England's New Team

After the shambolic winter, we now have a new coach, Mick Newall, and no Giles.

Given the new men, no Trott, or Pietersen, and that winter, the first test team will no doubt look a little different to what we ended up with at Sydney.

Here's my team for the first test.

Cook
Robson
Root
Ballance
Bell
Stokes
Prior
Broad
Finn
Anderson
Kerrigan

I think you'll see Jordan in there somewhere, and I'm not sure Ballance will play. And I also don't think Prior is going to be fit enough to wicket keep, and I don't think he makes it as a batsman

It's kind of exciting to see who they pick, genuinely a few spots completely up for grabs.

Taylor for Ballance is a real possibility. The first test isn't till June, so a lot will happen between now and then. I wouldn't rule out Carberry either.

Cook
Robson
Taylor
Bell
Root
Stokes
Buttler
Broad
Finn/Jordan/woakes (batting above broad)
Anderson
Kerrigan

Olly wrote:and I'm not sure Ballance will play.

And thus he scores 130 today   

1. Cook
2. Robson
3. Root
4. Bell
5. Taylor
6. Stokes
7. Prior (W/K)
8. Broad
9. Anderson
10. Finn
11. Kerrigan

NickisBHAFC wrote:
1. Cook
2. Robson
3. Root
4. Bell
5. Taylor
6. Stokes
7. Prior (W/K)
8. Broad
9. Anderson
10. Finn
11. Kerrigan

Nick - surprised you can't find room for Sir Chris?

Like i said in the Sussex page

I think Sir Chris needs to remain with the Lions for now, and i also feel Finn, Anderson and Broad should be our bowling attack against Sr Lanka, with Jordan and Onions knocking on the door and as back up.

Cook(C)
Robson
Bell
Root
Moeen
Stokes
Prior
Broad
Jordan
Anderson
Kerrigan

Stella wrote:
... The first test isn't till June, so a lot will happen between now and then ...

Exactly.

There is still time and opportunity for people to play themselves into and out of contention. Some in form batsmen are now getting a lot of attention. That's fair and understandable. However, let's not get too ahead of ourselves - four single figure scores in the next two CC matches would seriously damage any contender's chances.

Fitness / injury will obviously also be an important factor. In particular, I see Stokes, Prior and Broad being named above. Are they all going to be ready? Due to an achilles problem, Prior has only played one CC match and he didn't even keep in that.

My team has changed already from the start of the season, and will no doubt change again leading up to the Test match!

Cook
Robson
Bell
Ballance (Previously Taylor)
Root
Stokes (Woakes if not fit)
Prior (Buttler if not fit)
Jordan (Previously Woakes)
Broad
Kerrigan
Anderson

Bell is angling for Pietersen's old spot, so someone is needed at first drop? I really don't rate Root there (or anywhere else to be honest).

1st test vs sri lanka

1 cook
2 robson
3 compton
4 root
5 bell
6 stokes
7 buttler
8 woakes
9 broad
10 tredwell
11 anderson

JDizzle wrote:My team has changed already from the start of the season, and will no doubt change again leading up to the Test match!

Cook
Robson
Bell
Ballance (Previously Taylor)
Root
Stokes (Woakes if not fit)
Prior (Buttler if not fit)
Jordan (Previously Woakes)
Broad
Kerrigan
Anderson

Snap, except for Ballance and Root swap places in my XI.

Fitness of the likes of Prior, Broad and Stokes permitting I'd like to see something like:

1.Cook
2.Robson or Carberry - Let form decide it, at the moment Robson
3.Bell
4.Root
5.Ballance or Taylor - Again base it on form at the time
6.Stokes
7.Prior (wk)
8.Broad
9.Anderson
10.Finn or Onions - Broken record time: Let form decide it
11.Panesar

Panesar is an unfashionable and probably unpopular pick all of a sudden I know but he's our best spinner IMO. Also we spent an awful long time playing spinners for their batting, throwing in youngsters who weren't ready to their own detriment as well as the sides, or chucking in part time spinners who average near 40 in FC cricket on the bases that they average nearer 35 in recent seasons.  I'm a big advocate of picking your best bowlers which to me includes Panesar.

If Broad is struggling with injury still I'd have Jordan as next cab off the rank.

"@ECB_cricket: England squad v Scotland: Cook Ali Anderson Ballance Bell Bopara Buttler Gurney Jordan Morgan Root Tredwell Woakes

Olly wrote:"@ECB_cricket: England squad v Scotland: Cook Ali Anderson Ballance Bell Bopara Buttler Gurney Jordan Morgan Root Tredwell Woakes

Thanks, Olly. Hadn't seen the squad before.

The names seem to have a pretty familiar look about them. That doesn't mean the selectors have got it wrong but I thought they could have had a close up look at someone new like Vince.

