Anderson (can't remember which wat round him and Tremlett bat)

12) Bopara/Taylor
13) Kieswetter
14) Bresnan
15) Fatel

I think they will take Bopara, letting Taylor play in the lions? presuming there is a tour at the time if not Taylor to go on the tour in place of Bopara.

I would say Rashid for 2nd spinner but England just dont appear to want to pick him anymore.

And yes for me Kieswetter is now england #2 keeper in test matches.

Something i would consider england exploring would be Bell batting at 4 and Pietersen batting 5, potentially allowing KP to bat more like himself back in 05/06, however if you did this could you have KP then Morgan next to each other in the order?

Bresnan > Tremlett

GG wrote:Bresnan > Tremlett

It's just what i expect England to do

hodge wrote:How big is the touring team again?

Starting XI (likely)

1) Strauss
2) Cook
3) Trott
4) Pietersen
5) Bell
6) Morgan
7) Prior
8) Broad
9) Swann
10) Tremlett
11) Anderson (can't remember which wat round him and Tremlett bat)

12) Bopara/Taylor
13) Kieswetter
14) Bresnan
15) Fatel

I think they will take Bopara, letting Taylor play in the lions? presuming there is a tour at the time if not Taylor to go on the tour in place of Bopara.

I would say Rashid for 2nd spinner but England just dont appear to want to pick him anymore.

And yes for me Kieswetter is now england #2 keeper in test matches.

Something i would consider england exploring would be Bell batting at 4 and Pietersen batting 5, potentially allowing KP to bat more like himself back in 05/06, however if you did this could you have KP then Morgan next to each other in the order?

Id assumed 16 but Im never sure of these things, could well be less.
Im also suprissed they have continued with Patel and bought him up to the test fringe too ahead of Rashid but there you go.
Pretty certain theyll take Bopara ahead of Taylor too.

So this Test Series is the last of the year?

England are going to Sri Lanka and then Pakistan in UAE(?) over this autumn/winter.

Strauss (C)
Cook
Trott
Kp
Bell
Morgan or patel
Prior
Swann
Broad
Bresnan
Jimmy

12)Taylor
13)Patel or morgan
14)Monty
15)Tremlett
16)Kieswetter

cricketfan90 wrote:Strauss (C)
Cook
Trott
Kp
Bell
Morgan or patel
Prior
Swann
Broad
Bresnan
Jimmy

12)Taylor
13)Patel or morgan
14)Monty
15)Tremlett
16)Kieswetter

agree

GG wrote:

cricketfan90 wrote:Strauss (C)
Cook
Trott
Kp
Bell
Morgan or patel
Prior
Swann
Broad
Bresnan
Jimmy

12)Taylor
13)Patel or morgan
14)Monty
15)Tremlett
16)Kieswetter

agree

thank you

I think your squad is pretty much there.

Personally I'd take James Foster over Kieswetter, Foster is the most unlucky England player ever, 7 tests in Australia (when they were miles better than everyone) and India (after 9-11 with a depleted squad). Did Ok didn't let anyone down and never got another chance!

I also think Foster is a miles better keeper than Kieswetter and taking every catch and stumping on the sub continent is essential.

I'd like to see Adil Rashid as the second spinner too, they'll need two in Sri Lanka and picking Rashid over Morgan isn't losing much in the batting. Rashid is having a poor trot at the moment for Yorks though only 31 fc wkts and 400 or so runs!

But maybe the lack of faith England have shown in him have knocked his confidence!

With Rashid there was something mentione dabout his "attitude" during a training cam,p over the winter when the senior side were in Australia.

He has been treated oddly, a couple of years ago he was the drinks boy on what for him was an utterly pointless tour.

I guess they just dont se in him the progfessionalism they expect for this side now. Which does beg the question..Samit too Fat Patel?

But then the side is best served by having a batting part time spinner to make the oiption oof having 2 in the side without weakening the batting too much.

Morgan would be the obvious one to take out for him, but Morgans arguably the best player of spin in the side. They may choose to rest a bastman to give both of these a chance.

Foster...well yep but his time is long past now. Keiswetter and Davies are the reserve keepers currently. If they take one at all it would be one of those rightly or wrongly.

I still think, depending on squad size, they make take panessar too.

Panessar will go because they need a front line spinner if Swann is injured or ill and Monty is having a good season and clearly second best spinner in the country.

Your right about Foster missing the boat so I'd take Davies on the basis that he looks a better keeper when I've seen him than Keiswetter.

Plus its always nice to have an Englishman in the team!

cricketfan90 wrote:Strauss (C)
Cook
Trott
Kp
Bell
Morgan or patel
Prior
Swann
Broad
Bresnan
Jimmy

12)Taylor
13)Patel or morgan
14)Monty
15)Tremlett
16)Kieswetter

disagree would have Broad ahead of Swann at least and probably Bresnan ahead of him

sugarrayb wrote:Panessar will go because they need a front line spinner if Swann is injured or ill and Monty is having a good season and clearly second best spinner in the country.

