Team for first Test vs. NZ

[Rachael]

RWS recommended a poll to see which 11 players we'd each select for the forthcoming Tests... but I'm not sure I can actually set that up. Here, instead, are 8 obvious alternative teams: please vote.. but feel free to suggest better ways of organising the poll... or alternative line-ups that I should have included as options.

{i} Tresco, Vaughan, Butcher, Hussain, Thorpe, Flintoff, Jones, Giles, Hoggard, Jones, Harmison (as in WI).

{ii} Strauss, Vaughan, Butcher, Hussain, Thorpe, Flintoff, Jones, Giles, Hoggard, Jones, Harmison (Strauss in for Tresco).

{iii} Strauss, Vaughan, Butcher, Hussain, Thorpe, Tresco, Flintoff, Jones, Hoggard, Jones, Harmison (Strauss in for Giles)

{iv} Tresco, Vaughan, Butcher, Hussain, Thorpe, Collingwood, Flintoff, Jones, Hoggard, Jones, Harmison (Collingwood in for Giles)

{v} Strauss, Vaughan, Butcher, Hussain, Thorpe, Collingwood, Flintoff, Jones, Hoggard, Jones, Harmison (Strauss and Collinwood in for Tresco and Giles)

{vi} Tresco, Vaughan, Butcher, Hussain, Thorpe, Strauss / Collingwood, Jones, Hoggard, Jones, Harmison, Anderson (Strauss / Collingwood in for Flintoff (6th bat) and Anderson / other specialist seamer in for Giles (4th seamer)).

(vii) Strauss, Vaughan, Butcher, Hussain, Thorpe, Collingwood, Jones, Hoggard, Jones, Harmison, Anderson (Strauss for Tresco, Collingwood for Flintoff, Anderson for Giles).

{viii) Other.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Rachael

RWS

{viii) Other.

Vaughan,Strauss,Butcher,Tresco,Thorpe,Flintoff, Hussain, Read,keedy,Harmison,Jones.

Keedy in for Giles.

Read in for Jones

[Whips_off_the_bails]

I have to say that anyone proposing to drop Freddie would have to be stark, staring mad.

I hope I'm not talking about you, Rachael.

I voted for Strauss in for Trescothick, but would like to change it to Collingwood in for Giles as well. Of course, I freely admit that the first of these changes is highly unlikely.

[R W S]

{viii) Other.

(6 bats 2 allrounders 3 bowlers - a 6/2/3 formation)

ME Trescothick
*MP Vaughan
MA Butcher
N Hussain
GP Thorpe
AJ Strauss (debut @ home)
A Flintoff
+GO Jones
MJ Hoggard
SJ Harmison
JM Anderson

[Rachael]

RWS.. you might want to vote for (iii): it's the same personel but just a slightly different batting order.

[flanflinger]

What about dropping Hussain for Strauss.

Tresco, Vaughan, Butcher, Thorpe, Strauss, Flintoff, Jones, Giles, Jones, Hoggard, Harmison

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by Rachael

RWS.. you might want to vote for (iii): it's the same personel but just a slightly different batting order.

Not quite the same as it includes Anderson rather than S Jones...

[Shivnarine Chaundypaul]

Originally Posted by R W S

{viii) Other.

(6 bats 2 allrounders 3 bowlers - a 6/2/3 formation)

ME Trescothick
*MP Vaughan
MA Butcher
N Hussain
GP Thorpe
AJ Strauss (debut @ home)
A Flintoff
+GO Jones
MJ Hoggard
SJ Harmison
JM Anderson

This would also be my choice of team. Simon Jones is undercooked if you ask me and needs a few good performances for Glamorgan to prove that he is not all hype.

[CJ D]

I would make 3 changes - Strauss for Hussain, Collingwood for Giles and Anderson for Jones - Batting line up: Strauss, Vaughan, Butcher, Thorpe, Collingwood, Trescothick, Flintoff, G. Jones, Hoggard, Anderson, Harmison.

Not really wanting to re-open debates but Hussain should have retired after a successful Windies tour, I don't see the point in having a spinner at this stage in the season (there is no point in a 5th seamer either, unless you expect one of the other four to get injured) and Anderson looks in better form than Jones at present.

[Kirsty Harris]

Originally Posted by CJ D

I would make 3 changes - Strauss for Hussain, Collingwood for Giles and Anderson for Jones - Batting line up: Strauss, Vaughan, Butcher, Thorpe, Collingwood, Trescothick, Flintoff, G. Jones, Hoggard, Anderson, Harmison.

Michael Vaughan made an intereting point on The Cricket Show today: why is it than when we get a settled side everyone wants to make major changes! I can understand making one or two changs, but THREE major changes at once seems a bit much, especially on the back of a successful tour!!