England's Selection policy and player management systems

[Slipstream]

From 2005 (Fletcher - Blue, Moores - Green, Flower - Red)

Tests
2005 - Pietersen, Udal, Plunkett
2006 - Blackwell, Cook, Panesar, Shah, Mahmood, Lewis
2007 - Prior, Tremlett, Bopara, Broad
2008 - Ambrose, Pattinson, Swann
2009 - Khan, Bresnan, Onions, Trott
2010 - Carberry, Finn, Tredwell, Morgan, Shahzad
2011 - NONE
2012 - Patel, Bairstow, Taylor, Compton, Root
2013 - Kerrigan, Woakes


ODIs
2005 - Lewis, Tremlett, Plunkett
2006 - Chapple, Dalrymple, Joyce, Bresnan, Loudon, Cook, Broad, Yardy
2007 - Nixon, Panesar, Loye, Bopara, Mascarenhas, Wright, Mustard
2008 - Ambrose, Patel
2009 - Morgan, Denly, Rashid, Trott, Onions, Davies,
2010 - Kieswetter, Tredwell, Shahzad
2011 - Woakes, Finn, Dernbach Borthwick, Stokes, Taylor, Bairstow, Meaker
2012 - Briggs, Buttler
2013 - Root, Ballance, Carberry, Rankin, Jordan

20/20s
2005 - Collingwood, Flintoff, Gough, Harmison, Jones, Lewis, Pietersen, Solanki, Strauss, Trescothick, Vaughan
2006 - Bresnan, Dalrymple, Joyce, Mahmood, Plunkett, Bell, Broad, Read, Yardy
2007 - Anderson, Nixon, Panesar, Cook, Mascarenhas, Prior, Shah, Sidebottom, Trott, Maddy, Schofield, Wright, Kirtley, Snape, Tremlett
2008 - Mustard, Swann, Ambrose, Bopara
2009 - Batty, Davies, Khan, Foster, Key, Morgan, Rashid, Denly
2010 - Shahzad, Kieswetter, Lumb
2011 - Woakes, Dernbach, Patel, Buttler, Hales, Bairstow, Finn, Stokes, Borthwick
2012 - Briggs, Meaker, Tredwell, Root
2013 - Rankin

[Arthur Crabtree]

So apart from potentially Root, no one has made a strong claim for a regular Test spot since Trott debuted in 2009.

[KipperJohn]

So apart from potentially Root, no one has made a strong claim for a regular Test spot since Trott debuted in 2009.

Which happens to coincide with probably England's best period of Test cricket for as long as I can recall - No. 1 for a while, drawing in SA, 3 Ashes wins and winning in India. That has included some 'squad' players like Tremlett successful in Oz and Panesar in India.

I would suggest that finding Test class players who can, as part of a squad, beat the best in the world, isn't going to happen very often.

[sussexpob]

Which happens to coincide with probably England's best period of Test cricket for as long as I can recall - No. 1 for a while, drawing in SA, 3 Ashes wins and winning in India. That has included some 'squad' players like Tremlett successful in Oz and Panesar in India.

In South Africa we got smashed apart in 3 out of 4 tests, losing one hugely and hanging onto two test matches we were outplayed with the final wicket stopping them twice from comprehensive victories.....

India have been on the decline for years, and have only beaten two teams away since 2008 - Bangladesh and West Indies(their win before that was NZ!!), the latter being a suprisingly close series with two rain effected draws that could have gone either way.... can you compare a team with an out of sorts and ageing Tendulkar with one that had Dravid, Tendulkar, Ganguly, Sehwag, Gambhir, Kumble, Harbi and Laxman all near the top of their game??? They lost 9 tests in a row before England played them!!

Australia have clearly been on decline since 2007 with the retirement of all but 1 one the players who fit into a world class team.... to be replaced by chumps!

One could argue that pre Flower, when England beat South Africa away, beat a proper Australia side at home, drew with a much better India side away, along with series wins in SL and Pakistan, that the team before this period achieved basically everything, even in Asia.

Without Murali we still struggled in SL last time out, and lost 3-0 to arguably the poorest Pakistan team in decades....

The only truly stable team in the world is SA at the moment, and they made us look average at home despite the scoreline, and were much much better last summer in England.

[Arthur Crabtree]

We still needed a couple of players to emerge in recent years. In general, new players haven't made much of their opportunities. Apart from Root. I think we need to freshen the side up. We've been in decline since UAE. Root goes some way towards that.

[shankycricket]

What would you do to freshen the side up, Arthur? I don't see much wrong with it apart from the precarious No.6 position and the 3rd seamer, both of which have seen a fair bit of musical chairs in recent times.

[Alviro Patterson]

Below par performances from the senior players is probably why England have stagnated since the UAE tour, that hasn't helped the likes of Taylor/Bairstow/Compton to settle in although the latter two haven't disgraced themselves and have time on their side.

[Arthur Crabtree]

What would you do to freshen the side up, Arthur? I don't see much wrong with it apart from the precarious No.6 position and the 3rd seamer, both of which have seen a fair bit of musical chairs in recent times.

