Strauss Dropped

[flanflinger]

Full squad

Michael Vaughan (capt), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Matthew Hoggard, Philip Mustard, Monty Panesar, Kevin Pietersen,Matt Prior, Owais Shah, Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swann

Mustard understudies for Prior. Harmison has to prove fitness in SA and Shah/Bopara fill the batting slot, with Vaughan and Cook set to open.

No recall for Ramps or for Caddick (who made his usual moan to the press, great bowler, just wish he would learn when to shut up!!)

Generally I am happy, would have preferred to have seen Davies called up as understudy.

FROM THAT SQUAD my XI would be

Vaughan (cpt)
Cook
Bell
Pietersen
Collingwood
Shah
Prior (wick)
Swann
Hoggard
Harmison
Panesar

[Ninjaman]

Caddick was looking for a recall??

[flanflinger]

Cricinfo - Caddick argues case for recall

[greg]

I guess Bopara may be given the nod over Shah as he bowls some medium pace wobblers which could come in handy if we are playing 2 spinners.

Strauss probably deserves to be dropped but if he finds form next season i would welcome him back as he is a good player.Glad we didn't pick Ramprakash but we need Harmison to find some form in South Africa or he is a waste of time as he always needs games to reach top form.The one player unlucky to be left out is Tremlett who has done nothing wrong in his tests so far,though i do think Broad is a better longterm prospect.

My team would be

Vaughan
Cook
Bell
Pietersen
Collingwood
Bopara
Prior
Swann
Hoggard
Harmison/Broad
Panesar

If Harmison is struggling for form you can play Broad who will get the same bounce.

[engssmoothcriminal]

Originally Posted by greg

I guess Bopara may be given the nod over Shah as he bowls some medium pace wobblers which could come in handy if we are playing 2 spinners.

If we do then Moores and Graveney deserve a good kicking for not paying attention to the South Africa/Pakistan series which amply demonstrated the folly of the two spinner approach. Minus Flintoff at 6 it's simply not an option and given that with the likes of Fernando, Malinga and Vaas in the Sri Lankan attack the pitches will have something in them for the seamers and not be turning square (for anyone other than Murali) the extra pace option will be of more use than Swann.

[Notts Exile]

How harsh would dropping Sidebottom be? Would it be a major shock if he were selected over Hoggard given the success he's just had against the Sri Lankan batsmen?

[Rachael]

No surprises... but the news in this morning's paper was that Harmison still has to prove his fitness: he's apparently got some 1st class games lined up and Otis Gibson is supposedly scheduled to go and watch him. The other thing mentioned was that Rashid will be on the sub-continent and on call in the event of illness / injury to Swann or Panesar.

My Xi would be:

Vaughan
Cook
Bell
Pietersen
Shah
Collingwood
Mustard (can't keep worse than Prior)
Swann
Sidebottom
Hoggard
Panesar

Sidebottom's earnt a run ahead of Harmison and Broad: he should, at the very least, start the first Test.

[Speedboy Salesman]

I think it's given Harmison a blast first test personally.

Cook
Vaughan (c)
Bell
Pietersen
Collingwood
Bopara
Mustard (wkt)
Swann
Harmison
Hoggard
Panesar

[The Worker]

Gotta agree with the Smooth Criminal.

Can't see us playing 2 spinners and only 2 seamers. Vaughan and KP will have to fill the Jayasuria role.

My XI

Cook
Vaughan
Bell
Pitersen
Shah
Collingwood
Prior
Broad
Sidebottom
Hoggard
Panesar

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by Speedboy Salesman

I think it's given Harmison a blast first test personally.

Have to agree, Hoggard and Sidebottom are just too similar in terms of pace and what they are trying to do. I know it is hard on Sidebottom, but Hoggard and Harmison both have 200+ wickets. Hoggard has been the most consitent English bowler over the last 5 years, and Harmison, (if he gets it right) is the most potent weapon.

I know there will be a call to play three seamer's and one spinner, and people will cite South Africa only having the one spinner, but the fact is that South Africa do not have anyone currently as good as Panesar, and for me Swann is a better wicket taking threat than any other South African spinner you can name (I have not yet seen Paul Harris bowl - but 12 at 20 in the last series, is not too shabby).

So I would still go for two seamers and two spinners in the sub continent.