England Team for 2nd Test?

Time to wield the axe? Drop Bell, surely? Maybe give Monty a kick up the arse too? Is Broad fit? Hows about:

Cook
Strauss
Shah
Pietersen
Collingwood
Prior
Flintoff
Broad
Swann
Any seamer we can find who isn't James Anderson
Any seamer we can find who isn't Steve Harmison

Looks alright to me. I don't think we've got two spare seamers though, so just drop Harmison for Amjad Khan and let's have a laugh. Then again, I'm sure nobody can be worse than Harmi. Can't say I'm too chuffed about Broad, but at least he can bat, and he can't do much worse than Steve Harmison, can he?

Mahmood for Anderson would be a good swap, imo. Don't think we should kick Harmi out just yet.

Shah in at 4, for Bell.

Can't think which seamer would make much of a difference, tbh. Fly Saj out to batter away? I'm not sure.

And, while admitting a lack of world class in various positions, I don't think reshuffling the pack would achieve a great deal at the mo. The difference has mainly been about belief (or lack of). Where the spirit is shot, let that man be replaced. etc.

I forgot that Saj didn't actually come to India. C*nts.

Shah must play for Bell

I'd drop Monty sadly, if he continues to bowl like Samit Patel. Play Amjad Khan and let him release his 92mph ( ) on the Injuns.

Not got a lot to lose. We didn't play badly for most of this test - even if we're currently relying on 50% of the team during a test match these days.

You lot have been talking about Shah for farking years...why hasn't he got a go?

Invader Zim wrote:You lot have been talking about Shah for farking years...why hasn't he got a go?

Closed shop, Jobs for the boys, refusal to give Moores head.

Take your pick....

Broad hasn't really done a lot at test level as yet to suggest he's the answer.

Shah in for Bell should be a definite (even though if this does happen, the next series... against the WI? He will find himself out of favour again for doing apparently nothing, and Bell will worm himself back into the pack). Anderson has shown glimpses in the past in India that he can bowl in these conditions and with Mohali being one of the best pitches for seamers him and Harmy should really get another punt...

Monty should really be looking over his shoulder... Swann outbowled him and Monty seems to be really flat and all out of ideas. His development is stagnating to say the least, if not, even regressing. Warney called this one a few months back with his ''It's not so much he's played 31 Tests, it's that he's played his first test 31 times''. On current form i'd probably drop him for Broad (although he hasn't done a huge amount) as he adds needed depth (based on the sheer strength of the Indian in form batsmen) and also as Mohali should, in theory, be more suited to the seamers... Probably just reversed woofed him and he's now set to take 10fer.... Or not.

Monty sh*ts on a whole decade or two of English spinners from a great height. There has been a number of crucial matches now though where he just hasn't put in the 4th innings performance you expect of your spinner. Have barely seen a ball of this match but it seems like he's still too flat and predictable. With his fielding and batting as it is he desperately needs to add some variety to his bowling if he's going to trouble the best. I'm sure he'll try to but it's easier said than done. I think he was done by the slowness of the pitch as well- he needs a quick-ish pitch to be effective. I'd keep him in though- I do truly rate him and this is the toughest gig he'll have.

Would never have brought Harmison back- he's past 30 now I'm guessing and with his mental frailty it's too lat to turn any corners. There'll be wickets here and there and some spells where he he looks demonic but the overall effect will be a geordie Devon Malcolm.

And while I quickly change identity- keep Jimmikins and put Bell in a municipal bin.

I dodn't think Rachel would say "Monty sh*ts on a whole decade or two of English spinners from a great height."

kenn dodn't?

Don't drop Monty.

Why not?

Because he's done alot to serve English Cricket over the past 31 test matches he was included in.

Bring back Rob Croft!!

But he's bowling shit right now. Shouldn't you be bigging up Robert Croft as his replacement?

LOL, PeterCS beat me to it.

By mere seconds ...

If the pitch looks anything like the one at Chennai, we'll have to play Monty.

'Whim' will be in the next game ... but you just know what's going to happen. He'll be run out for 20-odd in the first innings, by KP or Colly; then sawn off in the second for a single-digit score, before being dropped, never to be seen again.

Have we got a batter called Away?

I was toying with 'George Bernard', but 'whim' seemed more appropriate, as it reflects England's selectorial policy for a decade.

Keep my family out of this.