The England-NZ test series should make for interesting watching. NZ are a very poor test side, and ranked quite low, so it should be a series win for England; but we should have beaten India. We seem to have taken a backward step in Test Match cricket, we were amazingly poor in SL, Prior was an awful selection, picking a keeper that can't catch off left-handed bowlers isn't useful (7 catches dropped off Sidebottom iirc). I think we'll win the series though, Pietersen is back on form, with 3 fifties in his last 3 innings, which is good to see after a dissapointing tour to SL. Strauss seems to have hit form aswell, he scored a Hundred in his last game for Central Districts, and added an unbeaten 55 today, just hope he goes on to make a 100 tommorow.
It's dissapointing to see Tremlett injured again. He seems to keep getting these niggling problems, normally in his knee, and he's yet to complete a full tour; not exactly useful. Anderson and Broad were fairly dissapointing in the ODi series, especially Anderson; although Anderson made up for it poorly by showing his amazing fielding skills. I do firmly believe that he's the best outfielder in the world, amazing catcher of the ball and incredibly athletic. Shame he can't follow it up with consistent bowling performances. Sidebottom should be fit though i think, as should Colly; it's only a niggling injury apparently, shouldn't rule him out of the first test.
My team for the first test would be as follows:
Cook
Strauss
Vaughan
Pietersen
Collingwood
Bell
Mustard (I'll explain why)
Sidebottom
Hoggard
Harmison
Panesar
I'd have Vaughan at 3, not because that's where he plays his best cricket (he has more runs and a better average at 2 Neutral) but because opening suits Strauss better. Strauss averages 47 at number 2, and that should therefore be his primary position.
Mustard instead of Ambrose for me. If we're going to choose a keeper, make him the keeper for both forms. It just makes it harder for both players if they're chopping and changing. Mustard is a terrific keeper, and apart from Steve Davies is probably the best keeper in England; and he's useful with the bat. Ambrose would be the jack of all trades, expert of none choice for England. His keeping is decent, and his batting is decent, but he's not exactly brilliant at either. The primary job of a keeper is to keep wicket, and Mustard is the best keeper we have in the squad, so he gets my vote. Ambrose was Warwickshire's top run scorer last year, but the competition wasn't exactly fierce, with Maddy being their 2nd top scorer. Therefore, it's Mustards superior keeping ability that takes it for me. Steve Davies should be in the side though, and should be the keeper.
As for the bowlers, if all fit, Hoggy and Sidey walk into the team with Harmison performing best so far. Monty will have a slightly easier batting team to bowl at this time, so hopefully will be able to gain some confidence that was lost in Sri Lanka. The bowlers pick themselves for me though; Broad, Anderson and Swann just haven't been upto scratch. Broad would be the best back-up though, even if he has a very slim chance of getting LBW's and Bowleds. Broad's certainly been in better form than Jimmy though, although thats not exactly hard
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