England Cricket Tour to Sri Lanka

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I'd like to go on a Crickey tour! Sounds fun!

No surprise about Burns and well deserved. Jennings is a very lucky boy and not deserved IMHO. Perhaps they think his ton on debut over there can be repeated.
 
Burns was a no-brainer, he couldnt be ignored anymore.

Not sure about Stone, hope there isnt an obsession about him, like there is with Wood, cos he bowls fast.
 
Utterly amazing that less than 800 runs at 36 a piece in Division 2 is enough to get you picked for Englands winter tour at the age of 32 . Add to that Jennings recent record and you see just how bare the cupboard is! Is Denly really a better option than say Bell who has over 1000 runs at 56 (and averages 42 in test cricket!), albeit doesnt bowl some filthy part time leggies

Sort of surprised theyre taking Pope too after the way they treated him this summer, surely would be better being with the Lions and getting some exposure batting at number 3 or 4 ideally
 
fundy said:
Utterly amazing that less than 800 runs at 36 a piece in Division 2 is enough to get you picked for Englands winter tour at the age of 32 . Add to that Jennings recent record and you see just how bare the cupboard is! Is Denly really a better option than say Bell who has over 1000 runs at 56 (and averages 42 in test cricket!), albeit doesnt bowl some filthy part time leggies

Sort of surprised theyre taking Pope too after the way they treated him this summer, surely would be better being with the Lions and getting some exposure batting at number 3 or 4 ideally
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Denly's been in decent form but that has been in the Blast. And I dont see him converting that the way Buttler has. So its the age old problem of a player being picked for one format due to the form in another. Bell or Hildreth would have been better options.

Agree re Pope but I suppose the options are limited when Smith seems to keep going for players that are style over substance.
 
Tongo said:
Denly's been in decent form but that has been in the Blast. And I dont see him converting that the way Buttler has. So its the age old problem of a player being picked for one format due to the form in another. Bell or Hildreth would have been better options.

Agree re Pope but I suppose the options are limited when Smith seems to keep going for players that are style over substance.
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The original Pope selection was so laughable, pick a kid whos been protected in a good side on a good home deck at 6, and then bat him in a brittle top order in International cricket at number 4. Its as if Smith wants to be this hero by plucking lots of young flamboyant players and claiming the credit for the successes and not worrying that they are heavily outweighed by the failures. Sometimes you do wonder what the agenda is and who is actually setting it!
 
Fundy who would you select for the forthcoming tour ? The cupboard isn’t briming with talent in areas where England aren’t strong
 
Its hard mate for sure, but they havent helped themselves with how theyve got to this point! No succession planning and the Lions been used too short term a lot of the time. Doesnt help that most up and coming batters are practising range hitting not leaving the ball too! County cricket is being marginalised more and more and this will only get worse when their latest gimmick laden project of the 100 comes in in a couple of years!

1st test Id have something like:

Ali
Burns
Bell
Root
Bairstow
Stokes
Buttler (WK)
Woakes
Curran
Rashid
Andersen

Id also take:
Porter, Leach, Vince, Bess, Hildreth

So in the 16 theres at least 4 or 5 Ive criticised in recent times haha

The likes of Pope, Stone, Foakes, Clark would be with the Lions, Broad gets a "rest"

Dont actually like picking Rashid but have to have an option that turns it away from the right hander, who else do you even consider to do that?

Ultimately our strength is our all rounders, so I guess you just pick them all (even though it means having 4 seamers in conditions where 2 might be enough)! I think Ali should be given a shot at the top of the order as the alternative options are poor. Can argue between Bell, Vince, Hildreth but in an inexperienced top order Id take the guy whos done it at test level. Lets be honest whoever comes in at the top of the order is on a hiding to nothing with SL away as their starter. The other option is someone likes Stokes is asked to bat at 3 (hes actually one of our better technical batters) and Woakes fills his middle order role (this is the option Id chose from the selected squad but theyre clearly sticking with Jennings through thick and thin!)


