Pick your England team for the first test next summer

[cricket_icon]

Here's what I'd do: not based at all on the county championship because I haven't been following it a great deal, bar the fact that Finn's apparently back in the wickets.

1. Cook
2. Carberry
3. Bell
4. Morgan
5. Root
6. Stokes/Ballance
7. Prior
8. Jordan
9. Broad
10. Finn
11. Anderson

If we end up with a dry spinner for... some reason, then I'd go for Monty as spinner since he's the best thing that England have right now. If I picked a spinner; then I'd go for Stokes as an all rounder; but I don't think that he'd be good enough as a fourth bowler...

That's a decent team, I'm not sure if Morgan would make the cut, I'd actually have Ali above him in the pecking order.

Stokes and Ballance both have a very good argument.

Prior....I dunno, maybe it's time to let him go but who can replace him?

Finn, can he recover the confidence which the ECB beat out of him? I'd have him in there just cos I remember what he used to be.

My team would probably look like this:

Cook (C)...captain, for now, dirty work by him and Prior to let KP hang
Carberry, hope his comments about the ECB have not endangered his chances, we will know about the egos if the England top brass
Bell
Ali
Ballance
Stokes
Hales (WK), get rid of Prior, I've heard he can keep so his ferocious hitting along with decent keeping skills may be just what England needs
Broad
Monty
Finn
Anderson

Lots of new blood, get rid of the cancerous scheming of Prior and Cook, England needs a shake up, get in young, hungry cricketers with no baggage, Ballance looks a promising bat, Ali is the most elegant batsman in the country, Hales the best hitter who can be transformed into a worthwhile keeper.

I hope Finn get find himself psychological, Broad and Anderson may still be world class bowlers and although there is stiff competition, I still hold that Monty is the best spinner and should be first choice.

Kieswetter might have a shout if he finds some consistency in his batting.

In with the new, out with the old.

 

[IceAgeComing]

What form of cricket does Hales keep wicket in, again? You mean Buttler?

 

[cricket_icon]

What form of cricket does Hales keep wicket in, again? You mean Buttler?

I mean Hales. I've heard from a handful of friends that he has in a lower form of cricket in the past and just checking cricinfo, they said he is an occasional keeper.

I'm not too worried about him as a keeper to be honest, I'd rather a hard hitting batsman who can catch the balls behind the stumps and improves on the job.

Bit like Umar Akmal in ODIs for Pakistan.

And wasn't Alec Stewart a batsman turned keeper? It's happened before, so why not now?

Prior needs to go and Buttler just isn't as attractive a hitter as Hales imo.

 

[King Pietersen]

In Test cricket you need a proper wicket-keeper. Alex Hales should be nowhere near the Test side, especially as a wicket keeper. He averaged 13 last year for Notts in FC cricket, and got dropped to the 2nd XI. He might be an excellent T20 batsman, but his FC record is abysmal. If you don't go with Prior, then Buttler is the only guy in with a realistic shout, and he's not really done enough. I wouldn't be against Steven Davies, but think that's seriously unlikely.

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Morgan has to be close though as i cant see him giving up that ipl contract to be nowhere near

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Also Taylor must be close with consistently getting runs in div 1

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and ali/borthwick is the decision that has to be made imo

Just because he's given up an IPL contract doesn't mean he should be picked for the Test side. Morgan's technique hasn't developed since his first stint in Test cricket. He's still tentative outside the off-stump, and all a bowler needs to do is keep it on or around off-stump, and you'll eventually get him knicked off. Sides are even realising this in ODi cricket now, and he's getting found out. He's a talented OD batsman, but in FC cricket, he's just not up to scratch. Only played 2 FC games last year, and averaged 19 the year before. He shouldn't be anywhere near the Test side when lads like Ballance, Taylor and Ali are knocking on the door.

