Tour to Pakistan

[C C Csiders]

Heard David Graveney on the radio this morning talking about the selection meeting for the pre-Christmas tour to Pakistan. The selection panel will meet in 10 days time, and he indicated that fitness permitting, all 12 players involved in the Ashes Tests will be selected for the tour, as they are greta believers in continuity.

He suggested, though that the other 4 places on the tour may contain a surprise name or two. Ali Cook?

I would think the other four places will be taken up by a batsman, a spin bowler, a fast bowler and a wicket-keeper.

I'll have first dibs at naming the four as: Owais Shah, Gareth Batty, James Anderson, and Matt Prior.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Do you know if the same squad will go to India in February?

If it is Pakistan then my four would be Ed Joyce, Graeme Swann, James Anderson & Matt Prior (although my Essex bias still thinks that James Foster is the better keeper & batsman).

For India they will probably add another spinner and leave out a quick, therefore i would go for Monty Panesar ahead of Anderson.

Would love to see Ali Cook get a chance, but England are well served with left handed openers at the moment. So he is likely to be with the academy.

 

[C C Csiders]

It will not necessarily be the same tour party for Pakistan and India. I have named the four, I think they will pick, rather than the four I would like them to pick.

I believe that for the Indian leg of the tour Mark Butcher may well come in for Shah, and like you an extra spinner may be selected instead of Anderson, and like you Monty Panesar may get the nod following his excellent season - although his fielding is abysmal.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Panesar - good call, would be interesting to see how he does.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Good shout about Mark Butcher, i wonder how many more have gone and forgotten him.

I do think the selectors will go for Joyce, Anderson & Prior, but proabably not Swann. With Gareth Batty getting the nod.

I have not seen Panesar first hand so have not seen him field, so will be guided by you there. Sounds like he could be another Tuffers as I don't think he is much cop with the bat. Which may preclude him from Duncan Flectchers thinking.

 

[C C Csiders]

Quote[/b] (canveyshrimper @ Sep. 13 2005,16:32)]Good shout about Mark Butcher, i wonder how many more have gone and forgotten him.

I do think the selectors will go for Joyce, Anderson & Prior, but proabably not Swann. With Gareth Batty getting the nod.

I have not seen Panesar first hand so have not seen him field, so will be guided by you there. Sounds like he could be another Tuffers as I don't think he is much cop with the bat. Which may preclude him from Duncan Flectchers thinking.

I think Swann upset Duncan Fletcher with his attitude on a previous tour, and this may well preclude him from the selectors thoughts.

I don't necessarily think that Panesars's fielding and batting will go against him in terms of touring, as he is young enough to work on that. Just think back to Harmison's batting when he first got in the England side, it made Glenn McGrath look like Don Bradman, and now he uses the bat to quite good effect at #11.

 

[canveyshrimper]

That is right it was South Africa about 5 years ago, and his attitude was not very good.

I do think that has improved with his move to Notts, and he is a decent batsman & fielder & a finger spinner that gives it a tweak.

You are right about Panesar having plenty of room to improve, I just have nightmares about England having Mullally, Tufnell & Giddins in the same side, all genuine number elevens.

 

[chadded]

Quote[/b] (C C Csiders @ Sep. 13 2005,15:00)]fitness permitting, all 12 players involved in the Ashes Tests will be selected for the tour,

Great, that means Ian Bell will be in the squad.

 

[Shrimper2thecore]

It has been confirmed that the 12 involved in ashes are in the squad.

Dont rule out Verinda Bopara for Pakistan tour, or India.

There will be an Essex boy in the remaining four places.

 

[chadded]

Quote[/b] (Shrimper2thecore @ Sep. 16 2005,19:47)]It has been confirmed that the 12 involved in ashes are in the squad.

Great, that means Ian Bell is in the squad.

 

[Shrimper2thecore]

Quote[/b] (chadded @ Sep. 16 2005,21:17)]

Quote[/b] (Shrimper2thecore @ Sep. 16 2005,19:47)]It has been confirmed that the 12 involved in ashes are in the squad.

Great, that means Ian Bell is in the squad.

You cant help but love him

 

[canveyshrimper]

Squad just named, same 12 from the ashes, plus Anderson, Tremlett, Udal, Prior and Alex Loudon.

 

[Hong Kong Blue]

A few surprises in the squad.

Tremlett was expected to be in the squad, but the other 3 uncapped players are a little more controversial.

Shaun Udal was a favourite of Ray Illingworth, and played in ODIs under him. Although he's been in good form he's 36 years old, so its a little surprising that he's going along to keep the bench warm.

Alex Loudon on the other hand may be an England player of the future. A batting all-rounder, he bowls some spin and is rumoured to have the all important doosra. He is surely only going along for the experience.

Matt Prior's selection will have Chris Read's army of fans up in arms. Chris Read's reputation grows with every test he doesn't play in, and by the end of the India tour he will probably be rated as the greatest keeper ever to have stepped foot on this planet. Prior, unlike Read, is however potentially a test class batsman.

 

[Hong Kong Blue]

Apparently Liam Plunkett is in the one-day squad.

This is a very interesting move. Plunkett is a genuine test prospect, but I'm not sure of his one-day credentials. I was impressed by him when we played Durham and he looked the sharpest bowler on show by some margin. I think he's only 20 and should hopefully gain some more pace as he fills out and strengthens. I would guess that he is being taken for the experience, to give Duncan Fletcher a chance to look at him and hopefully to teach him to reverse swing it. He also has some talent with the bat and could be a future no.8 for England.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Good analysis HKB, I am surprised on two levels firstly that they are taking 17 players, a few are going to be scratching about not playing.

Secondly taking Udal is not one for the future, wheras Alex Loudon definitely is and his selection should be applauded. I have only seen him on TV and he certainly looks useful with the bat and a great fielder. He certainly gives the ball a tweak. Agree completely about your comments about Chris Read, i genuinely do feel sorry for James Foster who should feel more hard done by than Read.

Prior certainly can bat, whether his keeping is up to it remains to be seen.

 

[Hong Kong Blue]

Seems a decent enough call to me.

You want a few youngsters there for the experience, but you also want a few experienced players there as cover in case of injury. The last thing you want is to have to call up a player from England who isn't adjusted to the conditions and is jet-lagged.

There are a few interesting players in the academy and I'll be paying close attention to the fortunes of Footit, a young raw fast bowler; luke Wright, a promising all-rounder at Sussex; and Broad, the son of the ex-England batsman and a tall accurate bowler who gets good bounce.

 

[canveyshrimper]

You could be right, although i think 17 is top heavy.

Some good youngsters on your list, one more is Liam Plunkett at Durham. Has has a good season this year as Durham celebrate a double promotion.

 

[Grayson]

Prior is in the side as an extra batsman, as well as an extra wicket keeper. So the likes of Ed Joyce and James Foster (not even gonna mention fatty Rob Key, dont rate him at all) can feel hard done by

 

[C C Csiders]

Quote[/b] (Hong Kong Blue @ Sep. 19 2005,12:36)]There are a few interesting players in the academy and I'll be paying close attention to the fortunes of Footit, a young raw fast bowler

17-0-153-1 against rampant Hampshire.

 

[Hong Kong Blue]

I saw that - I reckon he's probably the new Shaun Tait whose figures at Durham were something similar!