So it's official. And because it's on BBC Sport, it's very official. The build-up to the Ashes has officially started. (Well, I started my Ashes build-up on March 4th, when the tag Ashes 2010/11 Build-Up was born).
Oliver Brett (you know... him. You probably follow him on Twitter) has got a few of his TMS mates around, and they've all picked their Ashes squads. The rules are that the squads must comprise 16 players.
For what they're worth (to stop you leaving this site, as you might never return...), here are the squads.
Jonathan Agnew and Alec Stewart
Andrew Strauss
Alastair Cook
Jonathan Trott
Kevin Pietersen
Paul Collingwood
Eoin Morgan
Matt Prior
Stuart Broad
Graeme Swann
James Anderson
Steven Finn
Ian Bell
Steven Davies
Tim Bresnan
Ajmal Shahzad
Monty Panesar
Interesting selections from Aggers and Stu - the first choice eleven was no surprise but having Monty in there is somewhat of a surprise given that... well it's Monty! Jimmy Tredwell appeared to have the second-spinner's berth nailed down - but not in the eyes of these two who want the experience of Panesar as a potential replacement for an injured Swann.
Phil Tufnell
Andrew Strauss
Alastair Cook
Jonathan Trott
Kevin Pietersen
Paul Collingwood
Eoin Morgan
Matt Prior
Stuart Broad
Graeme Swann
James Anderson
Steven Finn
Ian Bell
Craig Kieswetter
Tim Bresnan
Michael Carberry
Monty Panesar
Tuffers also would pick Monty, as well as Kieswetter ahead of Davies, and Carberry in there as a replacement bat. He'd also have Bresnan as the replacement bowler.
Oliver Brett
Andrew Strauss
Alastair Cook
Jonathan Trott
Kevin Pietersen
Paul Collingwood
Eoin Morgan
Matt Prior
Stuart Broad
Graeme Swann
James Anderson
Steven Finn
Ian Bell
Steven Davies
Ryan Sidebottom
Ajmal Shahzad
Adil Rashid
Case of one Yorkie out, and one in as Adil Rashid is picked by BBC's Brett, and Tim Bresnan dropped for Ryan Sidebottom. Davies is retained as well.
Interesting stuff, I'm sure you'll agree. So for my two-pennies worth.
My picks
Strauss
Cook
Trott
Pietersen
Collingwood
Bell
Prior
Broad
Swann
Anderson
Finn
Morgan
Davies
Bresnan
Rashid
Woakes
So my first eleven has Bell in it ahead of Morgan (I know, sorry. But Morgs isn't really a test player yet), and has three uncapped players in the five man replacements. I see Davies both as my replacement wicket-keeper and as my reserve opener - a job he's performed well in for Surrey. Bresnan's in as my all-rounder, Rashid as an all-round spinner who can offer something different. And Chris Woakes. Who is a really promising player who will no doubt play many times for England, and can use the experience of an Ashes tour (even if he's only carrying drinks) as a massive step in his development.
Anyway, that's what I think. And yes, I may be going early (in that England have a T20/ODI series yet to play against Pakistan) but whatever. I'm excited for the Ashes.
Agree? Disagree? Tell me your thoughts in the comments, and I'll tell you why you're wrong. *Unless you agree with me, in which case, you're right.
Showing posts with label Dill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dill. Show all posts
Saturday, 4 September 2010
Sunday, 28 February 2010
Why selectors shouldn't try to appease the Cheese...
While I blogged earlier, it was in many ways a very poor attempt at covering the action. Which is probably because I didn't really watch the game. For a variety of reasons (mainly me wanting a lie-in), I didn't get up to watch a match with a result that was never in doubt. While Tamim Iqbal offered slight resistance, the bare fact that no other Bangladeshi scored more than a fifth of his score meant that they never had a defendable score, especially with a very sketchy bowling attack. And England had enough about them to win very comfortably. While England will be pleased to win, it was only Bangladesh, and it is doubtful whether that performance would have been enough to beat an Australia, India or South Africa.
While it is natural that England wouldn't need to fire on all cylinders in a fairly comfortable game, overall team selection has hampered England somewhat. In ODI cricket, playing the pitch can often be as important as playing the opposition, and England missed a big trick in playing only Swann as a specialist spinner. While Pietersen and Collingwood can offer some assistance, they are far too 'part-time' to restrict the rate or take wickets against quality opposition. With the World Cup being played this time next year in the same venues that England now play, it is more than essential that James Tredwell gets a run-out in the next two as a foil for Swann. Bangladesh proved that two good spinners operating from both ends is very effective in strangling run-rates, and can pick up handy wickets throughout. While ideally (for me) Adil Rashid should be in the mix, Tredwell is that second spinner, and should play in the next game on Tuesday.
