England Team Discussion

[MUFC1987]

Personally, I hope we go aggressive for the Pakistan series. If Stokes is fit, we should just bring him straight in, in place of Compton. Stokes, Bairstow, Ali and Woakes isn't so bad at 5-8 for me, plus it would mean that we can keep 3 specialist seamers. I think that's a good idea personally, as taking wickets is always the harder task. Sure, we'd perhaps have too many bowling options, but that isn't a bad thing for me. It would be harsh to leave out Woakes or Stokes and you need a spin bowling option, so we can't ship Mo out either.

That just leaves the issue of number 3. We need to either stick Vince up there and give him the Pakistan series, or bring in a Ballance or Borthwick. Buttler isn't a good enough 'keeper to make it worth bringing him in for me. Neither his, nor Bairstow's keeping is up to scratch yet. It's not like one is miles better than the other.

 

[bigred]

Personally, I hope we go aggressive for the Pakistan series. If Stokes is fit, we should just bring him straight in, in place of Compton. Stokes, Bairstow, Ali and Woakes isn't so bad at 5-8 for me, plus it would mean that we can keep 3 specialist seamers. I think that's a good idea personally, as taking wickets is always the harder task. Sure, we'd perhaps have too many bowling options, but that isn't a bad thing for me. It would be harsh to leave out Woakes or Stokes and you need a spin bowling option, so we can't ship Mo out either.

That just leaves the issue of number 3. We need to either stick Vince up there and give him the Pakistan series, or bring in a Ballance or Borthwick. Buttler isn't a good enough 'keeper to make it worth bringing him in for me. Neither his, nor Bairstow's keeping is up to scratch yet. It's not like one is miles better than the other.

If we went

1. Cook
2. Hales
3. Vince/Borthwick
4. Root
5. Bairstow
6. Stokes
7. Ali
8. Woakes

Then I'm not sure we'd need 3 further 'specialist seamers'. In my view, Stokes and Woakes are specialist seamers. I'd pick a proper spinner. Benefit of that would be that you could pick the exact same team in India, as Ali and Borthwick could support. Leach or Kerrigan would be my preference but wouldn't be too upset to see Rashid given another go.

 

[MUFC1987]

I just think that there are hardly ever any days where everybody is going to be on their game. I don't think we need another batsman in there, because the guys we've got would be batting too low else. Woakes is starting to look good, so putting him down to 9, would just drain him of confidence for me. Plus, like you said, we could then pick a specialist spinner if we need one, rather than an extra spinner. But I think it also gives us scope to pick a Finn, Wood or even a Jamie Overton, to work in bursts, without them needing to worry about getting through 15 overs a day, so that the other bowlers aren't overworked. Borthwick should just be seen as a bonus bowler for me, if he's picked it will be for his batting, so I'd try not to dilute his role too much, although he would be an upgrade on Root and offer something a bit different as a bonus. But like I say, his runs are all that matters.

To be fair, it could all fall apart, but I'd certainly be giving it a go for the Pakistan series.

 

[blockerdave]

is there an argument for picking the best keeper, even if he bats at 9 or 10?? in a team with stokes, woakes and ali the batting depth is there, and bairstow is looking so good with bat i wouldn't want to risk a shocker with the gloves affecting his confidence.

it's surely a matter of time before a drop is gonna cost us big.

the batting depth is there and with 3 all rounders plus potentially root and borthwick part timers there is a huge amount of bowling options too. in india we will want to take out chances.

ps i have no idea who the modern day Jack Russell is

 

[bigred]

is there an argument for picking the best keeper, even if he bats at 9 or 10?? in a team with stokes, woakes and ali the batting depth is there, and bairstow is looking so good with bat i wouldn't want to risk a shocker with the gloves affecting his confidence.

it's surely a matter of time before a drop is gonna cost us big.

the batting depth is there and with 3 all rounders plus potentially root and borthwick part timers there is a huge amount of bowling options too. in india we will want to take out chances.

ps i have no idea who the modern day Jack Russell is

Friends tell me that John Simpson is good. To be honest, I think Buttler's keeping is good these days and he'll do just fine in Asia. The IPL would've done him good. I always think about what the oppo would like least and there's no doubt that any team would be worried by Buttler coming in at either 5 or 6 down. I really don't think they'd be fussed if we picked the best gloveman in the world to bat at 10. The game has moved on.

