Pick your England team for the first test next summer

[Lebanna]

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'

Not to mention that Broad and Jordan are no mugs with the bat (Broad not quite where he used to be but still can be a dangerous) meaning we effectively would bat down to 9.

 

[dp458]

Not to mention that Broad and Jordan are no mugs with the bat (Broad not quite where he used to be but still can be a dangerous) meaning we effectively would bat down to 9.

true however by the looks of the odi squad broad will be struggling to be fit and they deem finn not ready yet although they may do for the tests

 

[grkrama]

David Hopps on Peter Moores' England and the search for a new identity | Cricket News | England | ESPN Cricinfo
new strategy, identity tags for players

Reading the article made me think what defines Englishness in cricket like said in article, ind is defined by high passion, aus by fierceness, pak mercurial, WI style and swagger, SL touch players, SA competitve, NZ underdogs/mongrel.

what is the core of Englishness in cricket, all i can think of is stubbornness of present.
May be they were meant to be old school guys who have got spoilt by too many
new methods implemented imperfectly.

what can the present england group bring to their cricket in terms of giving an identity to their cricket?

 

[toby123]

It has to be Chopra and Compton opening for me
Then:
Cook
Root
Bell
Stokes
Butler
Jordan
Broad
Anderson
Panaser

 

[SpitfiresKent]

It has to be Chopra and Compton opening for me
Then:
Cook
Root
Bell
Stokes
Butler
Jordan
Broad
Anderson
Panaser

Cook @ 3, Stokes still recovering from injury, Buttler not ready and finally no Ballance or Ali?

You're doing it wrong.

 

[dp458]

It has to be Chopra and Compton opening for me
Then:
Cook
Root
Bell
Stokes
Butler
Jordan
Broad
Anderson
Panaser

Chopra has been in dire form so far this year for us bears,
compton even says he presers 3
cook will open no doubt
bell will bat at 4 also definate
Stokes isnt fit
Buttler ok as Prior not fit either
Broad maybe be struggling to be fit
Panesar isnt getting wickets in div 2

This is a bad team, but thankfully will never happen

 

[IceAgeComing]

So I'm watching Durham bowl in the County Championship on Sky, and they don't bowl Borthwick. How can you pick a guy to bowl for England who doesn't even bowl for his County? It'd be like playing Ali at number 9 and beating a specialist spinner or something...

 

[MUFC1987]

So I'm watching Durham bowl in the County Championship on Sky, and they don't bowl Borthwick. How can you pick a guy to bowl for England who doesn't even bowl for his County? It'd be like playing Ali at number 9 and beating a specialist spinner or something...

I totally agree. He came on the scene as a promising spinner so was massively hyped, but now he's more of a decent batsman who bowls a bit. As a second spinner he'd be fine, but he's not the best option for that role and isn't good enough to be the main spinner.

This is similar to my thoughts on the likes of Root and Bell though. The talk is of them batting at 2 and 3, but how can that happen, when they both bat at 4 for their Counties? How can you throw a guy up the order when he doesn't have the guts to take the responsibility for his County, nevermind when he plays for England.

 

[IceAgeComing]

According to Sky's County commentators: Yorkshire's captain dropped himself and put Root at 4 partially because he's looking at the wider Championship season and wants the same opening partnership all year, which they couldn't do if Root opened...

 

[King Pietersen]

Borthwick not bowling, and batting 3 for Durham means he should definitely not be England's spinner this summer. I'm convinced we're either not going to pick a spinner, or Moores will opt for Kerrigan. Can't see them going with Panesar. He's had his disciplinary issues in the recent past, and isn't bowling particularly well at the minute, reports coming out of Essex' most recent game is that he bowled pretty awfully. It's Kerrigan, or no spinner for me.

 

[karolkarol]

Cook
Robson
Root (although I would like to see Compton)
Bell
Ballance
Ali (Stokes if he were fit)
Bairstow (Prior if he were fit)
Broad
Jordan
Anderson
Onions (if Stokes were fit I would go for Kerrigan*)

*Probably the most attacking spinner in England. Monty is bowling filth, Tredwell can't get a FC game for Kent and Borthwick isn't bowling.

 

[SpitfiresKent]

So I'm watching Durham bowl in the County Championship on Sky, and they don't bowl Borthwick. How can you pick a guy to bowl for England who doesn't even bowl for his County? It'd be like playing Ali at number 9 and beating a specialist spinner or something...

According to Colville he's injured his hand so can't bowl.

As for the spin options for England they reckon they'll go for 4 seamers and use Root & Ali as the spin bowlers.

 

[RoboRocks]

I would be tempted to gamble with Rashid or Borthwick. I just feel that if they carry on playing county cricket they will decline and become batsmen who can bowl a few overs. Most county teams will focus on seam bowling due to conditions and spinners (leg spinners especially) will become marginalized. Believe it or not they'll have a greater chance of developing more playing international cricket where they'll bowl more overs, receive better coaching or mentoring and getting greater exposure.

It might be work the risk especially with the lack of options we have. I think we need to look at the long term.

 

[MUFC1987]

Why pick someone who's not bowling that much though, when you have the option of people who do a lot of bowling in First Class cricket. I'm a huge fan of Borthwick, but I don't think either he or Rashid are good enough to bat in the top 7 (perhaps just not yet in Borthwick's case), so you're either picking them as a specialist spinner, or wasting a spot in the batting order. Personally, I'd give Kerrigan a go. He's got through some overs in recent years and looks the best prospect in County Cricket. Plus he's not totally green, so he's got a bit of experience, even more so after his Test appearance last season. If they're worried about him, they could always pick Ali as a batsman (at 3, if they hate Compton) to back him up as a decent spinner.

Root as the only spin option would be a sad state of affairs though. He hardly turns the thing for starters.

 

[toby123]

Cook @ 3, Stokes still recovering from injury, Buttler not ready and finally no Ballance or Ali?

You're doing it wrong.

Yeah you have a point looking back on this, but I do think butler is ready.
Your right about everything else