England in New Zealand

[usy]

Only watch Pakistan cricket, and I use to watch Domestic English Cricket a year ago. Don't blame me, there is no sky sports in sweden.

 

[Sureshot]

I don't like the idea of having a different keeper for different disciplines.

 

[Ollie_H]

Well ill join in and name my Teams

Test;
Cook
Strauss
Vaughan
Pietersen
Colly
Bell
Ambrose
Sidebottom
Harmison
Hoggard
Panesar

ODI;
Cook
Mustard
Bell
Pietersen
Colly
Shah
Dimi
Broard
Swann
Anderson

My last spot would go to either Wright/Ravi/Sidebottom

I dont realy like Sidebottom as a bowler in ODI as he gets attacked and then he cant do anything, Ravi is an excellent player, Unorthodox bating and a good bowler. Wright is a brilliant attacking batsmen, Havent seen him bowl though. If it didnt pick sidebottom it would mean finding 20 overs from Dimi, Colly, Ravi/Wright, maybe KP.

 

[Kev]

i havent seen or heard much of flintoff whats happend to freddie.

Could be in the Lions tour of India in January

Interesting selections, Ambrose is proably the best keeper-batsman in England atm, so i think his selection is justified, but i'd have preferred him to be a back-up to Prior, whom i thought performed well in Sri Lanka. Very glad to see Straussy back, he'd be in my first XI personally, i think he's a great player and deserves to be given another chance.

I'm surprised that Tredwell is in the Odi team, his record doesnt really stand out as one that is massively impressive. Monty would have been a much better back-up odi spinner, even with his inexperience. Nice to see Wrighty back in the odi squad, i'm a big fan of the lad, and felt he was unlucky in the t20 tournament. He's got a good future.

Overall i'm fairly chuffed with the squads, still surprised that Prior was dropped, and a little mystified by the inclusion of Tredwell.

Dispite Priors bad form with the gloves I think they should have stuck with him too, with either of the two they are taking as backup.

It's great to see Strauss back, he was only out of the side due to poor form, I think he's already proved time and time again he's good enough to play.

I am especially chuffed to see Tredders included. He's was impressive for us (Kent) this season and I know Rob Key rates him very highly as a batsman too. He was given the chance to bat at number 3 in an FC game (vs Yorkshire) and he scored his maiden first class century so he certainly can bat when given the chance as he usually bats down the order for Kent basically because we have a ton of allrounders and batsmen but not so many bowlers. I'm a big fan of his bowling too he doesn't get a lot of turn but he uses the old fashioned methods of flight and guile to outfox batsmen. He was impressive for the EPXI in India too. Will he make the step up to international? I don't know, I'd like to think so though.

 

[gary0808]

My Test XI

Alastair Cook
Andrew Strauss
Michael Vaughan (c)
Kevin Pietersen
Ian Bell
Paul Collingwood
Tim Ambrose (wk)
Stuart Broad
Matthew Hoggard
Stephen Harmison
Monty Panesar

The Team picks itself really except the third seamer after Hoggard and Harmison. Anderson is a proven failure at Test Cricket, Sidebottom has only performed in 1 out of his three comeback series's and Broad is a young talented pace bowler who can provide excellent depth at Number 8 especially after weakening our batting with the selection of Ambrose.

 

[Animator!]

They should have stuck with Prior for at least this series after what he did in Sri Lanka, even if he were to be dropped after one poor performance. Mustard solves none of the problems that we have experienced with Prior, it's a stupid choice taking him. Glad though, that Ambrose has been recognised, but he was always considered a lesser batsman and gloveman to Prior in the past at Susses before his move. Would much preferred to have seen Foster or Davies go, at least as second choice. Other than that it's fairly straight forward, and I believe our ridiculous desire to create our own Gilchrist is yet again taking over.

 

[Ollie_H]

Personally i think the BBC have got it spot on
Dropping Prior is Harsh but Fair

 

[MUFC1987]

The whole wicket-keeping thing seems further from being sorted than ever in my view. It just seems that we're going to chop and change until we find a keeper who averages 50 and doesn't drop a thing, unfortunately that isn't going to happen anytime soon.

Also does that really say James Tredwell?

 

[Sureshot]

My Test XI

Alastair Cook
Andrew Strauss
Michael Vaughan (c)
Kevin Pietersen
Ian Bell
Paul Collingwood
Tim Ambrose (wk)
Stuart Broad
Matthew Hoggard
Stephen Harmison
Monty Panesar

The Team picks itself really except the third seamer after Hoggard and Harmison. Anderson is a proven failure at Test Cricket, Sidebottom has only performed in 1 out of his three comeback series's and Broad is a young talented pace bowler who can provide excellent depth at Number 8 especially after weakening our batting with the selection of Ambrose.

Don't underestimate Ambrose' batting talent. He's a good batsman, though you could argue that both our keepers have been picked based on 1 good season.

 

[gary0808]

Don't underestimate Ambrose' batting talent. He's a good batsman, though you could argue that both our keepers have been picked based on 1 good season.

I'm not saying that Ambrose is a bad batsmen but Matt Prior is a much better one in my opinion.

 

[manee]

Good to see Monty denied of a place in the ODI squad. He's just not an ODI bowler and he's had more than enough chances in the shorter format.

I'd have him in the squad as a reserve in case of injury or something. You will know that you'll get 1-50 off 10 overs from him, nothing more or less. I think a lesser but consistent performer is the ideal mould for a reserve player.

 

[Sureshot]

I'm not saying that Ambrose is a bad batsmen but Matt Prior is a much better one in my opinion.

I agree but Ambrose isn't far behind.

 

[Gunner786]

the only reason this england side looks so weak and bad is cos theres no trescothick,
since he left its all been going downhill,
england have felt the loss of trescothick much more than the loss of flintoff

heres my team anyway

Strauss
Cook
Vaughn
Pieterson
Shah
Bell
Ambrose
Hoggard
Broad
Harmison
Panesar

would play vaughn at 3 cos strauss has always performed best as opener and im pretty sure vaughn at 3 wont affect his performance that much.
would rather have shah than collingwood in the team,
may have only 4 bowlers but im pretty sure someone like shah can turn their arm over for about 5-6 overs a day and vaughn too
after all shah did dismiss dravid and vaughn did dismiss ponting,

 

[MUFC1987]

You'd drop one of our best batsmen?

 

[Gunner786]

he may be one of the best but his technique is the worst in the team,
its the same situation with pakistan and shoaib malik
very bad technique and cos of a couple of good innings gets gauranteed a test spot
plus malik is their new captain

but even now i bet some of the england staff see collingwood as abit of a fill in while flintoff and tresco come back coslets face it if they come back then collingwood will have to go