As soon as the season ends (not long now) I'll be creating the official WAT England 'A' team thread, but in the interim it seems sensible to try and get clearer on the candidates: to that end I'm creating threads on potential openers, potential middle order batsmen, potential wicket-keepers, potential seamers and potential spinners.

In all these discussions I'm going to presume Yardy, Joyce, Clarke, Dalrymple, Broad and Tremlett (and possibly Davies) will be automatic selections: that's not definitive as every place is up for debate.... but given that the above are early favourites I'd like to see arguments as to why any of these should NOT be included as well as arguments as to why others should play alongside / instead of them.

Anyway... this thread is for middle order batsmen... either for fresh nominations or for arguments that some of the frontrunners (perhaps Yardy, Joyce, Clarke and Dalrymple) should take one of those places.

Note: if you haven't already registered an interest in being a co-selector then please vote in this poll.

I would rather see both Clarke and Dalrymple up for discussion - we can soon get bogged down with assuming a player will be an automatic choice.

My reasons are Dalrymple really is an all-rounder - and we have more than one of those, also I would like to see some other spinners.

Clarke on the other hand I don't think at International level his bowling will be good enough (just my opinion) so we need to find if he gets in the side as a batsman only.

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Ern

I'm with you on that. Clarke only seems capable of bowling long hops and full tosses. He's in as a batsman alone, or not at all. I think he showed that against Pakistan in the ODI the other day.

Interesting. Here you argue for Ed Smith as an opener... which suggests you are impressed by his batting form in county cricket. Dalrymple plays in the same side, on the same pitches, against the same opponents... and has pretty much matched Ed Smith's contribution: if you reckon one of the two is good enough I don't see that you can argue against the other, especially as young Dalrymple is also showing he can handle the pressures of international cricket far better than Smith ever did and as the lad is also a decent prospect with the ball!

If you have better suggestions for No 5 and No 6 batsman than Clarke and Dalrymple then please give us some names!

Ben Harmison has made a good impression early on with Durham and England under-19s. As with the openers, I haven't had much time to look at batsmen yet and am tired so I will come back with other candidates later.

I am arguing for Ed Smith as a batsman only - that's the difference.

I don't have a problem with Clarke as a batsman!

But I have not said I would not consider Dairymple here - but I have reservations on another thread to take into account.

I would like to look at all options on this spot.

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Ern

OK folks.. let's be having names: right now it seems to me that positions 3-4-5-6 are heading one way only.... but that can't be right.

Let's take the following as favourites... not least because they have been in the frame for England spots... and take it from there:

3. Yardy
4. Joyce
5. Clarke
6. Dalrymple

Can we have arguments for and against... or maybe arguments that all the above should play but not in those positions... or maybe strong cases for alternatives.

Not sure about Dairymple - because on another thread I would be complaining because he bowls off spin.

3 Yardy
4 Joyce
5 Clarke
6 Bopara

I watched Yardy the other night - well morning and was impressed.

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Ern

I'd drop Dalrymple to 7 and put Shah in at 3, for batting depth and a specialist bat at number 3. He deserves it after his last two county seasons and his debut against India where he looked every bit the accomplished player of spin. This is in line with my initial selection in the England forum.

3) Shah
4) Joyce
5) Yardy
6) Clarke
(7) Dalrymple)

Seeing as Adil Rashid has scored some runs today then he must come under serious consideration as a possible 6 or 7 instead of possibly Dalrymple because we may need a superior spinner to give our attack better balance.