Balance of squads

[neil]

Interesting how many Div 2 players are in the One Day and T20 squads

Admittedly their numbers are bolstered by Notts and Durham players - but Liam Dawson counter balances Ben Stokes I guess

To open an old sore but, also, in a bid to get some conversation going do we think Div 2 teams (not just Essex when we there -and, hopefully, won't be for some time) put more weight on the one day game?

[Andy]

"The campionship is our priority" - got there first!

[JasonP]

Interesting how many Div 2 players are in the One Day and T20 squads

Admittedly their numbers are bolstered by Notts and Durham players - but Liam Dawson counter balances Ben Stokes I guess

To open an old sore but, also, in a bid to get some conversation going do we think Div 2 teams (not just Essex when we there -and, hopefully, won't be for some time) put more weight on the one day game?

Some do for sure, Northants admitted they do.

[jimmy]

"The campionship is our priority" - got there first!

glitter and sequins to go with the pink ball I guess.

[Daren Mootoo]

I guess that in Division 2, teams don't get the lucrative sponsorship deals that those in the top flight attract, so the financial gains offered by T20 are more important. Especially if you don't think you have a chance of getting promoted.

[Andy]

"The campionship is our priority" - got there first!

glitter and sequins to go with the pink ball I guess.

Ohhh, lovely!!

I'd noticed the typo but thought I'd leave the open goal...

[Andy]

The statistics suggest England would be better to have Stokes at six, Bairstow at seven and find a specialist to bat at five. If that position is deemed too heady for Buttler, then Essex's Tom Westley and Worcestershire's Joe Clarke are candidates from the current Lions squad.
BBC 'Sports News' today...

[IlfordEagle]

Div 2 teams have a better chance of victory in a T20/RL game especially if like,say, Northants they pick their strongest team whilst the likes of Warks, Lancs play a 'weakened' team ie giving up & coming players a chance. Additionally some County squads, Northants again for example, are better geared to 1 day cricket than others, say Middlesex who seem to prioritize 4 day cricket quite rightly given they are Div 1 champions.

[Valentines Park]

Middlesex who seem to prioritize 4 day cricket quite rightly given they are Div 1 champions.

Middx have always prioritised proper cricket.

The Championship is simply the icing on the cake.

[frank21]

now is the time the time to change. England leaves things too late, Hameed should of opened in Bangladesh, leach should of been in the squad, Cook should of given up one day stuff earlier.

Does anyone really think cook could hack failing in aus. If root took over there would be more energy and thus more grit. Make stokes the vice captain groom him to take over one day side when morgan is done. retain morgan as consultant/coach. Make Anderson retire end of this summer.  Broad is close to end aswell.

I am not convinced ali should always be in the side. with both stokes, woakes and a decent wicket keeper batsmen a specialist spinner can be afforded.  I think if Rashid had spent 2 years in the test side he would of been much  better. bit obvious but I think root will captain spinners better.

[JasonP]

now is the time the time to change. England leaves things too late, Hameed should of opened in Bangladesh, leach should of been in the squad, Cook should of given up one day stuff earlier.

Does anyone really think cook could hack failing in aus. If root took over there would be more energy and thus more grit. Make stokes the vice captain groom him to take over one day side when morgan is done. retain morgan as consultant/coach. Make Anderson retire end of this summer.  Broad is close to end aswell.

I am not convinced ali should always be in the side. with both stokes, woakes and a decent wicket keeper batsmen a specialist spinner can be afforded.  I think if Rashid had spent 2 years in the test side he would of been much  better. bit obvious but I think root will captain spinners better.

All the spinners we have are pretty much rubbish.  I don't think it would have made much difference at all which spinners we played under which captain.  Rashid barely takes top order wickets for Yorkshire.  Their seam attack get the batsmen out and most wickets he gets are tailenders who can't pick him.

[Andy]

All the spinners we have are pretty much rubbish.  I don't think it would have made much difference at all which spinners we played under which captain.  Rashid barely takes top order wickets for Yorkshire.  Their seam attack get the batsmen out and most wickets he gets are tailenders who can't pick him.

Is Leach ('the saviour of England spin' according to some) rubbish? The 'spin' over the latter's action has more revs than any spinner used in Bangladesh or India this Autumn!

Certainly, if he wasn't an ECCC product, we'd all be slating Chef much more, but what do you expect of a Posh Boy who learnt 'tactics' under GG?

[nat]

Of course the ECB plan to improve the Test team and improve the quality of our spinners is to play less CC cricket!

[Perov]

With the spinners and that bowling attack in Indian conditions I don't think Brearley, Fletcher, Vaughan or any other captain would have made much difference.
Would Root be any better?

We were well beaten by the best team in the world in those conditions, but get the Indians back in the UK and we would beat them.
Cook isn't the most innovative captain but he is fairly decent, and with no spinner capable of keeping an end tight he was fighting a lost cause.

[Andy]

With the spinners and that bowling attack in Indian conditions I don't think Brearley, Fletcher, Vaughan or any other captain would have made much difference.
Would Root be any better?

We were well beaten by the best team in the world in those conditions, but get the Indians back in the UK and we would beat them.
Cook isn't the most innovative captain but he is fairly decent, and with no spinner capable of keeping an end tight he was fighting a lost cause.

Note when we needed to attack in the field with the new ball in the last test Cook scattered the field.  Similarly, note when Cook went off Root immediately brought himself on and got a couple of wickets - might have been lucky, but you make your luck often. There is a huge difference between stepping in occasionally as skipper and taking the job full time, however, and I know that Root has minimal captaincy experience.  But you have to say that the Cook approach is very much like Gooches - not flexible at all. There's rumours flying around that certain players were enforced upon the skipper, but I guess that'll come out in his next autobiography.

What we have to do is either install Root (or AN Other) as Test skipper before July or stick with Cook until after the Ashes.  My suspicion is that the latter route will be taken - although I can see Cook being pushed out if we struggle against the Saffers.