There may be troubles ahead: England selection issues.

[Arthur Crabtree]

It's true that they don't have very deep roots in the side. And one of them wouldn't get in the side in their preferred position so a middle order bat might be preferred. Who are the alternatives, given they will probably come from CC1? Livingstone is the obvious one at four. A lot would have to go wrong for both Haseeb and Jennings to be ruled out so I'd guess one of these will open.

[braveneutral]

I reckon they will both be in unless they have absolute shockers and two others have their 1000 by May.

[Dr Cricket]

Cook misses Essex first game because of hip injury.

[rich1uk]

is that Ballance back in the frame with 3 100s and a 50 in his first 5 county championship innings this year, including a double hundred today ?

[Making_Splinters]

I wouldn't have thought so, given he has massive technical issues.

[rich1uk]

good thing he has massive technical issues or he might have scored 500 runs in the game against a decent looking bowling attack instead of only 300+ ...

[Making_Splinters]

Well, given he was picked originally off the back of an impressive domestic record and got worked out by international attacks and dropped, I wouldn't say that Ballance scoring county runs proves all that much.

[hopeforthebest]

One must wonder if the series of hand injuries Hameed has suffered recently have affected his confidence the way his scores have been, I don't see him returning to the England squad until he shows his previous form has returned. Jennings has probably done enough to hold on to his place.

[Arthur Crabtree]

That leaves a place in the top order then. Livingstone seems to be this year's favourite and he did have a good winter. I reckon they'll stick with Haseeb though.

I don't suppose there'll be much four day cricket before the Tests, which doesn't help.

[Durhamfootman]

when have England ever worried about form?

does your face fit...... that's the only selection criterion

[Arthur Crabtree]

Livingstone hasn't come through age group cricket for England, according to cricinfo. It's quite unusual for England for that sort of player to be promoted these days. The only player recently capped not to play for under 19s played for SA under 19s.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I'm hearing press talk that Wood is going to be in the CT team. I presume that would mean Ball or Finn being out the squad and Plunkett out the team.

Roy/Hales/Root/Morgan/Stokes/Buttler/Moeen/Woakes/Rashid/Willey/Wood
Billings/Bairstow/Plunkett/Finn or Ball.

[dan08]

No Finn.

[Arthur Crabtree]

England squad for Champions Trophy and South Africa series:

E Morgan (Middx, capt), M Ali (Worcs), J Bairstow (Yorks), J Ball (Notts), S Billings (Kent), J Buttler (Lancs), A Hales (Notts), L Plunkett (Yorks), A Rashid (Yorks), J Root (Yorks), J Roy (Surrey), B Stokes (Durham), D Willey (Yorks), C Woakes (Warwicks), M Wood (Durham).

England squad for Ireland series:

E Morgan (Middx, capt), M Ali (Worcs), J Bairstow (Yorks), J Ball (Notts), S Billings (Kent), B Duckett (Northants), S Finn (Middx), A Hales (Notts), L Plunkett (Yorks), A Rashid (Yorks), J Root (Yorks), J Roy (Surrey), D Willey (Yorks), M Wood (Durham).

So Finn for Stokes and Buttler in the Ireland game. No wild cards.

[Dr Cricket]

surprised they picked root for ireland.