Cricket fred

[Stom]

I imagine some of the players will get time off but I think I would go with something like the following v Ireland:

Roy
Sibley
Ballance - Ship has sailed for me but can't think of anyone else. Maybe Ali batting below Curran.
Root
North East
Foakes (w)
Woakes
Curran
Broad
Leach
Wood

Archer has a side strain apparently.

Why wouldn't you keep the core of the team intact?

I imagine one of the openers will keep their spot, probably Burns, alongside Roy, with Sibley potentially coming in at 3. Keep it together in the middle orders with Root, Stokes, Buttler/Bairstow, Bairstow/Ali. Then your tail is Woakes, Wood Broad and/or Leach depending on conditions.

Why mess with it so much?

You could always swap the wk out for Foakes, who is very good, but so are the other 2. Just not in the top 3.

[Big D]

I imagine some of the players will get time off but I think I would go with something like the following v Ireland:

Roy
Sibley
Ballance - Ship has sailed for me but can't think of anyone else. Maybe Ali batting below Curran.
Root
North East
Foakes (w)
Woakes
Curran
Broad
Leach
Wood

Archer has a side strain apparently.

Why wouldn't you keep the core of the team intact?

I imagine one of the openers will keep their spot, probably Burns, alongside Roy, with Sibley potentially coming in at 3. Keep it together in the middle orders with Root, Stokes, Buttler/Bairstow, Bairstow/Ali. Then your tail is Woakes, Wood Broad and/or Leach depending on conditions.

Why mess with it so much?

You could always swap the wk out for Foakes, who is very good, but so are the other 2. Just not in the top 3.

Because I read they want to rest the one day guys and England haven't had an international class opener since Cook retired.

Neither of the openers over the winter staked a claim. Burns has shown little to indicate he would cause Australia any concern in his appearances or CC1 this year. Jennings has had plenty of opportunities and been struggling in CC2 from what I've read.. A knock in a test match v Ireland isn't going to change that.

Sibley isn't opening for England A v Australia Aby accident and has scored a weight of runs opening for Warwickshire by the looks of it.. Northeast has also scored 800 odd 1st class runs this season. Better getting the a deserved debut now rather than an important ashes test or away in SA.

Bairstow has been average at test level for a while. And whilst he is a great white ball cricketer averaging 31 since start of the 2017 English summer is below average.

Edit: just read they are likely to go Roy, Burns and Denly.

[Galfon]

Reckon as many as 7 of the 1-day final team could start the Ashes.Burns will be in, Foakes as wicky & Anderson.
Roy deserves a shot, agreed Root is a 3 all day.Think they'll go safe with local lad Moeen.Love to see Archer as a main strike for series.His efficient rhythmic action & raw pace with bounce augurs much - the control will come.May have overdone it recently though.Could do with a real spinner for the later matches.
Injuries will mean Broad & Curran for Ire.Maybe Denley given a shot due to recent form.

[Big D]

Apparently Archer and Wood carrying injuries. Wood needs a scan and Archer possibly out until 2nd Ashes test.

The said on TMS that Root wont bat 3 due to his back.

They wont drop Bairstow so it is likely that they will go with a similar side that lost / were horsed in the WIndies.

[Digby]

You're thinking of Tymal Mills, I believe.

Puja

Is that why I was surprised Archer wasn't left arm fast?

I still want to know how he's supposed to bowl 15+ overs a day

He has such a smooth action, I imagine he quite easily could.

But with Stokes, Woakes, Wood, Curran around, he wouldn't need to bowl a stupid amount if overs in a row. I think he'd be fine.

Could based on almost no recent 1st class cricket, or could after some time in county cricket?

[Stom]

I imagine some of the players will get time off but I think I would go with something like the following v Ireland:

Roy
Sibley
Ballance - Ship has sailed for me but can't think of anyone else. Maybe Ali batting below Curran.
Root
North East
Foakes (w)
Woakes
Curran
Broad
Leach
Wood

Archer has a side strain apparently.

