England squad for first test v Windies

Should be pretty straightforward, I would have thought. They'll probably announce a squad of 13, likely to be-

Strauss (c)
Cook
Trott
Pietersen
Bell
Bopara
Prior+
Broad
Swann
Bresnan
Anderson
Finn
Onions

The only doubt would be whether Broad is 100% fit or not, hence Onions making up a squad of 13. Considering his early season form, it might even be worth taking a punt on Onions ahead of Bresnan and Finn. Well not really a punt, as he's an extremely solid performer who would likely be an England regular were it not for injury.

so no Monty

With the way the weather is, we should be discussing the best cards playing squad in the country.

Dave "the Devilfish" Ulliiott for the problem number six spot, then.

Devilfish is good at poker - but he's shit at rummy. It's not as clear cut as you'd think.

Joe "The Elegance" Beevers?

Maybe any of the Hendon Mob

That's the limit of my poker player knowledge, gleaned from catching a couple of episodes of Late Night Poker about a decade ago.

Victoria "Yeah, probably would" Coren plays, I think. She'd be in if the pitch looks like it'll take spin.

do they need to play a spinner?

Nath wrote:do they need to play a spinner?

I'd have a spinner as a failsafe... Swann's deadly against left-handers and if they can survive 35 overs before the three seamers get tired, he's a good weapon to have coming on.

Nick Compton to make his debut on his granddad's home turf?

Nath wrote:do they need to play a spinner?

In the last 20 Tests at HQ, including the Australia v. Pakistan match in 2010, 141 wickets have fallen to spinners although at an average of over 40 with a best of 6-55 by Marcus North in that Australia v. Pakistan game.

Allan D wrote:Nick Compton to make his debut on his granddad's home turf?

Wouldn't be the worst option at all, but they will be loyal and go with Bopara, and he hasn't done a lot wrong in the last few months, to be fair.

Compton could be more of a contender if Strauss fails to pull out of his nosedive. If he doesn't make runs against the Windies, can they really pick him against South Africa?

I doubt he will get runs... early season, decent new ball bowlers and all that. I doubt Cook will either, considering he's partial to the odd flat track... But Strauss won't get dropped for that. All the fawning press and rallying cry from the players mean that he'll be about for a bit.

Well, probably. Although I still reckon that despite all the rain, Lord's will be a pancake, as usual. And Strauss loves batting at Lord's. Almost as much as he loves facing the Windies bowling. If he doesn't make runs there against the Windies, then you wonder where and against who he WILL make runs.

Didn't Surrey complain that Lord's was one of the worst pitches they'd every played on the other week.

Surface dented badly on a soggy pitch on the first day and never recovered.

It's not like the weather conditions have changed since then.

Doubt it'll play like a flattie. Even if it is a road, the ball's been swinging around corners for anyone over 60mph this season. It'll be Dobbergeddon II: WestIndicide.

Surely the odds on the English bottom five outscoring the top six have to be favourable. The batting really hasn't been great and West Indies seem to love the tailenders and give them free runs.

Dello wrote:Didn't Surrey complain that Lord's was one of the worst pitches they'd every played on the other week.

Surface dented badly on a soggy pitch on the first day and never recovered.

It's not like the weather conditions have changed since then.

Doubt it'll play like a flattie. Even if it is a road, the ball's been swinging around corners for anyone over 60mph this season. It'll be Dobbergeddon II: WestIndicide.

That was just a sooky excuse after they had lost a tight match. The Lord's test pitch has been a road every year since 2006. They've got all the modern equipment there. I'm sure they can produce the traditional flattie no matter what the weather.

Shame that we have to hope for a flattie, like a schoolgirl hopes for a meeting with no-balls Bieber.

Was she chucked out?

She hasn't met him. She's just desperately hopeful.

Let's hope she doesn't overstep the mark.

If the pitches aren't roads we will get a series of three-day Tests, weather permitting. I'd rather see our batsmen get some form ahead of the SA series, even if we had a draw or two. The last thing we need is a couple of batsmen under real pressure, with one place already up for grabs and a lack of obvious replacements.

I'd back us to beat the Windies in any conditions, but I agree that pitches that are half decent for batting would be the best preparation for South Africa.

Henry wrote:I'd back us to beat the Windies in any conditions, but I agree that pitches that are half decent for batting would be the best preparation for South Africa.

...well given Australia beat them 2 zip on their tracks, England should be expected to give them a flogging