The England Twenty20 XI

So, who's going to turn out on Thursday against the Zimboks?

It would be daft to take specialist Twenty20 players in the squad and then leave them on the sidelines, so perhaps this will be the team?

Maddy
Wright
Shah
KP
Flintoff
Colly
Dimmitri
Prior
Snape
Broad
Tremlett

This would leave Anderson, Solanki, Kirtley and Schofield to carry drinks.

I'd prefer Jimmikins over Tremlett, but I think his exclusion from the original squad suggests he's not in the first choice plans. Although also originally excluded, I think Dimmi did enough in those last two ODIs to force himself into the team.

Peregrine Periwinkle wrote:So, who's going to turn out on Thursday against the Zimboks?

It would be daft to take specialist Twenty20 players in the squad and then leave them on the sidelines, so perhaps this will be the team?

Maddy
Wright
Shah
KP
Flintoff
Colly
Dimmitri
Prior
Snape
Broad
Tremlett

This would leave Anderson, Solanki, Kirtley and Schofield to carry drinks.

I'd prefer Jimmikins over Tremlett, but I think his exclusion from the original squad suggests he's not in the first choice plans. Although also originally excluded, I think Dimmi did enough in those last two ODIs to force himself into the team.

If they pick Tremlett after his OD form this summer they deserve shooting!

I'd leave Fred out for the 1st game I think

They'll play Anderson over Tremlett you would think

Spot on, for me anyway, bar Jimmy:

Maddy
Wright
Shah
KP
Flintoff
Colly
Dimmitri
Prior
Snape
Broad
Jimmy

Bats to 10 and everyone apart from Prior can bowl.

Maddy & Wright are either going to be a roaring success at this level or found out to be complete muppets.

I doubt there will be a middle ground

JKLever wrote:Bats to 10 and everyone apart from Prior can bowl.

Maddy & Wright are either going to be a roaring success at this level or found out to be complete muppets.

I doubt there will be a middle ground

I'm confident in Maddy, I really am and don't know why I've heard all derision and no positivity so far. Yes, I understand it's a 'different kettle of fish' but I've taken that into account.

I wouldn't have picked Kirtley because he's a chucker - but if you've picked him in the squad (and acknowledged that you think his action is alright) then you might as well put him in the team - Anderson has a pretty woeful 20/20 domestic record and tends to go for a few at the death in ODI's. Anderson's effectiveness as a new ball bowler isn't as useful in this form of the game. Didn't realise Tremlett was even in the squad! I wouldn't pick him either.

I think they'll go for:

Maddy
Prior+
Wright
Pietersen
Flintoff
Collingwood*
Shah
Mascarenhas
Snape
Broad
Kirtley

This side would conform to all the normal principles of f*cked up England selection - i.e. calling up a pinch hitter then not opening with him, selecting Solanki in a squad for no particular reason and then not playing him, having Shah much too low down so when (hopefully) he fails you can drop him, pinning all your hopes on Flintoff, and finally (a relatively new one here - Moores Era) having a keeper who can't catch and rarely even bats half decent in the most important position.

Aye. Given our efforts so far in the few T20 games we've played playing 3 specialists is as good an idea as any.

I'm a big Cook fan but to play him in those T20's this year was painful to watch

I have confidence in Maddy. He's been there before, KNows exactly what he is doing in this format, moreso than any player maybe in the world?!

AS for the lineup if they go for Prior up top they need shooting again:

Wright
Maddy
Flintoff
KP
Shah
Collingwood
Prior
Dimi
Broad
Snape
Kirtley

I think they pick him just for his death bowling. He's as accurate as any pitcher in the world series with those yorkers at the end of the innings.

holcs wrote:I think they pick him just for his death bowling. He's as accurate as any pitcher in the world series with those yorkers at the end of the innings.

Sweet.

Only England could select someone that chucks who turns out to be not actually any good.

Actually that team doesn't look too bad - there are actually a fair few hitters in there.

WTF were we doing playing Cook & Trott in the top 3 against the WI?

Snape at 10 looks pretty useful.

The Windies series was a joke in the T20 stuff.

I think it could do a job, If they get the batting order right!

Prior at the top will Feck us right up.

Apparently during the warm up games the white ball has been swinging all over the shop.

Will probably see Anderson into the side somewhere

holcs wrote:Snape at 10 looks pretty useful.

The Windies series was a joke in the T20 stuff.

I think it could do a job, If they get the batting order right!

Prior at the top will Feck us right up.

TBH I don't mind. He'll be in and out. 10 off 4 balls would do us OK with the long line-up.

Snape above Broad shirley?

Gary,

Either way makes no difference to me. But ok. Think Snappers lost a bit of his batting recently.

Gary 111 wrote:Snape above Broad shirley?

Agreed with that totally, but don't call me surely.

Broad probably has more biff power for T20

Not sure Snapes rescue the innings type of batting will be needed in 20 overs boshing

Its not life or death either way - but don't think Broad is blessed with too many shots either. More of a technically correct batsman.

Hopefully neither of them will get a bat.

JKLever wrote:Apparently during the warm up games the white ball has been swinging all over the shop.

Will probably see Anderson into the side somewhere

That's a very good point.

Also, what with this being the Saffie equivalent of March, might there be an argument for dispensing with our 'specialist' spinners altogether and having both Kirtley and Jimmy in the team at the expense of Snape?

No.

Peregrine Periwinkle wrote:might there be an argument for dispensing with our 'specialist' spinners altogether and having both Kirtley and Jimmy in the team at the expense of Snape?

Nah, you need your spinners when everyone's just trying to tonk it.

Wright
Maddy
Flintoff
Pietersen
Collingwood(c)
Shah
Prior+
Mascarenhas
Broad
Snape
Anderson

Even if his ankle is too sore to bowl, in this form of the game(And this form only) id play Fred as a specialist batsman.

England have the best balanced side in the tournament, imo.

Yeah, we balance out the yang of the best all-rounder in the world, Flintoff. With the yin of the sh!ttest one, Schofield.

Clever selection.

Not sure on Priors postion tbh, probably shouldn't be opening though

At least we can rely on him to catch the ball.....huh?