Enough in that team to have realistic chances of either drawing or winning the series down under.
Concerns - Top Order form and Aussie wickets negate Swann and to some extent Anderson. So the other two bowlers will be out and out strike bowlers. Today's form i will go for Broad and Rankin. I'd rest Anderson at Perth and play either Finn or Tremlett depending on who's on form or taking wickets against the state sides.
Aussies going into first test are struggling with injuries to key players so that could also play into England's hands. I still question Johnson consistency over 5 test series.
Did like the Ballance pick something different and aussies will have no plans for him Agree about carberry temperament, but i think he deserves one last go. Although i think Compton would have been a better option to open.
If i was onions id retire from playing for England now.. hes been treat like crap. why play woakes in 1 test and not be picked at all for the ashes series.
Onions does not even make the performance squad. If Anderson gets injured before the first test then England will have a predictable pace bowling trio with the big lads.
I see that being an issue. I like bowlers who hit a good length.. aussies will leave the ball on length pretty easy.. I feel with Tremlet finn and rankin they can bowl a length you cant score off, but doesn't take many wickets.
Broad and Anderson will be the key if they are firing. England will take wickets in bunches.
Very harsh on onions. Another Yorkshireman in the squad, but must admit not a lot of people saw that coming
Think the team picks itself really. Ballance or Bairstow at 6 and one of Finn/Rankin/tremlett to make up the seam attack. Monty and carberry probably won't play one game bar a chronic loss of form by root or injury to swann. One too many big lad fast bowlers in the squad. One will become redundant during the tour probably tremlett. I'm sure onions was left out because the selectors were not sure which of finn/rankin/tremlett should be left out so they have all gone!
why take tremlett if hes not gonna play? Finn and Rankin will be ahead of him.. In my opinion,, guess the same could be said for Onions.. hes never gonna play anyhow.
Pleased to see Ballance in there. His First Class stats are excellent, and I think with that he has earned his chance.
England U21's v India U21's on right now. Great start from you boys!!..
http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/656913.html
Gary Ballance once again shows what a fabulous find he is for England - two back-to-back centuries in the game against Surrey
I've always backed Gary ballance over the likes of Joe root and a certain ugly looking wk-in-disguise-of-specialist-batsman Albino Jonny bairstow.
So, glad to see him finally get a chance. Well deserved.
Might as well pick Yorkshire and be done with it
Its a Gary Ballance love-in
Joe Root will play for England for the next 10/15 years, Kharse. Gary Ballance will not
J Taylor > G Ballance ffs.... are you all blind?
...and his 2 tons v Surrey were made on the same wicket as that 18 year old lad (Sibley) hit 242.....
Are you all mad?? Gary Ballance 1251 runs at 62.55, Joe Root 467 runs (for Yorks) at 155.67. Not forgetting 180 against the Aussies.
James Taylor 925 runs at 46.25
Taylor is NOT better than either Root or Ballance. His first appearance for England was woeful
That should be "you`re wrong Sprinkler" not "your wrong Sprinkler"
glad you admit to your mistake sprinkler
Its a Gary Ballance love-in
Joe Root will play for England for the next 10/15 years, Kharse. Gary Ballance will not
J Taylor > G Ballance ffs.... are you all blind?
________________
Must be, What makes you think Root will dominate international cricket for 15 years?
Apart from that wonderful innings what exactly has he done overall?
He's played in all formats, played a number of innings yet has been woeful & I'm a Yorkshire member.
Would love to see my county side representing England but Rashid is history, Bairstow is struggling & so is Root.
Brennan is hit & miss. Ballance is on fire & will surprise a lot of people this winter.
Watch this space!
Middleton, Joe has a batting average of over 40 in Test and ODI formats. Not bad for a lad of 23. Give him time,
I personally think BOTH Root and Ballance will have very succesful careers for England.
I think consigning Rashid to history may be a little unfair - he batted exceptionally well this year, finished third in Yorkshire averages, scored three centuries and took 29 first class wickets. And he is only 25.
Bairstow MAY yet make the grade, again, he is young, give him time. Cool it, we finished 2nd - next year we will win the darn thing
Root was on ascendancy till ECB pushed him to open. He would have done well in the middle order. Either way ECB needs to try multiple youngsters to prepare for KP, Trott departure in 2/3 years. Root has enough skill to be part of England set up. ECB needs to stop throwing too many things at him. Leave him in middle order and find a different opener for long term.
