Come on: even Pollock would get carted if he had to bowl much at Old Trafford. You surely have to select a seamer on the basis of performances on pitches that actually give seamers as fighting chance. The moment the pitch screams anything other than "spinner's pitch" or "draw".. Sidebottom looks the part: the side should surely just aim to win on any decent pitch (e.g. Trent Bridge, Headingly) and be stacked for a draw whereever the groundsman gives the likes of Davies and Sidebottom little chance.

ps. to Ernest: take me out of that Plunkett argument....

The point is thats where I watch all of my live county cricket so thats what I see, I cant comment on how he bowls at say, Hove, because I wasnt there. Ive seen plenty of seamers do a very good job there for visiting sides Paladino of Essex springs to mind as does Simon Jones on a couple of occasions.

Okay, since Davies is in the team then we need to decide how much bowling to give him. At his pace he is not a number 1 or 2 at this level so if he is a number 3 then Collingwood fill in as 4th seamer and bat at 6. That still leaves us with the option of a third paceman or spinner. So let's move on and decide who our two main strike bowlers are going to be? I like the idea of a left-armer in the team to add variation. If they can bowl out-swingers to the left-handers then that's a plus. I'm not sure what Sidebottom bowls but his stats are as impressive as anyone's so I'm keen on having him as one of the two opening bowlers. Is there any major reservation against Sidebottom?

Anderson and Chapple and peter Martin have always been able to bowl at Old Traford, as did Flintoff before.

No that bad for seamers.

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Ern

The only real opening bowling candidates are Tremlett, Plunkett and Sidebottom. Two pints to consider
1 Does Tremletts iinjury come into cosideration or is the team totally hypothetical?
2 Is Sidebottom a regular opening bowler at the moment?

ps I only got chance to look at one scorecard on cricinfo before it crashed and Sidebottom did open the bowling.

He is ok in the team, but not sure as an opening bowler.

I think myself that Tremlett and Plunkett should be one and two, with maybe Sidebottom first change, depending on the overhead conditions.

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Ern

The side is hypothetical in terms of discounting injuries but real in terms of finding a winning combination. Sidebottom is a regular opening bowler. When he's not taking wickets he's bowling maidens and keeping the pressure on the batsmen. His economy rate is good - 2.63.

Sidebottom can open... and his performances this year pretty well demand inclusion.. but your argument that Davies can't open with him doesn't hold water: Hoggard is a better opening bowler than Harmison.. and is a medium pace bowler to Harmison's fast stuff!

Sidebottom and Davies were my key players... and the question, for me, really comes down to Tremlett (opening bowler, tail ender) vs. Kabir Ali (1st change, bowling all-rounder). That, in turn, depends on the choice of spinner: Panesar vs. Loudon. Go for the former and Ali gets a look in. Go for the latter and Tremlett has a clear edge.

a) Tremlett isnt a tail ender, he is a useful batter and hitter.
b) Davies doesnt open for Durham so he shouldnt open here
c) Plunkett was one of my key players
d) I'd take Loudon on the basis of the batting and also that he must be useful if hes in the test squad, I havent seen much of either so I cant really compare.

Sorry for putting it in this form but I didnt want to write a huge message that puts me a page behind, and im getting tired.

For that matter Tremlett was in the Test squad, so the selectors must have thought him ok.

As for Plunkett, three of us have voted for him up to now.

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Ern