My English Test side for the Ashes
If you visit any of the cricket forums at the moment, there are a number of common topics, man of them surrounding team selection. The discussion England’s side seems to be especially vociferous, mainly due to the sheer volume of question marks surrounding the side.
Will Flintoff be fit enough? (injuries)
Monty or Giles? (spinners)
Collingwood, Bell or Cook? (mid-order batsmen)
Tresco? (is his head screwed on?)
Read or Jones? (wicket keeper)
Mahmood or Anderson? (bowling)
Harmison? (see Tresco)
With some many possibilities, pre-empting Duncan Fletcher’s decision is nigh-on impossible. All I can do is say what I’d do, if I was in his shoes:
Tresco
Strauss
Bell
KP
Collingwood
Fred Flintoff
Read
Mahmood
Hoggard
Harmison
Panesar
I’d be really surprised if Tresco doesn’t get selected. He’s had his issues recently, but I think he his experience will count for a lot when Fletch is picking the side. Personally, I think Tresco should play. I keep changing my mind about Jones and Read. I think I’d rather see Read in there since he is the better keeper and when you’re playing against Australia you can’t afford mistakes and you need to make the most of half chances, which I think Read is more likely to do. I suspect Jones will get the nod on the grounds of his experience from last year.
Mahmood over Anderson.
Panesar over Giles.
Drop Cook in favour of Collingwood. Collingwood provides an extra dimension in his bowling, he’s the best fielder in the side and he’s proven he can bat.
But what do I know? We’ve only got 2 weeks to wait to see if I’m talking any kind of sense.
Tags: Australia, cricket, England, fletcher, flintoff, jones, monty, panesar, read, selection, side, The-AshesRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Cricket
4 opinions for My English Test side for the Ashes
harrowdrive
Nov 11, 2006 at 8:54 am
I don’t think there is an easy answer. That line up has a longgggg tail. Read and Mahmood are yet to prove themselves at Test level with the bat. That said I would rather have a longer tail and a proper spinner/keeper combination.
After all, it’s 20 wickets that win Tests.
Drop Cook for a guy with one Test wicket though? If we are that desperate give Bell a bowl!
CambournePat
Nov 12, 2006 at 9:41 am
Trescothick averages under 20 since Ashes 2005 and by his own omission is not enjoying his cricket any more. Cook on the otherhand is young and hungry and averages over 40. Time for Tresco to pass the torch I think.
I agree with your other selections, but Fletcher and Flintoff have gone for Jones. A good Chairman of Selectors will relax when he believes nothing more can be done, but a great Chairman of Selectors will realise when not enough has been done and make another change. It’s desperate, but perhaps Fletcher realises that only an inform Jones can beat the Aussies.
Jimbo
Nov 12, 2006 at 5:16 pm
I agree with your selections as well. I hope they make some more needed changes.
SixandOut.net - The International Cricket blog » One question is put to bed
Dec 3, 2006 at 6:34 pm
[…] Questions, questions and more questions. Most of them surrounding team selection for The Ashes. Well, at least one of them has, for the timebeing, been answered. That is, who will keep for England? The choices have only seriously between two players - Geraint Jones and Chris Read. […]
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: