Penguinissimo
U19 12th Man
Assume that the Lions are effectively the reserve squad for the England team - now rate the chances of the various squad members playing Test cricket and (separately) ODI cricket in the next year in the absence of injuries. And try not to get too depressed.........
Robert Key - is about the only opener in the country (if you don't count MPV) with any Test experience if, say, Strauss got injured. No chance for ODIs.
Gareth Batty - old hand / vice captain type. No chance for either.
Ravi Bopara - must be in the running for a Test place ahead of Shah in English conditions. In the ODI squad.
Mark Davies - I just haven't seen enough of him to comment.
Steven Davies - has all the attributes, but Prior is pretty set for the Tests and the selectors ought to stick with him at least until after the Ashes. In ODI squad, and will be interesting to see if he is picked in the WI.
Tim Ambrose - needs to develop a lot more variety in his batting to push for a Test recall. Should never have been in the ODI team in the first place.
Joe Denly - promising young opener, would be great to see him make a case for Test inclusion since we need competition / back-up in that area, but he hasn't done that yet. The ODI opening partnership is a moveable feast, so he must fancy his chances there in the long run.
Amjad Khan - the latest in a line of bowlers to be dubbed a "reverse swing specialist" - if he is, he has an outside chance of coming in as an X-factor bowler if Harmy and/or Anderson continue their drops in form; but realistically needs another season in county cricket. X-factor bowlers need not apply in ODIs.
Sajid Mahmood - had a really promising 2008 season (particularly the first half), and was pushing for a place in the squad, but his whinging about omission didn't do him any favours. Should never have been in the ODI side, and I still feel slightly sorry for him given how badly he was mismanaged.
Stephen Moore - had a superb season in 2008, but it was the high point in a fairly mediocre career. Needs to show it was the start of something and not the peak, and is a long way away from selection in either form.
Eoin Morgan - potentially explosive top order ODI batsman, and not afraid of being inventive and unconventional - definitely one to watch, and I wouldn't have minded seeing him in the squad for WI. Nowhere near the Test side.
Samit Patel - in the ODI side, and now we need to know whether his combative batting could stand a chance at Test level. If so, as a good bat with solid part-time off-spin, he should be lining himself up for a fight over Colly's place as and when that comes available.
Liam Plunkett - still in the "potential" bracket, and was injured too much last season to establish a bowling action that he is really comfortable with. Has been a prospect for a while, and suffered like Mahmood from the Icarus effect of being elevated too far too soon.
Jonathan Trott - didn't have the 2008 some were hoping for after being selected for the ODI side at the back of the 2007 season. Again, though, openers are worth persisting with because the cupboard is pretty bare behind Strauss and Cook in Tests, and already empty in ODIs.
Luke Wright - his big hitting has never looked like coming off consistently against higher quality bowling. Worth keeping an eye on - not least because he clearly has the right temperament - but won't be in the ODI reckoning for a while (and has never been in the Test reckoning).
Anyone else from the county circuit who you feel should be included? Myself, I like Darren Pattinson...oh, wait...
Robert Key - is about the only opener in the country (if you don't count MPV) with any Test experience if, say, Strauss got injured. No chance for ODIs.
Gareth Batty - old hand / vice captain type. No chance for either.
Ravi Bopara - must be in the running for a Test place ahead of Shah in English conditions. In the ODI squad.
Mark Davies - I just haven't seen enough of him to comment.
Steven Davies - has all the attributes, but Prior is pretty set for the Tests and the selectors ought to stick with him at least until after the Ashes. In ODI squad, and will be interesting to see if he is picked in the WI.
Tim Ambrose - needs to develop a lot more variety in his batting to push for a Test recall. Should never have been in the ODI team in the first place.
Joe Denly - promising young opener, would be great to see him make a case for Test inclusion since we need competition / back-up in that area, but he hasn't done that yet. The ODI opening partnership is a moveable feast, so he must fancy his chances there in the long run.
Amjad Khan - the latest in a line of bowlers to be dubbed a "reverse swing specialist" - if he is, he has an outside chance of coming in as an X-factor bowler if Harmy and/or Anderson continue their drops in form; but realistically needs another season in county cricket. X-factor bowlers need not apply in ODIs.
Sajid Mahmood - had a really promising 2008 season (particularly the first half), and was pushing for a place in the squad, but his whinging about omission didn't do him any favours. Should never have been in the ODI side, and I still feel slightly sorry for him given how badly he was mismanaged.
Stephen Moore - had a superb season in 2008, but it was the high point in a fairly mediocre career. Needs to show it was the start of something and not the peak, and is a long way away from selection in either form.
Eoin Morgan - potentially explosive top order ODI batsman, and not afraid of being inventive and unconventional - definitely one to watch, and I wouldn't have minded seeing him in the squad for WI. Nowhere near the Test side.
Samit Patel - in the ODI side, and now we need to know whether his combative batting could stand a chance at Test level. If so, as a good bat with solid part-time off-spin, he should be lining himself up for a fight over Colly's place as and when that comes available.
Liam Plunkett - still in the "potential" bracket, and was injured too much last season to establish a bowling action that he is really comfortable with. Has been a prospect for a while, and suffered like Mahmood from the Icarus effect of being elevated too far too soon.
Jonathan Trott - didn't have the 2008 some were hoping for after being selected for the ODI side at the back of the 2007 season. Again, though, openers are worth persisting with because the cupboard is pretty bare behind Strauss and Cook in Tests, and already empty in ODIs.
Luke Wright - his big hitting has never looked like coming off consistently against higher quality bowling. Worth keeping an eye on - not least because he clearly has the right temperament - but won't be in the ODI reckoning for a while (and has never been in the Test reckoning).
Anyone else from the county circuit who you feel should be included? Myself, I like Darren Pattinson...oh, wait...
