England announce Zimbabwe Squad

[Neil Pickup]

Michael Vaughan (capt)
Vikram Solanki
Andrew Strauss
Paul Collingwood
Kevin Pietersen
Geraint Jones (wk)
Gareth Batty
Matthew Prior
Ashley Giles
Alex Wharf
James Anderson
Ian Bell
Darren Gough
Simon Jones

Flintoff and Trescothick 'rested', Giles given the option but chose to go.

Pietersen's selection was almost certain, good to see Bell make the squad, interesting to see Prior in (poor Chris Read) and I fully expect an AMZ broadside about Simon Jones' List-A economy rate.

 

[luckyeddie]

<Quack>

Clarkewatch, Dateline 28 September 2004

Rikki stood by the front door, waiting for the postman to come down the path of his Surrey mansion. Suddenly, the huge, ornamental gates are drawn open.
"Morning, postie. Anything for me?" asked Rikki.
"Not today, son."

 

[marc71178]

Prior specialist bat?

Pietersen is bizarre - picked for Zimbabwe, then replaced (by Kabir(!)) for SA.

What are we going to learn about him?

 

[Barney Rubble]

Interesting - Pietersen and Bell are good to see, bit surprised about Simon Jones and Prior. Chris Read has indeed been given a bum deal, although personally I would pick Jones, without wishing to start that debate again.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Prior is all but certain to open the innings as a replacement for Trescothick, and then strengthen the ring in the covers/slips (we've lost slip fielders one and two, so I guess Strauss will be spending most of his time there).

Prior
Solanki
Vaughan
Strauss
Bell/Pietersen }
Collingwood } 2 of 3
Jones
Giles/Batty } straight choice unless it turns
Wharf }
Gough/Jones }
Anderson } 3 from 4 - Wharf likely to play more often than not as he 'bats'

 

[Rich2001]

Pietersen's selection was almost certain, good to see Bell make the squad, interesting to see Prior in (poor Chris Read) and I fully expect an AMZ broadside about Simon Jones' List-A economy rate.

Prior was selected as a opener, not a keeper - You don't need two full keepers for 5 OD games.

Overall nothing to complain about in the squad, but I do find it very strange that serval players have been picked for Zimbabwe but not for South Africa and the other way around been picked for South Africa but not for Zimbabwe, I mean it's not like it's a 3rd team going to Zimbabwe it's just 3 main players left out.

I mean K.Ali (going to SA) should get all the match practice he can get before SA as his had injuries and a poor season, so you would think a run against a bunch of novices would be ideal for him, so the selectors pick Jones who wont be going to SA etc

 

[marc71178]

Jones is clearly a Harmison-a-like who needs as much bowling as he can for the Test tour.

The ODI's come after that, so Ali's practise won't be as necessary.

My only concern about Ali is why he's there at all.

 

[a massive zebra]

I fully expect an AMZ broadside about Simon Jones' List-A economy rate.

Jones does not deserve his place and is barely county class, but may have some success on this tour and as this is a Test squad his list A economy rate is immaterial.

 

[chris.hinton]

personally all england players who are first choice should not go to that horrible nation and we should take youngsters instead

 

[Neil Pickup]

Jones does not deserve his place and is barely county class, but may have some success on this tour and as this is a Test squad his list A economy rate is immaterial.

Test Squad? Wheh?

 

[Neil Pickup]

personally all england players who are first choice should not go to that horrible nation and we should take youngsters instead

Where's the logic in that?

 

[pskov]

Pietersen not going to SA seems very bizzare. The only possible reason I can think of is to avoid controversy with him leaving SA because of quota's etc. But if that is the reason it is really weak.

Hopefully one of Jones/Anderson can get some form in Zim to carry through to the Tests vs SA.

 

[Rich2001]

Pietersen not going to SA seems very bizzare. The only possible reason I can think of is to avoid controversy with him leaving SA because of quota's etc. But if that is the reason it is really weak.

Hopefully one of Jones/Anderson can get some form in Zim to carry through to the Tests vs SA.

I think your find it's purely a tactical reason for now for 2 reasons.

1/ The guy has been hyped up and hyped up some more, and everyone is assuming the guy will be great at International cricket, I think the ECB are playing safe by saying lets see if he can cut it vs the worst nation and if he does then it's all good he is then a serious candidate for the future, if not they just say fine, back to the normal team.

2/ England have finally got a pretty set team, who is this guy going to replace... IMO he is certianly a good player but I don't think he walks into the current team without a fight first.

Trescothick/Vaughan/Flintoff/Collingwood all deserve to keep their places, Solanki is the only weak link and I guess they could go back to Vaughany opening but do they want to do that considering they could have done that on the Zimbabwe tour yet they went and called up another opener to take Trescosthick's place rather than open with Solanki and Vaughan.

3/ Sorry just thought of it, does Kevin P deserve to be ahead of Ian Bell in the order?

 

[Richard]

I hope against hope Simon Jones gets injured and doesn't end-up playing a ODI that is against a side probably of approximately the standard of the worst counties.
Then people can use him as another "domestic records don't show anything".
It's almost impossible for him to play even 2 Zimbabwe games and come-out with an ODI-record (even if he does play South Africa) worse than his List-A record.

 

[Langeveldt]

Pietersen not going to SA seems very bizzare. The only possible reason I can think of is to avoid controversy with him leaving SA because of quota's etc. But if that is the reason it is really weak.

Hopefully one of Jones/Anderson can get some form in Zim to carry through to the Tests vs SA.

I bizarre shame, I was looking forward to some blood being spilled

 

[Richard]

I really do hate this notion that Zimbabwe should be playing regular ODIs.
Matthew Prior, considered good enough to play ODI-cricket! Wonders (or horrors) will never cease...

 

[marc71178]

2/ England have finally got a pretty set team, who is this guy going to replace...

When the team still includes Solanki, there's no contest.

 

[marc71178]

Matthew Prior, considered good enough to play ODI-cricket! Wonders (or horrors) will never cease...

It looks to me like a hunch call.

They've made plenty of those in the past and rarely been proven wrong.

Heck, what about Prior to play well, replace Jones and add another batsman to the line-up?

 

[Neil Pickup]

Prior, in fairness, made a better job of the A Tour to India than anyone else bar Pietersen did.

 

[a massive zebra]

Is this a one-day squad? I thought Zimbabwe had been banned from ODIs until 2005???