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Team for 1st Test v Sri Lanka

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He had a go in the 1 dayers didnt he. I seem to remember he did ok too. Have seen much worse play for England over the years. I always thought Mustard was discarded too early, particularly from the T20 although Buttler has that slot nailed down now.

Definitely right about Colonel because he's one of the best keepers on the County circuit and his recent form in pyjama cricket is no worse than anyone else.

Buttler could still play, just not behind the stumps cause he's shite at if.
 

The Colonel scored 83 for England in New Zealand and was never picked again... if you scored 83 now you would be considered the future of England... Would not have happened if he was from the home counties!!!
 
The Colonel scored 83 for England in New Zealand and was never picked again... if you scored 83 now you would be considered the future of England... Would not have happened if he was from the home counties!!!

Bloody right n arl. Or Warwickshire.
 
The Colonel scored 83 for England in New Zealand and was never picked again... if you scored 83 now you would be considered the future of England... Would not have happened if he was from the home counties!!!
To be fair, he had one score in 10 games. And this was in the era where Prior was emerging, one of the most successful English keepers ever
 
Cook
Robson
Trott
Bell
Ballance
Stokes/Ali (depending if Stokes is fit enough)
Prior (Buttler if they want to go youth)
Borthwick/Jordan (Borthwick if stokes plays, jordan if not)
J Overton
Broad
Anderson

Finn, Kerrigan, Bopara The others to come in if needed[DOUBLEPOST=1396967551][/DOUBLEPOST]
Still baffled as to why Steven Davies never gets a mention these days, he's a much better all-round batsman and keeper than the likes of Buttler and Kieswetter.
Gets in and gets out in all forms of cricket, good average but very few match winning knocks. Decent keeper[DOUBLEPOST=1396967676][/DOUBLEPOST]Any coincidence s to the fact that England have a middle order spot up for grabs and Hales is now batting at 6 for Notts
 
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interested to read that all have cook to captain and open. not just for my own personal benefit but has he shown that he deserves to keep his place or to be captain for that matter?
 
I'm not convinced on Borthwick. I think at number 8 he has to offer more with the ball than he does. Maybe if he starts the season well with the ball, although that is unlikely given conditions. He could however be a decent replacement for Stokes at 6 if he is injured, and conditions dictate that we would like to play 4 out and out seamers.

Also think you have to play Ballance.

I would like something along the lines of

Cook
Ali
Root
Bell
Ballance
Borthwick (if Stokes not fit)
Buttler
Jordan
Broad
Onions
Anderson

I really like the look of Jordan and that gives you 2 bang it in types, and a couple who rely on swing a little more.

If they want to play an out and out spinner I think it has to be Monty, and I would probably swap him out for Onions. Stokes at 6 would help in that scenario too.

I really like the look of that.

Decent battery of quicks (even though Anderson is on the way out imo), Ali and root providing decent spin option.

My only change would be to try to get Carberry in there somewhere. Thought he did ok in OZ. I know he's old like but.......
 
Cook
Ali (not sure if he opens, but he deserves his chance purely because of the amount of runs he scored last year)
Trott (Got a lot to prove. Seems to like proving people wrong)
Bell
Ballance (again, sheer number of runs last year)
Stokes
Prior (had a bad 12 months, but still a very good player IMO)
Borthwick (not sure his bowling is up to it yet, but batting will make up for it. And if he's going to become a test stand leggie, he's not gonna do it bowling at CLS)
Broad
Anderson
Finn (Surely he must have sorted his technical issues out now)[DOUBLEPOST=1396978041][/DOUBLEPOST]I don't think there's much point going back to Carberry or Compton, even though they did well. We have to take the shambolic winter and use it to our advantage to move forward. I think Root is very promising, but needs another season in county cricket before he is ready. And I don't see any point playing him in the test team down the order. He's an opener, and when playing for England, that's where he should bat. James Taylor probably isn't far away from getting another chance, and as for Bairstow, I just don't think he'll ever be technically good enough for test cricket

As for the bowlers. I see Onions and Panesar in the same situation as Carberry and Compton. There's not really any point going back to them, as he is not a long term solution. We have a lot of young promising quicks coming through (Jordan, Overton, Mills, Wood) who will no doubt get their chance in the next few years. The spinners is another issue though. Kerrigan looked completely out of his depth in last summer's Ashes, and then there's only really Danny Briggs who, in his limited England games so far, hasn't really stood out.
 
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Cook
Ali (not sure if he opens, but he deserves his chance purely because of the amount of runs he scored last year)

I think Root is very promising, but needs another season in county cricket before he is ready. And I don't see any point playing him in the test team down the order. He's an opener, and when playing for England, that's where he should bat. James Taylor probably isn't far away from getting another chance, and as for Bairstow, I just don't think he'll ever be technically good enough for test cricket

As for the bowlers. I see Onions and Panesar in the same situation as Carberry and Compton. There's not really any point going back to them, as he is not a long term solution. We have a lot of young promising quicks coming through (Jordan, Overton, Mills, Wood) who will no doubt get their chance in the next few years. The spinners is another issue though. Kerrigan looked completely out of his depth in last summer's Ashes, and then there's only really Danny Briggs who, in his limited England games so far, hasn't really stood out.
knew there was someone i was forgetting
 
No chance he'll be selected for the test team, was shocking in the CC last season

apparently looked the part in his first knock of the season

I am not saying specifically Hales because he was awful last year, but I think at the minute they need to get away from picking players purely based on stats, and go for players with a bit more character, showmanship etc
 
apparently looked the part in his first knock of the season

I am not saying specifically Hales because he was awful last year, but I think at the minute they need to get away from picking players purely based on stats, and go for players with a bit more character, showmanship etc
I like hales and had him down to have played in Test team by now. But due to amount of short form stuff played he's seems to have lost a lot of his ability in the 4 day stuff, as he's focused on becoming one of the top batters in that discpline. It's worked mind.
 
I like hales and had him down to have played in Test team by now. But due to amount of short form stuff played he's seems to have lost a lot of his ability in the 4 day stuff, as he's focused on becoming one of the top batters in that discpline. It's worked mind.

Yep spot on with that mare, to go from trying to hit every ball for six, to batting time at the crease can't be easy
 
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