England Test Selection Thread - Winter 2016

[broadyfan94]

With the end of test cricket for the summer, England now look forward to 2 tests against Bangladesh and 5 against India. Bayliss and the selectors must resolve three key issues if they are going to be successful this winter:

1) Finding a stronger opening partner for Cook
2) Finding stronger middle order batsmen
3) Higher Quality spin bowler


To open with Cook there is only one opener in the county scene which has been consistently putting in strong consistent performances over the past 12 months. Haseeb Hameed already has 1287 first class runs in just 16 first class matches at an average of over 53. The likes of Robson, Lyth, Lees, Bell-Drummond and Duckett have not put in figures anywhere close to what Hameed has. If this was any other country this would not be a question. Clearly Haseeb is highest performing opener we have in the county game so why should we pick a lesser player just because he is older.

I think a top 3 of Cook, Hameed and Root is strong. However Vince and Ballance at 4 and 5 really struggled. Vince has had 7 tests in the side and top scored with 42 averaging under 20 so doubt he will get longer in the side. Gary Ballance at least has a very strong test record and in his four tests still managed to make a contribution with a 70 in the 3rd test. I doubt with Hales and Vince likely getting the axe that a third batsmen will get the chop. Borthwick is on course to get to 1000 runs for fourth season in a row at number three and has earned his chance in place of Vince.

Bairstow has shown this summer that he is the perfect number six for us and is a pretty solid keeper as well.

In the subcontinent we will most likely be playing 3 seamers and two spinners. Moeen will surely keep his place and Rashid has had a pretty decent run in the one day side and there are not too many strong options in the county scene.

Broad and Anderson pick themselves which leaves Stokes and Woakes to fight over the final place. Woakes is clearly the better bowler so should be selected ahead of Stokes.

Starting XI

1) Cook
2) Hameed
3) Borthwick/Root
4) Borhwick/Root
5) Ballance
6) Bairstow
7) Moeen
8) Rashid
9) Woakes
10) Broad
11) Anderson


Another option is to drop Balance and bring Bairstow or Moeen up to 5 and have Stokes bat at 6 or 7. I think the 3 seam options we have for the sub continent is more than enough. Therefore the question you have to ask yourself is whether a 5,6,7 of Bairstow, Moeen and Stokes is stronger than that of Ballance, Bairstow and Moeen.


Let me know your thoughts.

 

[JRC67]

Will tour:

Cook, Root, Ali, Stokes, Bairstow, Woakes, Rashid, Broad, Anderson

Seamer - one of Ball, Finn and Wood (I'd go for Wood)

Opening batsman - choose one of half a dozen

Middle order batsman - choose one of half a dozen, I'd take 2, one would probably be Borthwick despite an awful 6 weeks

Spinner maybe two of Raynor, Ansari, Leech, Batty (long shot probably now) and Dawson

Wicket keeper/batsman - choose one of half a dozen

Ali or Stokes (or Bairstow) to bat 5. Personally I'd bat Bairstow at 5 as ideally you don't want your wicket keeper going straight out to keep after batting and you would hope your number 5 wouldn't be coming in to bat in the first 20 overs against India's spinners, so he should get a break if we bat second. Selectors and management have a lot of sifting to work through.

 

[grecian]

C'mon stop with the Batty talk, he wasn't any good when he played, and take his tenfer out of it, and he isn't even having that good a season, I know we're desperate in this regard, but if you are going for a pure spinner who maybe able to keep it tight, Rayner has to be your man.

My touring 16

Cook (1)
Root (4)
Bell-Drummond
Hameed (2)
Duckett
Ali (7)
Bairstow (6)
Buttler
Stokes (5)
Woakes (8)
Anderson (10
Broad (11)
Rashid (9)
Rayner
Wood
Borthwick (3)

Yeah I know the batting line-up looks horribly inexperienced, but who cares, people haven't performed, none of Ballance, Hales or vince deserve their place, simple as that, we would have probably been World number 1 if they'd just performed adequately. What else, go back to Bell? Lyth and Robson may deserve it a bit, but hard to be enthused about them, do think we need a refresh in the field as well as batting too, maybe yoof will do that. Can't honestly say I know much about the fielding of the newbies though.

I've put my positions in, but tbh if we picked this squad I would say that places in the team were up for grabs, apart from the obvious 5 or 6 and depend how you go before the first Test. Hence the big squad.

 

[fredfertang]

Hameed is quite capable of becoming the best opening batsman England has ever had - I sincerely hope the selectors don't **** that up by taking him to India this winter

 

[grecian]

Hameed is quite capable of becoming the best opening batsman England has ever had - I sincerely hope the selectors don't **** that up by taking him to India this winter

Wuss.

 

[91Jmay]

Away tour to India might be too much, however I'd give him a go in Bangladesh if it goes ahead. If he gets runs...