 

[dp458]

In Test cricket you need a proper wicket-keeper. Alex Hales should be nowhere near the Test side, especially as a wicket keeper. He averaged 13 last year for Notts in FC cricket, and got dropped to the 2nd XI. He might be an excellent T20 batsman, but his FC record is abysmal. If you don't go with Prior, then Buttler is the only guy in with a realistic shout, and he's not really done enough. I wouldn't be against Steven Davies, but think that's seriously unlikely.

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Just because he's given up an IPL contract doesn't mean he should be picked for the Test side. Morgan's technique hasn't developed since his first stint in Test cricket. He's still tentative outside the off-stump, and all a bowler needs to do is keep it on or around off-stump, and you'll eventually get him knicked off. Sides are even realising this in ODi cricket now, and he's getting found out. He's a talented OD batsman, but in FC cricket, he's just not up to scratch. Only played 2 FC games last year, and averaged 19 the year before. He shouldn't be anywhere near the Test side when lads like Ballance, Taylor and Ali are knocking on the door.

I totally agree all i was saying i think that they may well pick him,
Hales is just a hitter FC record like you said is atrocious, maybe in the future yes, but now T20 and maybe ODI as the spare opener as i like cook and bell as openers

 

[Paree]

i think they should give a chance to morgam in tests this season.

 

[dp458]

on whats happened so far this year

1. Cook (C)- has shown his class for Essex
2. Robson- case is too strong now making runs for fun
3.
4.Bell-by far his best position he bats there for warwickshire-180 already this year, and actually imo didnt look like a rabbit in the headlights down under just kept finding ways to get out
5.Ballance- man in possession already scoring for fun, FC record is astonishing
6.
7. Prior (WK)- Buttler not really done much so far at Lanky, Bairstow injured and not really good enough, and he got a ton already
8.
9. Broad-Was never going to be dropped
10. Anderson-Was never going to be dropped
11. Finn -Seems to have sorted himself out is a must when firing

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The 3,6 and 8 spots are interesting, as Ali has got some wickets and a few runs, Borthwick his bowling isnt there yet although i think it has potential to get better than ali's he just needs to leave durham imo as he will never really get a bowl but atm he is behind ali as hes not really got runs

Taylor has looked solid without pushing on to a big one, Morgan has one score and too many failures imo to be a viable test option

Stokes- will play if fit, if not Woakes has started the season pretty strongly with the ball, but will they do that?

Kerrigan- picked up wickets against the bears when they were slogging to win before the rain came in
Momty- just get the impression his time has past early season i thin they may go for a part time allrounder

Root- will he recover and be in form and will they have decided where he bats

Jordon- done ok so far nothing special dont think he is quite test ready yet, but a great prospect for the future

Mills- at least 2 years away fc record poor and not turning up trees in div 2

Rashid- a weird one i know but his batting is definately getting there does anyone know what is bowling is like nowadays?

Onions- probably desrves another go but i doubt he will get it

Late Surges-more likely for that 8 spot so im thinking jack brookes, maggoffin, but again highly doubtful

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for me id go
3.root
6.ali
8.stokes/woakes depending on if stokes is fit ( both more than capable 4th seamers-Hell woakes even to all acounts outbowled onions in sri lanka)

root and ali give you enough spin for may in england

long term spinner id try to get bortwick to devleop his bowling as he could be very handy batsman down at 8 say if his bowling picked up

it is exteremly unlucky on taylor who if was the incumbent could nit be dropped but his chance will come

 

[cricket_icon]

In Test cricket you need a proper wicket-keeper. Alex Hales should be nowhere near the Test side, especially as a wicket keeper. He averaged 13 last year for Notts in FC cricket, and got dropped to the 2nd XI. He might be an excellent T20 batsman, but his FC record is abysmal. If you don't go with Prior, then Buttler is the only guy in with a realistic shout, and he's not really done enough. I wouldn't be against Steven Davies, but think that's seriously unlikely.

