England Team for New Zealand Series

[Groundking]

They won't do this but I want them to have this team:

Cook
Stoneman
Root
Malan
Livingstone
Bairstow
Ali
Woakes
Broad
TCurran
Anderson

Moeen is worth persisting with, and calls to drop him are ridiculous, and for me it's last chance saloon for Stoneman, he's had 3 50's in 14 innings now, with a top score of 56. and made starts in most of his innings, but never looks set and bats so slowly, ultimately that's not good enough. Vince has had enough chances now, time to bin him, he gets dismissed the same way every single time.

 

[Bijed]

I'm happy to stick with Stoneman if he can keep averaging about 30 tbh. We've tried so many openers now that, as someone said a couple of years ago, we should really be happy enough to settle for our version of Chetan Chauhan for a while. Obviously, if Stoneman averages like 5 on the NZ tour he'll have to go and unless he's doing particularly well at the time, he should probably be the victim of a return to form for Hameed. Agree that Vince should go, I get the feeling that averaging a fraction under 27 in friendly enough conditions is literally the most he has to offer in tests.

I'd consider resting Moeen for the NZ tour to give Crane another shot (I'm never in favour of only giving someone one chance), though I'd have him coming straight back in for our summer (unless Crane complicates things by doing well I guess).

Wouldn't mind having another look at Overton too, think he's more likely a test prospect than TCurran.

 

[Groundking]

I'm happy to stick with Stoneman if he can keep averaging about 30 tbh. We've tried so many openers now that, as someone said a couple of years ago, we should really be happy enough to settle for our version of Chetan Chauhan for a while. Obviously, if Stoneman averages like 5 on the NZ tour he'll have to go and unless he's doing particularly well at the time, he should probably be the victim of a return to form for Hameed. Agree that Vince should go, I get the feeling that averaging a fraction under 27 in friendly enough conditions is literally the most he has to offer in tests.

I'd consider resting Moeen for the NZ tour to give Crane another shot (I'm never in favour of only giving someone one chance), though I'd have him coming straight back in for our summer (unless Crane complicates things by doing well I guess).

Wouldn't mind having another look at Overton too, think he's more likely a test prospect than TCurran.

The difference is is that Chauhan most years was a middling 30's average player, Stoneman has so far shown to be a high middling 20's average player.

I guess we could play Crane, but doing so ahead of Moeen is making the tail a bit long, yeah he didn't do so great in Aus, but he has previous of doing well, and we simply don't have the batting depth to drop him imo.

I'd like another look at Overton too, will he be fit for it?

 

[Pothas]

TRJ should hopefully be back right?

 

[oblongballs]

There won't be any wholesale change and I ca't imagine Hameed would get a go off the back of a mediocre domestic season.

The fact that the ECB still want to look away from Rashid and PLunkett (FINALLY GOT A MENTION ON SKY SPORTS) is a shame.

 

[marc71178]

What, not picking a proven **** spinner and a bloke who doesn't have the stamina for red ball cricket?

That's called common sense.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Stoneman will certainly improve and might even get a century but he'll always be a player who'll chuck his wicket away when set. Did it at Durham for years, usually in the 60s (bit like Root). He traditionally goes at a high strike, and is infact an excellent one-day player.

 

[Woodster]

Squad announcement tonight isn’t it?

 

[NZTailender]

That is a good point: Root bats at three for Yorkshire! Why then the aversion to it for England - it makes no sense? And when Handscomb played, Ballance dropped down to five I believe but Root still played at three. I cannot make head or tail of Joe Root's aversion to it for England - I really can't.

I think it's for security. if he and Cook get out in quick succession from and they're 2 down, who's going to save them?

I mean it's a **** theory but that's what it feels like. They don't have any decent established specialist batsmen, outside of those two. They've multi-role players like Stokes - who is good but an all-rounder averaging 35 - and Ali and Bairstow. The responsibility shouldn't really fall on them but it often seems to. For that reason, I quite like the balance of the side the OP posted.

 

[SeamUp]

16-man squad named for a 2-test series.

In : Livingstone, Stokes , Wood
Out : Ballance, Ball, Curran

 

[Woodster]

Yes there were rumours Livingston was going to get a spot. No real surprises I guess, a little unfair on Ballance who hasn’t been given an opportunity at all in the Ashes but was probably lucky to be there anyway, as were a couple of others.

The only omission I’m not sure about is TRJ, if he is fit I would have thought he’d have made the squad.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Curran is hard done by. Vince is ridiculously lucky to remain and glad to see Cook is still in as he obviously still wants to play.

 

[Woodster]

Yes I’m presuming Vince isn’t going to bat number three, worth a shot at number five if Malan goes up to three.

 

[Immenso]

Will a Stoneman success v NZ be any more valuable than an Adam Lyth success v NZ?

Or have England expectations lowered?

BTW. I have no exception if they're prepared to give him the long haul.

 

[Woodster]

Will a Stoneman success v NZ be any more valuable than an Adam Lyth success v NZ?

Or have England expectations lowered?

BTW. I have no exception if they're prepared to give him the long haul.

The thing is we are some way further down the line and still seeking that opener to partner Cook, so having tried several options it is now a case of giving the candidates an extended run, maybe some of the earlier options should’ve been given a little more time also.

If Stoneman does succeed in NZ it will go a long way to securing that spot for the English summer.

 

[S.Kennedy]

I love they way they always optimistically include Stokes in the squad.

 

[theegyptian]

They could actually play Livingstone instead of Ali thinking about it - and still play four frontline seamers. Spin doesn't play a massive part in NZ. Livingstone and Root could bowl a few overs if required. Livingstone was bowling quite a lot towards the end of the season.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Garbage selection really. Just the same squad as the one Oz just destroyed whichever way you look at it. The Kiwis deserve to beat this rabble.

The selection of a proper spinner like Rashid or Leach would've went far, but no.

 

[FBU]

I love they way they always optimistically include Stokes in the squad.

The invisible man, 4 squads now.
Cook Stoneman Livingstone Root Malan Bairstow Foakes Overton Wood Broad Anderson - Malan, Livingstone and Root bowling spin. Livingstone bats at 3 for Lancs

 

[Woodster]

You would think should Livingston feature at any point it would be further down the order, perhaps number 6/7 with view to rolling his arm over for a few overs.

As alluded to earlier, spin unlikely to play a very big part for England on this tour you wouldn’t imagine.