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England players and selection discussion thread

Gremlin

U19 Vice-Captain
I do think Crawley has talent but has been mentally shot for a while, there have been signs he's coming out of that, I have always maintained his best spot is at three but Pope has now claimed that for the time being. Lees is looking like his time is done though. Duckett another option in the top three. On the bowling front I'd forgotten about Broad's pending fatherhood. Also wonder how many spinners will play.
 

Blenkinsop

U19 Cricketer
Sam Conners might be a wildcard pick for the Pakistan Test tour, he has pace and played a Lions match this summer. Luke Wood another who seems to be on the radar. I'd like to see Helm selected if fit.

Not many spinners tearing it up in county cricket this year. Only two UK-qualified spin bowlers have taken more than five wickets at under 30 in Div 1. One is Liam Dawson. The other is Rob Keogh, who is really a batting all-rounder. He does give it a rip and has had a decent season with the bat, but he would be a pretty leftfield choice. Liam Patterson-White has had a good year in Div 2.
 

kevinw

State Vice-Captain
Sam Cook is probably in with a shout too, but this probably isn't the right series for him. I'd only take a max. of three pace bowlers knocking around the 82mph mark.

I forgot about Dawson. I suspect he will tour actually.
 

wpdavid

Hall of Fame Member
It's been rumoured that Broad isn't going. I think he has a child due then. Not heard the same reported re: Anderson, so he may tour.
I mentioned elsewhere that Broad may not be keen anyway, after how is dad was treated following the attack on the SL bus in 2009. I wouldn't blame him.
 

wpdavid

Hall of Fame Member
Refresh my memory on this plz
Broad was in the umpires' bus which was accompanying the SL team, and has been widely praised for helping to save the life of the fourth umpire. Afterwards, he had the temerity to criticise the lack of security, describing the people in the bus as 'sitting ducks'. The PCB's response was to issue a formal complaint about Broad, accuse him of lying, and demand an apology. Javed Miandad, at that stage the director general of the PCB, called on the ICC to issue a life ban on Broad.
 

Flem274*

123/5
Broad was in the umpires' bus which was accompanying the SL team, and has been widely praised for helping to save the life of the fourth umpire. Afterwards, he had the temerity to criticise the lack of security, describing the people in the bus as 'sitting ducks'. The PCB's response was to issue a formal complaint about Broad, accuse him of lying, and demand an apology. Javed Miandad, at that stage the director general of the PCB, called on the ICC to issue a life ban on Broad.
indian fans and management cop a lot of flak for being glass jawed permanent victims but there's only one winner in the contest tbh.

the PCB are amazing at making everything all about how hard done by pakistan is, and social media just exacerbates the issue. i was fuming last year when cricinfo got in on the pity party after nz gapped it an hour before the game on direct five eyes and nz government orders, but i did not know the Broad story until now and that takes the cake. that's so bad. Everyone involved in that wahhh after the attack should never be involved with the game again.
 

ImpatientLime

International Regular
If Broad wants to stay home, I wouldn't be averse to it. I know they want to play the strongest sides and have given up on rotation, but they take family commitments seriously and it's a tour that could be a slog for a pace bowler.

Anderson and Robinson would be pencilled in most likely anyway, and there are guys coming back from injury such as Wood and Stone (I think you need one guy who can crank up the speed gun potentially). Woakes too, but his away record's not much to shout about. Shame Mahmood is injured as I think he could've been a good option. Helm may be an outside bet?

Spin is the real issue here. Leach and Mo obviously but the third spinner? Parkinson would seem most likely but I'm not sure.
if woakes goes i'm marching on lords.

'away record's not much to shout about' is understatement of the century. he is by a distance, statstically the worst english seamer away from home in test history.
 

kevinw

State Vice-Captain
if woakes goes i'm marching on lords.

'away record's not much to shout about' is understatement of the century. he is by a distance, statstically the worst english seamer away from home in test history.
Well I wouldn't take him, nor someone like Sam Curran, because of their supposed batting. If you have something like Crawley, Jennings, Root, Bairstow, Stokes, Ali, Foakes, Dawson, Robinson/Anderson, Leach and Wood then you've enough depth.

Pope isn't great against spin. I'd select him to your but if one batter has to miss out to facilitate three spinners then it's him.
 

grecian

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Joverton playing for Surrey tomorrow. He strengthens the batting is fast, but is his bowling really International class? I have my doubts, but he'll be in contention,
 

kevinw

State Vice-Captain
Joverton playing for Surrey tomorrow. He strengthens the batting is fast, but is his bowling really International class? I have my doubts, but he'll be in contention,
I would be surprised if he plays many more tests. If there was a pecking order on the assumption that every bowler was fit I assume he wouldn't even be in the top ten so it would need a lot of things to go his way on that front in order to play much more test cricket.
 

grecian

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I would be surprised if he plays many more tests. If there was a pecking order on the assumption that every bowler was fit I assume he wouldn't even be in the top ten so it would need a lot of things to go his way on that front in order to play much more test cricket.
Yeah, but if they want pure pace, it's only Archer (who I'm not sure we'll see ply Tests again), Wood and Stone ahead of him really and both are incredibly injury-prone.

We'll see, but can see him in squads certainly.
 

Blenkinsop

U19 Cricketer
I've been pretty impressed with JOverton this season. Since cutting down his run-up he seems to have got a lot more accurate and consistent without losing any pace. I'd still probably rather have a fully fit Olly Stone but that never seems to happen.
 

theegyptian

International Vice-Captain
Second and third spinner for the tests in Pakistan?

Moeen basically unretired and retired again without playing a game. At least Afridi played a game or two between retirements.
Rashid too has all but ruled himself out of the Pakistan tour.
Bess has no form (33 wickets @ 44.21 this season) and doesn't look any better than previous.
Matt Parkinson not being selected all the time for Lancs. Record ok this year (29 wickets @ 30.37) but towards the bottom of lancs bowling figures Not particularly liked by the england setup.
Calum Parkinson bad season but does the donkey work at leics and has some decent late season form.
Liam Dawson will probably get the call as a reliable 3rd option. 24 wickets @ 28.33 plus averaging 35 with the bat.
Patterson-White (35 wickets @ 29.49 in div 2, plus 379 runs @ 23.68) - similar cricketer to Dawson.


SO Leach, Dawson and they need to find a right arm off-spinner realistically to spin the ball the opposite direction. Scraping the barrel there to find anyone even remotely qualified - Bess?, Salter?, Keogh?

Probably Leach, Dawson and Bess goes then.
Maybe Leach, Dawson and Parkinson/Parkinson/Patterson- White and hope Root's back is ok for a few offies when required.
 

Chubb

International Regular
Dom Bess should not play for England again until he has at least a halfway decent first class season. M Parkinson will almost certainly get smashed but I’d still take him over Bess.
 

wpdavid

Hall of Fame Member
This wouldn't get my vote, but I read somewhere that they're considering taking Jacks' part-time off-spin on the basis that he knows which end of a bat to hold.
 

Blenkinsop

U19 Cricketer
Can't see them taking Callum Parkinson ahead of Leach, Dawson or Patterson-White, and they won't want three left-arm orthodox spinners.

Keogh would be a brave pick but has had a good season with both bat and ball, and is a brilliant fielder. Could play as an all-rounder in place of someone like Woakes maybe. Will Jacks another option in that mould?

I'll be disappointed if they take Bess, he has had plenty of chances and basically isn't good enough.
 

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