Squads for Bangladesh

[Don Tmatter]

Test squad: A Cook (captain), I Bell, S Broad, M Carberry, P Collingwood, S Davies (wkt), G Onions, K Pietersen, L Plunkett, M Prior (wkt), A Shahzad, R Sidebottom, G Swann, J Tredwell, J Trott, L Wright.

One-day squad: A Cook (captain), T Bresnan, S Broad, P Collingwood, J Denly, E Morgan, M Prior (wkt), K Pietersen, L Plunkett, R Sidebottom, A Shahzad, G Swann, J Tredwell, J Trott, L Wright.


No Rashid in either squad
Cook as Capt.
No Kieswetter in either squad

 

[Mendoza]

I would have thought they would have rested more players for the test series, but I guess you cant break it up too much otherwise you lose a bit of the spirit that held everyone together as a team.

 

[Trigger]

I can't see the selectors bumboy anywhere.

 

[Gerbil]

COOK?!?!? he needs to be f***ing dropped!

 

[Hatterlovesbrighton]

Cook to be dropped?? Wasn't he 2nd in the averages in SA. Only Colly beat him.

 

[MJsGhost]

Worth giving Cook a try as captain against the 'deshis - seems to have the right temperament...
I'd like to see Swann as captain, just because he's flair!

 

[keaton]

I can see why Anderson's being rested but can't see why you'd rest Strauss, he doens't play 20/20, hardly plays for Middlesex and only played the most recent ODIs.

Also, while Prior's class, Mustard should be the ODI keeper and opener

 

[keaton]

Also, I know he's a dick, but surely Ian Blackwell offers a lot more as the 2nd spinner

 

[8ace]

Don't think much of Tredwell.

 

[Wozza]

Next England match for Strauss: May 27. Nice holiday!

 

[mcshane in the 79th]

Strauss was talking yesterday about how the team needed to push on and develop. Then he (the England captain) and someone in dire need to score some big runs after failing in SA, decides to have a 5 month break, nice one Andrew. Joke.

 

[Common as Mook]

Strauss and England will definitely benefit from this rest.

Too many times we have thrown new captains in at the deep end without any long term succession planning. Giving Cook a relatively easy tour is a great for him to earn his captaincy stripes.

Strauss needs a mental rest more than anything else - captaining a long tour of South Africa would be a huge mental burden for him and taking a side to Bangladesh and trying to get everyone motivated for it is the last thing he needs. He will come back firing, mark my words.

As for the replacements - Carberry will get a good go in his specialist position as an opener which has to be a good thing as we aren't blessed with too many opening batsmen at the moment. he is also an incredible fielder. Tredwell is a strange one though. It's obvious Flower and the selctors don't really Rashid and have gone with the low risk option of an experienced county off spinner. I personally would have used this tour to try and get Panesar to regain some confidence on turning pitches.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Also, I know he's a dick, but surely Ian Blackwell offers a lot more as the 2nd spinner

I'm inclined to agree with this. Blackwell seems to have just about sorted his fitness problems out and would be a good addition to the one day sides.

 

[Gritt23]

We have to be a little careful not to take Bangladesh too lightly, as they are improving. The Indian batsmen have hardly been spanking them to all parts in the current test.

Not sure I'm keen on "resting" players at all.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Interesting trying Shazhad as the All Rounder...Broad certainly is not consistent enough. Be interesting where they bat him. Yorks have had him at 6 or 7 and he rattled up wickets and runs last year.

Very strange Rashid hasn't been given the nod, especially on Sub Continent wickets,

 

[Billy the Fish]

The rest for Strauss is also about grooming Cook for the captaincy, he's been earmarked as the future captain and needs to gain some experience.

 

[Gwylan]

I reckon that the selectors think Rashid is far from the finished article - far too many loose balls. And while Bangladesh favours spin, the players are very adept at playing it.

I do worry though that the selector are adopting an approach they used to have about 15/20 years ago and pick a load of bits and pieces players -: Broad, Wright, Shahzad, Treadwell and Plunkett. I reckon you should play your six best batsmen, a keeper (who can bat) and your four best bowlers. Are any of the above in the top half a dozen bowlers in the country?

 

[CHAPPERS]

Ooh, didn't notice Plunkett was there in both squads. All reports say he's looking pretty mean nowdays.

 

[Common as Mook]

I reckon that the selectors think Rashid is far from the finished article - far too many loose balls. And while Bangladesh favours spin, the players are very adept at playing it.

I do worry though that the selector are adopting an approach they used to have about 15/20 years ago and pick a load of bits and pieces players -: Broad, Wright, Shahzad, Treadwell and Plunkett. I reckon you should play your six best batsmen, a keeper (who can bat) and your four best bowlers. Are any of the above in the top half a dozen bowlers in the country?

I think it's a bit unfair to lump Broad into the 'bits and pieces' catergory. He is a front line bowler who at the moment makes an ideal number 8.

 

[sten_super]

The selectors obviously feel that Rashid is not ready for Test cricket yet; he was on the S Africa tour as otherwise he'd have been at home resting (although I would have preferred him to try to get some games for a team in S Africa/Aus/NZ). I think Blackwell has missed his opportunity; he's almost 32 now, whereas Tredwell is almost 28. However I'm not sure of the wisdom of taking two very similar off-spinners, would have preferred either a leggie (would have to be Rashid) or a SLA (Panesar??).

I think it's a good idea to rest Strauss, as it gives them a chance to look at Carberry, and also assess Cook's captaincy ability.

I'm guessing that Shazad had a good 2009, as his overall figures don't look particularly great (553 first class runs at 30.7 and 53 wickets at 35)?