What Do You Think the England Team Will Be Versus SL?

That is, who do you expect Virgil and Sussex-Lover will select in their eleven in their esteemed collective wisdom? I reckon:

Cook
Vaughan
Ramprakash
Pietersen
Collingwood
Bell
Prior
Swann
Hoggard
Sidebottom
Panesar

They're supposed to take a selector with them on tours now.

So I expect Jon Lewis will make the final XI...

Cook
Strauss
Bell
Vaughan
KP
Collingwood
Prior
Swann
Hoggard
Sidebottom
Panesar

I reckon they'll manage to squeeze Anderson in there somehow, probs will be:

Cook
Strauss
Vaughan
Pietersen
Collingwood
Bell
Prior
Sidebottom
Hoggard
Panesar
Anderson

Which has a look of '5 out then its all out' about it.

And it would also have three swing bowlers for Sri Lanka where it rarely ever swings - which would be a very Dave Grave kind of masterstroke.

First Test:

Cook
Strauss
Vaughan*
Pietersen
Collingwood
Bell
Prior+
Sidebottom
Hoggard
Harmison
Panesar

Don't say it won't be - it will.

Definitely Prior then?

Dello wrote:First Test:

Cook
Strauss
Vaughan*
Pietersen
Collingwood
Bell
Prior+
Sidebottom
Hoggard
Harmison
Panesar

Don't say it won't be - it will.

Sidey at 8 on turning decks against Murali.... good gawd!

Looks like we are FARKED! then, doesn't it?

Dello wrote:First Test:

Cook
Strauss
Vaughan*
Pietersen
Collingwood
Bell
Prior+
Sidebottom
Hoggard
Harmison
Panesar

Don't say it won't be - it will.

There is only 3 good players of spin in that side. Murali is going to love it.

As many as three!?

Murali's going to "love it" whoever we pick. We've got about as much chance of winning this series as... well, some rugby team losing 36-0 in a World Cup game and then recovering to get through and face the same opposition in the final. Oh, wait a minute... I guess you have to expect the unexpected with England teams these days!

Anyway, I'd predict almost the same as Dello's team, but with Vaughan opening and either Shah or (please don't do it selectors) Ramprakash taking Strauss's place in the XI.

Why is Michael Vaughan called Virgil? I've never known.

Are they trying to say he looks like Virgil Tracy, pilot of Thunderbird 2?

Gary 111 wrote:As many as three!?

I was being nice to Collingwood and Vaughan.

Just to throw a wildcard out there - how about Rashid being a surprise pick when the squad is announced on Friday?

They're struggling to balance the side without a fit all rounder, they're looking for a second spinner, they've got this kid who can bat in the top six and bowls leggies....

Even though it's too early for him (probably), there's must be a little bit of a temptation.

Say they went:

6: Prior +
7: Rashid
8: Broad
9: Sidebottom
10: Hoggard
11: Panesar

Wouldn't look the worst lower order in the world.

Dello wrote:Just to throw a wildcard out there - how about Rashid being a surprise pick when the squad is announced on Friday?

They're struggling to balance the side without a fit all rounder, they're looking for a second spinner, they've got this kid who can bat in the top six and bowls leggies....

Even though it's too early for him (probably), there's must be a little bit of a temptation.

Say they went:

6: Prior +
7: Rashid
8: Broad
9: Sidebottom
10: Hoggard
11: Panesar

Wouldn't look the worst lower order in the world.

But we wouldn't have a middle or top order.

Some wise sage selected taking Rashid on the other thread for this series, but his squad was quickly shot down in flames....

Seriously - if you're considering playing 2 spinners (as we usually do in Sri Lanka) you have to take 3, and even if Rashid doesn't play its good experience for him for the future. If he looks good in the nets and the warm-up games then why not throw him in. Swann would be more economical and less of a gamble as a bowler with his extra experience but Rashid is a wrist-spinner, can turn it more and is a better batsman than Swann. He's an excellent fielder too, especially at backward point or in the covers.

Obviously that picks itself:

1: Butcher
2: Knight
3: Hick
4: Ramprakash
5: The Artist Formally Known as Prince

Gary 111 wrote:Some wise sage selected taking Rashid on the other thread for this series, but his squad was quickly shot down in flames....

You're right - there is another thread. I thought at the time that it was the maneuver of a prize cocksmith to start up a brand new thread on the same subject, but I got distracted and never got around to handing out a verbal smack-down - before I knew it, this thread had taken off and the moment was lost.

Don't worry, it soon went the way of most threads and degenerated into me posting loads of pictures of Chris Read while at the same time insulting Matt 'one Porsches' Prior.

"one Porsches"?

I asked the Queen the other day what she'd do if her Jag broke down. She said "one gets out and one Porsches".

This pun is not safe for human consumption. Sorry.

Gary 111 wrote:Don't worry, it soon went the way of most threads and degenerated into me posting loads of pictures of Chris Read while at the same time insulting Matt 'one Porsches' Prior.

Its actually turned into quite a gruesome thread following your antics with those images.

The other thread was about squads - this is about elevens.

Swanny all the way. Different angles to Monty, not necessarily less of a wicket threat than Rashid. Ample batting, quality fielding. It's not as if it's Rashid v Dalrymple. The boy's done good.

Aunty Beeb reckons it'll be Prior again and that Swann will get the 2nd spinners slot.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/7050248.stm

"M Vaughan (capt), A Cook, K Pietersen, P Collingwood, I Bell, O Shah, R Bopara, M Prior (w/k), R Sidebottom, S Harmison, M Panesar, G Swann, M Hoggard, J Anderson, S Broad."



Where the fook are Thorpey and Gough?