England Test side post-Ashes…

So, where do we go from here? Aside from much-discussed structural changes and heads rolling away from the playing side, which surely has to happen… there’s a typically packed Test schedule for the rest of the year. Starting with a trip to the Caribbean, where despite the West Indies’ weakness this millennium, we’ve won just one Test series in over 50 years (the Harmison-inspired 2004 edition). So would be a surprise if England even captured the no-longer-Wisden-Trophy.

Then it’s a nice easy summer against world champions New Zealand, world number ones India (in the postponed fifth Test from last year) and their recent conquerors South Africa. Could easily be 0-7, if weather and Covid permit… so what can we do to avoid that or at least start to rebuild?

Top order: Hameed’s surely played his last Test for a while, if not forever, while Burns only came back as a last resort. Crawley showed enough to persist with, but who joins him in the top three? We may need to look beyond established county openers, given how many have tried and failed. Malan gave a certain steadiness to the top three in Denly-like fashion but he still ended averaging under 25 as a 34-year-old away series specialist. May be the end of the road for him, then again he could be a stopgap opener.

Middle order: Root obviously picks himself, as does a fully fit and firing Stokes but he needs carefully managing. Bairstow’s probably played himself in for another couple of years of mediocrity with England’s sole century of the series. Pope needs to go away and learn a bit of patience and to bat away from the Oval. He should come again, but chances aren’t unlimited. Lawrence didn’t get a game, not sure what that says really. Some fresh blood is needed, but from where?

Wicketkeeper: We’ve only used five, or is it six, in the past year… Buttler’s Test career should be at an end now. Bairstow could get the gloves. Foakes deserves a run, but will he ever get one, as per Read and Foster in days gone by? Billings didn’t really make a case one way or another, could be a one-cap wonder or get an extended opportunity.

Seam bowling: First question is Anderson and Broad. Are they still among our best four seamers? Yes. Will they help us win the Ashes in four years’ time, or series in Asia in the meantime? No. Will they give us a better chance in the home Ashes next year? Perhaps. But they’re basically special teams players now, contributing nothing except when they actually bowl, and giving the conundrum of whether they should play in the same team. Might be a fair time to draw a line and move on. Wood impressed at times, and Robinson puts in a shift even if there are fitness question marks. Woakes probably won’t be seen again except perhaps as a Stokes stand-in. We need Archer back fit ASAP, and to have a look at the likes of Mahmood.

Spin bowling: There’s a decision to be made here. Either identify our best spinner, play him and develop him properly. Or make the call that we won’t play a specialist spinner outside of Asia as we don’t have one who’s good enough, and roll with that. The chopping and changing and lack of trust achieves nothing.

Captaincy: Root’s probably got it for the foreseeable future due to lack of alternatives. Stokes doesn’t need the burden. Failing that we’re probably looking at an appointment from outside the current setup. Could be another Summer of the Four Captains in store…

Anyway, forecast… 2-1 defeat in WI, 2-1 defeat to NZ, lose the India “decider” and a few green shoots of recovery in a low-scoring 1-1 draw with SA. Is that too optimistic? Maybe…

I would want to have a look at Saqib and Garton for the Windies. And the time has come to give Parkinson the frontline spinner role.

As for Crawley's opening partner - Rob Yates?

Not having seen any county red-ball cricket it’s hard to comment on players outside the current squad. But it seems even those who do watch it struggle to identify the right kind of talent. Which is why some leftfield picks might be worth considering, particularly in the case of the top three. We need players with patience and the ability to cash in once they get a start.

Alex Lees being touted as next opener off the rank. Solid mid-30s average but that’s perhaps as good as you’ll see in the county game, we just need to find someone who can match that on the big stage.

Yorkshire background a bit of a concern given recent events but presumably not implicated in anything that came out recently. Was talked about as next big thing around the time his then-teammate Lyth got the gig, then seemed to have a slump but change of county has revived his prospects.

Joe Clarke's time might have come. I think he's got the talent.

Basil wrote:Joe Clarke's time might have come. I think he's got the talent.

He’s got the history as well, though…

Remind us please

Google Alex Hepburn…

beamer wrote:

Basil wrote:Joe Clarke's time might have come. I think he's got the talent.

He’s got the history as well, though…

True, but at some point he needs to have the opportunity to put that behind him.

beamer wrote:Google Alex Hepburn…

Ah, he was in on the WhatsApp rape game that saw Hepburn jailed.

Basil wrote:

beamer wrote:

Basil wrote:Joe Clarke's time might have come. I think he's got the talent.

He’s got the history as well, though…

True, but at some point he needs to have the opportunity to put that behind him.

Well, fair enough, but equally we need to ask questions about whether he’s the right kind of character to bring into the setup, given all the recent issues in English cricket and the position the team is building from. If they’re considering him then they need to go through his recent personal life with a fine tooth comb, at the very least.

Clarkes been opening in the BB, but his FC record in the CC in recent seasons
is pretty ordinary. He wasnt on the lions list, so I expect Bracey and Bohannon
are more in line for a tryout. I was dissapointed they didnt have Critchley and
Libby in the ashes tour party. Libbys been the best batter in the CC for the last 2
seasons and has played in oz before, and Critchley made great progress
both batting and bowling LB [well he occasionally wins matches for derbys;)].

If Bracey made runs bigtime he might be in line to takeover from Buttler, but
his keeping looked pretty poor against NZ last year.

What about Bethel and Prest? Bethel opens and bowls SLA and Prest bats at 3 and bowls offspin.
Sounds just what england need! And theyr both in windies ATM having a great time playing for the
U19s