Cook debuted away in India.

 

[fredfertang]

Wuss.

I can remember where vociferously calling for Kegga's selection got me

 

[superkingdave]

Perhaps he needs to be eased in with a part time role, play for England in the Winter but be sent back to Lancs for the summer.

 

[grecian]

In the end I suppose D***ett and Bell-Drummond are enough for young bolters.

I do have a funny feeling England may go for Roy down the order, he's clearly liked and scoring runs in all comps, average first-class record, but England tend not to care about that as much as we do.

 

[91Jmay]

As someone said on here, the idea that you'd see Vince nicking off all the time with no footwork and go 'Jason Roy is the man we need to cure those ills' is pretty incredible.

 

[grecian]

As someone said on here, the idea that you'd see Vince nicking off all the time with no footwork and go 'Jason Roy is the man we need to cure those ills' is pretty incredible.

Not my idea, just something you could see ERngland doing, mind you they were old English regimes, so maybe harsh on Bayliss.

 

[theegyptian]

I've already seem some crackingly terrible suggestions and opinions by some journalists.

Newman from the daily mail. Suggested Browne to open- not such a terrible suggestion although probably letting his essex bias shine through . But his alternative was 'And if we are really feeling brave, throw in Jason Roy instead of Browne and tell him to smash as many as he can before the ball starts to turn square.'

Hmm yes I'm sure that'll work. Just like Moeen in the UAE.

Walker from AOC on cricketwriters on tv suggesting Westley . 'Westley a fantastic player of the turning ball'. Quite where he will have determined that Westley was a fantastic player of the turning ball I don't know. Hard to think playing at Chelmsford or facing the likes of Tredwell, Briggs and Keogh in div 2 he would have gained that experience. Didn't exactly shine on the lions tour last winter in the UAE albeit in different formats. Don't mind the suggestion but the reasoning is garbage. Duckett, Westley, whoever they aren't really going to have that experience yet of facing high quality spin on turning wickets. All you can do is take a leap of faith on someone.

In slightly less contentious but still something I'd be against mode, a lot of the journalists have Buttler back in their team for India.

 

[Pothas]

Bell-Drummond and Duckett will hopefully make the squad, much rather them than Borthwick.

With Grecian on Rayner as well, would be happy enough with Ansari if he is fit though.

 

[Pothas]

Away tour to India might be too much, however I'd give him a go in Bangladesh if it goes ahead. If he gets runs...

Cook debuted away in India.

I certainly don't want anyone rested for Bangladesh though.

 

[Groundking]

I don't really think it's that much of a puzzler TBH, I'd go with this for the Banga tests, and the worst performer gets binned if they're already on thin ice:

Cook
Hameed
Root
Ballance
Bairstow
Stokes
Moeen
Woakes
Foakes/ Buttler / Rayner
Broad
Anderson

The biggest issue is who do you go for between Foakes, Buttler and Rayner. Foakes is probably the best keeper, Buttler the best bat out of the lot, and gives that bit of firepower if we ever get into a position of say 450/5, tell Buttler to go in as T20 mode and slap the crap out of the opposition is quick time, and Rayner is our best spinner IMO, but picking him potentially blunt's Bairstow with the bat.

I Honestly think the rest of the line up picks itself, and no Rashid or Borthwick shouldn't be anywhere near the team like a lot on this forum wants.

 

[Adders]

Genuine question........is Bairstow particularly fallible keeping up to the stumps?

IMO he has kept well enough this summer to not have his role in question right now, unless this is a very particular area of concern.

 

[Howe_zat]

Hear that Rayner would struggle in India hard. According to those who've seen him with Middlesex he looks like a legit bowler only when he gets plenty of bounce.

 

[vcs]

Ian Bell for the middle-order?

 

[_Ed_]

Stokes
Woakes
Foakes

Yessss.

 

[Black_Warrior]

One of the interesting things about this England side is that they have managed to, whether intentionally or not, challenge the traditional notions of an ideal test XI combination - 5 batsmen, 4 bowlers, 1 keeper and 1 allrounder.

Given the resources currently available, I wouldn't mind a combination that's something like

Cook
Batsman
Root
Batsman
Moeen
Bairstow /Stokes
Stokes/ Bairstow
Woakes
Rashid/ Spinner
Broad
Anderson

You can start with this playing XI and if the need arises, you can possibly drop Broad, not because he is bad but to play an extra batsman at the top. Given the form Mooen and Bairstow are in, and the way they played Yasir, they along with Cook and Root are probably the best batsmen against spin available. You do want them in the side.

This is all the more reason England should tour Bangladesh, or at the very least if there are security concerns, push BCB to arrange a neutral venue like Sri Lanka or UAE because two 2 tests against Bangladesh will help you test your resources and consider your options.