So no...

The squad is:

Roy
Burns
Denly
Root
Bairstow
Ali
Curran
Woakes
Gregory
Broad
Leach
Stone
Anderson

With Stokes, Buttler, and Wood to be added to the squad for the pre-Ashes camp.

[Big D]

I imagine some of the players will get time off but I think I would go with something like the following v Ireland:

Roy
Sibley
Ballance - Ship has sailed for me but can't think of anyone else. Maybe Ali batting below Curran.
Root
North East
Foakes (w)
Woakes
Curran
Broad
Leach
Wood

Archer has a side strain apparently.

So no...

The squad is:

Roy
Burns
Denly
Root
Bairstow
Ali
Curran
Woakes
Gregory
Broad
Leach
Stone
Anderson

With Stokes, Buttler, and Wood to be added to the squad for the pre-Ashes camp.

They were never going til go with the type of side I picked. That's why I didn't say "I think they'll go with". A Jlot of that team were comfortably beaten by the West Indies. There are guys playing very well on the county circuit who deserve a chance when they are bang in form rather than waiting.

They will beat Ireland but that should practically be a given with any side England put out against them with a close to 1st choice bowling line up.

[Stom]

I imagine some of the players will get time off but I think I would go with something like the following v Ireland:

Roy
Sibley
Ballance - Ship has sailed for me but can't think of anyone else. Maybe Ali batting below Curran.
Root
North East
Foakes (w)
Woakes
Curran
Broad
Leach
Wood

Archer has a side strain apparently.

So no...

The squad is:

Roy
Burns
Denly
Root
Bairstow
Ali
Curran
Woakes
Gregory
Broad
Leach
Stone
Anderson

With Stokes, Buttler, and Wood to be added to the squad for the pre-Ashes camp.

They were never going til go with the type of side I picked. That's why I didn't say "I think they'll go with". A Jlot of that team were comfortably beaten by the West Indies. There are guys playing very well on the county circuit who deserve a chance when they are bang in form rather than waiting.

They will beat Ireland but that should practically be a given with any side England put out against them with a close to 1st choice bowling line up.

I don't actually think there's much wrong with it. I like Denly.

But Burns should be replaced by someone better.

Just add in Stokes and Buttler plus Archer and Wood and that's a good team.

But Burns may come good. If he's there, I'd love to see the following soon...

Roy
Burns
Denly
Root
Stokes
Bairstow
Ali
Woakes
Archer
Broad
Anderson

[Big D]

There are just so many questions around the batting line up and how relatively poor and inconsistent they have been.

My thing with Sibley is the same as I was with Darcy Graham for the 6N, he is playing well so get him in and see what he can do. Sometimes you just need to trust the evidence and get them in. This season he has been making runs for fun.

The worst thing that can happen is Burns fails v Ireland and Oz and by the time Sibley gets the call his form has tailed off a little.

Denly may do well, tbh he's not the worst shout at 3 as there is no one staking a claim.

YJB - his test match form has been average to poor for a number of series now. The ashes is a massive series for his test career.

Bowling attack looks good but injury concerns over Anderson, Archer and Wood are an issue.

Still, squad is picked. Let's hope they do well.

[fivepointer]

Lewis Gregory is an interesting pick. Always thought he was a very handy all round cricketer, but a test player?

Stone should play, which will mean 2 out of Gregory, Curran and Leach will miss out. Woakes looks set to bat at 7, leaving a longish tail.

[Puja]

Lewis Gregory is an interesting pick. Always thought he was a very handy all round cricketer, but a test player?

Stone should play, which will mean 2 out of Gregory, Curran and Leach will miss out. Woakes looks set to bat at 7, leaving a longish tail.

Woakes will be 8 surely, after Roy, Burns, Denly, Root, Bairstow, Stokes, and Ali? That'd leave Stone, Broad, and Anderson to finish off the XI.

