Pick your England team for the first test next summer

[dp458]

According to Colville he's injured his hand so can't bowl.

As for the spin options for England they reckon they'll go for 4 seamers and use Root & Ali as the spin bowlers.

i read on cricinfo he bruised his hand whilst batting and wasnt bowling in this game

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I would be tempted to gamble with Rashid or Borthwick. I just feel that if they carry on playing county cricket they will decline and become batsmen who can bowl a few overs. Most county teams will focus on seam bowling due to conditions and spinners (leg spinners especially) will become marginalized. Believe it or not they'll have a greater chance of developing more playing international cricket where they'll bowl more overs, receive better coaching or mentoring and getting greater exposure.

It might be work the risk especially with the lack of options we have. I think we need to look at the long term.

they need to be bowling if even just a little, like ali, to warrant to a test gig
long term id love borthwick, i just think he has that collingwood esque grit, but he isnt ready to be a spinning allrounder, he needs another season of getting scores in the championship and then id consider

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Why pick someone who's not bowling that much though, when you have the option of people who do a lot of bowling in First Class cricket. I'm a huge fan of Borthwick, but I don't think either he or Rashid are good enough to bat in the top 7 (perhaps just not yet in Borthwick's case), so you're either picking them as a specialist spinner, or wasting a spot in the batting order. Personally, I'd give Kerrigan a go. He's got through some overs in recent years and looks the best prospect in County Cricket. Plus he's not totally green, so he's got a bit of experience, even more so after his Test appearance last season. If they're worried about him, they could always pick Ali as a batsman (at 3, if they hate Compton) to back him up as a decent spinner.

Root as the only spin option would be a sad state of affairs though. He hardly turns the thing for starters.

totally agree although i think there may be issues with kerrigan tekkers, the distinct lack of front arm is worrying, and he is a bunny with the bat, also he wasnt really threatening the international claass players of the championship in the past weeks, bell by all accounts made him look like a net bowler

 

[King Pietersen]

Why pick someone who's not bowling that much though, when you have the option of people who do a lot of bowling in First Class cricket. I'm a huge fan of Borthwick, but I don't think either he or Rashid are good enough to bat in the top 7 (perhaps just not yet in Borthwick's case), so you're either picking them as a specialist spinner, or wasting a spot in the batting order. Personally, I'd give Kerrigan a go. He's got through some overs in recent years and looks the best prospect in County Cricket. Plus he's not totally green, so he's got a bit of experience, even more so after his Test appearance last season. If they're worried about him, they could always pick Ali as a batsman (at 3, if they hate Compton) to back him up as a decent spinner.

Root as the only spin option would be a sad state of affairs though. He hardly turns the thing for starters.

Rashid's good enough to bat in the Top 7, Borthwick definitely isn't. I'm starting to edge towards playing 4 seamers and using Moeen at 6 as our spinner. Does seem pretty pointless to play an average spinner on likely non-turning wickets against good players of spin. Make much more sense to hit them with pace. I'd therefore go with:

Cook
Robson
Bell
Root
Ballance
Ali
Prior/Buttler +
Jordan
Broad
Anderson
Finn

I was torn between Woakes, Onions and Finn, but ended up going with Finn. He's had an excellent season so far, and is clearly good enough to be an International bowler, just needs to put together a few performances to build his confidence. His height and bounce could be really useful against the Sri Lankan and Indian batsmen too. So I went with Jordan, Broad, Finn and Anderson as my 4 seamers, with Ali and Root filling in with spin when required.

 

[dp458]

Rashid's good enough to bat in the Top 7, Borthwick definitely isn't. I'm starting to edge towards playing 4 seamers and using Moeen at 6 as our spinner. Does seem pretty pointless to play an average spinner on likely non-turning wickets against good players of spin. Make much more sense to hit them with pace. I'd therefore go with:

Cook
Robson
Bell
Root
Ballance
Ali
Prior/Buttler +
Jordan
Broad
Anderson
Finn

I was torn between Woakes, Onions and Finn, but ended up going with Finn. He's had an excellent season so far, and is clearly good enough to be an International bowler, just needs to put together a few performances to build his confidence. His height and bounce could be really useful against the Sri Lankan and Indian batsmen too. So I went with Jordan, Broad, Finn and Anderson as my 4 seamers, with Ali and Root filling in with spin when required.

rashid bowling is worse than borthwicks atm

i like the look of that team, Onions wont play he isnt as devestating this year as he has been in previous years
i think picking woakes to bat at 8 would be a waste of his blossomoing batting, has looked good this year without getting a score for the bears, only bell had mind.

Intersting decision is who bats at 3, i think itll be between root and bell and im really unsure of which way to choose

 

[King Pietersen]

Ian Bell needs to bat 3. He's our best player, and has all the characteristics of a number 3. He can cope with the swinging new ball, and if he comes in when the openers have set a platform, he can take an attack apart. It's about time Bell took on the responsibility and flourished at number 3 like he has at 5 and 6. Root is not an opener or a number 3, he needs to bat 4 or 5.

