Playing in Division 2 no barrier to test selection.

Seven of the current squad chosen for the second test against Sri Lanka are from second Division teams.
Strauss - Middlesex
Morgan - Middlesex
Finn - Middlesex
Dernbach - Middlesex
Pietersen - Surrey
Tremlett - Surrey
Cook - Essex

Additionally it is clear that Bopara from Essex was a serious contender.
Is it simply a coincidence that they all come from London based clubs as do Flower, Gooch and Strauss or just one of those things?

In the case of middlesex with three of the four also being selected in England squads the previous year maybe it is a case of their England selection weakening Middlesex, hence why they are in the second division.

It seems a while since Middlesex were a div 1 team, so I'm not sure that is a good reason. Fin and Morgan only came into the tests last year.

Probably right, tbh not sure how long Middlesex have been a div 2 team, don't have much time to follow county cricket that much. Maybe you have a point about the bias being linked to the former teams of the management

hopeforthebest wrote:Seven of the current squad chosen for the second test against Sri Lanka are from second Division teams.
Strauss - Middlesex
Morgan - Middlesex
Finn - Middlesex
Dernbach - Middlesex
Pietersen - Surrey
Tremlett - Surrey
Cook - Essex

Additionally it is clear that Bopara from Essex was a serious contender.
Is it simply a coincidence that they all come from London based clubs as do Flower, Gooch and Strauss or just one of those things?

Well, unless you can put forward better players who've been overlooked, you'd have to say it's just one of those things.

You could regard Pieterson as largely stateless in terms of counties - just happens to be camped at Surrey for the moment.....

One point of interest is that Tremlett's career revived dramatically on moving from Hampshire (Div 1) to Surrey (Div 2). Could it be that it's easier for a somewhat underachieving cricketer to gain wickets and confidence by a move to Div 2? It may of course just be a coincidence.....

Other possible batting candidates include Hildreth (Div 1) and Taylor (Div 2).

I think Tremlett's improvement is mainly due to him finally having a prolonged period of injury free cricket which he struggled to get for some years at Hampshire (through no fault of Hants I'm sure).

Not sure if Cook from Essex really fits this theory as when he started playing Test cricket Essex were a Div 1 side, and they were only relegated last season. I think the same is true of Strauss now I think of it.

hopeforthebest wrote:Seven of the current squad chosen for the second test against Sri Lanka are from second Division teams.
Strauss - Middlesex
Morgan - Middlesex
Finn - Middlesex
Dernbach - Middlesex
Pietersen - Surrey
Tremlett - Surrey
Cook - Essex

But most of these players are on England central contracts and hence don't play often for their county sides, so being associated with a second division team doesn't actually mean very much in the end.

Finn, Dernbach, Tremlett arguably have played their way into the test team through their county 4 day performances.

Morgan through international one day sucess, mixed with a few first class performances. KP is similar to Morgan, performances in one dayers led to test selection.

I can't remember the divisions Cook and Strauss were playing when they were picked.