England Team Discussion

[LiveLoveABD]

I have literally made 3 posts about Vince. 1 of which was saying I haven't seen enough of him to comment, the other 2 were today. This is the 4th. You're an idiot.

And as noted above, when they were in the same team, playing the same opponents in the same conditions, Ballance outscored Bell. There is no disproving that.

I think your desperation to prove your point is seen quite clearly when you resort to name calling. It also highlights your background, upbringing and education. Fortunately for the forum, I'm a little more cultured than that to fall for this trap.

 

[bigred]

Ballance can't play spin either. Let him come to our part of the world. Our spinners will eat him alive.

Well he's clearly not crap against spin as he averages in the mid 40s and faced a lot of good spin in his first 18 months.

It won't matter however as even the good players of spin will struggle with the pitched that India provide for us. I don't blame them as I'd want to win, but it annoys me that England don't help our team out as they're so desperate for 5 day tests.

 

[blockerdave]

I think your desperation to prove your point is seen quite clearly when you resort to name calling. It also highlights your background, upbringing and education. Fortunately for the forum, I'm a little more cultured than that to fall for this trap.

though you were gonna ignore me? just bore off. you have never contributed anything of worth to a single discussion.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

Well he's clearly not crap against spin as he averages in the mid 40s and faced a lot of good spin in his first 18 months.

It won't matter however as even the good players of spin will struggle with the pitched that India provide for us. I don't blame them as I'd want to win, but it annoys me that England don't help our team out as they're so desperate for 5 day tests.

Well, I respect your opinion but playing spin against India in India is a different kettle of fish to anywhere in England. Also, I'd be shocked if Cook and Root don't get bucket full of runs against India. It will be a good series in my opinion. This English team can compete anywhere in my book. Ballance? I'd DEARLY love to see him play Ashwin on a rank turner and humiliate himself.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

though you were gonna ignore me? just bore off. you have never contributed anything of worth to a single discussion.

I don't need your certificate of approval.

 

[bigred]

Well, I respect your opinion but playing spin against India in India is a different kettle of fish to anywhere in England. Also, I'd be shocked if Cook and Root don't get bucket full of runs against India. It will be a good series in my opinion. This English team can compete anywhere in my book. Ballance? I'd DEARLY love to see him play Ashwin on a rank turner and humiliate himself.

It's a silly argument. Warner, Smith, Khawaja and Voges are really good players, but on rank turners they've been humiliated. We're going to see a lot of 3 day tests. George Dobell has said it would probably be England's best ever series win if they pulled it off. Will be very difficult to make it competitive.

 

[bigred]

It would be so good if they could send a lions squad like this to somewhere out in Asia before before Bangladesh and India. Would answer a lot of questions.

1. Bell-Drummond
2. Hameed
3. Duckett
4. Borthwick
5. Roy
6. Ansari
7. Foakes
8. Overton C
9. Rayner
10. Meaker
11. Ball

12. Westley
13. Northeast
14. Dawson
15. Billings
16. Curran S
17. Overton J

 

[Aislabie]

It would be so good if they could send a lions squad like this to somewhere out in Asia before before Bangladesh and India. Would answer a lot of questions.

1. Bell-Drummond
2. Hameed
3. Duckett
4. Borthwick
5. Roy
6. Ansari
7. Foakes
8. Overton C
9. Rayner
10. Meaker
11. Ball

12. Westley
13. Northeast
14. Dawson
15. Billings
16. Curran S
17. Overton J

Definitely worth doing. Chat up the Indian, Nepalese and Afghan cricket board and get a few first-class matches on rank turners at Greater Noida. That way, you could see how these guys fare against spinners as varied as Mohammad Nabi, Sami Shenwari, Rashid Khan and Hamza Hotak, then try them against Basanta Regmi, Shakti Gauchan, Sandeep Lamichhane and Rahul Vishwakarma, then against Parvez Rasool, Amit Mishra, Pragyan Ojha and Shivil Kaushik. Get them on horrible, ill-prepared Ind-SA style wickets (remember that train-wreck of a series?) and any batsman or spinner who comes through that with their head held high would be worthy of a place in the Test team

Spoiler: My Lions touring party

OPENERS:
Alex Hales
Haseeb Hameed
Alex Lees

OTHER BATSMEN:
Gary Ballance
Nick Gubbins
Dawid Malan
James Vince

KEEPERS:
Ben Duckett
Ben Foakes

SEAMERS:
Keith Barker
Chris Jordan
Toby Roland-Jones

SPINNING OPTIONS:
Moeen Ali
Zafar Ansari
Scott Borthwick
Liam Dawson
Jack Leach
Adil Rashid

Spoiler: Possible Starting XI

Alex Hales
Haseeb Hameed
Scott Borthwick
James Vince
Gary Ballance
Ben Duckett
Moeen Ali
Liam Dawson
Adil Rashid
Chris Jordan
Toby Roland-Jones

 

[bigred]

So finally, England's ODI team is better than the test one. The squad they currently have could take them through the next two big tournaments up to 2019 and beyond.

