***Official** West Indies in England***

[Prince EWS]

I'd also consider Lewis ahead of Plunkett and Mahmood, conditions dependant. Potential match-winner.

 

[Perm]

I'd also consider Lewis ahead of Plunkett and Mahmood, conditions dependant. Potential match-winner.

That's the thing though, he is a bit of a one trick pony in the sense that he is usually pretty good when conditions suit, but when they don't then he is pretty useless.

 

[Salamuddin]

I'd be tempted to take Pedro Collins instead of Fidel Edwards. He bowled beautifully this season, as did Jermaine Lawson, and in Taylor, Powell and Lawson, the pace ranks are covered. Collins offers control and swing - conventional and reverse. I would also be tempted to take Amit Jaggernauth instead of Dave Mohammed. Sounds like blasphemy, but it really isn't. Mohammed's batting would be handy though.

And my first XI would be:

CH Gayle
D Ganga (vc)
DS Smith
RR Sarwan (c)
S Chanderpaul
MN Samuels
DJJ Bravo
D Ramdin (wk)
DB Powell
CD Collymore
PT Collins

Jerome Taylor is in really poor form right now, so Collins gets the nod ahead of him. Powell is bowling superbly and has good pace.
I'm not confident in picking 4 specialist bowlers, as none of them - bar Powell sometimes - can bat. So Bravo will have to step up, with Samuels and Gayle coming into play too. For a spin-friendly surface, Jaggernauth in for the least performing of the seamers.

Your'e going to have big problems taking 20 wickets with that bowling lineup. If your top six with support from the keeper can't make the requisite runs, I can't really see how the seventh is going to help in a great way.
Or are the West Indies simply content in getting draws ??

 

[Prince EWS]

That's the thing though, he is a bit of a one trick pony in the sense that he is usually pretty good when conditions suit, but when they don't then he is pretty useless.

While I think that fact is over-emphasised in one day cricket, it definitely would ring true in test cricket. If conditions did suit on the morning of the first day of a test though, I'd certainly consider him over the likes of Mahmood and Plunkett, who are poor at the best of times.

 

[Perm]

Your'e going to have big problems taking 20 wickets with that bowling lineup. If your top six with support from the keeper can't make the requisite runs, I can't really see how the seventh is going to help in a great way.
Or are the West Indies simply content in getting draws ??

I get the feeling that the selectors, like Liam, aren't very confident about playing 4 specialist bowlers since the tail would be so long, especially now that Lara isn't going to be in the top order.

 

[Perm]

While I think that fact is over-emphasised in one day cricket, it definitely would ring true in test cricket. If conditions did suit on the morning of the first day of a test though, I'd certainly consider him over the likes of Mahmood and Plunkett, who are poor at the best of times.

I would to, even if the conditions don't suit he is more likely to keep bowling line and length than the ever wayward Mahmood and Plunkett. That said, I think they would get more penetration from Mahmood and Plunkett on wickets that aren't suitable for Lewis' bowling, even if they do go for more runs. It's a bit hit and miss really.

 

[pup11]

Isn't Simon Jones gonna make a comeback with West Indian test series?


And where does Tresco stands atm, is he fit enough to be selected.

 

[Perm]

Isn't Simon Jones gonna make a comeback with West Indian test series?

And where does Tresco stands atm, is he fit enough to be selected.

Trescothick played for Somerset in the first round of County Championship action and Simon Jones was supposed to be playing for Glamorgan but didn't end up playing. All depends on form and fitness of these two players when the selectors pick their squad, but both should be back playing regular cricket.

 

[gettingbetter]

I hope you aren't implying that they both should be brought back into the side ASAP - especially Jones, he's been out for just under two years. Compounded by the lacklustre Ashes series, which you can blame Tresco slightly for, you don't want repeat incidents.

If I were to pick the team, I don't think I would change anything really:

1. Cook
2. Strauss
3. Bell
4. Pietersen
5. Collingwood
6. Flintoff
7. Read
8. Panesar
9. Mahmood
10. Hoggard
11. Anderson

 

[Perm]

I hope you aren't implying that they both should be brought back into the side ASAP - especially Jones, he's been out for just under two years. Compounded by the lacklustre Ashes series, which you can blame Tresco slightly for, you don't want repeat incidents.

If I were to pick the team, I don't think I would change anything really:

1. Cook
2. Strauss
3. Bell
4. Pietersen
5. Collingwood
6. Flintoff
7. Read
8. Panesar
9. Mahmood
10. Hoggard
11. Anderson

I wasn't suggesting they make an immediate comeback at all, just pointing out that by the time the West Indies are in England those two should be playing regular cricket for their counties, meaning they could be selected to play for England.

