***Official*** England in India

[SpaceMonkey]

England will lose this series the same way they will lose 99% of all series in this part of the world. No ability to play spinners and no good spinners bowl with. Until both of those options are seen to we'll have to hang on to the small thread of hope that the other team is crap

 

[greg]

England will lose this series the same way they will lose 99% of all series in this part of the world. No ability to play spinners and no good spinners bowl with. Until both of those options are seen to we'll have to hang on to the small thread of hope that the other team is crap

99%? God knows how we've won in SL and Pakistan in recent memory, dominated two tests in a narrow 1-0 defeat in India, and, but for one missing sensible batting performance could have won another series in Pakistan.

There's good reason to think that our bowling will be much more effective in India as well. Be positive!

 

[SJS]

I think England will do well in what I expect will be a close series.

 

[jt_predator]

Well in my opinion these are the options
Definites

Trescothick
Strauss
Vaughan
Bell
Pietersen
Flintoff
G.Jones
Giles
S.Jones
Harmison
Hoggard
Collingwood (why do we love this guy so much)

Then that leaves 5 places in a squad of 17

Options-Batsman
Shah
Joyce
Key
Cook

WK
Read
Prior

Spinners
Loudon
Panesar
Blackwell
Udal


Quicks
Anderson
Plunkett
Tremlett
Kabir Ali

 

[aussie]

i dont think 17 will go, more like 16.

 

[LongHopCassidy]

1. Trescothick
2. Strauss
3. Vaughan
4. Bell
5. Pietersen
6. G. Jones
7. Flintoff
8. Giles (reluctantly)
9. Hoggard
10. S. Jones
11. Harmison

12. Collingwood
13. Panesar (well, would you rather have Shaun Udal?!)
14. Plunkett
15. Tremlett
16. Joyce

Yes, I'm picking Hoggard. He's the best swinger of the new ball in England, and you're not going to prosper in the subcontinent without that. I'm also packing two extra pacemen - they wither left and right in the subcontinental heat. An idea of mine is to move Geraint up to 6 - to reduce the load on Fred and give Jones a taste of responsibility in the top 6 by encouraging him to build an innings.

 

[Tomm NCCC]

I think we'll get a pasting in india, Were useless in the sub continent and i reckon harbajhan will destroy us

1 Trescothick
2 Strauss
3 Vaughan
4 Bell
5 Pietersen
6 Flintoff
7 G Jones
8 Giles
9 Harmison
10 S Jones
11 Hoggard

Others

Anderson
Plunkett
Collingwood
Read
Loudon
Blackwell

 

[Neil Pickup]

Ah, come on guys! Positive!

 

[Autobahn]

1. Trescothick
2. Strauss
3. Vaughan
4. Bell
5. Pietersen
6. G. Jones
7. Flintoff
8. Giles (reluctantly)
9. Hoggard
10. S. Jones
11. Harmison

12. Collingwood
13. Panesar (well, would you rather have Shaun Udal?!)
14. Plunkett
15. Tremlett
16. Joyce

Yes, I'm picking Hoggard. He's the best swinger of the new ball in England, and you're not going to prosper in the subcontinent without that. I'm also packing two extra pacemen - they wither left and right in the subcontinental heat. An idea of mine is to move Geraint up to 6 - to reduce the load on Fred and give Jones a taste of responsibility in the top 6 by encouraging him to build an innings.

I wouldn't take tremlett, when i've seen him play all it takes is for a batsmen to start smacking him around and he completely loses it, and has a tendacy to lose it as well under pressure. The best example is in the last round of the national league, when he simply got carted around by Mark Ealham and by the end of it, tremlett just looked like he just wanted to cry and couldn't keep his line at all. Plus he gets bugger-all bounce despite being 6ft 7.

I would replace him with Anderson who seems to be recovering some of that magic that he exploded onto the international scene with.

And Joyce? The irish need him so don't steal him

 

[social]

Havent read all the thread but I think some of the posters should be ashamed of themselves for losing the faith so quickly.

Eng have lost one series in what, 2 years.

They should have been 1 - up in Pakistan and therefore drawn the series at worst.

If, and it's a BIG "if", Eng can find someone to take the pressure off Flintoff and Harmy (I dont care whether it's a spinner or seamer so long as they bowl accurately) and if KP and Freddie can start to place even one rupee worth of value on their wicket, anything can happen.

Remember, before Eng arrives, India play Pakistan in the world's biggest series. After that, anything is a let-down.

If Eng are disciplined and frustrate India early, they may spring a surprise.

 

[honestbharani]

Actually, social, you will see that us Indians are rating England's chances higher than some Englishmen here.

 

[luckyeddie]

We can barely scrape one half-decent spinner together, so there's no way in hell I'd even take two, let alone play them.

Tremlett's problem last season was a general fitness one - and a troublesome hamstring that hopefully has now been sorted out. For me, he goes as part of a squad of just 16. The first XI picks itself with my 5 back-up players as follows:

Joyce
Collingwood
Tremlett (or Plunkett)
Prior
Anderson

 

[LongHopCassidy]

I've no faith in Prior. He looked clueless chasing 350!

 

[social]

I've no faith in Prior. He looked clueless chasing 350!

Obviously a choker!

 

[social]

We can barely scrape one half-decent spinner together, so there's no way in hell I'd even take two, let alone play them.

Tremlett's problem last season was a general fitness one - a bone spur and a troublesome hamstring that hopefully have now been sorted out. For me, he goes as part of a squad of just 16. The first XI picks itself with my 5 back-up players as follows:

Joyce
Collingwood
Tremlett (or Plunkett)
Prior
Anderson

You dont think that Colly has done enough to warrant a place in the first test?

 

[luckyeddie]

You dont think that Colly has done enough to warrant a place in the first test?

I've always liked Collingwood, just for the fact that he tries his guts out. To come in as first choice in an all-fit side, it would have to be at the expense of Giles.

 

[social]

I've always liked Collingwood, just for the fact that he tries his guts out. To come in as first choice in an all-fit side, it would have to be at the expense of Giles.

I like his attitude - puts a value on his wicket and is not a media tart.

Would not surprise me if he is a more permanent member of the frist x1 by tour's end.

 

[SJS]

I've always liked Collingwood, just for the fact that he tries his guts out. To come in as first choice in an all-fit side, it would have to be at the expense of Giles.

LE, where in England are you ?

I was in London from 21st till 27th of this month and it would have been great to meet up with you.

 

[Autobahn]

I'm just wary of playing in india without a full-time spinner.

I mean what happens if the Indians click, and produce a real-turner once they learn that giles isn't a first choice selection and make the wicket as difficult as possible for seamers?

Even if we bring back giles he wouldn't have had match experience and we would be at a disavantage.

 

[Scaly piscine]

I'm just wary of playing in india without a full-time spinner.

I mean what happens if the Indians click, and produce a real-turner once they learn that giles isn't a first choice selection and make the wicket as difficult as possible for seamers?

Even if we bring back giles he wouldn't have had match experience and we would be at a disavantage.

They'll do this if they have any sense anyway.