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England Provisional and final World Cup Squads

King Pietersen

International Captain
****ing hell, we always seem to make 1 selectorial clanger prior to a tournament and it's no different here. Matt Prior? Seriously? It's not like he finally had a cracking OD season in England and has been bumped into the squad, he played 5 games last year, averaged 36. I just hope Davies has a blinder the rest of the Australia ODi series and makes the selectors look like morons. Luke Wright ahead of Ravi Bopara is irritating as well, don't know how Wright gets so many opportunities.
 

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
****ing hell, we always seem to make 1 selectorial clanger prior to a tournament and it's no different here. Matt Prior? Seriously? It's not like he finally had a cracking OD season in England and has been bumped into the squad, he played 5 games last year, averaged 36. I just hope Davies has a blinder the rest of the Australia ODi series and makes the selectors look like morons. Luke Wright ahead of Ravi Bopara is irritating as well, don't know how Wright gets so many opportunities.
I don't think Davies will be playing the rest of the ODI series tbh.

And Bopara was never in with a chance once he missed this series, really, IMO anyway. Rightly or wrongly.
 

King Pietersen

International Captain
You're right, just read Prior'll be with the squad for Hobart, I was hoping they'd give Davies the series and he could blast a couple of tons. I just don't see the logic of picking Prior. He's a proven failure at ODi level, hasn't made any significant domestic OD runs and the only logic I can pick up on is that he "fits our aggressive fielding unit", not sure how that is reason alone to pick a keeper. Maybe it'll work out for them, I was critical of the Ryan Sidebottom selection for the World T20, but that seemed to work out pretty well, it's just I don't see how Prior is an improvement on Davies. I believe what Davies offers with the bat far outweighs any slight advantage Prior might have with the gloves. I'll reserve complete judgement until I see him in action again, I am not expecting much from Prior with the bat though.
 
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Spark

Global Moderator
Yeah that's a really bizarre reason for a selection.

Leaves a bit of a quandry with your opening pair, doesn't it? Prior opening...
 

Howe_zat

Audio File
I admit I'm largely indifferent on the Davies/Prior call, I am yet to be convinced by Davies and i don't see how people can be so incensed. I definately don't want Prior opening when we have Bell and Trott in the side. Wouldn't mind him at six.

The only call that really ****ing grates is Luke "selector's rentboy" Wright. Prior or Davies could have a blinder in the top order, we don't know. Wright is guaranteed to do sweet FA.
 

NUFAN

Y no Afghanistan flag
How's Prior been going for Vic in the Big Bash dealy?
Top scored with 50 odd in his first game and then failed in his second match. He's been fielding in the outfield too as the Vics opted for Matthew Wade as keeper.
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
Luke Wright is a waste of space, his spot would have been better off going to Davies as a specialist batsman.

I can see the sense in Prior over Davies from a fielding point of view.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
I admit I'm largely indifferent on the Davies/Prior call, I am yet to be convinced by Davies and i don't see how people can be so incensed. I definately don't want Prior opening when we have Bell and Trott in the side. Wouldn't mind him at six.

The only call that really ****ing grates is Luke "selector's rentboy" Wright. Prior or Davies could have a blinder in the top order, we don't know. Wright is guaranteed to do sweet FA.
Prior shouldn't have even been second or third in line though. He's proven himself to be a ****ing **** **** in one day cricket.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
When I first heard Prior had been picked I assumed it was as a backup to Davies - the second keeper in the squad - and I was still annoyed by it. This is just infuriating though.
 

Jarquis

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
He absolutely has to bat down the order. Being used as a pinch hitter at the top of the order has never worked with Prior, be it in ODIs or T20s. He's a good player of spin and does have the capability to launch when set.
Davies anywhere >>>> Prior down the order > Prior I'd say
 

superkingdave

Hall of Fame Member
What a load of ****, Davies has been 'given as much chance as possible' and 'consistently failed to convince at the top of the order' he's played 7 games ffs, and still has a miles better record than Prior who has been afforded 55 chances over the years.
 

King Pietersen

International Captain
Considering Davies 'failed to convince', an average of 34 with a strike rate of 108 looks pretty good to me. Prior's only managed a strike rate as high as that in 5 of his 50 ODi innings, and the most balls he faced in one of those innings was 36. Sure, Davies' keeping isn't quite up to Prior's standard, but he's 24, and I see him making up for any runs lost with the gloves, with the bat anyway. It's a baffling selection, and I'm amazed England have been so quick to cast Davies aside. How is giving the lad a run of 6 games at the top of the order "as much chance as possible"?
 

marc71178

Eyes not spreadsheets
I was actually talking more about the glovework side of things - with a lot of standing up to the stumps needed in the subcontinent, I'd say the keeper side of things should become more relevant - and Prior's now got a lot of practice of keeping to Swanneh.

That said, I could see an argument for Davies as a batsman in the squad.
 

social

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Mike Selvey seems to suggest the selection was obvious

On reading that, it does make sense, interesting that he doesn't think Bedwetter is likely to return for a long while if ever.
I can understand why Kieswetter has been disregarded - he's crap

But the English selectors have spent too much time in Oz and picked up on our morons' bad habits by selecting Davies for the shorter formats and then dumping him for a proven failure after 1 game
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
Dumping Davies for Prior is stupid because Davies is the best OD opening bat in the country whereas Prior is a hack at ODI level.

However, taking the gloves from Davies and giving them to Prior, whilst at the same time retaining Davies as a specialist batsman makes far more sense - it's the selection of Luke Wright over Davies that's ****ing stupid. And to be honest, with Strauss, Trott, Bell, KP, Collingwood and Morgan all in the side Davies isn't undroppable, and we've got a host of good ODI batting options. Prior is the better wicketkeeper.

I couldn't believe what I saw when I clicked on cricinfo, however

Strauss
Bell
Trott
KP
Morgan
Collingwood
Prior
Yardy
Swann
Broad
Anderson

isn't all that bad a side. If you want another bowling option, say Shazad, then drop one of Bell or Trott, move everyone else up a slot and stick Shazad in.

If Prior opens then disregard everything I've just said. Having actually thought about it, I'm nowhere near as pissed about the selection as I was when I initially found out.
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
To be fair Strauss has turned himself into a pretty damn good one day batsman, have not checked but his SR must be pretty high in the last year.
Since his recall, he's scored 1516 runs in 36 games @ 43.31 with a SR of 87.47. They're excellent numbers in anyone's book.

Take out his poor form in the Champions Trophy and the ODI series that followed in South Africa and it's 1396 runs in 29 games @ 49.85 with a SR of 90.46
 

Howe_zat

Audio File
Since his recall, he's scored 1516 runs in 36 games @ 43.31 with a SR of 87.47. They're excellent numbers in anyone's book.

Take out his poor form in the Champions Trophy and the ODI series that followed in South Africa and it's 1396 runs in 29 games @ 49.85 with a SR of 90.46
His numbers for 2010 on are friggin outstanding too. And there's more damnation for Wright in there.

Like I said I'm not too bothered by the Prior decision. He's the better keeper, and England have other opening options. It's only Wright's selection that really rubs me the wrong way. Davies, Bopara, even Big Sam, anyone would be a better call.
 

BoyBrumby

Englishman
Sammy Patel a fat wastrel: official

From Cricinfo.

It's come to something when both his national and county coach are basically calling you a tubby slacker.

I'm a big fan of Sammy, however not being arsed to get fit when (reading between the lines) he'd been tipped the wink he could be in the WC squad is a pretty poor show.
 

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