England squad announced for the Ashes 2005
Today the England squad was announced at Lord's for the Ashes series. Currently the Australian selectors are choosing their final squad from the one day and test squads. Both teams look strong and it is going to be hard to choose between the two when we hit the field. Ollie Woods, our roving reporter, profiles the players.
(Note: the game is from 1994 and comes with fictional players - I've made up first names for realism, but the non-playing staff will be as real as I can remember!)
England
Chairman of selectors David Graveney released his squad of 16 for the series at 11am this morning. The team is mainly batting based but includes enough bowlers (and part-timers) to get the job done. Here is the lineup, with the picture at the bottom:
Gary Anders - a very established opening batsman, Anders will be looking to improve on his current county form where he has been out very cheaply at number 1 for a number of innings. The Ashes usually bring out the best in him, however. Known to bowl in ODIs but not as much in Tests.
Danny Minogue - while Minogue isn't as good a batsman or bowler as Anders, he is a better runner between the sticks. Not one for fielding but his slow left bowling is useful when the front line bowlers have problems with the left handers. Danny will want his maiden Test century in this series.
James Bell - James is a top wicket keeper and should be a lot better than his Australian counterpart. He can also bat well, scoring 76 in his last county game for Surrey before the international season, and runs well. His partnerships with Minogue usually spell trouble, but he has yet to be faced with an Ashes test.
Andy Thewlis - Andy is a specialist batsman (as are the two openers), but is also a rather good runner. His fielding, however, remains to be seen. It is hoped that Andy will shake off his poor form for Warwickshire and hit the ball cleanly.
Sean Bean - Sean really is a top class batsman who also excels at fielding and running. He either makes a big score or gets out stupidly, but usually the big scores outweigh the small ones. Sean should be a top scorer this year.
Sean Collier - While not a bowler by any means, the rarity of a left-arm medium bowler means that Sean finds himself called upon when all other options are exhausted. His batting is good, and he usually takes a lot of catches in the covers for Kent. This is his Ashes debut.
David Coster - Coster is the perfect number 7 - a good batsman with plenty of fielding and running expertise to carry the game through when hopes are fading. He has never faced a ball as a batsman in the Ashes though, having broken his leg in a freak fielding incident last time round, and will need to play himself in.
Dave Bloom - Bloomer, as the England players call him, is just that - his contributions are getting higher in every match. Another Ashes veteran, he is the only all rounder in the usual starting 11 and bowls medium pace very efficiently.
Andrew Lance - Lance is a top fast bowler whose line and length are enough to take regular 5-wicket hauls. He opens the bowling for the side and has yet to make a big mistake. He can't bat to save his life though!
James Tutton - James bowled with Andrew Lance at the start of each innings during last year's tour of Australia, but failed miserably until given a second spell, where he shone. He doesn't run or field well but can bat quite well if needed to. His spin will be used in the middle overs when the new ball wears out.
Ian Carter - Carter is the other paceman in the side, and hasn't really seen much of the ball up 'til now. This is his 2nd Ashes series, after being drafted in to replace Coster after that injury two years ago, but he might get a chance at bowling this time round. Also useful at the end of the innings with the bat.
Craig Duture - an unknown with the bat, but almost the same ability as Carter and Lance when it comes to bowling pace. Just lacking behind Lance at the moment.
Robert Crane - Medium bowler, not much cop at anything else really. Only for an emergency.
Sean Dyer - an all-rounder, excelling at running and bowling. Won't trouble Bloom for the AR spot but might be able to sneak in to replace a batsman if bowlers are needed more.
Mike Castles - A spinner, lacks the batting to uproot any of the other spinners in the squad. Useful for Kent this year though, and would be a good 2nd choice.
Craig Brown - very good all round spinner, with fielding and running good too. Only needs to improve on batting prowess and he would be in the team. Played well for Warwickshire.
The Australian squad will be announced tomorrow morning. Stay tuned.