1. Roy 29
2. Hales 30
3. Root 28
4. Morgan 32
5. Stokes 28
6. Buttler 28

All of these guys are young enough (their ahead the 2019 WC is beside them). They should be at their peak for the next World Cup. Hales is in poor form and could probably do with a rest and being dropped from test cricket, but he's a quality one day player.

We also have some good back up batsmen if needed.

Bairstow 29
Billings 28
Vince 28
Duckett 24
Malan 31

Again, all of these guys (apart from Duckett) should peak around 2019.

The bowlers probably won't be as settled and will need to be rested and managed at times.

7. Ali 32
8. Woakes 30
9. Plunkett 34
10. Rashid 31
11. Wood 29

Plunkett has been terrific in the last 12 months, but the question will be, can he bowl with the same pace and hostility in 3 years time? If certainly hope so, but at the very least, he should be bowling at the champions trophy next year.

We now have back up seamers, which we haven't had for a good while.

Willey 29
Finn 30
Topley 25
Jordan 30
Ball 28
Curran T 24
Curran S 21

Stuart Broad seems to have lost the ability to bowl in limited overs cricket. He bowled one length on finals day last weekend. Perhaps some time in the BigBash can get him back to where he needs to be. He'll be 32 at the next WC so will definitely be around.

There aren't really any genuine spin bowlers knocking down the door. But we do have 3 decent all rounders who bowl left arm spin. Stephen Parry is probably the best one day spinner in county cricket, but he's been given his chance by England, and they clearly don't fancy him.

Parry 33
Ansari 27
Dawson 29
Patel 34

In conclusion, I think England are probably the strongest in the world and will only get stronger in the next 3 years. Put some money on them for the WC.

 

[bigred]

Reading reports that Morgan and Hales won't go to Bangladesh and that the selectors want to rest Root, Woakes and Ali from the ODIs, so this might be the team:

1. Roy
2. Vince
3. Duckett
4. Bairstow
5. Stokes
6. Buttler
7. Dawson
8. Willey
9. Plunkett
10. Rashid
11. Wood

Bangladesh have barely played any test cricket in the last two years, so I expect England to be too strong for them in that format, despite the alien conditions. However, I think the one day series will be close.

 

[MUFC1987]

I've got nothing against Morgan and Hales backing out, but Morgan looks a bit silly when he cites the attacks in India as living in fear, yet he heads back there every year.

I just hope Duckett makes at least one of the squads and that they pick Jack Leach as a spinner. He's been brilliant for Somerset this year and would compliment Ali well being a left armer, for the Tests I mean.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

I've got nothing against Morgan and Hales backing out, but Morgan looks a bit silly when he cites the attacks in India as living in fear, yet he heads back there every year.

I just hope Duckett makes at least one of the squads and that they pick Jack Leach as a spinner. He's been brilliant for Somerset this year and would compliment Ali well being a left armer, for the Tests I mean.

I think it's a very very personal thing. Also, Bangladesh is not India in terms of security.

On a lighter note- I can't wait to see the reaction of my British friends here to the Bangladesh media and their crap. Won't even be surprised to see some of their cricketers troll the English. As an England cricket fan, I dearly hope England give them a royal hammering in all formats.

 

[MUFC1987]

I think it's a very very personal thing. Also, Bangladesh is not India in terms of security.

Well they've obviously both been cleared as safe, so Morgan is basing his opinion on the history in Bangladesh, so surely that should apply to everywhere. I understand him not wanting to go, but I think his judgement could be easily clouded.

Another 5-for for Jack Leach today, against Yorkshire this time. Got to be nudging selectors.

 

[Aislabie]

Apparently Jack Leach (58 Division 1 wickets at 22) is not one of the four best spinners in the country. Instead, we'll pick the guy who managed eleven wickets in seven Tests ten years ago. What could possibly go wrong?

 

[MUFC1987]

It's insane that you've got Leach and Rayner both potentially on the verge of bowling their sides to a County Championship and yet we've picked a bang average spinner who is well past his prime. I just don't get it. Then you've got Buttler who's played one First Class match in the last year and is back in the squad.

Must be huge credit to Duckett for breaking through into the England squad from a Non-Test hosting County really. He's done the almost impossible.