This thread is currently closed: it will re-open just as soon as the preliminary threads have run their course. All those who have expressed an interest in taking part have been advised of the state of play with the following Private Message.

Note: it's not too late to join in - simply express an interest through the poll in this thread.

************* PM from Rachael to all selectors *****************

The 2006 selection process will be getting underway just as soon as shortlists can be compiled. With the season now completed the time for nominating candidates is upon us and threads now exist for nominating players to a shortlist of eligible candidates.

Players not nominated will NOT be entertained in future deliberations

Polls have been added to allow for nominations to the shortlist and if you wish to see key players make that list it is imperative that you both insist they be added to the polls and then vote for them.

The polls can be found in the following threads: potential openers, potential middle order batsmen, potential wicket-keepers, potential seamers and potential spinners.

A further thread should also be noted: WAT England 'A' 2006 - Shortlist time. This includes a poll on "Who should be considered an 'automatic selection'?". Please note that any player gaining a mojority vote on this poll WILL be in the final side and will NOT be subject to further discussion: please take this opportunity to contribute at this vital stage.

I shall be in touch just as soon as the shortlist is finalised in order to obtain your proposed WAT England 'A' 2006 side. In the mean time, please take this opportunity to shape the thinking of other selectors by contributing in the active threads.

******************* Note: Selectors notified are as follows **********************
adamberry, adamr, admin, Andy Mellon, cantplaycantalk, Collyisamackem, darksideofthemoon, Ernest, feverpitch, flanflinger, greg, Lemming, Maranello, mudney, Navdeep, Rachael, Statto, Teatime FatCat, The Outlaw, The Phantom Ram, Vrock, Wanderer

OK folks... this is it: I'm ready to start receiving your selections for the England WAT 'A' Team of 2006. If you wish to contribute then please read the following VERY carefully.

We have XI places to fill, but two are not up for discussion: both Joyce (11/12) and Yardy (8/12) had a significant majority in this poll and are now considered 'selected'. I am not going to put Foster, Broad and Tremlett beyond discussion but please note when submitting your side that around half of our contributers thought these three should be automatic choices - please take this into consideration when selecting your side and have a VERY good explanation ready if you omit any of them.

The other polls mean we have a clear shortlist of preferred players to discuss (players who have been nominated by at least half of us as worthy of advancing to a shortlist, meaning at least half of us might be willing to back their inclusion). Unless I've overlooked someone that list reads as follows:

Compton
Newman
Shah
Joyce
Yardy
Clarke
Dalrymple
Foster
Davies
Rashid
Doshi
Smith
Mahmood
Broad
Tremlett

I am going to require all submitted sides to include at minimum of EIGHT from this list. That still allows each contributer THREE challenges to the shortlisted squad and I'd like each contributer to put their challenges in order of importance (and ideally to offer reasons).

So.. get your thinking caps on.... and get your side in to me ASAP!

This thread is now open... but please read the preceding post before submitting a side to me via PM.

Sample team submission: please submit your sides in the following format, using bold type to indicate players you consider to be "key players" (you should ideally highlight no more than four such players: highlighting more is not going to aid discussion a great deal).

Compton
Newman
Yardy
Joyce
Sales (2)
Sutton (1)
Dalrymple
Rashid
Smith
Tremlett
Broad

This sample side would comply with the requirement to include Joyce and Yardy and would have the minimum of eight shortlisted players. The (1) and (2) would be the challenges to the shortlist in order of priority:

1st challenge: Sutton
2nd challenge: Sales
3rd Challenge: <removed as Smith should have been on the shortlist>

If you could also submit arguments in this thread for each of your challenges that would be great: it will focus discussion on the 'fringe' candidates whilst we assess support for our shortlisted players.

Any questions... PM me!

...and we're off! I'm delighted this year's selection has finally begun and my team is in. I look forward to our discussion everybody.

