by ianp1970 » Mon Jun 25, 2018 10:25 pm
A 5-0 beating over the old enemy not-withstanding, have we learned any more about our World Cup chances? I would suggest that ten names (fitness permitting) are pretty much still inked in for the - hopefully two, but maybe more - key matches next summer:
Roy
Bairstow
Root
Morgan
Stokes
Buttler
Ali
Woakes
Rashid
Plunkett
That leaves one spot up for grabs, plus 4/5 more in the squad.
To my mind, the missing eleventh cog is a fast bowler to open and close the innings. An English Starc/Boult etc. is not going to unearthed, so who is the best option from those available? Of the pace bowling options trying to nail down a place - Wood, Willey, Ball and both Currans all have good & bad points - but, as yet, none have done well enough to warrant to continuous selection.
5 ODIs in both Sri Lanka and West Indies are unlikely to provide many clues, due to the nature of pitches and conditions, so that leaves 3 matches in July at home to India and 6 next May versus Ireland & Pakistan, to find the solution.
For the back-up positions:
Hales looks a certainty to be the top order batsman.
Billings is the go-to middle order reserve, but is another player has done little lately to demand a place in the team.
Is a spare spinner necessary (yes, in my opinion) and who would it be? Possibly Liam Dawson, but will he get another call-up?
Who'd be a selector?
Sports broadcasting media nut miscast as a hard-working family man. Or should that be the other way around?
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