Sri Lanka Tour: the word on the street is ....

[Oldhasbeen]

There's been a fair bit of rumour about who's going to make the cut this winter, some good articles by good journalists, with some old/new quotes from Smith/Bayliss to add to the speculation, e.g.:
 
- Broad will not tour Sri Lanka, he is injured and needs a good rest (I agree)
- Vince will definitely go (I agree he will & should but...)
- ... he may be asked to open (hmmm)
- Moeen will go (I agree he will & should but...)
- ........he'll bat at three (very unconvinced this is a good idea)
- Rory Burns is a shoe-in (agree. Not the most elegant of batsmen, but deserves his chance to stick his bum out for England)
- We will take one real pace bowler e.g. J Overton or Stone (I like the look of JO. Would bring hostility and welcome variety to the attack. Haven't seen Stone)
- Mixed messages about Jennings, maybe considering Stoneman instead (not convinced either deserve to go, but the choices aren't great)
- Smith is a big Denley fan, it's odds on he'll make the plane, possibly as an opener,  even though he bats 4 these days for Kent. (Could work out in the  short run)
- We'll take 4 spinners, Mo, Rashid, Leach and Bess (one too many?)

What's the view of all you fellow Essex Men?
Will Jamie be there as Apprentice to Jimmy?

[squarelegumpire]

Difficult country for fast/fast medium bowlers. Could be heartbreak.  What we really, really don’t want is another Ashley Cowans episode.

[IlfordEagle]

Apparently Jimmy gives advice & help to fellow bowlers also from other Countries, if so he might be a good mentor for Jamie whereas Broad always appears too much me me!!
I wonder if Jamie will maybe just go to WI, soon find out, Overton or Stone could be a good punt, JO more likely as he has fair bit of CC1 experience.

[pieinthesky]

Well about 50% right. Imagine JP is disappointed.

Joe Denly has failed in division 1 and had a moderate season in div 2 yet gets a place in the format hes not as good at. Smiths Kent bias at show.

Stone will break down.

[Andy]

Personally, as much as I admire JP performances for us, neither he nor Little Chef looked like internationals. I suspect the latter just needs time to work up some pace, whilst Porter needs to do more with the ball (which took Anderson years to perfect). 

Ideally I'd want all our bowlers to be wrapped in cotton wool, placed in a box under the stairs until they come out of hibernation in the Spring a la George the Tortoise from Blue Peter.  The tour is a disaster waiting to happen - two warm up matches in unfamiliar (seamer unfriendly) conditions followed by three tests on the bounce.  Probably best to keep Porter away from it.

The only benefit for JP going to SL would be to learn from training alongside Anderson.  Indeed, although it'd probably not happen, I would like to see JA as a bowling coach for ECCC in the future (assuming Nat's onerous terms and conditions rule him out).

[Oldhasbeen]

Well, now we know the squad.

Surprised to see both Woakes and Broad going

Vince is unlucky not to make it, IMHO. Thought he might be a horse for this course.


Jennings is very fortunate. This really must be the last chance saloon.

[essexfan548]

Don Topley was saying that young fast bowlers should have a complete break over the winter and wished that his son had done that.

[nat]

Agree that JP should have a break. I suspect he won't though. I'd advise playing some 1st grade cricket in Oz. Will toughen him up and he might learn how to bowl on flat wickets.

The SL tour is definitely one to miss.

[Oldhasbeen]

I'm sure JP will be disappointed not to tour SL but agree ii would have been a mixed blessing at best.

[bwildered]

Unusual in the respect that no Essex representive now in the test side, which for the County  was a great achievement and should be rightly proud over the years .

[nat]

Porter might go to the WI and might find their conditions more to his liking.

Have a break boy. Go on holiday somewhere.... but not Sri Lanka.

[IlfordEagle]

Feel sorry for JP not getting selected for SL, maybe he may go to WI, it does make you wonder what he has to do after over 130 wickets in CC1 in last 2 seasons, if Anderson broke down next year or had a long term injury then Eng may have a problem.

[DT]

Well, now we know the squad.

Surprised to see both Woakes and Broad going

Vince is unlucky not to make it, IMHO. Thought he might be a horse for this course.


Jennings is very fortunate. This really must be the last chance saloon.

Can’t see Vince playing test cricket again and nor should he, flatters to deceive every time.

As for Jennings, he probably wouldn’t have gone if Cooky hadn’t retired - the selectors probably didn’t want to find two openers!

[Blocky]

Porter might go to the WI and might find their conditions more to his liking.

Have a break boy. Go on holiday somewhere.... but not Sri Lanka.

If he comes on holiday to sri lanka, he's likely to put a few pounds on!  There is a big Essex contingent going over....