Drbantam, Joe Root is not 23 yet. as a 22 year old, only Alastair Cook in modern times has done better for England.
But i admit that Root is yet to prove his worth in the team; however, his grand start to international career warrants a long run for him.
Purely on age and performance, No other English batsman equals Gary Ballance at the moment. 23 years old and averages 55 in FC, 65 this season.
After Gary it has to be James Taylor, another 23 y/0 with near 50 averages.
Even Bairstow, though he looks ugly and nervous, is the right choice for reserve keeper, though mind you, he shouldnt be tried anymore as specialist middle order.
Overall, English selectors can be said to be in good touch.
The best possible squad in my opinion.
PS: kevin pietersen is 33, a great batsman like him can and should play for 37+ years. Every great batsmen in recent years have played even older, eg Tendu, dravid(both till 40,the former still playing), Ponting n hussey(ret at 38), Kallis n chanderpaul (38 and playing).
So he still should have another 4 or 5 years ahed of him, plenty time to think of future for england.
PS: kevin pietersen is 33, a great batsman like him can and should play for 37+ years. Every great batsmen in recent years have played even older, eg Tendu, dravid(both till 40,the former still playing), Ponting n hussey(ret at 38), Kallis n chanderpaul (38 and playing).
So he still should have another 4 or 5 years ahed of him, plenty time to think of future for england.
--------------
I've never doubted KP's ability to play at the highest level for the next 4 years. But given that ECB is not letting him to play IPL (make more money), I doubt he will continue playing tests for that long or England for that matter. Hussey quit tests. While I am posting this note, he is still playing IPL/CLT20. KP for sure will follow the suit.
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Ashes Squad for Down Under
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posted on 23/9/13
Enough in that team to have realistic chances of either drawing or winning the series down under.
Concerns - Top Order form and Aussie wickets negate Swann and to some extent Anderson. So the other two bowlers will be out and out strike bowlers. Today's form i will go for Broad and Rankin. I'd rest Anderson at Perth and play either Finn or Tremlett depending on who's on form or taking wickets against the state sides.
Aussies going into first test are struggling with injuries to key players so that could also play into England's hands. I still question Johnson consistency over 5 test series.
Did like the Ballance pick something different and aussies will have no plans for him Agree about carberry temperament, but i think he deserves one last go. Although i think Compton would have been a better option to open.
posted on 23/9/13
If i was onions id retire from playing for England now.. hes been treat like crap. why play woakes in 1 test and not be picked at all for the ashes series.
posted on 23/9/13
Onions does not even make the performance squad. If Anderson gets injured before the first test then England will have a predictable pace bowling trio with the big lads.
posted on 23/9/13
I see that being an issue. I like bowlers who hit a good length.. aussies will leave the ball on length pretty easy.. I feel with Tremlet finn and rankin they can bowl a length you cant score off, but doesn't take many wickets.
Broad and Anderson will be the key if they are firing. England will take wickets in bunches.
posted on 23/9/13
Very harsh on onions. Another Yorkshireman in the squad, but must admit not a lot of people saw that coming
posted on 23/9/13
Think the team picks itself really. Ballance or Bairstow at 6 and one of Finn/Rankin/tremlett to make up the seam attack. Monty and carberry probably won't play one game bar a chronic loss of form by root or injury to swann. One too many big lad fast bowlers in the squad. One will become redundant during the tour probably tremlett. I'm sure onions was left out because the selectors were not sure which of finn/rankin/tremlett should be left out so they have all gone!
posted on 23/9/13
why take tremlett if hes not gonna play? Finn and Rankin will be ahead of him.. In my opinion,, guess the same could be said for Onions.. hes never gonna play anyhow.
posted on 24/9/13
Pleased to see Ballance in there. His First Class stats are excellent, and I think with that he has earned his chance.
posted on 25/9/13
England U21's v India U21's on right now. Great start from you boys!!..
http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/656913.html
posted on 25/9/13
Neon
posted on 27/9/13
Gary Ballance once again shows what a fabulous find he is for England - two back-to-back centuries in the game against Surrey
posted on 28/9/13
I've always backed Gary ballance over the likes of Joe root and a certain ugly looking wk-in-disguise-of-specialist-batsman Albino Jonny bairstow.
