England Team for New Zealand Series

[quincywagstaff]

Pretty incredible that the same batsmen that were stuck with for 5 Tests despite being consistently disappointing have all been kept on for this tour.

I know the era of mass reactionary changes of the 1980s & 1990s is deservedly ridiculed by English cricket fans, but this seems to be going too much the other way imo. The lack of change just confirms what I felt watching the Ashes that the English camp didn't give themselves a chance and almost thought it was a minor victory that they didn't get whitewashed.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Pretty funny that Curran's out after 2 Tests on beautiful batting wickets against the best side in the world at batting on their own wickets, and still did ok, then gets dropped for a tour to NZ which is likely to be much easier for the fast bowlers.

A much lesser bowler could come in for NZ and get much better figures than Curran did and the England selectors will pat themselves on the back . . .

 

[Blain]

I hope England keep picking 4 right arm medium pace bowlers for this tour, Australia made it look like fun.

Seriously though, I think this will be an interesting series. England have a point to prove, and will not be intimidated like they have been in Australia. A lot of their failures were mental IMO. Our pitches recently have looked green, swings for a session, flattens out for 2-3 days then starts to play up a bit.

I'm still afraid of Jimmy & Broad bowling 1st session day 1, Aussie basically won both tests in 2016 in these sessions. Winning the tosses would have helped.

 

[Prince EWS]

Pretty funny that Curran's out after 2 Tests on beautiful batting wickets against the best side in the world at batting on their own wickets, and still did ok, then gets dropped for a tour to NZ which is likely to be much easier for the fast bowlers.

A much lesser bowler could come in for NZ and get much better figures than Curran did and the England selectors will pat themselves on the back . . .

He seems to have dropped just because more players who were probably always ahead of him have been considered fit though ... not in a "not good enough, let's try someone else" way. Overton was already ahead of him before getting injured and I think Wood probably would have been too if they were more sure about his ability to get through five days at the time.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

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

No idea why they bother, surely it would be better to leave him out but we all know as soon as he is available he returns straight away.

 

[Woodster]

Pretty incredible that the same batsmen that were stuck with for 5 Tests despite being consistently disappointing have all been kept on for this tour.

I know the era of mass reactionary changes of the 1980s & 1990s is deservedly ridiculed by English cricket fans, but this seems to be going too much the other way imo. The lack of change just confirms what I felt watching the Ashes that the English camp didn't give themselves a chance and almost thought it was a minor victory that they didn't get whitewashed.

I get where you're coming from here but we shouldn't make changes if they don't deem the players coming in to be any better placed to score runs. We don't have great batting options at the moment and yes you can't just throw a Daniel Lawrence in or a Joe Clarke but that's gambling on a young player that to my mind would be better served continuing their development out of Test cricket for now. Why risk damaging a young player by putting them in a side that is getting a fair bit of criticism right now, when, imo, they aren't good enough. I know young players are never the finished article when they first selected for Test cricket, I just think these guys have quite a way to go yet and a bit of patience and more Lions runs and county runs will be better for them.

At least with Vince and Stoneman they've been playing Test cricket all winter and they haven't been totally exposed, yes they've played some poor shots when they should have gone on and there are weaknesses there, but for me I'd stick with them for this New Zealand series and give them a chance against lesser opposition, and this is not overlook the quality of Boult, Southee and Wagner, but it should be easier going than facing the Aussie attack.

 

[S.Kennedy]

I'd have stuck with Rocky but brought in someone new for Vince.

 

[Groundking]

From the squad we've picked I'd have this as the XI:

Stoneman
Cook
Livingstone
Root
Malan
Bairstow
Moeen
Woakes
Broad
Overton
Anderson

Hopefully Root actually converts this series, and Anderson goes on a massive tear, he's too good of a bowler to have a career record in NZ with and average over 30

 

[fredfertang]

I appreciate Livingstone batted at first drop for Lancs last summer, but don't think that's the slot for him to make his debut at - please to see him in the squad though, and a useful leg spinning option after his 6fer at the back end of last summer

 

[Firebreaker]

Isn't Livingstone more like a T20 player? Then why not add him in T20s first?

 

[Woodster]

I appreciate Livingstone batted at first drop for Lancs last summer, but don't think that's the slot for him to make his debut at - please to see him in the squad though, and a useful leg spinning option after his 6fer at the back end of last summer

Yes I agree with this, he's a good attacking option to have in the squad but I don't envisage him starting his Test career at three, certainly don't think he should.

 

[Spark]

He seems to have dropped just because more players who were probably always ahead of him have been considered fit though ... not in a "not good enough, let's try someone else" way. Overton was already ahead of him before getting injured and I think Wood probably would have been too if they were more sure about his ability to get through five days at the time.

Though IMO they wouldn't have been wrong if that this had been their rationale.

 

[Woodster]

We have a number of youngsters that are currently not good enough at this stage but we have to pick someone, just have to make sure there is no long-term damage done to them. I think it's good for Curran and Ball in particular to get back to county cricket now and look to make a real impact for their clubs.

 

[Spark]

I'd be really surprised if Tom Curran was ever good enough. There's nothing that suggests that will be the case.

Right-arm James Faulkner IMO.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I'd be really surprised if Tom Curran was ever good enough. There's nothing that suggests that will be the case.

Right-arm James Faulkner IMO.

James Faulkner is good enough tho

 

[Pup Clarke]

We have a number of youngsters that are currently not good enough at this stage

Would you be able to expand on this? Guys like Lawrence, Clarke, Livingstone and more established players such as Northeast, Hildreth and Rory Burns have good records. The first three aren't novices anymore which belies there age. They have both played over 40 first-class games (roughly 2 1/2 seasons) which is good experience

I understand not changing the team for NZ too much as it's basically an extended tour, but these players have to be introduced in the summer.

 

[S.Kennedy]

I've been mentioning Sam Northeast for ages on here but every time I do I get pilloried for it.

 

[ImpatientLime]

At what point do the selectors consider Woakes a complete bust away from home?

 

[S.Kennedy]

At what point do the selectors consider Woakes a complete bust away from home?

Probably about the same time they consider similar sentiments about Moeen Ali.

 

[Woodster]

I'd be really surprised if Tom Curran was ever good enough. There's nothing that suggests that will be the case.

Right-arm James Faulkner IMO.

You may be right, but it's very early days and harsh to judge a player based on two Test matches when he hasn't looked completely out of his depth. He's 22 years old and been given an England debut long before he should've been due to our shortage of options, and doesn't have the skillsets necessary to be a successful bowler in Oz you wouldn't think. He has some qualities and these need harnessing away from Test cricket, I'm sure he can improve further and be a better bowler next time round if they leave him out for a while.