Thank you Joe Denly!!

[flanflinger]

Ern

I agree but when you have some young players making a big name for themselves at county level, it can be only good for the England team.

[flanflinger]

Good to see Joe Denly in the Lions squad.. a very exciting squad IMO....

[Mike]

Yes, I'm impressed with that squad, as well, and would go and see them play if I had a chance. Pat on the back for the selectors.

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by flanflinger

Big thanks to Joe Denly for a cracking start to the season, and a first class average of 57.61. I now have my England team of the future:-

Compton
Denly
Cook (Cpt)
Pietersen
Bell
Bopara/Rashid
Davies (Keeper)
Broad
Plunkett
Panesar
Anderson

For me, the batting in that team is too defensively minded and wouldn't take the game away from the oppositin often enough. Let's leave out Compton, move Cook back to open and select someone like Hildreth or Patel (who's just marched to his third century of the season and averages over one hundred!).

[Collyisamackem]

Since we're touting young players here does anyone find that it's strange that Phil Mustard hasn't been looked at in any capacity for the wicket-keeper spot yet? His batting average has long been low but he has improved remarkably in the last year and a half, and his keeping is leading in the CC this year:

Cricinfo - Records - County Championship Division One, 2007 - Most dismissals

Not to mention that in List A and Twenty20 matches he opens and has been explosive for Durham (NE this could work for your side with the point you made about being defensive), propelling us to the FPT final with a number of match-winning innings and an average of 43.7 as our leading run scorer (437). Yet Tim Ambrose, with a far inferior rate of dismissals per innings (see the link), is selected for the Lions team to play India. Could Mustard be the new Chris Read?

Sorry, don't normally rant about a home player being overlooked but I was surprised to find out Mustard's position in the keeper stakes statistically this year. I imagine he'll have a chance eventually, as he is becoming more of a middle order linchpin for Durham as his batting becomes more solid.

[greg]

I always think that dismissals per innings is misleading,what you should look at is the percentage of chances taken by a keeper.Durham have a high quality pace attack which will provide any bog standard keeper with the opportunities,Warwickshire aren't as strong in that department so Mustard has an unfair advantage there.

You also have to remember that Ambrose is ex Sussex so Moores was bound to go with his former man.

[Rachael]

I've singled out Mustard a few times: he strikes me as the next best bet after Read (whose exploits with the bat this week also deserve mention, alongside those of James Foster).

[Collyisamackem]

Originally Posted by greg

I always think that dismissals per innings is misleading,what you should look at is the percentage of chances taken by a keeper.

You also have to remember that Ambrose is ex Sussex so Moores was bound to go with his former man.

True on both counts and I don't have percentages to hand, and sadly neither having time to watch county cricket or living in the North East any more I don't get to see him play. However, the chances still have to be taken and there are an increasing number of glowing reports from the national press about his keeping and batting which lend to me thinking that he will get a chance soon. We'll see.

Read has done very well with the bat this week, as has Foster in the same match (maybe they are seeking solace from each other?!), not only bagging a double century but also pushing his average to 82 in CC2 this year.

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by Collyisamackem

Read has done very well with the bat this week, as has Foster in the same match (maybe they are seeking solace from each other?!), not only bagging a double century but also pushing his average to 82 in CC2 this year.

Ready just likes playing against Danish Kaneria, in three innings (non-Test) against the Pakistani leggie he has scored 162 not out, 165 not out and 240!!

[Rachael]

Read seems to like ANY spinner at ANY level: he played Kaneria very well at Test level... played Murali as well as anyone in the side in 2003/04... looked fine against Warne last winter... and should, on that basis alone, be automatic for this winter's tour!