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I am going back on my Hales pick the more I think about it but his batting in the limited game has been very good and England need young players who can snatch the initiative and not be afraid to play. Everyone in Asutralia last winter looked afraid to even look back at Johnson, I don't think Hales would have that problem.

England, and I sound like a broken record, need young blood, defiant blood arrogant "I'll thrash you into next week" kind of blood.

Sadly the entire English establishment is far too....polite shall I say? Stuck in the old ways, not looking for a fight, not appreciating players that provide them with an edge until they are broken down and rebuilt in the holy image of the ECB. When players can't be molded, they are discarded, look at KP. Lead into a trap by the smiling faces and dulcet tones of Prior and Cook.

 

[MUFC1987]

Hales, just like Buttler, looks like a very good option in T20 and ODI cricket, but they both need at least one season, if not two of consistent scoring in First Class cricket to make the side for me.

Bell and Ballance should be nailed on for 4 and 5, with an all rounder at 6, I don't see how they can pick Root. He batted at 4 for Yorkshire today, if that's not an admission that he's not good enough against the new ball, then I don't know what is. The problem is, both he and Bell haven't looked good enough at Test level against the new ball, so that must mean that we have to pick either a specialist number 3, (Compton) or an opener (Robson) to play there. Throwing Ballance in that high would be a bad option for me.

I also can't see Finn coming back with the bowling Coach still being the same. Considering they pretty much said that he'd dropped off a Cliff at the end of the winter, it would be some turn around to pick him for the first Test of the summer.

It's weird having so many places in the Test side up for grabs, but I think it's exciting. I just hope Moores brings a focus on Championship performances, rather than the likes of Morgan who haven't shown enough in First Class cricket for me.

 

[War]

Joe Root returns with a duck for Yorkshire but is determined to earn England Test recall | Cricket News | Sky Sports

 

[King Pietersen]

James Vince is another guy that should be considered. Averaged 63 last year for Hampshire, with 5 centuries, and has started this season incredibly well. Another thing in Vince's favour is the speed that he scores his runs at. Most of the guys being considered are fairly slow scoring, but Vince gets his runs in excellent time (currently 77* off 77 balls against Surrey). I'd certainly look at giving him a go at 6 ahead of a guy like Morgan. Cook, Robson, Bell, Root, Ballance and Vince looks pretty decent.

 

[Lebanna]

Based on the current season + planning for the future, I'd like the opening team for England to look something like this:

1 Cook
2 Robson
3 Compton
4 Bell
5 Ballance
6 Root/Ali
7 Prior/Kieswetter/AN Other Keeper
8 Stokes/Woakes/Borthwick
9 Jordan
10 Broad
11 Anderson

I think Robson, Ballance & Jordan have done enough to earn places. Compton is the only number 3 I'd consider at the moment, especially since I think Trott may well never return. Thus we need a specialist number 3 and there is probably noone better at the moment.

For the keeper it comes down to who is in form. Prior is batting OK but hasn't kept yet whereas Buttler has not yet done enough to prove FC form. My preference still would be Prior mostly to keep the experience in, but I wouldn't rule out someone else.

Slots 6 & 8 come down to what balance the management want. Stokes/Woakes are both solid seam all rounders and my preferred choice for starting, but Borthwick is there as someone to develop and as a spin option should it be needed. But with Ali/Root at 6, you could go with the seam all rounder and one of them to provide spin cover. In that case, Ali over Root as he is a better bowler. However, if they wanted to bowl a frontline spinner then Root is potentially a better bet as a batsman.

Either way its an exciting time with a new coach + fresh faces. A word of caution though to fans and management. This is a WIP and therefore time is going to be needed to see if this works. Both management and fans need patience. The management to stick with players and give them a good run in the side and fans to not shoot the management if the team doesn't work out first time around.