It does feel like the team hasn't evolved for a long time, and unfortunately no one has really taken a chance. I'd like to see the team change its nature a little, and become a bit less attritional, and look to include another bowling option, while seriously considering a second spinner on pitches likely to be conducive. But I guess the emergence of a sixth batter and fourth bowler could give England impetus. Swann's retirement will be a big blow, when it happens.

Finding a way to get something out of overs 60-80 in the field would be a big boost.

[alfie]

We still needed a couple of players to emerge in recent years. In general, new players haven't made much of their opportunities. Apart from Root. I think we need to freshen the side up. We've been in decline since UAE. Root goes some way towards that.

You have pushed this "in decline" argument a couple of times lately , AC. Not sure I 'd agree. Apart from the horrible UAE tour the recent record is hardly poor : true SA came to England and duly conquered ; but they are a very good side , and only the first Test was a crushing result , the rest of the - too short - series was a contest.
Since then Strauss has called time on his career , Cook has taken up the baton while trying to form a new opening partnership ...and has only lost one match in 14. If not all the cricket has been as spectacular as many would like , surely a first win in 28 years in India and seeing off Australia 3-0 shouldn't be taken for granted ?
I would rather characterise England's recent progress as a bit up and down : if the current tour goes poorly decline might be appropriate , but I do think you are somewhat anticipating...

As to refreshing the team : Root - positional issues aside - has surely arrived to stay. New bowlers haven't forced their way in mainly because the current bowlers are generally doing a good job. In the next few years some players will doubtless reach their sell by date and need replacing ; but isn't that when we will see if any of those fringe players circling the squad actually are going to be good enough ?
One possible factor is Stokes : he may or may not make it ; but if he does he will certainly make a difference to the shape of the team. And yes , you will get your five bowlers

Challenges ahead , but I would hold off on declaring the end of an era.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I'll look up the individual stats, but I'm sure they will back me up. I didn't think England looked a goo team in winning the Ashes, against what arrived as a very poor Australian side. We looked a tired team against NZ, though holding on for a draw in Aukland showed the spirit isn't lacking. But we hardly threatened to win a match in NZ. The win in India is the thing that confounds my opinion. It was an atypical England team of course.

I do tend to go on about this a bit because there seems to be a consensus that what England are doing is unquestionably working as proven by the results. Which I don't think is true.

[alfie]

Well we aren't going to agree on this...though I reckon that partly comes down to whether you see your glass as half full or half empty...

I am not saying there isn't room for improvement or that everything in the garden is lovely ; just that I think it is too early - given conflicting results - to say that this team is past it as against just going through a bit of adjustment. I will review my judgement after this series and see if I still feel the same way.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I wouldn't say they are past it, but they are post peak, in my opinion. Some new players you would look to strengthen the team haven't stuck yet. Though Root was a big find.

I'm not sure it comes down to optimism/pessimism though. England had hit a rare peak up to the win at home to India. That impetus has since been lost. Since then, they've often given the impression of wanting to play the Sydney Test over and over again, wherever they are playing. I'd like to see them be more flexible. There have still been some good performances, if not quite the intensity. Cook, KP, Swann and Monty's (in particular) displays in India being the exception.

[Arthur Crabtree]

These are averages from the 2009 Ashes, to the India win in 2011. Then the figures since then.

Cook 56/43
Strauss 35/33 (Compo 32)
Trott 56/40
KP 48/41
Bell 67/40
Prior 42/38

Anderson 27/29
Broad 28/28
Trem/Bres/Finn 26/38
Swann 30/28

I left out games against Bangladesh. I'd say the difficulty of the fixture list was similar both sides of the divide.

[sussexpob]

I'm surprised Broad has maintained his average considering he has barely done anything of note in recent times, or does it feel like that way.

Broad is a top quality player. The way he bowled on those wickets in Abu Dhabi was impressive.... and he often bowled in the Ashes last time round without getting the rewards.

New bowlers haven't forced their way in mainly because the current bowlers are generally doing a good job

Since Bresnan really did well vs India at home he has gone 11 test matches with a 45 per wicket average. That is sustained and unacceptable form. If you take Finns performances away from his home ground at Lords his average is nearly 35 and rising.... he has looked pants in recent matches.

A good bowling unit must know that injuries occur.... if Broad or Anderson broke down then England's bowling unit would be in utter catastrophy. I love Tremlett but how many injuries has he gone through? His form suggests he isnt capable anymore after his last major injury... Stokes plays on a pitch that regularly gives low scores so his average is maybe tainted and he is 4th/5th seamer for his county...

A good bowling unit has at least 2 or 3 viable back up options.... Australia have loads of seamers you wouldnt mind playing, but England have got lazy and inflexible.

You say we couldnt have dropped anyone to replace? Well we did leave the county crickets top player at home and took his county understudy instead, and also one currently injured seamer, another who gets injured all the time.

Anderson looked cream crackered at the end of the last Ashes, if he has to carry the attack again I wonder if he can stay fit

[sussexpob]

I wonder if the amount of time it takes for Broad to get into a series, he needs more bowling going into matches? But as he is permanently injured, maybe that isn't achievable anyway.

Saker says Finn needs loads of bowling to bed in his new run up/action. Which suggests he should have spent last season with his county.

I guess this was the original point of the article... are the coaches making the right decisions on players progression? He needs time but the only time he will get is in an Ashes test?