England test squad for the UAE

Predictions?

I reckon they'll go with-

Batsmen-

Cook(c)
Bell
Root
Bairstow (also reserve keeper)
Taylor
Ballance

All rounders/Keeper-

Buttler
Moeen
Stokes
Willey

Quicks-

Anderson
Broad
Wood
Finn

Spinner-

Rashid

I'm not sure if they're taking 15 or 16? If it's 16 then maybe Ansari sneaks in.

Who opens with Cook ?
And please don't say Bell, or Moeen, or Ballance, or Taylor!

I'd take either Hales (next cab off the rank) or the newly discovered Roy!

The rest of the party look shoe-ins.

I think there will be a specialist opener in the squad for insurance,but just don't ask me who that will be as I have no fecking idea!

Doubt they'll take Willey. They'll also rightfully take Plunkett. They will pick another opener, for certain

I'd take Willey in a heartbeat, I just think he's got what it takes.

Basil wrote:I'd take Willey in a heartbeat, I just think he's got what it takes.

Yeah, I've got a feeling they'll take a punt on Willey.

What's the point in taking a "specialist" opener if none of them are good enough?

Henry wrote:

Basil wrote:I'd take Willey in a heartbeat, I just think he's got what it takes.

Yeah, I've got a feeling they'll take a punt on Willey.

What's the point in taking a "specialist" opener if none of them are good enough?

Say Moeen (or Chef) breaks a finger - who opens then? I think taking a specialist opener (even if he isn't the firsat choice to go in with Chef) is a no-brainer.

He blobbed out today. Probably a woofing

Basil wrote:

Henry wrote:

Basil wrote:I'd take Willey in a heartbeat, I just think he's got what it takes.

Yeah, I've got a feeling they'll take a punt on Willey.

What's the point in taking a "specialist" opener if none of them are good enough?

Say Moeen (or Chef) breaks a finger - who opens then? I think taking a specialist opener (even if he isn't the firsat choice to go in with Chef) is a no-brainer.

Lyth- shit
Hales- shit
Carberry- won't be picked
Compton- won't be picked 
Roy- a more imaginative group than England might pick him
Burns- won't happen
Abell- won't happen
Lees- poor season

Who would you pick?

Compton I suppose - two test centuries in his pocket.I don't care if we're 60/0 at lunch,we have sufficient firepower in the middle order to make up any shortfall

Yeah, but they won't pick him. He dared to challenge the Flower regime and has now been banished for all eternity.

It's concerning how many of England's youngish batsmen look so technically deficient. Apart from Root, no one seems to have a solid technique anymore. Any runs feel streaky and temporary from the likes of Barstow, Ballance, Hales, and Taylor.

Roy actually looks the best of them. Ok, technically he's not perfect, but when he plays a shot, he MEANS it. But England won't be brave enough to gamble on him.

Is it just possible that with no-one standing out to demand a tour berth as an opener, that England might persist with Lyth?

Basil wrote:Is it just possible that with no-one standing out to demand a tour berth as an opener, that England might persist with Lyth?

I wouldn't rule it out, but surely even England won't give a dud player that many chances. 

Alex Lees is a player they have identified as having 'the right stuff', just like they identified Joe Root before him, and the likes of Cook and Bell before that, and before that Trescothick and Vaughan.......He's had a moderate County season though, but I don't trust County form now as much as I did 5-10 years ago. Perhaps they'll back him. County runs shouldn't be the be-all and end-all for the selectors.

It's the sort of thread that needs two listings:

a) likely, and b) personal preference

It started with a) and has moved more towards b).



On a), the list at the top of the thread is unlikely to be very far off.

The main bones of contention are probably - as has been discussed since - which opener (or serviceable openers), and then among Quicks choices 3 & 4.

