England A to play in India's Duleep Trophy

[Neil Pickup]

that a poor squad take out Wagg, Mahmood, and add Kabir Ali and another batsman

Logic suggests that the selectors saw enough of Kabir at Headingley to dispose of him. I know Rik and Richard disagree, but the selectors agree with me... (or should that be t'other way round?)

Mahmood has a lot of potential... and wait a second, why are the players you want dropped in your starting XI?!

 

[Richard]

One match is NEVER enough to see enough.
Even Usman Afzaal deserved more than 1 Test.
He has performed very well in domestic First-Class cricket in terms of wickets and while I don't want to see him in the Test-side ATM to write him off completely would be IMO totally insane.
You'd do far better to write-off Harmison or Jones.

 

[Neil Pickup]

One match is NEVER enough to see enough.

I'm sure they've watched him more than once.

David Boon said, "first class cricket is 80% mental, 20% technical, and test cricket is 90-10". Variations on this theme are what the selectors base the decisions upon.

 

[Richard]

And it's total rubbish.
If it was true all you'd need to make a Test player would be a good attitude, and you can teach or hypnotise that into anyone.
Boon got the "I got myself out about 80%, the bowlers got me out about 20% in my career" right, but the other is complete codswallop, as much as Kabir bowled at Headingley.
And he bowled rubbish and still averaged under 28.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Which goes to underline how averages are for the most part, tripe.

Another saying is "football management is 99% luck and 1% ability, but don't try it without that 1%". Can't remember who said it, I'm sure Marc can.

Bed calls now. Night all

 

[Richard]

Averages are tripe - interesting.
That's something I say all the time, but very rarely does anyone accept it.
First-chance batting averages are the only ones that can be inequivocally judged upon, and even they must always be taken in context.