 

[dp458]

Based on the current season + planning for the future, I'd like the opening team for England to look something like this:

1 Cook
2 Robson
3 Compton
4 Bell
5 Ballance
6 Root/Ali
7 Prior/Kieswetter/AN Other Keeper
8 Stokes/Woakes/Borthwick
9 Jordan
10 Broad
11 Anderson

I think Robson, Ballance & Jordan have done enough to earn places. Compton is the only number 3 I'd consider at the moment, especially since I think Trott may well never return. Thus we need a specialist number 3 and there is probably noone better at the moment.

For the keeper it comes down to who is in form. Prior is batting OK but hasn't kept yet whereas Buttler has not yet done enough to prove FC form. My preference still would be Prior mostly to keep the experience in, but I wouldn't rule out someone else.

Slots 6 & 8 come down to what balance the management want. Stokes/Woakes are both solid seam all rounders and my preferred choice for starting, but Borthwick is there as someone to develop and as a spin option should it be needed. But with Ali/Root at 6, you could go with the seam all rounder and one of them to provide spin cover. In that case, Ali over Root as he is a better bowler. However, if they wanted to bowl a frontline spinner then Root is potentially a better bet as a batsman.

Either way its an exciting time with a new coach + fresh faces. A word of caution though to fans and management. This is a WIP and therefore time is going to be needed to see if this works. Both management and fans need patience. The management to stick with players and give them a good run in the side and fans to not shoot the management if the team doesn't work out first time around.

although unfair on compton dont think they will pick him, and i really dont think trott will even pla cricket again this season maybe only 2xi

also finn is in great form and i think him firing is a must for the england team

i think ali will either bat 3 or 8, as i think they will play stokes/woakes at 6 as long term that is where they would like an all rounder to slot in
id have him down at 8 if that was the case and probs root at 3, although he isnt the best option

 

[Lebanna]

although unfair on compton dont think they will pick him, and i really dont think trott will even pla cricket again this season maybe only 2xi

also finn is in great form and i think him firing is a must for the england team

i think ali will either bat 3 or 8, as i think they will play stokes/woakes at 6 as long term that is where they would like an all rounder to slot in
id have him down at 8 if that was the case and probs root at 3, although he isnt the best option

After thinking about it some more, I'm not sure that Stokes should play the first test. Given that he's injured atm and therefore will not have had much match practice (if any) come the first test.

I also agree that Finn is perhaps ready for a test return. I left him out originally since I felt he could do with a couple of months in the championship but with Stokes probably not fit then there might be space for him.

Also I frustratingly agree with your Compton assessment! Therefore I've altered my team slightly:

1 Cook*
2 Robson
3 Ali
4 Bell
5 Ballance
6 Root
7 Prior/Buttler +
8 Jordan
9 Broad
10 Finn
11 Anderson

I think if either Root or Ali needed to bat at 3 it should be Ali, he is probably better suited to the new ball than Root and he also bats there for Worcestershire. Although batting at 3 and being the main spinner is a heck of a lot of responsibility for a debutant.

 

[dp458]

After thinking about it some more, I'm not sure that Stokes should play the first test. Given that he's injured atm and therefore will not have had much match practice (if any) come the first test.

I also agree that Finn is perhaps ready for a test return. I left him out originally since I felt he could do with a couple of months in the championship but with Stokes probably not fit then there might be space for him.

Also I frustratingly agree with your Compton assessment! Therefore I've altered my team slightly:

1 Cook*
2 Robson
3 Ali
4 Bell
5 Ballance
6 Root
7 Prior/Buttler +
8 Jordan
9 Broad
10 Finn
11 Anderson

I think if either Root or Ali needed to bat at 3 it should be Ali, he is probably better suited to the new ball than Root and he also bats there for Worcestershire. Although batting at 3 and being the main spinner is a heck of a lot of responsibility for a debutant.

looks a good team, and im not sure they know exactly where stokes/woakes would bat and what seamer they would be, as moores would seem to be lacking a true allrounder at lanky, and the england selectors have generally gone for the 4 bowlers approach and if ali&root count as an allrounder i really doubt they will play 2 'allrounders'