 

[bigred]

The papers on Sunday seemed to suggest that Benny Howell would be named in the ODI squad today as Stokes' replacement. Would be a somewhat surprising choice. He's having a great season, but I've seen him bowl a few times and it's very slow medium. Anyway, good luck to him if the rumours are true.

Journalist's squad

1. Roy
2. Hales
3. Root
4. Morgan
5. Buttler
6. Ali
7. Woakes
8. Jordan
9. Willey
10. Rashid
11. Broad

12. Vince
13. Bairstow
14. Howell
15. Finn

Reports also suggest that both Billings and Mills will come in for the t20. I didn't see Plunkett's name anywhere. Either he was forgotten or he's upset the management again. He clearly should be there on merit. I think he's been terrific over the last 12 months.

Likely that they'll name a lions squad also. It'll be pretty similar to the team that played in the UAE I'd imagine.

 

[Markkkkk]

Michael Bates?

 

[blockerdave]

Friends tell me that John Simpson is good. To be honest, I think Buttler's keeping is good these days and he'll do just fine in Asia. The IPL would've done him good. I always think about what the oppo would like least and there's no doubt that any team would be worried by Buttler coming in at either 5 or 6 down. I really don't think they'd be fussed if we picked the best gloveman in the world to bat at 10. The game has moved on.

the game has moved on you say as if i'm hankering to the past, i'm actually talking about innovating. far from "moving on" we're rigid in our order, stuck firmly in the past.

why pick a gloveman and insist he bats at 7? Bairstow is too good for 7. Ali scored a hundred at 6 and played as an opener, now we're stuffing him down at 8.

if our best xi includes stokes, woakes and ali, why do we need to insist our keeper be a number 7?

cook
hales
borthwick
root
bairstow
stokes
ali
woakes
broad
anderson

that's only 10 players, yet there's plenty of batting and bowling there... surely you just want a gloveman?[DOUBLEPOST=1465802742][/DOUBLEPOST]p.s. i'm ready to eat humble pie on Woakes... in ODI's or Tests I can't remember ever seeing him being anything other than mediocre. but he's impressed this series. sterner tests await of course but at least now i can understand where people were coming from.

 

[_Sam_]

Michael Bates?

Really does show how the game has changed when such an incredible wicket keeper like him can't get in a county squad.

 

[_Sam_]

The papers on Sunday seemed to suggest that Benny Howell would be named in the ODI squad today as Stokes' replacement. Would be a somewhat surprising choice. He's having a great season, but I've seen him bowl a few times and it's very slow medium. Anyway, good luck to him if the rumours are true.

Journalist's squad

1. Roy
2. Hales
3. Root
4. Morgan
5. Buttler
6. Ali
7. Woakes
8. Jordan
9. Willey
10. Rashid
11. Broad

12. Vince
13. Bairstow
14. Howell
15. Finn

Reports also suggest that both Billings and Mills will come in for the t20. I didn't see Plunkett's name anywhere. Either he was forgotten or he's upset the management again. He clearly should be there on merit. I think he's been terrific over the last 12 months.

Likely that they'll name a lions squad also. It'll be pretty similar to the team that played in the UAE I'd imagine.

Benny Howell!? Knew we'd regret it when he was released from Hampshire years back now but didn't expect him to be close to an England squad! Howell is a very slow seamer but has every variation there is in the book and more.

 

[dp458]

ODI:

Hales, Roy, Root, Morgan, Buttler, Ali, Woakes, Jordan, Willey, Rashid, Finn

with Vince, Plunkett, Bairstow as the spares id say


T20:

Roy, Vince, Dawson, Buttler, Morgan, Bairstow, Billings, Willey, Jordan, Rashid, for me from that squad

 

[_Sam_]

Question for the one dayers will be can we go in with 5 bowlers and Root to squeeze Bairstow in there.

 

[bigred]

Question for the one dayers will be can we go in with 5 bowlers and Root to squeeze Bairstow in there.

Ali's bowling is probably better but I don't think he'll contribute much batting at 6 so might be worth the gamble.

 

[CerealKiller]

Does Luke Wright not get selected for T20Is because he's KP's friend?

 

[bigred]

Does Luke Wright not get selected for T20Is because he's KP's friend?

Probably more to do with the fact that when he played for England, he was terrible. Also, Roy and Hales are better than him. Hales has been rested for the next t20, but Malan has been in terrific form and deserves his chance.