England squad for The Ashes, Flintoff captain
Yep, yep and yep. They’ve gone done it. First and foremost, here’s the squad:
- A Flintoff (captain, Lancashire, 62 Tests)
- A Strauss (Middlesex, 31 Tests)
- M Trescothick (Somerset, 76 Tests)
- A Cook (Essex, 9 Tests)
- K Pietersen (Hampshire, 18 Tests)
- I Bell (Warwickshire, 18 Tests)
- P Collingwood (Durham, 15 Tests)
- C Read (Nottinghamshire, 13 Tests)
- S Mahmood (Lancashire, 5 Tests)
- S Harmison (Durham, 45 Tests)
- M Hoggard (Yorkshire, 58 Tests)
- M Panesar (Northants, 10 Tests)
- G Jones (Kent, 31 Tests)
- A Giles (Warwickshire, 52 Tests)
- J Anderson (Lancashire, 13 Tests)
- L Plunkett (Durham, 6 Tests)
In addition, the following make up the one day squad:
- R Clarke (Surrey)
- J Dalrymple (Middlesex)
- E Joyce (Middlesex)
- J Lewis (Gloucestershire)
- M Yardy (Sussex)
There are no real surprises here. Flintoff was always going to get the nod, even though I disagree with it. I believe they’ve made a mistake in Giles, he’s too much of a risk, althougn it’ll be interesting to see, assuming they’re both fit who starts - Monty or Gilo. Or perhaps it a double-headed spin attacl. Sajid Mahmood and Liam Plunkett will have to work to prove themselves against the best batsmen in the world. James Anderson, well, I don’t rate him. I would have preferred to see Stuart Broad. Sure he’s young and inexperienced, but I say throw him in at the deep end and see if he can swim. He certainly could against Pakistan. Chris Read rightly gets the gloves in front of Geraint Jones.
My initial feeling is that it’s a bowling side and we’ll be fingers-crossed that none of our batsmen get injured, as there’s very little in the way of reinforcements, should Tresco, KP or Strauss be unavailable. Bell warrants his place, as does Collingwood, both of whom had very positive Summer’s.
Overall? Looks like a good squad. Australia-beating-Ashes-retaining-team-of-men? Consider me sat squarely on the fence. I believe it has the potential, but there’s a lot to do.
I am pleased though that the morning’s rumours in the Guardian and elsewhere, whose sources remain unknown, were wrong in suggesting that Rob Key was going to get a call-up. Perhaps the boys at the Rob Key Appreciation Society King Cricket somehow fooled the media bods with a well-timed press release and started a doppleganger*.
* I don’t know what a doppleganger is, but I’m proud to have used the word on this blog.
Tags: announcement, Australia, England, squad, The-AshesRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Cricket
5 opinions for England squad for The Ashes, Flintoff captain
harrowdrive
Sep 13, 2006 at 2:33 pm
I’m not sure the Giles selection is a mistake. If he is fit enough he will be the perfect foil to Monty and an Ashes winner to boot.
If he isn’t fit then Dalrymple is at the Academy just down the road.
SixandOut
Sep 13, 2006 at 2:42 pm
If he is fit… he hasn’t been fit for a long time, much less played any cricket. He’s a big risk. Time will tell!
harrowdrive
Sep 13, 2006 at 8:03 pm
He will need games under his belt for sure, but he’s played enough to get back in the swing (or is it spin?) quickly. A tough call to make though.
Blue and Brown
Sep 14, 2006 at 8:01 am
Don’t be fooled. Our man’s waiting in the wings for the inevitable injuries. Rob Key’s time has come (again).
SixandOut.net - The International Cricket blog » Melbourne : Day 3 : Get out the paint
Dec 28, 2006 at 10:12 am
[…] Yet here I sit, some months later, 4 matches in to a series that has been, from an English perspective, the dampest of damp squibs imaginable (we’re not talking moist, here, it’s positively soaking wet) facing the very real possibility, and in all fairness, likelihood, of losing this thing 5-0. It’s a feeling I’m struggling to comprehend. It was always going to be tough, but surely it shouldn’t have gone down like this? How did it happen? I’ve already sketched out some reasons, but they still don’t ease the pain. For me it really boils down to 2 things: why was Freddie named captain and why was Giles playing in place of Monty*? […]
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