There may be troubles ahead: England selection issues.

[Alviro Patterson]

Talk of Livingstone in the test squad is absolutely ludricous, a good Twenty20 bat but that's about it and he is certainly no frontline bowler.

I agree with Spliners assessment of deploying Moeen Ali as a frontline batsman and giving Rashid the spinners role, especially when it has been a relatively dry 9 or so months in the UK.

Cook
Jennings
Root
Bairstow
Moeen
Stokes
Buttler (wk)
Rashid
Woakes
Broad
Anderson

[westoelad]

Talk of Livingstone in the test squad is absolutely ludricous, a good Twenty20 bat but that's about it and he is certainly no frontline bowler.

I agree with Spliners assessment of deploying Moeen Ali as a frontline batsman and giving Rashid the spinners role, especially when it has been a relatively dry 9 or so months in the UK.



Cook
Jennings
Root
Bairstow
Moeen
Stokes
Buttler (wk)
Rashid
Woakes
Broad
Anderson

Woakes won't have recovers from his,side strain and is out for the 1st 2 tests and unless Anderson gets a game in for Lancs in the next few weeks I can't see him being selected. Makes the forthcoming Lions games interesting particularly with an opening place also open. Foresee some Surrey options appearing .

[rich1uk]

this Cook guy that's playing for Essex today could be throwing his hat into the ring for an ODI spot, 65 off 50 balls atm

[Arthur Crabtree]

Peter Moores is doing ok with Notts. Next England coach?

[Making_Splinters]

Talk of Livingstone in the test squad is absolutely ludricous, a good Twenty20 bat but that's about it and he is certainly no frontline bowler.

I agree with Spliners assessment of deploying Moeen Ali as a frontline batsman and giving Rashid the spinners role, especially when it has been a relatively dry 9 or so months in the UK.

Cook
Jennings
Root
Bairstow
Moeen
Stokes
Buttler (wk)
Rashid
Woakes
Broad
Anderson

Livingstone averages 47 in first class cricket, he's scored a 5 tons in under 40 innings with another 8 fifties to his name. Hardly the record of someone who is just a , "a good Twenty20 bat but that's about it ". He's also being fantastic for the Lions over the last 12 or so months, he lost some time at the start of his career after having a pint glass smashed in his face causing an eye injury.

The lad is a serious talent in all formats, but it is far too soon for talk of him playing Test cricket this summer.

Hameed's poor start to the season would make me seriously question him opening for England against the South Africans, Jennings has lost his form from the start of the season as well. Because Hameed was selected on hype rather than an extended record it's hard to know if last season was a true indication of his class or simply a purple patch in his career.

It doesn't feel like any of the oft thrown around candidates to open for England have had particularly great starts to the season.

[rich1uk]

David Lloyd was pretty adamant the other day that Mark Stoneman will play for England in tests this summer and that might be a good call

[The Professor]

Is it me or is Ben Foakes' name long overdue some attention?

[Arthur Crabtree]

He's the new Chris Woakes. Serving a long apprenticeship in the Lions side. He gets plenty of mentions, but he's not going to replace Bairstow any time soon.

[The Professor]

I think there is room for both.

[ianp1970]

Seems to be a clear choice in team balance:

Stokes, Bairstow, Ali, Woakes at 6-9 with 2 opening bowlers (in all probability Broad & Anderson) or

Ali, Stokes, Bairstow, Woakes at 5-8, with a third seamer (Wood?) or a frontline spinner also included.

In neither scenario, can I see Bairstow and Foakes getting a game.

[alfie]

Well you could go with Bairstow-Stokes-Moeen-Foakes at 5-8 plus three pace men. Not that I would : quite happy with YJB at seven and behind the stumps ; but it is feasible. (The long hoped -for line up of Stokes-Woakes-Foakes is off the table while the middleman is injured )

I think Foakes is making a good case to be the reserve keeper for the winter tour rather than Buttler (who really should be reserved for the whiteball games in which he excels)

[Arthur Crabtree]

Certainly if Buttler continues not to play fc cricket.

I've tended to have the impression Foakes has been a bit of a preferred golden boy whose reputation outstrips his deeds. He averages 33 for Essex this season with no hundreds and only two fifties. His career fca is just under 40. He's done well for the Lions but it's not really an irresistible case for selection. Given he won't get into the side for just his keeping, which is reputedly better than Bairstow's.

[sussexpob]

Hammed and Jennings did well enough to merit their places for further series, Root/Bairstow/Stokes/Cook have no chance being dropped. That leaves a potential spot at 7, but Ali has done pretty well with the bat of recent times and has that option with the ball they like. That leaves Woakes at 8, Anderson and Broad as specialists 10/11.

On pitches that turn, Rashid would be the 9. Possibly in all conditions they stick with him. In seam conditions its foreseeable that Stokes/Broad/Anderson/Woakes and Ali form an attack with an extra spot opening for batting. My problm with this is, where in the order? I dont want to see very good bats coming in at 9 unless they are there to bowl full time. Woakes satisfies this, Ali not so much.

Most likely scenario:

Cook/Jennings/Hameed/Root/Bairstow/Stokes/Ali/Woakes/Broad/Ball/Anderson... with Rashid swapping with ball for conditions.

[rich1uk]

to me the biggest argument for Foakes is to allow for Bairstow to play as a batsman only

i know i am like a broken record about this but the history of players who have played significant cricket at test level as both a batsman and a keeper shows their batting is held back by being keeper

[rich1uk]

Hammed and Jennings did well enough to merit their places for further series

hameed is averaging under 20 in FC cricket this season , i dont see how he can possibly be included