I see that the selectors have kept faith with Tredwell even though he's been ditched by Kent from their CC side. Rather shows the current difficulty of finding an obvious England spinner.

I remain to be convinced by Gurney. If selected, he'll probably still do fine against Scotland but I suspect he'll be punching above his weight against more proven international sides.

Anyway, England seem concerned to get the players together early on and ensure they avoid another Netherlands-type result - I understand all of the squad have been pulled out of the CC matches starting on Sunday even though they would finish no later than Wednesday with this ODI being played Friday.

Yeah a standard squad with the lack of one day cricket played so far you can't pick in form guys in that format so to speak

Nothing wrong with the ODI squad. Hard to see what else they could have done. I'm a bit surprised to see Anderson and Morgan in for this game, but I guess they want to get off to as strong as possible a start under Moores.

I'm not sure I agree with guildford that it is that familiar... Ali, Ballance, Jordan and Gurney haven't played much or in Gurney's case any internationals yet, and there haven't been any limited-overs games for people to make a case yet.

I think Gurney is worth a shot in one-dayers. He's done very well in them for Notts, and a left-arm variation is always useful in the shorter formats.

Tredwell remains a very good limited-overs spinner, which is a very different role to that of a Test spinner.

The English cricket team is as low as its been since...early 2007?

I've lost faith, I've lost belief, I have my doubts.

It's a long road back to the summit, and England are lacking:

1) A strong leader.
2) An established coaching set-up.
3) A proven opening pair.
4) A strong middle-order.
5) A batting wicket-keeper that has the combo of form and quality.
6) A world-class batsman who can take apart the strongest of opposition.
7) A third seamer.
8) A more than average spinner.

Still, if anything was learnt from 2007 it was that if you shut your eyes and open them in a couple of years...all would be well.

England shall rely this summer on some overcast conditions, Broad being consistent, Anderson returning to somewhere approaching his best, one of the young batsman making a few high scores (Ballance, Robson, Taylor), the weakness of the foreign land playing us, and PITCHING THE BLOODY BALL UP.

Sad to see Duty losing his faith...

Trouble is , Duty , you OD'd on optimism ...and in recent years this has frequently paid off. Now you're having a reaction.

Those of us who have been around for rather longer have seen this before and are perhaps less likely to get either too high or too low over the events of a month or a year...

That said , there does seem to be a lot of pessimism around English cricket on here (and elsewhere) ; and I am not sure it is entirely justified. Granted the Australian tour was a disaster ; but Australia is a place where things can go horrendously bad if you get off to a bad start , and so far that is all it is : one bad tour.
I am not taking much notice of the t20 and ODIs in WI . Too many main players not there , for one reason or another.
New (recycled) coach ...some say he was no good last time , why expect better . But one could just as well say "people can learn from their mistakes " , no ? We shall see.

I am not predicting instant return to the highs of 2010-12. But recovery is hardly impossible , if the right players (and heaven knows there are a fair few to choose from in 18 Counties !) are identified.
Worth noting that Australia looked like a basket case a year ago - plenty of my friends here were metaphorically slashing their wrists as late as day one at Brisbane : things can change fast.

Anyway winning all the time is boring ...coming back from from a rotten run is far more interesting    Though I do hope they can do so reasonably quickly ... It can get a bit tiring being surrounded by Australians when they are regularly smashing England home and away...

I'll O.D. on optimism again: England beat Scotland today!

My initial thoughts were:

Cook (C)
Robson
Bell
Root
Ballance
Stokes
Prior
Borthwick
Broad
Anderson
Onions

I'm not 100% sure about Onions, I would have taken him to Australia, but he hasn't been all that at the start of the season. I'd think about Bresnan or possibly Jordan. I still think Finn is a little expensive and would like to see him just get more time for his county.

However, with Anderson, Broad, AN Other and Stokes (if fit), we have four seamers on pitches that are unlikely to turn massively. We also have no obvious candidate for the spinners role, so I'd like to see it shared between Root and Borthwick. I think with a bit of work, Borthwick can develop into a Steve Smith like character for England, top 6 batsman with handy leg spin. You wouldn't use him if the ball was seaming around, but on turning pitches he could really come into the game.

This wouldn't be a long-term solution, but, I think for an English summer against teams that play spin well, going with 4 seamers and using occasional spin may be the way, given the lack of a genuine spin option. I would look at bringing someone like Kerrigan through the Lions, if not we may have to turn back to Panesar when we next tour.

If Stokes isn't fit, I'd move Borthwick up to 6 and bring in a 4th seamer, so effectively we have the same balance in the team.

If Prior isn't fit, I'd probably plump for Buttler, although I wouldn't be too offended to see Bairstow get the nod.

Not such a new team now but it seems doubtful whether Robson is to remain a part of it. No central contract (or even an incremental one) for him today as they are awarded to the other usual suspects.

Jordan getting a full contract is a bit of surprise although he definitely improved. 