At test level we currently dont have options that we should be totally happy with to bat in the top 3 or bowl spin! Thats 5 of the 11 spots theoretically, who'd be a selector eh
 
Denly's not a good pick. He's not been opening for Kent for a while and hasn't been making runs. I'd have taken Bell or Hildreth if we're picking another #4 batsman.
 
fundy said:
Its hard mate for sure, but they havent helped themselves with how theyve got to this point! No succession planning and the Lions been used too short term a lot of the time. Doesnt help that most up and coming batters are practising range hitting not leaving the ball too! County cricket is being marginalised more and more and this will only get worse when their latest gimmick laden project of the 100 comes in in a couple of years!

1st test Id have something like:

Ali
Burns
Bell
Root
Bairstow
Stokes
Buttler (WK)
Woakes
Curran
Rashid
Andersen

Id also take:
Porter, Leach, Vince, Bess, Hildreth

So in the 16 theres at least 4 or 5 Ive criticised in recent times haha

The likes of Pope, Stone, Foakes, Clark would be with the Lions, Broad gets a "rest"

Dont actually like picking Rashid but have to have an option that turns it away from the right hander, who else do you even consider to do that?

Ultimately our strength is our all rounders, so I guess you just pick them all (even though it means having 4 seamers in conditions where 2 might be enough)! I think Ali should be given a shot at the top of the order as the alternative options are poor. Can argue between Bell, Vince, Hildreth but in an inexperienced top order Id take the guy whos done it at test level. Lets be honest whoever comes in at the top of the order is on a hiding to nothing with SL away as their starter. The other option is someone likes Stokes is asked to bat at 3 (hes actually one of our better technical batters) and Woakes fills his middle order role (this is the option Id chose from the selected squad but theyre clearly sticking with Jennings through thick and thin!)


At test level we currently dont have options that we should be totally happy with to bat in the top 3 or bowl spin! Thats 5 of the 11 spots theoretically, who'd be a selector eh
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I'd have taken Foakes. Buttler shouldnt be keeping at test level. Fine for limited overs stuff but England need a proper keeper behind the stumps, especially with a lot of spin likely to be bowled bowled. Cant afford a slew of missed stumpings.
 
Tongo said:
I'd have taken Foakes. Buttler shouldnt be keeping at test level. Fine for limited overs stuff but England need a proper keeper behind the stumps, especially with a lot of spin likely to be bowled bowled. Cant afford a slew of missed stumpings.
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If thats the case then Buttler has to bat higher up and Bairstow slide down a bit for me, especially in sub continental conditions

Theres definitely a feel that Bairstow wants to have the 2 strings to his bow option whilst Buttler happy enough just to bat.

Cant be long till we pick 4 keepers, 5 all rounders and a couple of quicks :)
 
I assume Denly is Smith's mate from their Kent days. Can't think of any cricketing grounds for the selection, a step backwards and thats saying something with revolving door of late.

Whatever happened to Sam Robson out of interest. Discarded with a superior record than some other recent openening selections?

We need to be thinking beyond this winter also, with a home series coming up against the aussies we need to find an opener who can survive against quality fast bowling.
 
fundy said:
If thats the case then Buttler has to bat higher up and Bairstow slide down a bit for me, especially in sub continental conditions

Theres definitely a feel that Bairstow wants to have the 2 strings to his bow option whilst Buttler happy enough just to bat.

Cant be long till we pick 4 keepers, 5 all rounders and a couple of quicks :)
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Yeah, if Buttler plays he should bat in the top 6. Bairstow needs to score some runs for me rather than wanting two strings etc. His record this year, 2 50's and 1 century at an average of 26, is not that impressive for someone of his experience.

I dont mind if the line up includes 4 keepers as long as the best keeper out of the 4 actually has the gloves. Buttler is certainly not going to be the best.
 
Well not a great start for the test series but good battling back from Foakes and Curren - getting over 350 would be a good score
 
Flatter than a flat thing currently, 350 the bare minimum you'd want here for me, there again Galle does have a history of deteriorating. First half of SL innings likely to be critical to the shape of the game

Selectors gonna find them self in a tricky spot if Bairstows fit for the next test after this Foakes innings :)
 
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