 

[RoboRocks]

Looks like Rashid has gone back to his old action and looks so much better than he has done. The question is if he gonna get enough overs for Yorkshire.

My team:

Cook
Robson
Bell
Root
Ballance
Stokes/Ali
Prior
Rashid
Jordan
Broad
Anderson

 

[ParkedTheBus]

IMHO , England do not need a spinner for the first test. We all know Sri Lanka are shite at facing pace and swing , so why not go with 4 pacers and maybe Root/Ali/Rashid as the spinner?

So the XI would be

Cook
Comps
Bell
Ballance
Root
Ali/Rashid
Prior ( if fit , or else Jos )
Jordan
Broad ( if fit , or else Gregory. The guy has been great)
Anderson
Finn

What is your take on Barker of Warks? Do you think he should be in the XV?

 

[SpitfiresKent]

Blimey! People are only suddenly talking of Rashid because he was playing in a televised 4day game He shouldn't be anywhere near the Test team.

 

[dp458]

IMHO , England do not need a spinner for the first test. We all know Sri Lanka are shite at facing pace and swing , so why not go with 4 pacers and maybe Root/Ali/Rashid as the spinner?

So the XI would be

Cook
Comps
Bell
Ballance
Root
Ali/Rashid
Prior ( if fit , or else Jos )
Jordan
Broad ( if fit , or else Gregory. The guy has been great)
Anderson
Finn

What is your take on Barker of Warks? Do you think he should be in the XV?

in that team root would bat 4 and ballance 5 as they do at yorks

rashid needs to get back to bowling imo

Keith BArker is a very good county all rounder, although if looking for a proper all rounder woakes is miles better in every department
kb may open the bowling with wright (excellent combo btw). but if people had problems with the pace woakes bowls (I didnt and think he is more than quick enough as a 4th seamer, not there as 3rd seamer yet, and his batting is developing a lot better than his bowling atm) then considering the fact he makes woakes look like a freight train, and not having the new ball, which is his main weapon (think he gets it ahead of rankin, and woakes both test bowlers) as anderson would take it with broad. Also his batting has hit a bit of a brick wall.

And im not sure i could take another bear being taken and then not used properly it makes my blood boil


Gregory is an intersting one, havent seen any of him, so not fair to comment, apart from the fact others are deffo ahead of him in the pecking order

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although a left armer would be a excellent addition, and something we have missed since the days of sidebottom

 

[MUFC1987]

Gregory, like Barker is absolutely nowhere near England selection, let alone the Test side, so I wouldn't worry about him. He's looked decent with the ball, but he'll turn in to a good County Batting all-rounder, so I can't see him ever being picked as a specialist bowler. They would be desperate times for sure.

The main issue for me is that England will want to have 5 bowling options. It should just come down to whether they want a Pace bowling all-rounder (Woakes/Stokes) with a specialist spinner also in the team, or to name 4 specialist pace bowlers with a spin bowling all round option (Moeen Ali). Either works fine for me, as I think Woakes, Stokes and Ali all deserve a shot in the Test team.

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I also don't think a left arm pacer is a great consideration in a Test side. I can see the reasoning in Limited overs stuff, but Test side? Not really.

 

[War]

Rashid's good enough to bat in the Top 7, Borthwick definitely isn't. I'm starting to edge towards playing 4 seamers and using Moeen at 6 as our spinner. Does seem pretty pointless to play an average spinner on likely non-turning wickets against good players of spin. Make much more sense to hit them with pace. I'd therefore go with:

Cook
Robson
Bell
Root
Ballance
Ali
Prior/Buttler +
Jordan
Broad
Anderson
Finn

I was torn between Woakes, Onions and Finn, but ended up going with Finn. He's had an excellent season so far, and is clearly good enough to be an International bowler, just needs to put together a few performances to build his confidence. His height and bounce could be really useful against the Sri Lankan and Indian batsmen too. So I went with Jordan, Broad, Finn and Anderson as my 4 seamers, with Ali and Root filling in with spin when required.

Yea, i'd pick this XI especially with Stokes unavailable ATM.

 

[Blinder]

Wow these England teams being suggested are a hell of of lot different than what came out to Australia. Amazing what can happen over 6 months...

 

[dp458]

Wow these England teams being suggested are a hell of of lot different than what came out to Australia. Amazing what can happen over 6 months...

that is a good thing

 

[dp458]

is the ali dropping from the odi squad a clear indication, the test spot is his so he can go work on his bowling?

also do we think woakes will be this years Bairstow aka pereniall drinks carrier

 

[ParkedTheBus]

Why Toby Roland-Jones is not picked is beyond me. He should be given a chance over Finn this summer simply because he has been more consistent.

 

[SpitfiresKent]

Why Toby Roland-Jones is not picked is beyond me. He should be given a chance over Finn this summer simply because he has been more consistent.

Steven Finn's figures so far this season have been pretty good so it seems as if his confidence is coming back. I'd pick Finn over Roland-Jones anyday simply because...PACE.