Your right about Foster missing the boat so I'd take Davies on the basis that he looks a better keeper when I've seen him than Keiswetter.

Plus its always nice to have an Englishman in the team!

Kieswetter is a very good keeper now, he's been working with Bruce French for a while and it's paid off

Without two decent spinners, England have no hope in hell of winning in Sri Lanka. Swann will be hammered, you need variety in SL and Swann doesn't have it. Rashid is a must.

You still here Sonic? Won't be long till your banned...again.

Strauss (C)
Cook
Trott
Kp
Bell
Morgan
Prior
Swann
Broad
Bresnan
Jimmy

12)Bopara
13)Finn
14)Monty
15)Tremlett
16)Kieswetter

I think that's pretty much what will happen. Don't think Patel is in any way good enough to be a second spinner in a Test side, also don't think he has the right attitude tbh. Monty has the experience and shown he can take wickets at this level and has been doing pretty well for Sussex. I would say Rashid would be on reserve duty for the spinners, Taylor for the batsmen and Davies for wicketkeeper

Strauss
Cook
Trott
KP
Bell
Morgan
Prior
Bresnan
Broad
Swann
Anderson

12) Bopara/Taylor
13) Tremlett
14) Finn
15) Monty/Patel
16) Kieswetter

Very good balanced side players that can come and do well, exactly what England need.

I dont rate Morgan as a Test player.Taylor averages 49 in f/c cricket and he deserves the Test spot far more than Morgan.
This would be my team:

Strauss
Cook
Trott
KP
Bell
Taylor
Prior(wk)
Bresnan
Broad
Swann
Jimmy

Reserves

Morgan
Kieswetter
Monty
Tremlett
Finn

Again though Morgan is a specialist player of spin. I would be very suprissed if they dont at least given him the start . Hes making runs again in this test, his records not been great but he has often been asked to throw his wicket awway. The technical problems are there to see against the moving ball but the coaches have something to work with, its not a problem with lack of natural batting prowess or mental strength.
Morgans been a revelation in limited overs too, hes the kind of player that Engfland wanty at the heart of tehir team. Is suspect Taylor will have to wait. Boparaas ahead of him in the pecking order currently, the fact that Taylors named as Lions Captian screams hes earmarked for that not Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
Morgan will start, Bopara will be the reserve unless he utterly flumps in the ,limited chances he'll get in thios test and possibly the next.

Bopara is a joke.He is pathetic.

shankythebiggestengfan wrote:Bopara is a joke.He is pathetic.

No he isn't. That's a ridiculous comment to make. He's an excellent county player who has yet to take his chance at the highest level. He someone that has clearly worked hard to get were he is today, and probably sacraficed a lot on the way.

Its a gross exagertaion. Hes a player whos struggled and infuriated, but put in a few good performances along the way.

ravi is a very good player but is very inconsistent

I don't think the England selectors will be deluded enough to pick Samit Patel s the 2nd spinner.
I remember they taking Ian Blackwell as the 2nd spinner to India ones, and well, it was ridiculous.
England has had it all pretty easy so far at home against India, but playing in the sub-continent will be an entirely different proposition.
For me, Monty is the one to be the 2nd spinner. Rashid had a steller start to the county season, but then stagnated for some time now. Monty has had a decent season so far, and he's experienced.
Not sure Sri Lanka is the best place to debut a new player. Anyone remember Bopara's debut series? Think he hasn't really recovered as yet!!.
If they wanted to blood Taylor, the best time was Trot's injury, but they missed the boat. May be he should at least be given a go in ODIs during the summer, and then take a call on whether he should go on the winter tours.

Msp

given the nature of pitches and the current sri lankan test bowling attack it would be an ideal time to blood a young batsman like taylor.
SL Test attack is tbh one of the worst in the world and the pitches are flat.
why isnt it a good idea to blood a debutant.
when bopara failed they had murali and vaas.

England usually take 16 on tour, with the extra 5 comprising of one batsman, one keeper, one spinner and two quicks.

13/16 is obvious.

Reserve batsman - Taylor may well push out Ravi now. Patel is also an option though.

Reserve spinner - Panesar was the last reserve spinner chosen. Again, Patel also an option but spinning is his second string so he's more likely to go as a batsman.

Reserve keeper - Davies was the last reserve chosen. Kieswetter also an option, especially as he's likely to play in the ODI series.

Another option is to pick Patel in addition to the three vacancies and take 17.

Have to say I don't think I'd want Taylor to go as the reserve batsman, no point in him spending all winter carrying drinks around as unless there is an injury he won't get a game. If there is a Lions tour at the same time he can be there and be playing competitive cricket to stay in form. Taylor needs to get his debut at home to ease him in a bit. Loom what happened to Bopara in SL last time!

If Taylor gets a chance the ideal time would be next year against the WI.