Trescothic...

[Alexis_SUFC]

... is back in the England squad.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/6283258.stm

Thoughts?

Just realised I missed the 'k' at the end of his name, can a mod please rectify, cheers.

[BLUEBLOOD]

Just realised I missed the 'k' at the end of his name, can a mod please rectify, cheers.

Haha .... that just makes you look so thic :p









I'll get me coat !!!

[Alexis_SUFC]

Haha .... that just makes you look so thic :p









I'll get me coat !!!

lol, unfortunately I don't need the help. :o :(

Anyway back on topic, I think that thi was quite an obvious move, Tres is on form and seems to have recovered from his stress-related illness and the way that Strauss has been playing this summer this just seems to be quite a obvious decision.

[loz]

also congrats to Mark Pettini, who i believe is selected in a full England squad for this first time? Just reward for some good performances with Essex this season.

[Exiled Shrimper]

Very much a first call-up for Pettini - well done to him.

It's probably a bit of a surprise in that his form this season, particularly in Twenty20, has not been great, but the talent is definitewly there, and Ronnie Irani and Essex bowling coach Ian Pont were bigging him up in SPIN magazine last month for a possible selection. No doubt it is in no small part down to England batting coach Andy Flower who knows all about what Pettini can do. Hopefully Pettini's form will pick up again, particuarly in the one-day game, in the second half of the summer and he will travel to South Africa.

I'm more surprised that Alistair Cook has been named in the 30-man squad. Of course we all know his enormous ability at Test level, and to a lesser extent in the longer form of the one-day game, but his Twenty20 record is very sketchy - he has played just 2 internationals (this summer, high score 15) and 4 Twenty20 Cup games for Essex, scoring 35 runs with a high score of 15.

[Pubey]

i didn't realise there was a twenty20 world cup... quality!

[Museshrimper]

Pettini and Cook will probably not make the final 15, Cook shouldn't for sure. He's a quality player and should be our 50 over opener, but 20 overs is too short for him.

Pettini could get in, but feel others will be put in ahead of him.

[number11]

I think having Trescothick in was an obvious, and good choice, provided they have done the ground work and ensured he is now in a fit and healthy state. Re-introducing him to 20/20 could be just what he needs.

Out of the rest of the squad there is less 20/20 specialists than I thought...it is largely our 1 day squad, who have barely played 20/20 plus a few of the more succesful county players. I hope they go for a good selection of the county pro's, giving some of our established players a rare few weeks rest. Certainly someone like Cook would probably benefit more from the rest to ensure there is no burn out in what looks like a bright future.

Squad: Squad James Anderson (Lancashire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Ravi Bopara (Essex), Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Leicestershire), Glen Chapple (Lancashire), Paul Collingwood (Durham) (captain), Alastair Cook (Essex), Andrew Flintoff (Lancashire), James Kirtley (Sussex), Jon Lewis (Gloucestershire), Mal Loye (Lancashire), Darren Maddy (Warwickshire), Dimitri Mascarenhas (Hampshire), Paul Nixon (Leicestershire), Monty Panesar (Northamptonshire), Mark Pettini (Essex), Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire), Liam Plunkett (Durham), Matt Prior (Sussex), Chris Schofield (Surrey), Owais Shah (Middlesex), Ryan Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire), Jeremy Snape (Leicestershire), Vikram Solanki (Worcestershire), Chris Tremlett (Hampshire), Marcus Trescothick (Somerset), Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire), Luke Wright (Sussex), Michael Yardy (Sussex)

[Ailsa Road Shrimper]

We've missed Trescothick since the Ashes victory of 2005, he's probably been our best and most consistent batsman this decade.

I agree with number11, the likes of Maddy and Nixon should be played in the 20:20 as they'll be more up for it than the burnt out Test & ODI cricketers

[Pubey]

yeah nixon should be included just for his reverse-sweep

[number11]

In fact, reading Pietersons comments about relentless touring, Id be tempted to go for a team combined of the best of the County 20/20, plus some of those more established england players who are returning from injury (or body and mind), or young prospects getting used to competitive action.... to get them some sharpness and competitive action before touring.
The likes of Pieterson, Bell, Cook, Anderson I would leave to rest before a tricky tour of Sri Lanka.

Id go with an XI of Trescothick (much missed and hopefully this will be a step towards an international come back as successful and Graham Thorpe's), Maddy (best 20/20 player since it started), Solanki,Bopara (exposure to international cricket could serve him and england well in the future), Collingwood (if he insists on playing and skippering it could sharpen his captain mind), Flintoff (if recovered from injury to get some match practice under his belt before touring), Mascharanas (little out of depth in one day stuff but adept at the shorter stuff) or Schofield, Nixon (innovative and good influence on others), 2 of Broad, Tremlett Plunkett (all need to learn the art of bowler to batters looking to hit them out the park) and Lewis. Would have Yardy Wright and Benning in or around the squad.

This gives Cook, Bell, Pieterson, Strauss, Prior, Hoggard, Panesar, Anderson a break at the end of our summer season. However I suspect at least half of these will be in the squad when it is cut down to 15.

Not fussed if we win or lose but should be a more fun competition to watch then the world cup!

[Pubey]

also being in south africa will mean some games on at a normal time!

[Stats]

How on earth was James Benning not in that squad?

Outrageous!!

[Museshrimper]

How on earth was James Benning not in that squad?

Outrageous!!

Is he not?! I presumed he is without looking!

I agree with the resting top player strategy. Apart from KP, who would probably enjoy it a lot, we shouldn't play the test players really. It'll be more interesting to see how we fair against the rest with 20/20 county specialists with know-how.