For what it's worth, here's my basic run-down on some of the more obvious candidates:

Openers:

Compton: clear frontrunner, division one performances speak for themselves
Newman: perhaps uninspiring but not facing much of a challenge

Middle Order:

Joyce: next in line for the Test side
Yardy: great season, decent prospect but not talked up as Pietersen / Bell were
Shah / Sales: perhaps the best of an indifferent and uninspiring lot, not setting the world alight

Bits-n-pieces options:

Clarke: great season batting without convincing doubters, bowling going backwards
Dalrymple: great temperament, great start in ODIs, possibly a long term no 6/7 Test bat and second spinner
Mascarenhas: awesome bowling season without convincing doubters, batting nothing special

Wicketkeepers:

Foster: should perhaps have been in the test side throughout the last few years
Davies: brightest wicket-keeping prospect around, very promising batsman

Spinners:

Rashid: young, raw, has potential with ball and can bat
Doshi: the finished article, solid rather than spectacular

Seamers:

Tremlett: was ahead of Mahmood and Plunkett before his injury, decent prospect
Mahmood: encouraging signs amid the dross, finished recent ODI series encouragingly
Broad: bright prospect, can do a bit with the ball but raw
Smith: perhaps the brightest bowling prospect of the upcoming crop
Onions: clearly being looked at, very raw

I'm conscious that valuable input can be gained from the views of those who have seen players first hand and who have followed players closely all season: I'm going to gradually add the most interesting references from other threads here, starting with these:

My team is identical to [the sample side], being
Compton - Probably the find of the season, certainly on the batting front and has overshadowed a number of bigger names this season. Looks like one for a top 3 spot in the test side when one comes available or when Trescothick retires.
Newman - Most consistent opening bat for the last 4 years or so, any division.
Joyce - Would have been a lot closer to the full England side as it is without the injury he suffered in the 2020. Probably the best batsman available
Yardy - Top quality batsman with very under used left arm spin, that said Monty would be under used with Mustaq at the other end.
Sales - Another very consistent player, gets runs in all cricket, every year. Also an excellent slip fielder.
Sutton - The only keeper of quality capable of batting 5-6 in order to give the batting adequete balance. Can make big scores and would be able to cope with the rigours of batting and keeping.
Dalrymple - Good lower middle order batsman and 2nd spinner. Had experience in England sides and could provide grit in the lower order and bat well with the tail if required
Rashid - Probably the best attacking spinner available, can bowl long spells and would be a useful bat down the order.
Smith - Change bowler who bowls at a lively pace and moves the ball around to good effect. Capable of bowling very economically as well in the middle of the innings. Good lower order batsman with a couple of scores to his name. Another slip fielder.
Broad - Tall, quick opener capable of troubling most batsmen. Also swings the ball and would lead our attack. Potentially an allrounder with batting talents which have been seen in A-team games in particular.
Tremlett - Other opener, also capable of pace, bounce and swing. Has consistently performed well despite injury troubles. Big hitter.

Key players Rashid, Joyce, Yardy, Compton.

OK folks... Statto has got in here first.. so rather than us all just piling in with our alternatives can we please focus for a while on the pros and cons of this side!

What do we think of the three challenges:

1. Sutton (instead of Foster or Davies)

2. Sales (instead of Clarke or Shah)

3. Tom Smith (instead of Mahmood)

All Stattos other picks are (as the rules require) from the shortlist... but can we also comment on:

4. Rashid (instead of Doshi)

Last but not least we have Statto's four key players: is this the core of the side?

5. Rashid, Joyce, Yardy, Compton

Please get your comments on Statto's side in before we get distracted by other people's XIs!!!

Sorry Statto but why do we need a bowler of Dalrymple's type, Yardy is a better bat, and as a SLA will prove far more valuable IMO that Dairymple.

Broad again he looked ok in the one dayers, but I can never see his scaring the likes of Ponting or Inzi like Mahmood [will].

Rashid Good spinner - but again do we need Yady or Daryple if he is selected, England have never had any sucess with two spinners sinse Edmunds and Embury, and before that Lock and Laker.


Mahmood in place of Broad.

Ed Smith in place of Yardy - if Rashid is selected.

__________________
Ern

Rashid is the frontline spinner, hes the best one thats there so I picked him. Yardy is worth his place as a batsman, his bowling is a little bonus. Dalrymple is a genuine 2nd spinner who can bat at 7. As far as Yardy goes, he only took 2 championship wickets so hes not going to walk in as a frontline slow bowler. Dalrymple would be more effective because he is a better bowler, I can bowl legbreaks but I dont get to bowl them in front of proper offspinners just because I turn it away from the bat. Aside from that, half the batsmen going around now are lefties so Dalrymple will be moving the ball away from them. As for England never succeeding with 2 spinners, may I suggest this is because they never had 2 good enough at the same time. Broad is probably the primary strike bowler in the side, and for my money is going to be a very good test player. He has all the attributes you highlight in Mahmood, but outbowled him comprehensively when they played together and has done a lot more for Leics than Mahmood has for Lancs.