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Post by Balladeer on Apr 3, 2018 19:22:54 GMT
No it's not too early for this, shush.Two Tests vs. Pakistan, because obviously last time they weren't challenging fun opposition. Then five against India, who obviously were. And probably some limited overs gubbins (small g) in between. Also: Ireland to play their first men’s Test against Pakistan. Excitement! Until it gets rained off. Let's start with - who's the ideal (England) squad? Do they just march in with the same team, confident in their swing bowling? Woakes for Wood? Do they drop Vince who just scored 70-odd in New Zealand, against a premier swing bowling attack? If it were up to me, I'm keeping the team the same bar the number 3 slot, which is a straight shoot-out for County Champ. (Division 1) runs between Vince, Moeen, and Livingstone. As mentioned before, I like that attack. Shonky tail, but what can you do? Woakes on standby.
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Post by nemouk on Apr 3, 2018 20:31:46 GMT
A lot of picks come down to form obviously, but its genuinely tough. The only people who are totally safe are Broad, Anderson, Stokes, Root and Bairstow. The other six really could be anyone, but assuming everyone is fit and in similar form:
Cook Hameed Gubbins Root Malan Stokes Bairstow Woakes Leach Broad Anderson
With Cook clearly on the way down I want a potential opener at 3 just in case he jacks it in this summer. I wouldn't dispense with Vince totally but think he's an option at 5 not 3. Same for Moeen most likely.
Stoneman I feel sad about but if you're going to invest time in an opener I think you make it one of the younger ones.
Woakes is a fantastic player in home conditions and he'd be my first choice third bowler. Would like to see Coverton and Wood getting chances and maybe, just maybe someone like Gleeson has a breakthrough year.
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Post by pierredelafranchesca on Apr 3, 2018 20:57:15 GMT
I think Cook may spend a few weeks at home then decide to jack it in, frankly with so few positions nailed down i'd be inclined to see who is in form early season and make some left field selections. I think Pakistan will beat us 1-0 and India will beat us 2 or 3-1
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Post by nemouk on Apr 3, 2018 21:09:37 GMT
I think in the depths of winter despair, its easy to forget that we are alright at home. Two good touring sides but I'd expect us to beat both.
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Post by Balladeer on Apr 4, 2018 7:29:09 GMT
A starting XI with Wood in pretty much guarantees Woakes getting a go at some point.
I’d expect England to draw vs. Pakistan and beat India 3-1 or 3-2.
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Post by pierredelafranchesca on Apr 4, 2018 10:04:24 GMT
I acknowledge the long dark winter impact on my assessment! But I do think India's bowling attack in swinging and seaming conditions is a lot better than it has been in previous years, they certainly pushed SA very close over the winter and I think they've a few batsmen, who'll be warming up in county cricket, that could cause problems too. Ashwin's played some CC too, albeit in D2, and I think he'll certainly outbowl whomever we have as our spinner.
A lot depends on whether some key players can re-discover some form, particularly Mo, when he is on it as he often is at home, then the balance of our team shifts hugely and we are a much stronger force.
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Post by Mattzo on Apr 4, 2018 11:00:11 GMT
Cook (Unless he quits) Stoneman (Unless Hameed scores a bucketload) Vince / Northeast / Livingstone (Whichever scores the most. If things are reasonably equal, they'll stick with Vince) Root Malan Stokes Bairstow Woakes / TRJ Leach Broad Anderson
Batting order not final. If a left field seamer does really well he may get called into the squad. If Mo has a decent start to the season he may replace Leach.
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Post by jevans90 on Apr 7, 2018 7:10:26 GMT
So for me, Root, Bairstow, Stokes, Broad and Anderson are definitely in.
Leach has earned his spot so should keep it unless Mo proves his form with a run of good allround performances in the CC. Which he isn't going to even try to do, so there's that.
Similar situation for the 3rd seamer: Woakes needs CC wickets to get his spot back. Wood has done nothing to suggest that 40 average is an abberation and needs CC wickets to cement it, so Porter, COverton and TRJ have the chance to stake claims. Porter would make the tail ludicrous. TRJ edges it for me if form fairly even.
Not currently convinced by any of Cook, Stoneman, Vince or Malan. All need runs to keep their slots, with the likes of Hameed, Gubbins, Burns, Livingstone, Northeast and Ballance having chances to stake their claims.
Tentatively, assuming similar form for all the batting contenders:
Cook Stoneman Root* Livingstone Malan Stokes Bairstow (wk) TRJ Leach Broad Anderson
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Post by Balladeer on Apr 7, 2018 8:15:27 GMT
Short memory, me - I'd forgotten TRJ was 'a thing'.
With that paragraph Jevans is suggesting, my issue is more that many of those bowlers don't do much that's different for Broaderson. Playing anywhere North of the Watford gap that may not be needed; but Lord's or the Oval, on a sunny day, without sandpaper? You need pace, you need bounce, you need a different angle, you need something.
Woakes doesn't do that: for all that he's quicker than those two, I get the feeling that people play him like an rfm swing bowler. I'm not sure Porter does that. COverton may be a bit more wicket-to-wicket, but I'm not sure he offers enough different. I think TRJ might offer a bit more bounce, so not a bad idea.
Anyway that's why I'm reluctantly sticking with Wood. TRJ, Woakes, an opener who can play at 3, and Foakes round out any given squad.
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Post by Humair on Apr 7, 2018 16:17:36 GMT
I would like to see England try the young fast bowlers now and not wait for them to play 3-4 seasons of county cricket and become medium pacers. Rotating one young bowler who has pace or has something different will help England in tests abroad. The bowlers I think with some potential are Saqib Mahmood(Pace and reverse swing), Tom Helm(Bounce), Josh Tongue(Pace and swing), Barbar, Zack Chappell and Paul Walter(Extra bounce).
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Post by Balladeer on Apr 9, 2018 13:34:48 GMT
On the other hand, Yasir Shah’s out with a hip injury. For England, a shame - want to see the best against the best. For Ireland, one suspects, a relief.
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Post by Mattzo on Apr 9, 2018 14:02:03 GMT
Suspect Ireland will be happy enough if it simply doesn't rain.
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corvusalbus
Ben Mike
Posts: 13
Team Supported: Lancashire
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Post by corvusalbus on Apr 10, 2018 8:15:19 GMT
Nobody's mentioned Joe Clarke, who might pip Livingstone to a call-up if he gets a good start to the season.
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Post by Balladeer on Apr 10, 2018 8:37:48 GMT
No matter how many times he’s mentioned, I always seem to forget about Clarke. The selectors clearly like him... Does look like a bit of a shoot-out for early season runs, which is no bad thing.
Also is Mo in the Ipple this year?
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Post by nemouk on Apr 28, 2018 17:16:48 GMT
Don't suppose Will Gidman has an Irish passport?
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