There's a case for Lees (poor season doesn't mean a poor tour, has class), Roy (the bold choice), Compton (safer, possibly stodgy option) and even Lyth (though I wouldn't take him, for humanitarian reasons as much as anything). In fact I'd take three batsmen who at least CAN open. I sincerely hope they don't press Mo into opening (except in an emergency of broken fingers and heads) - for just about every reason I can think of.

Willey i would take too, even in place of Finn if berths are tight (though he could be considered unlucky, another gangler in not necessarily a great asset in the desert, Willey is a different angle in every sense).

Rashid is still a bit iffy, as a selection, but faute de mieux ... I like the cut of him, but he is true to the leggie hazard of serving up quite a bit of hit.

The problem facing Rashid is that Cook doesn't rate him at all. Rashid very much looks like a cricketer who needs the backing and support of his captain. History suggest Cook just doesn't think much of him.

He'll be picked for the tour, and he'll play the first test. But how will he be used and managed?

Got to give Rashid a go, and if he's in for the first Test, he'll be in for all three Tests. We've clearly no other options at all, outside of taking a 38 year old Gareth Batty. What else? Zafar Ansari? Well, the talk about him gives me a nostalgic feeling, harking back to a time when any player would be talked up on the basis that he plays for Surrey and nothing else. Take him if you want for 'experience', but he's a nothing bowler, from what I've seen

Perhaps believing in Rashid is the next necessary step for Cook to take on his 'journey' (puke) from being a robot qunt to a vaguely imaginative captain.

Since you're not forced to play at every ball in Tests I can't see Rashid doing that well. I suspect a lot of his ODI success is for that reason alone.

No need to take any risks when you can wait for the inevitable full toss/half-tracker/filthy wide.

Five times an over.

Klämmssøn wrote:Since you're not forced to play at every ball in Tests I can't see Rashid doing that well. I suspect a lot of his ODI success is for that reason alone.

No need to take any risks when you can wait for the inevitable full toss/half-tracker/filthy wide.

Five times an over.

Could be right.

That said (and this is not much of a ringing endorsement) it hasn't prevented Moeen from picking up wickets in tests.

Perhaps playing in a test with time to settle into a rhythm, Rashid will feel less compelled to try and bowl so many variations all the time and therefore establish a greater degree of control than he has to date shown in the ODIs. Added to that, the wear and tear on a test pitch ought to be beneficial to him and his ability to rip it in a way an ODI track isn't, so if (to take your pessimistic point of view) and when he does land it in a good spot it should be more than handy.

Either way, surely he ought to be given a look so that an ECB decision about him can be made based on evidence rather than supposition. Christ, if they're prepared to give Lyth a full summer of cricket, inspite of the fact he is toilet filth, then Rashid ought to perhaps get a similar degree of latitude.

Would you like to try Tahir as well?

Apparently Trevor Bayliss has "spoken" to Nick Compton in the last couple of days. Whether that's any indication of England's plans is unclear.

"Sorry Nick - wrong number".

Cruel


"But while you're there - could you put Sam Robson on?"

The rumour is that Hales (FFS) will be in the squad, along with Ansar and Jimmy T. No room for Gary Ballance.

Ansari has opened the batting for Surrey all season with decent success. Could he do it for England in the UAE?

Henry wrote:The rumour is that Hales (FFS) will be in the squad, along with Ansar and Jimmy T. No room for Gary Ballance.

Ansari has opened the batting for Surrey all season with decent success. Could he do it for England in the UAE?

I won't be in the slightest bit surprised if Gazza doesn't make it to the airport.
Back and across ...lasted 12 balls for zip against Middlesex ... LBW first dig, caught behind in the second.
Rather take the ginger Tyke ... a bit more flair and a good stand in keeper.
Balance is a bit of a heavy roller in the outfield too!

I liked the look of Ansari twice when I've seen him live this season.
Fearless and has a few variations to his bowling ... a work in progress ...just hope England don't ruin him.
Can't see Compers returning ... in the same mould as Cook - scratches around for 10 overs
before getting his eye in!
Good steady bat though, takes his time and doesn't do anything rash. Good fielder too.