So, glad to see him finally get a chance. Well deserved.
posted on 29/9/13
Might as well pick Yorkshire and be done with it
posted on 29/9/13
Its a Gary Ballance love-in
Joe Root will play for England for the next 10/15 years, Kharse. Gary Ballance will not
J Taylor > G Ballance ffs.... are you all blind?
posted on 29/9/13
...and his 2 tons v Surrey were made on the same wicket as that 18 year old lad (Sibley) hit 242.....
posted on 30/9/13
Are you all mad?? Gary Ballance 1251 runs at 62.55, Joe Root 467 runs (for Yorks) at 155.67. Not forgetting 180 against the Aussies.
James Taylor 925 runs at 46.25
Taylor is NOT better than either Root or Ballance. His first appearance for England was woeful
posted on 30/9/13
Your wrong Sprinkler
posted on 30/9/13
That should be "you`re wrong Sprinkler" not "your wrong Sprinkler"
posted on 30/9/13
glad you admit to your mistake sprinkler
posted on 30/9/13
posted on 2/10/13
Its a Gary Ballance love-in
Joe Root will play for England for the next 10/15 years, Kharse. Gary Ballance will not
J Taylor > G Ballance ffs.... are you all blind?
________________
Must be, What makes you think Root will dominate international cricket for 15 years?
Apart from that wonderful innings what exactly has he done overall?
He's played in all formats, played a number of innings yet has been woeful & I'm a Yorkshire member.
Would love to see my county side representing England but Rashid is history, Bairstow is struggling & so is Root.
Brennan is hit & miss. Ballance is on fire & will surprise a lot of people this winter.
Watch this space!
posted on 3/10/13
Middleton, Joe has a batting average of over 40 in Test and ODI formats. Not bad for a lad of 23. Give him time,
I personally think BOTH Root and Ballance will have very succesful careers for England.
I think consigning Rashid to history may be a little unfair - he batted exceptionally well this year, finished third in Yorkshire averages, scored three centuries and took 29 first class wickets. And he is only 25.
Bairstow MAY yet make the grade, again, he is young, give him time. Cool it, we finished 2nd - next year we will win the darn thing
posted on 3/10/13
Root was on ascendancy till ECB pushed him to open. He would have done well in the middle order. Either way ECB needs to try multiple youngsters to prepare for KP, Trott departure in 2/3 years. Root has enough skill to be part of England set up. ECB needs to stop throwing too many things at him. Leave him in middle order and find a different opener for long term.
posted on 4/10/13
Drbantam, Joe Root is not 23 yet. as a 22 year old, only Alastair Cook in modern times has done better for England.
But i admit that Root is yet to prove his worth in the team; however, his grand start to international career warrants a long run for him.
Purely on age and performance, No other English batsman equals Gary Ballance at the moment. 23 years old and averages 55 in FC, 65 this season.
After Gary it has to be James Taylor, another 23 y/0 with near 50 averages.
Even Bairstow, though he looks ugly and nervous, is the right choice for reserve keeper, though mind you, he shouldnt be tried anymore as specialist middle order.
Overall, English selectors can be said to be in good touch.
The best possible squad in my opinion.
PS: kevin pietersen is 33, a great batsman like him can and should play for 37+ years. Every great batsmen in recent years have played even older, eg Tendu, dravid(both till 40,the former still playing), Ponting n hussey(ret at 38), Kallis n chanderpaul (38 and playing).
So he still should have another 4 or 5 years ahed of him, plenty time to think of future for england.
posted on 4/10/13
PS: kevin pietersen is 33, a great batsman like him can and should play for 37+ years. Every great batsmen in recent years have played even older, eg Tendu, dravid(both till 40,the former still playing), Ponting n hussey(ret at 38), Kallis n chanderpaul (38 and playing).
So he still should have another 4 or 5 years ahed of him, plenty time to think of future for england.
--------------
I've never doubted KP's ability to play at the highest level for the next 4 years. But given that ECB is not letting him to play IPL (make more money), I doubt he will continue playing tests for that long or England for that matter. Hussey quit tests. While I am posting this note, he is still playing IPL/CLT20. KP for sure will follow the suit.
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