WAT England 'A' 2007: build up thread.

[Mike]

The following players are eligible for selection in the 2007 WAT team if they play at least 8 first-class matches in the County Championships. If they play less, they could still qualify if their county season was interrupted by national team duties.

From 2004 team:
Will Jefferson 27y - Nottinghamshire
Mark Wallace (wkt) 25y - Glamorgan
Dimitri Mascarenhas 29y - Hampshire
David Harrison 25y - Glamorgan (ruled out for season with a back injury)

* ET Smith will be 30 before end of season which disqualifies him.

From 2005 team:
Scott Newman 27y - Surrey
Ed Joyce 28y - Middlesex
Owais Shah 28y - Middlesex
James Foster 27y - Essex
Chris Tremlett 25y - Hampshire
Mark Davies 26y - Durham
Ryan Sidebottom 29y - Nottinghamshire

From 2006 team:
Nick Compton 23y - Middlesex
Michael Yardy 26y - Sussex
David Sales 29y - Northants
Jamie Dalrymple 26y - Middlesex
Adil Rashid 19 - Yorkshire
Stuart Broad 20y - Leicestershire

[Andy Mellon]

Originally Posted by Ernest

Interesting - note Matt Prior is leading the fielders list.

Interestingly though at the moment, Prior's supposed 'superior' batting is letting him down - he's behind all the other keeping candidates - Wallace, Pothas, Mustard, Jon Batty, Davies, Foster, Read... In fact, the only keeper he's ahead of is one Geraint Jones. By that list, Phil Mustard is probably in the lead - not too far behind Prior in dismissals, but a country mile ahead in batting points.

A very interesting little list the PCA have got going there, IMO.

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by Andy Mellon

Phil Mustard is probably in the lead

Mustard continues to impress... and he's certainly got to be in pole position for the gloves at the moment. Those who've already done enough to be on the shortlist include Onions, Rashid, Gidman and Bresnan... though I'd put Compton in ahead of the lot based on his astonishingly successful tour over the winter.

[greg]

James Hildreth is surely a strong candidate for a batting place,he has 4 hundreds already this season for Somerset.

Joe (the snail) Sayers could get an openers slot as he is having a brilliant season.

Wicketkeeper looks between Mustard and Ambrose at present,both are having great seasons.

The best thing this year is there seem to be more candidates putting forward a good case,selection isn't going to be easy.

[pie_chucker]

Originally Posted by greg

The best thing this year is there seem to be more candidates putting forward a good case...

Yes I could select quite a few.

Its intersting to note that Rashid hasnt taken too many wickets recently. I hope we dont just select him on "hype", the same goes for England. We hype players up too quickly and then select them when they are not ready. The lad has great potential but is only in his first full season of FC cricket. Give him another couple of years to learn his trade.

[Andy Mellon]

Originally Posted by greg

James Hildreth is surely a strong candidate for a batting place,he has 4 hundreds already this season for Somerset.

Lets not get carried away. You need to factor in the fact that Hildreth gets to bat at Taunton more often than any other eligible player of his type (I think Somerset's top order of Tresco, Langer and White are ineligible for some reason )

Not to say he shouldn't be in contention, but we have to consider the pitches that these scores are being made on!!

[pie_chucker]

Originally Posted by Andy Mellon

but we have to consider the pitches that these scores are being made on!!

True there! I've never seen so many high scores.

[greg]

Originally Posted by Andy Mellon

Lets not get carried away. You need to factor in the fact that Hildreth gets to bat at Taunton more often than any other eligible player of his type

Shame he got hundreds at Lords and Northampton then isn't it.

[Andy Mellon]

Originally Posted by greg

Shame he got hundreds at Lords and Northampton then isn't it.

No greg, that is NOT a shame. Just 2 hundreds sounds a lot less impressive than 4

Seriously though, these things should be taken into account when we look at the candidates available.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Mike

The following players are eligible for selection in the 2007 WAT team if they play at least 8 first-class matches in the County Championships. If they play less, they could still qualify if their county season was interrupted by national team duties.

I think Saj Mahmood should be up for selection again - he has only played 8 Test matches, and that was because he was forced into the side due to injuries and Harmison being homesick.

Also he is the only credible FAST bowler England have at the moment, and his 20 wickets from his FIRST 8 Tests is not that bad a record.