Puja

[Stom]

Lewis Gregory is an interesting pick. Always thought he was a very handy all round cricketer, but a test player?

Stone should play, which will mean 2 out of Gregory, Curran and Leach will miss out. Woakes looks set to bat at 7, leaving a longish tail.

Woakes will be 8 surely, after Roy, Burns, Denly, Root, Bairstow, Stokes, and Ali? That'd leave Stone, Broad, and Anderson to finish off the XI.

Puja

No Stokes against Ireland. And most likely no Anderson.

[Digby]

Lewis Gregory is an interesting pick. Always thought he was a very handy all round cricketer, but a test player?

Stone should play, which will mean 2 out of Gregory, Curran and Leach will miss out. Woakes looks set to bat at 7, leaving a longish tail.

Woakes will be 8 surely, after Roy, Burns, Denly, Root, Bairstow, Stokes, and Ali? That'd leave Stone, Broad, and Anderson to finish off the XI.

Puja

Does who goes out first between Woakes and Ali depend on the match situation or attack? I'd tend to think Woakes has a better defence even if Ali is just about a better batsman overall

[Big D]

Curran gives the variety of a left arm bowler and can bat too which would strengthen the tail.

[Digby]

Curran gives the variety of a left arm bowler and can bat too which would strengthen the tail.

But does he bowl well enough?

[Puja]

Curran gives the variety of a left arm bowler and can bat too which would strengthen the tail.

But does he bowl well enough?

I think his control and variety add a lot to a bowling attack. He's not rapid, but he can be relied upon to always put the ball in the right place and consistently do things with it, which is more than can be said for Mark Wood.

Puja

[Digby]

Curran gives the variety of a left arm bowler and can bat too which would strengthen the tail.

But does he bowl well enough?

I think his control and variety add a lot to a bowling attack. He's not rapid, but he can be relied upon to always put the ball in the right place and consistently do things with it, which is more than can be said for Mark Wood.

Puja

I think he's after a spot which if available goes to Waokes. Being a lefty is in this instance nice, but like Waokes did he needs to add a bit of oomph

[Stom]

But does he bowl well enough?

I think his control and variety add a lot to a bowling attack. He's not rapid, but he can be relied upon to always put the ball in the right place and consistently do things with it, which is more than can be said for Mark Wood.

Puja

I think he's after a spot which if available goes to Waokes. Being a lefty is in this instance nice, but like Waokes did he needs to add a bit of oomph

I agree. He seems a bit too easy to hit. Needs to either land every ball on a sixpence or gain some pace.

[Puja]

But does he bowl well enough?

I think his control and variety add a lot to a bowling attack. He's not rapid, but he can be relied upon to always put the ball in the right place and consistently do things with it, which is more than can be said for Mark Wood.

Puja

I think he's after a spot which if available goes to Waokes. Being a lefty is in this instance nice, but like Waokes did he needs to add a bit of oomph

Agreed, it's him or Woakes for that spot. Not entirely convinced by Woakes himself though - I don't see him as either consistent enough to hold down an end or threatening enough to be enough of a challenge to the batsmen to justify the regular supply of hittable balls.

I'd have it as very close between them.

Puja

[Big D]

Curran gives the variety of a left arm bowler and can bat too which would strengthen the tail.

But does he bowl well enough?

Sorry was meaning for the Ireland game.

[Big D]

At this point Root may as well open.

I understand why they were given a chance, and I know some will disagree. Australia will destroy that top 3 if they go into the Ashes like that.

[Big D]

Jesus Christ.

[WaspInWales]

Is it too soon to talk about the possibility of relegating England from the Ashes and replacing them with Ireland?

[WaspInWales]

Carnage. Is this being played in Dublin by any chance??

[WaspInWales]

Ashes odds just tipped back into England's favour with breaking news from the Aussie camp...

The vast majority of the Aussie squad has been admitted to hospital requiring emergency surgery to repair sides after they were split pissing themselves laughing.