Thoughts on the next Test Squad

[Oldhasbeen]

We've heard very little from Ed Smith since his appointment at Test Selection top-man, but come 3PM we'll see the first squad under him

Interesting reading the Sky punters' views - all pretty conservative, with very few changes from last winter's under-performers. For what it's worth , my thoughts.

Dead certs: Root, Malan, Bairstow, Stokes, Anderson, and a rejuvenated Broad.
Almost certain: Ally, for lack of alternatives. Leach would be there too if not for the thumb injury

Other batsmen:

Stoneman - can't buy a 50 this year, shouldn't and Won't be picked. Nick Gubbins looks like next cab off the rank, despite reservations about his ability to play spin.
Keaton Jennings is in form, and has, so I read, made some changes to his technique after being found out at Test level. Don't think he'll make the cut this time. IMHO Rory Burns has a better case
The infuriating James Vince may squeeze in following his timely 200, in which I read he really grafted and left a lot of balls outside the off-stump alone. Personally, I'd be inclined to leave him in the country game for a while to see if this was a one-of or a sea change

Bowlers - 2 places up for grabs.

Mark Wood in form, and providing some real place. For a spinner, only Dom Bess stands out, but I must confess I've not seen him. I'd pick Craig Overton above Woakes at the moment,  partly due to the latter doing not-very-much in the IPL after a disappointing winter. Ditto Moeen.
Jake Ball is going great guns for Notts but has a poor test record so far and IMHO does't provide anything that Broad doesn't do better. 

Left-field:

Bairstow up the order and give Foakes the gloves? Can't see it - JB's keeping has been excellent. he might well bat a bit higher than 7, though.
Young guns: anyone seen much of Ollie Pope or Joe Clark? I suspect neither will be deemed ready at the moment. Josh Tongue - the commentators at Worc/Essex were certainly enthusing about him but I can't see him being picked yet. Would be a Big Statement for Ed Smith to pick one real young 'un.
Old farts: James Hildreth, very unlucky to have never been picked, wallowing in runs at he moment. IMHO only likely to be picked if we have a few failures in the middle order in the first few tests.

So ... any thoughts anyone?

[nat]

Ed Smith is only one voice among many. ECB is innately conservative so no major changes likely.

Vince should and will play.

Cook will play.

Probably Jennings will play.

Bess is good but Virdi is better. Neither will be selected. I suspect they'll go with no specialist spinner for the early Tests.

Joe Clarke is good-ish but no better than the incumbents at the mo. Dan Lawrence is at least his equal.

Overton will be in the mix but a poor start to the season.

[Oldhasbeen]

Normally I'd agree about the test selection panel's conservatism but with 2 of the 4 on their way out, if could be a bit different this time.

I suspect they'll pick a spinner but not play him. Despite little first class cricket this year, Bess is my guess as he's got more form behind him and did well in the Windies for the Lions. And he's no mug with the bat.

[Valentines Park]

We've heard very little from Ed Smith since his appointment at Test Selection top-man

As a player he was blackballed at Kent & as captain at Middx he engineered a mass exodus of players.

Figures the ECB think he's the man to select England players. 

[Andy]

We've heard very little from Ed Smith since his appointment at Test Selection top-man

As a player he was blackballed at Kent & as captain at Middx he engineered a mass exodus of players.

Figures the ECB think he's the man to select England players.

Being blackballed at K@nt is no bad thing. My concern is that he attempts to be the next Mike Bearley but is more of a pseud than a philosopher: just a more erudite version of the long train of explayers making a living as a rentagob.

[Oldhasbeen]

Being blackballed at K@nt is no bad thing. My concern is that he attempts to be the next Mike Bearley but is more of a pseud than a philosopher: just a more erudite version of the long train of explayers making a living as a rentagob.

Big difference now is he's got to make decisions, or at least influence the decisions of a 3 man committee,  rather than just talk. Some of the "explayers making a living as a rentagob", as you so eloquently put it, will no doubt tell him what he's doing wrong every step of the way, e.g. Boycott & Botham - why they are paid for their wisdom has been beyond me for a long time.

[Valentines Park]

My concern is that he attempts to be the next Mike Bearley but is more of a pseud than a philosopher

Definitely a pseud.

Compton, Joyce & Dalrymple all left Middx because of his captaincy. 

[LeedsExile]

Cricinfo are saying Buttler is in. If so what a joke. He never plays first class cricket. Might as well select Morgan too.

[Oldhasbeen]

Cricinfo are saying Buttler is in. If so what a joke. He never plays first class cricket. Might as well select Morgan too.

Staggered to see Buttler selected - I presume he'll bat 7 with Bairstow higher.

Almost as surprised to see Mark Stoneman still there in his current dreadful form, and other openers ni the tons lately. Not sure what Woakes has done lately to deserve selection (although his test record in England is very good).

Dominic Bess is a brave pick, but doubt if he'll play.

An odd mixture of ultra-conservative and brave / unexpected  selections.

[JasonP]

England squad for first Test

Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (capt), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Dominic Bess

Buttler selection a bit odd seeing that he's not played much 4 day cricket recently but I would still fancy him to do better than Stoneman or Bess.  Stoneman is bang average and Bess has taken most of his wickets on a dust bowl at Taunton.  If you are going to pick Woakes, who has an awful away record but a good home one, then you may as well have kept Moeen in the side who is the same.   

[Valentines Park]

Stoneman is bang average   

To be fair he used to be effing useless so he has improved.

[Andy]

Stoneman is bang average   

To be fair he used to be effing useless so he has improved.

Yet when he was scoring runs for fun people kept wanting to get him into the team. Leach'injury probably threw a spanner in the works. I am surprised that they didn't go back to Ali.

Maybe Bairstow will be at 3 Buttler around 7. Can't see the two keepers being picked if they weren't both going to play.

[Valentines Park]

Maybe Bairstow will be at 3

Bairstow should be a specialist batsman full stop.

Long term Foakes should keep.

[JasonP]

Stoneman is bang average   

To be fair he used to be effing useless so he has improved.

Yet when he was scoring runs for fun people kept wanting to get him into the team. Leach'injury probably threw a spanner in the works. I am surprised that they didn't go back to Ali.

Maybe Bairstow will be at 3 Buttler around 7. Can't see the two keepers being picked if they weren't both going to play.

Both will play I'm sure with Buttler at 7.  Either Woakes/Wood or Bess wont play.  According to Dobell on cricinfo Malan will bat at 3.

[nat]

Is it too early to initiate a 'sack Smith' campaign?!
What message does this send to players when Buttler is selected on the back of no recent 4 day cricket or form as a replacement for Vince who just scored 200+ in a lot of balls?!!!!!!!!!