Others may disagree but I see Dalrymple as a possible replacement for Giles ie a bowling all-rounder batting at 8. See my team on the other thread.

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Administrator

Well can I be the first di not agree , if we keep thinking like that, England will never have a decent spin bowler who can rurn the ball away from the bat.

Dalrymple I think is the wrong type of spinner for England, Yaryy would IMO be a better choice than him.

I think Dalrymple might be one for the future if we have a WAT "All Rounder" thread.

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Ern

I would hope that we could find a spinner who is actually capable of taking wickets to bat at 8 instead of just the best batting option.Hopefully Rashid can develop into that player though it is too early to judge but Dalrymple will never be good enough as a first choice spinner in test cricket.

Quite. When selecting an 'A' side it's critical, to my mind, to pick three promising seamers and a promising spinner principally on bowling grounds: we have to recognise that a player is going to get called up for what they do best... and that whilst they may play at 8 in the 'A' side it's quite possible that they will play at 10 or 11 in the Test side... and that a player we put at 6 might end up playing at 8 in the Test side.

Joyce nails one batting spot... Compton, Chopra, Newman, Shah, Sales, Clarke, Yardy can compete for other batting spots: one way or the other, several talented options will be included... and that's great. If one or two deserving names don't quite make the cut then sobeit.

The thing is... Dalrymple has done enough in his short ODI career to mark himself out as a potential over-achiever: as a player who (like Mark Richardson) might forge a successful international career through temperament, hard work and making the best of limited talents. He's clearly not as talented as Shah... but he's perhaps got what it takes to follow in (say) Collingwood's footsteps.

We're giving the talented batsmen five shots at a place in the side... I don't feel it's out of order to back a batsman who has already taken to international cricket like a duck to water and who is Fletcher's classic 'multi-dimensional' prospect.

ps. I really do see the final batting spot as the only spot to be approached in this way: we only have four bowling slots anyway, so giving one to a batsman would severely restrict our options.

I think IMO that Yardy could well do that job, I am not that gone on the type of bowler Dairyple is.

Joyce
Yardy
Clarke

Behind Dd Smith and Compton(See opening bat thread) would be the bones of the team.

Looks good to me from here.

All 3 have had some experience at England level in one way or another - that's a bonus.

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Ern

You feel Newman needs to be dropped Ern? May I ask why?

What about Gidman as a middle order batsman?

I dont think he is as good an option as those already there and mentioned, but he has made big improvements over the last couple of seasons and could be one for next year.