None for KP either

Robson follows, Compton, and Carberry as openers who have scored a few, but not impressed. Who next?

Looking at our teams, who would have said Ali, and Plunkett would have had such good summers?

The talk is Robson will tour with the Lions alongside Lees and Lyth. Could be a run off, with whoever looks the best been given the openers slot alongside Cook next April.

guildfordbat wrote:Not such a new team now but it seems doubtful whether Robson is to remain a part of it. No central contract (or even an incremental one) for him today as they are awarded to the other usual suspects.

I wouldn't read too much into that, like Morgan they view him as a one discipline specialist (Robson doesn't even do one day stuff for Middlesex does he?) so its not really worth giving him a central contract tbh

I wouldn't read too much into Robson's omission either. I think had he nailed on a test place he may have been on an incremental but reckon Nakatomi's assessment is just about right.

It's a tough one with Robson, he does a lot right, and then does a few things badly wrong. His mental strength is probably his greatest asset, but it's a tough place to be when you're not scoring runs. He did no better or worse than those he replaced, and he has the advantage over them of being young and a good fielder at short-leg.

I'm not sure the other options out there are any better, but then you clearly can't have a test opener averaging high 20s long term.

Mike Selig wrote:I wouldn't read too much into Robson's omission either. I think had he nailed on a test place he may have been on an incremental but reckon Nakatomi's assessment is just about right.

It's a tough one with Robson, he does a lot right, and then does a few things badly wrong. His mental strength is probably his greatest asset, but it's a tough place to be when you're not scoring runs. He did no better or worse than those he replaced, and he has the advantage over them of being young and a good fielder at short-leg.

I'm not sure the other options out there are any better, but then you clearly can't have a test opener averaging high 20s long term.

Have to disagree with that. He's played all summer, gained the points, and has come away with nothing, as far as contracts go.

You know someone who was unlucky to be left out and has seemingly fallen off the radar bizarrely is Liam Plunkett....

Plunkett's on an incremental isn't he? Seems about right considering he only really seems to be an option in Tests. England seem to have given the full contracts to those who play (or are at least in their plans) in Tests and Limited Overs (hence Morgan only gets incremental too). I think it's a finance thing? i.e. those who are likely to be in squads for several forms will be away from their counties longer?

In general not really any surprises there, agree with the general consensus re Robson: he did OK-ish, but hasn't nailed down the spot, and will probably be battling it out with Lyth. I expect they'll both go with the Lions, could be a straight shoot-out.

One thing that does strike me is that with a "squad" of 17 players (plus one additional opener), England cover basically all the guys who're likely to play in any given form. That strikes me as remarkably few...

A recall for Bopara and call up for Taylor for the SL series. Ballance dropped

That's Gary ballance who averages 51 at a strike rate of 90 in one day cricket...

Sadly he only averages half of that for England. There's a possible shoot out between him and Taylor going on?

Trouble is Ballance bats down the order for Yorkshire and is good there, but there are better players down the order for England (or so England think). At number 3 he has shown that he is pretty limited so I don't think that's too bad a call.

I see Anderson has indeed been picked... (that's for alfie)

TBH there are no real surprises. Bopara strikes me as a bit of a horses for courses pick for this tour.

Would like to see Taylor given a few matches probably at number 3, but the noise seems to be that England are considering him as a middle-order option. But the middle-order seems fairly settled with Root, Morgan, Buttler. Not sure how much room there is there...

Would expect the WC squad to be the same squad as Sri Lanka, minus Bopara, possibly with Ballance in for Taylor (or even Bopara in and neither Ballance nor Taylor if he impresses enough), and with Broad for one of the seamers (Finn, Gurney, maybe Jordan will be fighting it out).

We pretty much know what England's line-up will look like TBH:
Cook, Hales, Bell, Root, Morgan, Buttler, Ali/Bopara/Woakes then 4 bowlers including Anderson and Broad.

Not saying it's the right team (it isn't) but it's not going to change now. so maybe we can all lay off the "Cook/Bell shouldn't be in the team" a bit - I agree, but it's a fairly moot point now.

Mike - I think you're on the right track that this group will pretty much reflect the World Cup squad. The only extra comment I would make is that the selectors appear reluctant to sever all ties with Samit Patel. Amongst a lot of new blood, his name stands out for me in the Performance squads announced today. I can only presume that's because he hasn't been totally discounted for the World Cup.

Further to my post immediately above, I see that Samit Patel has not made the England Lions squad for the three first-class matches early in the new year but has been included for the five 50 over matches against South Africa A. That increases my feeling that he's still under consideration for a World Cup place and will at least be a stand by player.

Further to my two posts immediately above, Samit Patel may be regarded by many as a dead international player but the selectors still won't let the chances of him appearing in the World Cup lie down! Named today in England's provisional 30 man squad.