23 September 2010

Monty and Tremlett have nipped into the Ashes squad ahead of Shahzad and Tredwell. And Adil Rashid isn't even in the Performance squad. I can only assume they forgot him like the ICC did when considering Graeme Swann for the world player of the year!

Your thoughts?

4 comments:

Winks said...

Must be an anti northern policy to forget Rashid and leave out Shahzad.

Muttley said...

Yes, very confusing to leave out Rashid from Performance squad. I agree that it is better to have Monty as back-up spinner as he's a better bet to come into a 4-man attack if Swann gets injured. However, as a 2nd spinner helping to take 20 wickets per game in the latter part of the tour (Perth, Sydney) I think Rashid is better. He has a superior strike-rate than Panesar despite playing Div 1 cricket at Headingly compared with Div 2 at Hove. He's also come on leaps and bounds this season with the addition of a googly - he completely bamboozled Katich in front of the cameras in a pressurised Roses match this year.

Geoff Miller said the reason for not taking him was to give him a break after 2 long tours with the senior squad. Sorry, but that's a poor excuse as he didn't even play and he's only 22. Surely the best of both worlds was to have him playing in the performance squad, ready to step in if injury / conditions merited it. I'm afraid England have gone from bad to worse in managing his career, particularly when they have selected 19yo Danny Briggs (no offence, but different class) in his place.

On the Shahzad issue, however, I have to agree with the selection. Tremlett has looked awesome this year and seems to have found some venom. He could be a great player if he keeps this up. Bresnan is a better pick as a workhorse 5th bowler or to carry the drinks, so I think it is in Shahzad's interest not to do that role. He's first choice backup, as evidenced by him flying out with the main squad before the 1st Test, then moving onto the Performance squad later. What's the betting he breaks Tremlett's fingers in the nets and plays a part in the series?!

Ed said...

I wouldn't have picked rashid in the main squad but I do think it's incredible he didn't make the performance squad. Briggs has been seriously quality in the few twenty20s I saw him play, so I wouldn't put him down, but I'd have definitely found a way to take Rashid.

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