England Tour Squad for Australia

[Scaly piscine]

If Onions won't get any movement I agree there's little point to him. He's been terrible every time he's been in England colours lately and flat tracks are no excuse when it comes to Australia selection.

What complete ****ing ****e.

He had one bad tour game where he hadn't played for months on end and then suddenly it's a case of here you go - now go take a hatful.

He's been the best or second best bowler in pretty much every England game he's played in.

As for this myth about him not being able to bowl in foreign conditions - do we perpetuate that ****e with Anderson as well? Onions has all the skills needed to bowl in any conditions, same as Anderson.

 

[Biryani Pillow]

What complete ****ing ****e.

He had one bad tour game where he hadn't played for months on end and then suddenly it's a case of here you go - now go take a hatful.

He's been the best or second best bowler in pretty much every England game he's played in.

As for this myth about him not being able to bowl in foreign conditions - do we perpetuate that ****e with Anderson as well? Onions has all the skills needed to bowl in any conditions, same as Anderson.

And Scaley's blinkered rubbish reappears..........

 

[Cabinet96]

What I find most baffling about the squad is the lack of experience and change of thoughts. Three people in their first test squads, one bloke in his second. It's strange for this England management to make so many big decisions on the eve of the biggest tour. Begs the question about some of the summer selection as well. Why was Taylor in the squad at Old Trafford, why did Woakes play at the Oval, why did Compton play for Worcestershire and why was Onions picked in 5 of the test squads he was available for this summer? And more importantly, what's changed that's made them suddenly think these players aren't the ones to go for anymore. I have reservations about the only back up bowlers all being 6'8 hit the deck bowlers as well. Remember the last time we had an attack like that?

Obviously I would've picked quite a different squad, but I've been through it all before, so I won't bore people with the same drivel. From the squad picked, I'd have Ballance at 6, and, probably Rankin as the 3rd seamer.

Pfft, anti-Somerset bias, strikes again.

Must be it's strong Northern location.

 

[91Jmay]

Good news for Australia and I particularly love Pringle's summary of Ballance - good player but doesn't like short stuff

Who the **** is going to bat 6 if that is the case?

What's the good news? You a big Onions, Taylor or Compton fan?

 

[Scaly piscine]

Why was Taylor in the squad at Old Trafford, why did Woakes play at the Oval, why did Compton play for Worcestershire and why was Onions picked in 5 of the test squads he was available for this summer? And more importantly, what's changed that's made suddenly think these players aren't the ones anymore. I have reservations about the only back up bowlers all being 6'8 hit the deck bowlers. Remember the last time we had an attack like that?

Obviously I would've picked quite a different squad, but I've been through it all before, so I won't bore people with the same drivel. From the squad picked, I'd have Ballance at 6, and, probably Rankin as the 3rd seamer.

Yes there's a hell of a lot of inconsistency and horses for courses. Yet England seem absolutely dead set against picking Anderson and Onions in the same side (I remember them playing happily together in one match, where Onions took out the top order with 4 wickets and then Anderson cleaned up the lower order after bowling total dross and ended up with a 5-fer), but they'll quite happily pick a squad with endless 6' 5+ bowlers and often pick two of them in a side. It really baffles me. Having Finn and Broad spraying it all over the shop is fine, but two guys who know how to use the new ball, who can extract movement from almost any pitch, can reverse swing - they can't possibly play in the same team. Why? Very strange.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Well, it's the least predictable squad for a number of years, I'd say.

Calling bull**** on Carberry and Ballance tho. Carbs looked out of his depth in the ODIs, so Pattinson and Harris will eat him alive and Ballance gives the impression of a chap who's not quite ready for the step up.

 

[Prince EWS]

Given England's propensity to use ODIs as a dress rehearsal at times, admittedly less so lately, it definitely seems odd to me that Ballance hasn't played more ODIs before being put into the Test squad as he's actually a better OD bat than he is a FC player.

 

[Biryani Pillow]

Yes there's a hell of a lot of inconsistency and horses for courses. Yet England seem absolutely dead set against picking Anderson and Onions in the same side (I remember them playing happily together in one match, where Onions took out the top order with 4 wickets and then Anderson cleaned up the lower order after bowling total dross and ended up with a 5-fer), but they'll quite happily pick a squad with endless 6' 5+ bowlers and often pick two of them in a side. It really baffles me. Having Finn and Broad spraying it all over the shop is fine, but two guys who know how to use the new ball, who can extract movement from almost any pitch, can reverse swing - they can't possibly play in the same team. Why? Very strange.

Comical.

Sad, but comical.

And why?

