My mistake, I thought he fell out of qualification on the number of matches played this season, which could have been got round maybe, I had overlooked his age. shame really.

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Ern

I don't think we are all happy with these 8. A quick tally of the other 11 selectors teams show that Kirsty and myself disagree with 3 of your selected players. Colly, Dave Gillespie, Andy and Ernest disagree with 2 selections and Statto, Rob and Mike with 1. Although I don't want to speak for other people I think that this shows we don't agree with the players mentioned above. We may be swayed or persuaded but at the moment we think that the teams we posted are correct.

Just out of interest you eight players are selected as follows.

Cook is selected by 10 out of 11 selectors
Newman by 6 out of 11
Joyce by all 11
Shah by all 11
Collingwood by 9 out of 11
Kabir Ali by 5 out of 11
Davies by 9 out of 11
Tremlett by 9 out of 11

So I believe that only Joyce and Shah are automatic picks at the moment. I would be a bit disapointed in the selection process if selections were foisted on us, eg Kabir Ali who was unwanted by 6 of us.

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Steven

Why? IF Kabir Ali plays it HAS to be as a bowling all-rounder.... playing at 7 if need be. His batting is eminently respectable and his bowling just isn't in the league of Davis, Sidebottom or Tremlett.. so he ain't getting in as a specialist!

On a second point... Collingwood gets in as a batsmen even if he can't bowl: he's way ahead of the rest in that department alone.

On a third point... Collingwood is perfectly adequate as a 4th seamer... even in a side that boast an unproven spinner. He's not had much opportunity to strutt his stuff at International level... but he did enough at the Oval alone to show that he's no medium pace county trundler... and his county record deserves recognition. If his colleagues are taking wickets... he can manage the 4th seamer role...

It's not the role of the 5th bowler to makke up for the failings of the specialists!

The Ashes series just finished Andy has shown a need for pace, or a bowler who can use the overhead conditions.

I don't dispute what you say over Mark Davies, and Mascarenhas, but the same applied ro key last year, and Bell this year, county stats counted for little.

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Ern

True, very true-but who besides Tremlett can we count as specialists, I suppose we could select Sidebottom, Plunkett Swann.

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Ern

How about a side of

Newman
Joyce
Shah
Cook
?
Collingwood
Loudon/Blackwell/other spinner
Keeper
3 of Tremlett, Davies, Sidebottom, Plunkett, Mascharenhas.

Id favour Tremlett, Davies and Plunkett.

At 5 I would nominate Sales, I dont know who else was a popular choice.

I would be interested to here people's arguments against including Panesar in the side.

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Steven

Over the last 2 years Davies has taken about 110 first class wickets at about 15-16, only playing half of last season. They are not the stats of a poor medium pacer who doesnt trouble anyone.

so 6 collingwood
7 keeper
8 mascharenhas
9 panesar
10 and 11 two specialist seamers?

I don't know anything about him, is he a bit nippy,?, or is he like Colly?.

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Ern