Current Test XI

[Cabinet96]

Interesting to see Smith making most the lineups. Would he have made most before Cape Town?

 

[Howe_zat]

It's touch and go with him, but even disregarding from, he still has plenty of runs at around 50 per go. It's pretty damn hard for side to have two specialist openers better than that. A few months ago India might not have let him in, but that's about it.

 

[morgieb]

Australia/South Africa

Smith
Watson
Amla
Kallis
Clarke
Hussey/de Villiers
Haddin
Steyn
Harris
Morkel
Tahir

 

[Furball]

Watson, Clarke, Harris?

Watson - not good enough
Clarke - not better than Trott, Pietersen, Bell or Hussey
Harris - too injury prone

 

[Cabinet96]

It's touch and go with him, but even disregarding from, he still has plenty of runs at around 50 per go. It's pretty damn hard for side to have two specialist openers better than that. A few months ago India might not have let him in, but that's about it.

Sorry didn't realise that this was only from 2 test teams. Thought it was World XI. He would have to probably make it in that case. Can't ignore most of South Africa's players.

 

[Prince EWS]

I'd definitely pick Watson in a combined England/Australia side. There's not just picking a fifth bowling option for the sake of it if you have a strong four-man attack, and there's just flat out denying the role has any value at all. Strauss is hardly one of the world's leading batsmen in any rate.

Cook
Watson
Trott
Pietersen
Clarke
Bell
Prior
Bresnan
Broad
Swann
Anderson

Managing to leave Tremlett and Harris out is pretty cool.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Australia/South Africa

Smith
Watson
Amla
Kallis
Clarke
Hussey/de Villiers
Haddin
Steyn
Harris
Morkel
Tahir

Really good team, but I would have AB or Boucher as keeper instead of Haddin.

 

[Spark]

I'd definitely pick Watson in a combined England/Australia side. There's not just picking a fifth bowling option for the sake of it if you have a strong four-man attack, and there's just flat out denying the role has any value at all. Strauss is hardly one of the world's leading batsmen in any rate.

Cook
Watson
Trott
Pietersen
Clarke
Bell
Prior
Bresnan
Broad
Swann
Anderson

Managing to leave Tremlett and Harris out is pretty cool.

Would pick this team too. Clarke capt, obvs, which is what gets him the nod over the Muss.

 

[Furball]

I'd definitely pick Watson in a combined England/Australia side. There's not just picking a fifth bowling option for the sake of it if you have a strong four-man attack, and there's just flat out denying the role has any value at all. Strauss is hardly one of the world's leading batsmen in any rate.

Cook
Watson
Trott
Pietersen
Clarke
Bell
Prior
Bresnan
Broad
Swann
Anderson

Managing to leave Tremlett and Harris out is pretty cool.

It's got some value in it, but listening to what some of the England players have to say about Strauss' leadership qualities, I wouldn't be willing to sacrifice that for a player who doesn't really represent a batting upgrade.

 

[Prince EWS]

It's got some value in it, but listening to what some of the England players have to say about Strauss' leadership qualities, I wouldn't be willing to sacrifice that for a player who doesn't really represent a batting upgrade.

If I was particularly keen on Strauss's captaincy then I'd still pick Watson and drop either Pietersen or Clarke.

 

[Furball]

If I was particularly keen on Strauss's captaincy then I'd still pick Watson and drop either Pietersen or Clarke.

I most certainly wouldn't do either. Watson's excellence as a 5th bowler doesn't IMO compensate for losing either of those two who are both superior with the bat and in another league when it comes to playing spin. They're both better fielders than Watson and aren't a liability when it comes to running.

 

[Days of Grace]

New Zealand and Australia

McCullum
Guptill
Williamson
Taylor
Ryder
Bracewell
Vettori
Young
Southee
Bracewell
Boult

 

[Flem274*]

awta

 

[Flem274*]

New Zealand and Australia

McCullum
Guptill
Williamson
Taylor
Ryder
Bracewell
Vettori
Young
Southee
Bracewell
Boult

Dougeh is so gun we went and cloned him.

 

[Days of Grace]

DOUGEH!


McCullum
Watson
Williamson
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Vettori
Young
Harris
Southee
Siddle


Looks okay.

 

[Flem274*]

Would include Taylor ahead of Ponting on form, and Katich ahead of McCullum if we don't have to get past the Australian selectors.

I don't think Haddin's form is that bad either. Would probz take him ahead of Young at this stage.

 

[Days of Grace]

Agree with Taylor and Katich.

But not sure about Haddin. You would drop Ponting on form, but not Haddin?

The wicketkeeper will bat at no.8 so it's not as if they would need Haddin's better batting skills as much. And his form at the moment is atocious.

 

[Joao]

I am assuming that I can pick Wade because the new panel are not tools.

McCullum
Hussey
Ryder
Watson
Clarke
Taylor
Wade
Vettori
Harris
Southee
Copeland/Cummins/Some NZ Hack

Watto really needs to move down and Hussey was always an opener. Would have picked the Katman but he can't buy a run for NSW atm.

 

[Jacknife]

Watson - not good enough
Clarke - not better than Trott, Pietersen, Bell or Hussey
Harris - too injury prone

Personally wouldn't have Clarke in my side, obviously he's just come off the back of a great knock but apart from that has been poor with that bat for quite some time and like you say, he's not been as good as the players you mention over the past year or so.
The only player who would be worth bringing into England's line up imo is Watson and batting him down in Morgan's position.

 

[weldone]

India and South Africa:

Virender Sehwag
Graeme Smith
Rahul Dravid
Jacques Kallis
Sachin Tendulkar
Hashim Amla
Mahendra Dhoni*+
Ravichandran Ashwin
Morne Morkel
Dale Steyn
Zaheer Khan