England's 30 man squad announced

[superkingdave]

I guess also because Saj has toured India twice

 

[aussie]

Oh geez England why pick Rikki Clarke geez, if they want a seam-bowling all-rounder what about Mascarenhas. Foolishness..

 

[BoyBrumby]

Rikki "****ing" Clarke? Dear Lord. For heaven's sake why? Broad cripplingly unlucky IMHO.

Can only assume Joyce has been picked out of guilt at us tooling up his chances of playing for Ireland in the WC too.

 

[GIMH]

Oh geez England why pick Rikki Clarke geez, if they want a seam-bowling all-rounder what about Mascarenhas. Foolishness..

Macsarenhas wasn't in the 30 though, so couldn't be picked

They've got Colly, Bell, who canm both turn their arm over, and batting all-rounders in Yardy and Dalrymple. Clarke was an unnecessary selection, maybe the selectors were trying to prove that they aren't stick in the muds by playing one of the biggest practical jokes since Udal got Tendulkar out

 

[aussie]

oh yea i forgot Mascarenhas isn't in the 30, but in that case they could have taken another batsman i.e Mal Loye/Shah or somebody.

Anyway based on the squad, hopefully they all are fully fit by the start of the tournament, my best XI would be:

Strauss
Flintoff
Bell
Pietersen
Collingwood
Dalrymple
Yardy
Read
Lewis/Joyce
Harmison
Anderson

With Trescothick out & Flintoff likely to play as a pure batsman intially from whats being said i think he should open the batting for sure.

Lewis/Joyce - this selection depends on on whether Flintoff bowls or not, if Freddie can bowl i would not play Lewis but would play Joyce in the top 4 behind Strauss/Freddie/Bell

 

[marc71178]

Rikki "****ing" Clarke? Dear Lord. For heaven's sake why?

Because Gary Pratt wasn't in the 30?

 

[tooextracool]

Mahmood is in for the same reason that Plunkett is selected in spite of lameness on the field - he has potential and is next in the pecking order.

If Plunkett has potential then so does Jeremy Snape.....