England squad for 2009 ashes?

[MMU White Rose]

18 provisonal players, you can state if they r in the 11 or not.

BATTERS - COOK, VAUGHN, STRAUSS, BELL, COLLINGWOOD, PEITERSON, SOLANKI

WICKETKEEPER - READ, MUSTARD

BOWLERS - PANESAR, BROAD, SIDEBOTTOM, HOGGARD, JONES, ANDERSON

ALL ROUNDERS - FLINTOFF, RASHID, MASCAHRANAS

this is just my prediction let me know what you think

[Rachael]

I guess there's a decent chance that (injuries permitting) Cook and Vaughan will still be opening and that Bell and Pietersen will be at 3 and 4. The odds on the attack including Hoggard, Sidebottom and Panesar must also be high.

Of the rest.... I don't see Flintoff playing any part: I suspect he'll not be good enough with the bat to play at 6 and will not be capable of bowling enough overs to bat at 7 / 8: his fate would seem to depend on England finding another specialist batsman who can be relied upon as a bowler - maybe Collingwood if he improves his bowling, or Ambrose if his glovework is genuinely good... but it's too soon to say.

Of the unproven youngsters... Rashid and Broad seem the most likely to break through. Shah might nail a batting spot... as might Joyce... but right now, I'd not bet on either player.

God only knows who will be taking the gloves: I'd love to see Read (or someone even better behind the pegs)... but the best hope remains Foster... but if I had to lay a bet it would be on Ambrose (let's just hope it's not Prior).

If the series were held this summer I think it would be pretty close: Sidebottom and Hoggard would, on recent evidence, be a great pairing... the batting looks sound enough... and so long as a genuine gloveman were promoted (Foster / Read) the man-for-man comparison would suggest a series to savour.

[acker]

English fans do yourselves a favor.

Build the batting around Cook, Bell and Pieterson.

Build the bowling around Panesar.

And try not to get sucked into giving previous known failures another chance to disappoint you a second time.

Example :..........Giles

And pick a mentally and physically stable player to Captain your squad.

Example :..........Bell

And good luck.......

[Ernest]

As requested my opinion of your squad of players.

• 1. Stauss - Mustard - Solanki and Read won't even get in the squad IMO.
  2. Vaughan like Flintoff will be automatic selections, providing they are both fit, Flintoff if fit will still bat at 6, as with games under his belt should regain some form.
  3. Pietersen despite erratic form of late - should be an automatic choice along with Cook, and Collingwood - who is captain.
  4. Panesar will be automatic, unless Rashis outshines him - not time for that to happen though.
  5. Bell is not good enough to play in an Ashes series, he naused the first two so I see no reason he would do any better in 2009.
  6. Anderson will give way to Harmison IMO, Jones will not be fit IMO, and Hoggard should not play if Sidebottom is, or better still - the other way round.
  7. MASCAHRANAS, only has a chance if Flintoff is ruled out - a popular theory, again only time will tell.

Originally Posted by MMU White Rose

18 provisonal players, you can state if they r in the 11 or not

Well I doubt that England will find 11 players good enough in 2009 to win that series, weather 11 will play or not from your 18 - is another matter - I would not be surprised.

[greg]

Ern is right,there are doubts about at least 6 of that 18 and that is without taking into account players losing form.If Solanki is picked in a test match for England i will eat my hat.

Hopefully Flintoff and Vaughan will be fit and firing in 2009 but you do wonder given their injury records.

[Speedboy Salesman]

Flintoff, I'm not sure, his ankle is very weak, and keeps being sidelined due to this area.

Solanki in an Ashes match?? That gave me a good chuckle.

Cook
Vaughan (c)
Pietersen
Bell
Collingwood
Shah
Flintoff
Prior (wkt)
Harmison
Hoggard
Panesar

[engssmoothcriminal]

Originally Posted by Ernest

Bell is not good enough to play in an Ashes series, he naused the first two so I see no reason he would do any better in 2009.

1st Ashes series (no relevant international experience behind him) averaged 17.1 (2x50's)
2nd Ashes series (an additional 18 months of international experience) in Australia against a superior Australian attack average almost doubles to 33 (4x50's)
Of Bell's 20 dismissals against Australia in test cricket 10 have been against retired duo Warne and McGrath
ODI average against Australia 40.25 (3x50's in 8 appearances)

Care to expand on those reasons why Bell despite showing clear improvement against Australia will inevitably "nause" it up in a couple of years time against an inferior Australian attack which will be minus the two all time great bowlers he's struggled most against?

[darksideofthemoon]

1 Cook
2 Vaughan
3 Pietersen
4 Bopara
5 Collingwood
6 Flintoff
7 Broad
8 Read
9 Hoggard
10 Sidebottom
11 Panesar

[Speedboy Salesman]

Originally Posted by darksideofthemoon

1 Cook
2 Vaughan
3 Pietersen
4 Bopara
5 Collingwood
6 Flintoff
7 Broad
8 Read
9 Hoggard
10 Sidebottom
11 Panesar

No Bell or Harmison?

[pie_chucker]

And Flintoff 6, Broad 7 and Read 8 thats one long tail - its a case of 4 out all out!

Read will never play for England again and personally i'd play Harmison and form permitting give Bell the first 2 tests.

What about Tresco? By 2009 he may be ready to play again and if the Aussies are foolish to play Lee and Tait I'd like to see Tres opening to take advantage of the easy runs that are there to be scored.