English summer 2014 test team

[theegyptian]

With the ashes over for all intents and purposes thought moves onto next summer.

This summer won't be like any recent English selection of any time. With the retirements/dropping/departures of key players and new players not convincing there could be any combination of potential teams.

Personally I don't think England can afford to lose Cook, KP, Bell, Anderson and Broad if they want to play on. There isn't enough experience and class in the rest of the players to drop players of this calibre however poorly they may have performed during the ashes. They are the best 5 players by some distance and are the core around the team is built -hopefully they will stay and help bring through the next generation.

Prior will likely come back next summer because none of the others are ready or good enough and although his form has dropped off the edge of the universe before he was very good for a couple of years.


The main issues are likely to be -

Opener for Cook
Fitting Stokes into the team or not
Monty's allround game
Third seamer


(Onions and Tailenders) Cook, Root, Bell, KP, Taylor/Ballance, Stokes, Prior, Broad, Anderson, Onions, Panesar
Bottom 7 looks shaky
(Dual allrounders)Cook, Root, Bell, KP, Taylor/Ballance, Stokes, Prior, Woakes, Broad, Anderson, Panesar
Woakes comes into balance the tail.
(No Spinner)Cook, Root, Bell, KP, Taylor/Ballance, Stokes, Prior, Woakes/Bresnan, Broad, Anderson, Rankin
Green seamers for Sri Lanka and India.
(ByeBye Root)Cook, Compton/Robson, Bell, KP, Taylor, Ali, Prior, Broad, Anderson, Onions, Rankin
Yorkshire lite
(Prior at 8, Ali spinner)Cook, Compton/Robson, Bell, KP, Ballance, Ali, Stokes, Prior, Anderson, Broad, Onions
Bowling lite
(6-4 revert) Cook, Root, Bell, KP, Ballance, Taylor, Prior, Broad, Anderson, Onions, Panesar
Favoured Formation
(KP/Jimmy Quit horror plot) Cook, Root, Bell, Vince, Ballance, Stokes, Prior, Jordan, Broad, Finn, Panesar
Pity the selectors
(The Ravi and Kieswetter allstars) X,X,X, Bopara, X,X,Kieswetter,X,X,X,X
So good the other players are nameless.


One spinner or none?; One, two or zero allrounders?; Onions?; How to get rid of Bresnan?

 

[theegyptian]

Don't all vote for Ravi.

Some names are missing but I was looking more at the formation of the team rather than exact players in some spots.

 

[Expressway76]

No matter what it's got to be goodbye Root, comeback when you're not so wet behind the ears.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Root will remain. Might be dropped back down the order but will stay.

Cook
Carberry
Bell
KP
Root
Stokes
Prior
Bresnan
Broad
Anderson
Panesar

 

[MW1304]

I've said before but I really don't think Stokes is a Test player. Yes he's great for balance but he is that most tempting of players who can both bat and bowl, despite neither being quite good enough to deserve a place in the team. 100 at Perth regardless, his spot is entirely dependent on Prior/some wk to bat at 6. Give him and Woakes another season of CC, and if we still look a bowler short then maybe have a look at one of those two (batting dependent - reckon Woakes is the better bat personally) down the line. Next best batsman is probably Ballance.

Unless Carbs can do something in the 5th Test, I don't see his long term worth. Robson seems to have deserved a shot. I really wish we'd given Compton more of a prolonged go so we didn't have this selection roundabout, but he is almost certainly out of the picture.

Keep the rest of the team as is with minor tweaks.

Cook
Carberry/Robson
Bell
Pietersen
Root
Ballance
Prior (wk)
Bresnan/Finn/Rankin (form dependent)
Broad
Anderson
Panesar

 

[fredfertang]

Can't see Carberry keeping his place unless he gets a very big score at the SCG - if we lose 5-0 Cook's opening partner will either be an uncapped county journeyman who has scored a stack of runs in April and May, or Stuart Broad

 

[stumpski]

I wouldn't rule out Trott coming back at some point, and Steve Davies is surely too good to be forgotten.

 

[theegyptian]

Ugh Bresnan in two teams already. I'm off to top myself.

Can't see Root and Carberry both remaining in the team. Maybe even both gone but Carberry is definitely the likelier one to be dropped.

 

[morgieb]

I'd go:

Cook
Root (Robson)
Bell
KP
Taylor/Ballance (Root)
Stokes
Prior/Bairstow
Broad
Anderson
Onions
Panesar

Tail looks weak, but meh. I don't really want Bresnan to play for England, though if you need extra batting depth I suppose you could call him up.

You can't afford both of Root and Carberry in the side, and Bell should be batting 3 as he's more aggressive than Root. As it is England are too prone to being bogged down.

Taylor deserves a second chance, but it's likely that Ballance is next in line.

 

[Pothas]

Don't all vote for Ravi.

You don't mean this.

 

[Cabinet96]

6-4 IMO. But I can see the reasons for a dual all-rounders option given that the third seamer and sixth batsman have done pretty much **** all since 2011.

I'm just happy we have a five month break until the next test series. Maybe it'll be enough time to actually restore some hope and potential excitment out of me, but I'm probably being optimistic.

 

[steds]

Option 1, but with somebody (possibly Jordan) instead of Onions. That tail would be a train wreck.

 

[Pothas]

Missing this tour has done Onions a lot of good, I doubt he would have done that well but would say he is in prime position to play this summer.

Would love Carberry to stay in the side and do well but I can't really see it. The Onions and tailenders option is probably what I would go for (obviously voted for Ravi.)

 

[watson]

Root and Stokes are good investments for the future and should probably stay. If Carberry fails then Compton is the obvious replacement. Trott just needs a rest to get his brain back. Still class. I think that Monty is past his use by date and that a young spinner should be blooded. Bairstow for Prior perhaps;

Cook
Carberry/Compton
Trott
KP
Bell
Stokes
Prior/Bairstow
Bresnan
Broad
Anderson
Best young spinner

 

[steds]

After this session, I half want us to just fill the side with gun fielders. Bell to open. Troughton, Morgan, Bairstow and Steven Croft in the middle order. Foster keeping. Rikki Clarke in as 3rd seamer. Etc. **** batting and bowling. I've just had my fill of drops and misfields.

 

[GIMH]

Reckon Prior is just 'rested' for these two and starts in the summer tbh

 

[Cabinet96]

Hopefully. Never know with these ****s.

 

[NUFAN]

I would go a similar team to morgie's. I'm happy with the top 6 I've named, not certain on the keeper nor the third seamer. I guess early season form will dictate who to pick in those positions against Sri Lanka in the two Test series starting June.

1. Cook
2. Root
3. Bell
4. Pietersen
5. Ballance
6. Stokes
7. Davies
8. Broad
9. Finn
10. Anderson
11. Panesar

 

[Pup Clarke]

I'd look at something like this...

Cook
Robson/Compton
Bell
Pietersen
Root
Stokes (Ballance/Moeen/Taylor)
Prior
Broad (c)
Jordan/Barker/Harris
Anderson
Onions

In the mix: Chopra, Patel, Davies, Woakes, Topley/Mills/Meaker

 

[vic_orthdox]

You guys were playing Bairstow in a series that you won against us.

Stokes looks as good with the bat as that bloke.