2 June 2014

Your England Test team

It's like going back in time to the 90s at the moment because no-one seems to know who the majority of the Test team will be to play Sri Lanka.   But the fun of that is that we all get to have a go as selectors!

Openers
Carberry, Compton, Cook, Chopra, Lees, Robson, Root.
 
3 and 4
Ali, Ballance, Bell, Bopara, Taylor (plus any of the openers for 3)
 
5 and 6
Morgan, Stokes (plus some of those above for 3 and 4)
 
7 - batsman who bowls spin
Borthwick, Rashid or one of the other batsmen that bowl spin above (Ali, Patel, Root)
 
WK
Bairstow, Foakes, Foster, Kieswetter, Prior, Read
 
9
Bresnan, Jordan, Plunkett, Woakes
 
10 and 11
Anderson, Broad, Finn, Onions
 
Anyone you'd add into the mix?   From the above, I'm going for (having changed where people bat a little):
 
Cook
Robson
Bell
Ballance
Stokes
Patel
Ali
Foster
Jordan
Broad
Anderson
 
Onions very unlucky and 12th man, Root the spare batsman.
 
This isn't the team I think they'll go for but I think it would be mine....spin bowling turning the ball in both directions, plus not taking the chance with Prior.   Given Jordan's form in the one-dayers I can't see them not picking him and it will be interesting to see how he goes.   They'll almost certainly pick Root so it will be one of Robson, Patel and Ali who will make way I imagine, with Patel being the favourite.
 
I'd have loved to have found a way to bat Cook at 3 rather than asking him to open, but it doesn't work unless you pick 2 very inexperienced openers which doesn't seem sensible.
 
It'll be interesting to see what direction they go in....I imagine there will be a surprise or two!

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1 comment:

Ed said...

Interesting to see Botham last night suggesting Carberry instead of Robson. I've no objection to that....it's a very tough call between the two of them.

He also suggested England pick Samit Patel over Moeen Ali because "he's more likely to take wickets".

Atherton's team flashed up briefly on screen at one point and I couldn't take it all in. One thing I did notice was that he had Morgan at 5. I can understand the temptation to play Morgan given his dynamism when he gets it right, but he just hasn't done enough to warrant more than a passing mention when the selectors discuss things, surely?