A facinating XI... including four from the 2006 World-A-Team XI....

Nick Compton (Middlesex)
Michael Yardy (Sussex, capt)
Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)
Stuart Broad (Leicestershire)

Of those I'd single out Adil Rashid as the most interesting: I invoked "exceptional circumstances" to justify his inclusion in the 2006 WAT 'A' side... and I suggest that this call-up vindicates that decision.

Of the remainder of our 2006 WAT XI... Joyce (rightly), Mahmood (for reasons that have yet to be explained given his dire performances) and Dalrymple (inexplicably ommitted from the Sydney Test) have been involved in the current Ashes tour.... Foster has suddenly re-emerged as a frontrunner for the England wicket-keeper's spot for the summer Tests... Tremlett has been the outstanding bowler in Perth and only only old-hands Newman and Sales can complain that the powers that be have overlooked merit that we recognised.

On a personal note... I'm very pleased, personally, that Tom Smith (Lancashire) makes the 'A' tour: he would have been included in the WAT XI had I had my way... and I'll be interested to see how he matches up with Broad.

Of the rest.... Ravi Bopara (Essex) is not a surprise inclusion.. and the same goes for Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire), Michael Carberry (Hampshire) and Steve Davies (Worcestershire). Will Jefferson (Notts) was in the 2005 WAT 'A' side... and if I recall rightly, Alex Loudon (Warwickshire) was also in that side. Graham Onions (Durham) and Matt Prior (Sussex) were mentioned in the 2006 discussions and the only included name overlooked by us was Amjad Khan (Kent).

ps. Good to see Key and Shah overlooked as we overlooked them