 

[Evermind]

I hope you aren't implying that they both should be brought back into the side ASAP - especially Jones, he's been out for just under two years. Compounded by the lacklustre Ashes series, which you can blame Tresco slightly for, you don't want repeat incidents.

If I were to pick the team, I don't think I would change anything really:

1. Cook
2. Strauss
3. Bell
4. Pietersen
5. Collingwood
6. Flintoff
7. Read
8. Panesar
9. Mahmood
10. Hoggard
11. Anderson

Surely, Vaughan would feature in the test team?

 

[gettingbetter]

He shouldn't, but he probably will, at whose expense though?

I think I posted in this thread earlier, or another concverning England's starting XI and it is slightly different to the one listed above, I have a feeling that Cook will be the one to make if Vaughan is picked in the XI - not going to be happy with that considering that Cook is one of the most promising English players that I have seen for a while. Add to the fact that he is only 22.

 

[Perm]

Surely, Vaughan would feature in the test team?

Depends on his County Championship form IMO, if he isn't scoring runs then I would keep him out of the Test side until he is ready to face the rigours of 5 day cricket.

 

[Perm]

He shouldn't, but he probably will, at whose expense though?

I think I posted in this thread earlier, or another concverning England's starting XI and it is slightly different to the one listed above, I have a feeling that Cook will be the one to make if Vaughan is picked in the XI - not going to be happy with that considering that Cook is one of the most promising English players that I have seen for a while. Add to the fact that he is only 22.

Drop one of the bowlers. Preferrably Mahmood.

 

[pup11]

Would be interesting to see if Vaughan comes back into the Test side then who he replaces.

 

[Perm]

Would be interesting to see if Vaughan comes back into the Test side then who he replaces.

See my post above.

 

[gettingbetter]

I'm not sure if England can afford to drop a bowler (btw, I don't think that Collingwood/Pietersen/Vaughan constitutes a bowler in the Test arena). Also, the use of 5 bowlers has been the envy of all other cricketing nations for about 3 years now - post 2005, everyone, including Australia were looking for a 'Freddie.'

Other than Hoggard and Panesar, I would be concerned about the wicket taking abilities of the others.

 

[Perm]

I'm not sure if England can afford to drop a bowler (btw, I don't think that Collingwood/Pietersen/Vaughan constitutes a bowler in the Test arena). Also, the use of 5 bowlers has been the envy of all other cricketing nations for about 3 years now - post 2005, everyone, including Australia were looking for a 'Freddie.'

Other than Hoggard and Panesar, I would be concerned about the wicket taking abilities of the others.

The 5 bowler attack was only effective when Flintoff was in good enough form to be batting at #6, which he quite clearly isn't at the moment. England have the bowlers available to play only four specialist bowlers, and since their batting needs strengthened it would be wise to shore it up and play 6 specialist batsman with Flintoff at #7.

 

[gettingbetter]

The 5 bowler attack was only effective when Flintoff was in good enough form to be batting at #6, which he quite clearly isn't at the moment. England have the bowlers available to play only four specialist bowlers, and since their batting needs strengthened it would be wise to shore it up and play 6 specialist batsman with Flintoff at #7.

And Vaughan's the man to do that?

So you are envisioning something that looks like:

7. Flintoff
8. W/K
9. 10. 11 Bowler

The theory is probably right, but I don't think Vaughan has the skill anymore to do that, if anything, its probably a better choice bringing Joyce or Bopara into the team so they can bat at number 6. Because if you think about it, Flintoff's not the only one out of form with the bat.

 

[Perm]

And Vaughan's the man to do that?

So you are envisioning something that looks like:

7. Flintoff
8. W/K
9. 10. 11 Bowler

The theory is probably right, but I don't think Vaughan has the skill anymore to do that, if anything, its probably a better choice bringing Joyce or Bopara into the team so they can bat at number 6. Because if you think about it, Flintoff's not the only one out of form with the bat.

Ideally I would have this as my team.

1. Cook
2. Strauss
3. Vaughan (c)
4. Collingwood
5. Pietersen
6. Bell
7. Flintoff
8. Read (wk)
9. Panesar
10. Hoggard
11. Harmison/Anderson/Jones

Depends who is in form and bowling well out of the final three seamers I listed. Bell did a good job batting at #6 prior to the Ashes, there is no reason he can't bat there again.