Hampshire wrote:If we're at full strength come the start of the championship how do people see us lining up out of interest? Looks like selection could be awkward.
I'm really struggling. (Which is a good thing! I'm not sure we've ever had this many options before!)
Ideally I think we would want (maybe in a slightly different batting order):
Adams/Alsop
Carberry
Vince
Bailey
Ervine
Roussow
Dawson
McManus
Abott
Topley/Berg
Fidel
But unfortunately that lacks a 4th bowler. Dawson is only good enough to be part of a five man attack; Ervine is only good enough to support a bowling attack rather than be part of it. So rather than Topley or Berg, it needs to be both really. Or Wheal for when Topley is rested/injured. Or Crane for when the pitch dictates two spinners. And in that case, we have to drop a batter.
The weakest one I think is quite clearly McManus. But having let Wheater go (a big, big loss across all three formats), I can't see them ditching McManus already (if Alsop opened ahead of Adams, he could keep - it's not like McManus is our only keeper). So he starts the season. And we're not going to be leaving out Vince, Bailey or Dawson. So what options then... Maybe open with Dawson, and leave out one of the openers? Maybe "manage" Ervine's workload across all three formats this season? Maybe focus more on limited overs for Roussow? I don't know.
Still waiting to see who we sign as our second overseas player. But we the t20s starting later this season (early July), we have ages yet to make an announcement on that front. I still think it might be Watson.