Because they know a damn sight more about cricket than you do, that's why!

 

[Cabinet96]

1) No they don't.

2) Who cares?

 

[Cabinet96]

Does he keep his pace in the long form, because Finn doesn't. Not that many people seem to have noticed.

Yeah, this is pretty important, and was always one of the things I held against Finn when people still wanted him for his 'extra pace'. Both of them have dominated in international limited overs when in form because it's hard to score quickly against someone who's the best part of 7 foot, bowls quickly and has decent control of their line. It's different in tests when they have to maintain their pace for 20+ overs as well as keeping a good control of length. It's a step up Finn failed, and one that Rankin hasn't yet proved he's capable of. I still have him pencilled in for the Gabba, but he's got to show he can in the warm ups, as I'm picking him on the faith that he does it better than Finn.

Carberry is flat out a better player than Compton (18 months ago the idea that Compton, after several years as a very ordinary County player, would have been mentioned for elevation would have been laughed at)

I find it funny you talk about Compton, someone who has averaged greater than 45 in three consecutive division one seasons, as an ordinary County player, and then tell us Carberry is "flat out better".

Well, it's the least predictable squad for a number of years, I'd say.

Really? There were at least two calls no one predicted, plus another couple of gambles for players in their first squad. This England management have picked far more conservative and predictable squads.

Given England's propensity to use ODIs as a dress rehearsal at times, admittedly less so lately, it definitely seems odd to me that Ballance hasn't played more ODIs before being put into the Test squad as he's actually a better OD bat than he is a FC player.

I think they just changed their minds at the 11th hour. That's why you can't work out the treatment of the call ups this summer , and why players who didn't really do anything wrong suddenly got pulled away from the set up.

 

[Prince EWS]

I think they just changed their minds at the 11th hour. That's why you can't work out the treatment of the call ups this summer , and why players who didn't really do anything wrong suddenly got pulled away from the set up.

Yeah it just seems distinctly un-England.

 

[Prince EWS]

Really? There were at least two calls no one predicted, plus another couple of gambles for players in their first squad. This England management have picked far more conservative and predictable squads.

Isn't that what he just said? Did you misread "least" for "most" or something?

 

[grecian]

Yeah it just seems distinctly un-England.

Indeed the entire thing seems to be done to kill off the idea that we're unexciting, or not imaginative. I'm not saying the picks are wrong, but there's a lot of left-field picks.

I have to say it's not the way I'd have gone, but we'll see.

 

[Cabinet96]

Isn't that what he just said? Did you misread "least" for "most" or something?

Simply put, yes.

Sorry Brumbers.

 

[Watson33]

Seems, as per usual, number 6 is a big issue for the team again. Bairstow or Balance aren't good enough to bat their in my opinion.

 

[hendrix]

The Onions and Taylor omissions are weird.

I personally don't understand how Onions can have fallen so far out of favour. They never gave him any games ffs.

Horses-for-courses is fine and all, but Australia is not all the same course, and they have three seven foot horses. One of whom would be a debutant, another who's recovering from injury, and another who's recently been dropped from the starting side. Simply put, they all have bigger question marks over them than the question of whether Onions' skills would be effective in Australian conditions.

 

[Furball]

That's an absolutely horrible squad.

 

[wiff]

The Onions and Taylor omissions are weird.

I personally don't understand how Onions can have fallen so far out of favour. They never gave him any games ffs.

I agree, Onions must smell bad. I can see they have used the ODIs as a test for Carberry and Stokes, but did they do enough to warrant selection? I thought they might pick Buttler instead of Bairstow.

 

[Pothas]

That's an absolutely horrible squad.

Horrible is overstating a little surley?

We know most of the side anyway and I don't really have a problem with Ballance being picked, that number 6 spot is wide open.

Tremlett, Finn and Rankin is certainly overkill, would probably have left Finn at home to be honest.

 

[GIMH]

Yes there's a hell of a lot of inconsistency and horses for courses. Yet England seem absolutely dead set against picking Anderson and Onions in the same side (I remember them playing happily together in one match, where Onions took out the top order with 4 wickets and then Anderson cleaned up the lower order after bowling total dross and ended up with a 5-fer), but they'll quite happily pick a squad with endless 6' 5+ bowlers and often pick two of them in a side. It really baffles me. Having Finn and Broad spraying it all over the shop is fine, but two guys who know how to use the new ball, who can extract movement from almost any pitch, can reverse swing - they can't possibly play in the same team. Why? Very strange.

I presume you're talking about Edgbaston 09 where Anderson certainly didn't bowl dross in the first innings. Bizarre.