I think Rehan Ahmed can consider himself really unlucky. He’s had a really good season in a resurgent Leicestershire side, and has the added ability in that he can bat.
Really odd decision.
The Cricket Thread
- Thread starter fundy
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I think Rehan Ahmed can consider himself really unlucky. He’s had a really good season in a resurgent Leicestershire side, and has the added ability in that he can bat.
Really odd decision.
RichA
Well-known member
Unfathomable to me.
Rehan Ahmed is capable of producing occasional magic under pressure with bat or ball. Those who matter clearly know plenty that we don't.
Arthur Wedge
Well-known member
Arthur Wedge
Well-known member
Ahmed hasn’t taken a hatful of first class wickets this season, albeit he’s done pretty well. But he’s a really good spin bowling all-rounder, with the added bonus of being a leggy. At the very least, taking all that into account, he should be in the touring party.
Arthur Wedge
Well-known member
unfortunately he doesn’t play for Surrey
Potts going is also poor - the guy will be slapped all over the place
Neilds
Assistant Pro
They should name a squad of 30 to cover for the fast bowlers who seem to be made of chocolate. I think they don’t bowl enough during the season in real games and, although they may be gym fit, they aren’t game fit, capable of bowling 5-6 overs, fielding for an hour or so and then coming back and bowling again. It is fine bowling in the nets but this doesn’t condition the body ready for a 5 day test.
Grizzly
Well-known member
I get that Aussie pitches and their kookaburra do nip a bit more now - Ollie Robinson and Sam Cook have had some success - but Potts has struggled all year.
venger
Well-known member
Stolen from BBC live text
“Brave choice to take Joe Root as your main spin bowler”
“Brave choice to take Joe Root as your main spin bowler”
RichA
Well-known member
I'm not a Surrey fan but I don't think players get into the England team because they play for Surrey.
They're at Surrey because Surrey have a habit of signing the retaining the best players, hence why they've consistently been the best team in the country for years.
That's just how it works in sport. It's the same with football.
I do see the point Phil is trying to make.
In cricket, more so than other sports, it has always seemed to be more difficult to become established at international level if a player plays for one of the more unfashionable counties.
Arthur Wedge
Well-known member
The county game is full of top players that play for unfashionable teams and don’t get a look in - Surrey do spent a lot , especially on overseas players coming in and trying to grab current international players
But players like Jacks wouldn’t get a look in if he was elsewhere
Jacks , Potts and Bethell shouldn’t be near the test team
Neilds
Assistant Pro
To counter the anti Surrey comments (and not even a southerner, never mind a Surrey fan). If the Surrey bias was as strong as people make out, why is their squad littered with players who England have ditched? Think about the Currans, Foakes, Lawrence, Roy, etc.
Arthur Wedge
Well-known member
Or players shouldn’t have been picked in the first place and some not suited to the current format
But they all got a chance over many others around the county game
Grizzly
Well-known member
Pragmatically, the nature of having 18 county sides and a schedule that does not allow for a small England squad is such that there will always be an element of guess work about some of the more niche selections. And that does mean that there is going to be a success/failure rate for the poor sod who has to make those calls.
That all said, do I think that there is an element of bias to the process? I do. Some of that is as simple as captain's weighing in favour of their mates (Gary Ballance recalled for Joe Root's initial run as Test Captain, Matty Potts doubtless benefitting from playing with Stokes at Durham) and some is, or at least appears to be, as a result of preferential treatment given to players at certain, usually South Eastern, counties. When first selected, was Sam Curran really a better lower-middle order biffing medium pacer than Lewis Gregory or Ryan Higgins? Same position, was Tom Curran a better bet hovering around 80 on Australian pitches than any number of others? I think the point is, which county you play for can give you that extra 2-3% that ends up being the edge in a narrow decision, possibly even unconsciously.
Should also be said this is not the only form of selectorial bias - perception can be another. Anthony McGrath got a short England career out of making what were perceived to be harder journeymen runs at Headingley than James Hildreth made at Taunton or David Sales at Northampton.
That all said, do I think that there is an element of bias to the process? I do. Some of that is as simple as captain's weighing in favour of their mates (Gary Ballance recalled for Joe Root's initial run as Test Captain, Matty Potts doubtless benefitting from playing with Stokes at Durham) and some is, or at least appears to be, as a result of preferential treatment given to players at certain, usually South Eastern, counties. When first selected, was Sam Curran really a better lower-middle order biffing medium pacer than Lewis Gregory or Ryan Higgins? Same position, was Tom Curran a better bet hovering around 80 on Australian pitches than any number of others? I think the point is, which county you play for can give you that extra 2-3% that ends up being the edge in a narrow decision, possibly even unconsciously.
Should also be said this is not the only form of selectorial bias - perception can be another. Anthony McGrath got a short England career out of making what were perceived to be harder journeymen runs at Headingley than James Hildreth made at Taunton or David Sales at Northampton.
RichA
Well-known member
Yes Notts.
venger
Well-known member
He's been a very fine player for England. He can look back with pride at that career.
Neilds
Assistant Pro
Decent enough player, but I never saw him as anything other than a steady player who would get you a couple of wickets each game. I don't think he was a matchwinner on his own.
Also, I thnk the decision was made for him by the England management.
Also, I thnk the decision was made for him by the England management.
The Squirrel
Well-known member
He was a huge factor with both bat and ball in turning round the 2023 Ashes, coming into the side for the 3rd test at 2-0 down, en. Definitely a match winner there - was the best bowler (on either side) in the series by a distance; taking stacks of wickets, and steered England home in a very tight 3rd test with the bat, literally, er, winning the match.