Batting at six was wicket-keeper Matt Prior. I have written before at my opposition to Prior playing in the same team as Kieswetter, purely as I think it to be unnecessary. There is absolutely no need to play two keepers when a much better batsman or all-rounder could be put in his place. It is almost an apology from the selectors to Prior for adding Kieswetter to the squad. Prior would have left Heathrow fully expecting to play every game in the Dubai / Bangladesh tour as he was the only keeper in the squad. However, due to Kieswetter's late addition, this has been thrown into jeopardy. Whoever is in charge has clearly looked at Prior's relative form behind the sticks over the last 18 months and thought "We can't drop him, he's slightly improved on his glovework. Let's stick that young Kieswetter in, and keep Prior as well, as he might get upset otherwise". Prior has indeed improved on his keeping, but still is a long way behind many of his other international counterparts (Kamran Akmal not included). He is still guarenteed to play the summer tests (and almost certainly the Ashes in the winter). Dropping him for a few ODI's and Twenty20 games does not show a lack of confidence in Prior from the selectors - but a show of confidence in a young cricketer in Craig Kieswetter. By playing Prior as an out and out number six, the selectors are trying not to upset a popular (I guess) figure in the dressing room. Ultimately however, they are compromising the team's performance, as however you try and dress it up, Prior should not be batting at number 6 for England based on purely his batting. While it could be argued that there are no other options in the squad, that is the selectors fault for not picking a properly balanced squad.
While these issues will not make any difference in the forthcoming two ODIs, which England will again win very easily, England will need to review the makeup of their fifty over team in preparation for an important 12 months for their one day team. Whether it includes Tredwell or Prior is another matter.
While it is natural that England wouldn't need to fire on all cylinders in a fairly comfortable game, overall team selection has hampered England somewhat. In ODI cricket, playing the pitch can often be as important as playing the opposition, and England missed a big trick in playing only Swann as a specialist spinner. While Pietersen and Collingwood can offer some assistance, they are far too 'part-time' to restrict the rate or take wickets against quality opposition. With the World Cup being played this time next year in the same venues that England now play, it is more than essential that James Tredwell gets a run-out in the next two as a foil for Swann. Bangladesh proved that two good spinners operating from both ends is very effective in strangling run-rates, and can pick up handy wickets throughout. While ideally (for me) Adil Rashid should be in the mix, Tredwell is that second spinner, and should play in the next game on Tuesday.
Batting at six was wicket-keeper Matt Prior. I have written before at my opposition to Prior playing in the same team as Kieswetter, purely as I think it to be unnecessary. There is absolutely no need to play two keepers when a much better batsman or all-rounder could be put in his place. It is almost an apology from the selectors to Prior for adding Kieswetter to the squad. Prior would have left Heathrow fully expecting to play every game in the Dubai / Bangladesh tour as he was the only keeper in the squad. However, due to Kieswetter's late addition, this has been thrown into jeopardy. Whoever is in charge has clearly looked at Prior's relative form behind the sticks over the last 18 months and thought "We can't drop him, he's slightly improved on his glovework. Let's stick that young Kieswetter in, and keep Prior as well, as he might get upset otherwise". Prior has indeed improved on his keeping, but still is a long way behind many of his other international counterparts (Kamran Akmal not included). He is still guarenteed to play the summer tests (and almost certainly the Ashes in the winter). Dropping him for a few ODI's and Twenty20 games does not show a lack of confidence in Prior from the selectors - but a show of confidence in a young cricketer in Craig Kieswetter. By playing Prior as an out and out number six, the selectors are trying not to upset a popular (I guess) figure in the dressing room. Ultimately however, they are compromising the team's performance, as however you try and dress it up, Prior should not be batting at number 6 for England based on purely his batting. While it could be argued that there are no other options in the squad, that is the selectors fault for not picking a properly balanced squad.
While these issues will not make any difference in the forthcoming two ODIs, which England will again win very easily, England will need to review the makeup of their fifty over team in preparation for an important 12 months for their one day team. Whether it includes Tredwell or Prior is another matter.
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