England's first XI

Oooh the tension. On Sunday, the England selectors will name a dozen men for next week's first Test squad and as I'm flying out to Munich this afternoon to cover the rowing World Cup, blogging may be light this weekend so here goes my pre-emptive strike.

Openers It is pretty much agreed that Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook will be opening this summer, despite Cook and Michael Vaughan doing well enough over the winter. Strauss has been in ok-ish form this season (a huge one-day hundred, one fifty and six scores between 12 and 49), Cook rather less so (one fifty in six innings) but they would be my opening pair too. In a recent poll, most of you agreed - though it was interesting to see that Rob Key got almost as many votes as Vaughan.

Middle order If Vaughan is playing (and despite a poor start to the season he presumably is in) then he will be No 3, with Kevin Pietersen (a hundred in his only innings this year) indelibly inked in. I'd play KP at No 4 rather than No 5. Ian Bell has been doing what Bell always does and making good starts without converting them. For Warwickshire in first-class cricket this season he has made 41, 62, 43 and 48. I'm not sure if that is frustrating or promising, but he gets my nod and no doubt the selectors' at No 5. So far, so predictable. Now we hit difficulty.

Wicketkeeper Let's skip past the man at No 6 and confirm the keeper. Tim Ambrose is in possession after a good start for England in New Zealand and if he wasn't already in for this summer's first series he should be after making 156* against Leicestershire. But his four other innings have been low and I'm not convinced he could hold a place just as a top-six batsman, so he has to go in at No 7. Personally I'd like to see Chris Read in the place - he has scores of 142, 53* and 42 to his credit this season - but I suspect I've lost that argument. Apparently he can't bat.

No 6 Well this is the biggie. Forty-five per cent of you think it should still be Paul Collingwood and 21 per cent want Mark Ramprakash. I'm tempted by the latter, if only because I'd like him to get his 100th hundred on his Test comeback, but I'm going to turn both down. Useful servant Colly has been, but I don't think he has been worth his place for some time. It is 20 innings since his last Test hundred and his highest score in that time has been 66. For Durham this season he has scores of 25, 0, 2, 0 and 3. That is not good enough.

So who should come in? The leading run-scorer this season is Stephen Moore of Worcs, but he's an opener. Ravi Bopara is close behind and would be a contender for No 6, as he offers a bit of bowling, too. Luke Wright, like Bopara, has two hundreds already this season and can bowl. I'd go for one of them, which means bad luck again for Owais Shah. If he'd made runs yesterday against the New Zealanders, he might have been in. Instead, he made 3.

Flintoff No. His batting is appalling, while his bowling is apparently rather good. But he wouldn't be up to playing at No 6 and I don't think Ambrose is either. You could play Bopara at 6, Flintoff at 7 and Read at 8, which would be enticing. But Flintoff should only play if his ankle is up to bowling 20 overs in day as part of a four-man attack. There is no need to risk him against New Zealand. If he is still going well by the South Africa part of the summer, then he should be in.

Spinner Has to be Monty Panesar despite a mixed winter that ended quite well. Adil Rashid has not started too well this season and his strength - being a possible No 6 or No 7 batsman - has not been in evidence. Gareth Batty is bowling well for Worcestershire and will put pressure on Monty and - here's a leftfield suggestion - Saqlain Mushtaq has taken 13 wickets at an average of 19 this season and is now England-qualified. He is only 31 and should be hitting his prime. I'm tempted, very tempted but suspect that Monty will - and should - be given the nod.

Quicks Ryan Sidebottom is a certainty and if Flintoff is not to be risked that leaves room for three others, of whom two will be picked. Hoggard has to be one. He has proved in county cricket that he is still up for it and will let no one down. Stuart Broad would be another after impressing in New Zealand. James Anderson has probably earned the final slot after taking ten wickets at an average of 13 so far this season, but I wouldn't mind seeing Graham Onions in the mix. He swings the ball well and would be an admirable understudy for Hoggard or Sidebottom if either were injured.

So... Probable XI: Strauss, Cook, Vaughan, Pietersen, Bell, Collingwood, Ambrose, Broad, Sidebottom, Anderson, Panesar. In other words, no change bar the opening pair from the winter. I'd play Bopara instead of Collingwood and Hoggard instead of Anderson. And warn Cook, Vaughan and Bell that they owe a few big scores if they want to play against South Africa. And what about Saqlain Mushtaq...

Comments

[Lenny]

Interesting that Steven Finn has been mentioned. I've seen him twice this year and have been impressed with his pace and bounce. He looks a winner too so I'd like to see him in the squad for one or both of the remaining New Zealand Tests.
Interesting that Tremlett is back too. He and Broad would I feel be just the the type of bowlers to help Hoggard find his best form again and with the likes of Finn breathing down their necks and Onions waiting to come in should Hoggard start to struggle again there's reasons for some optimism on the pace bowling front.
What a pity we can't say the same about the batting and the spin dept.
Too many of our batsmen lack that little bit extra required to be consistent performers at test level and with no new Trescothick on the horizon there is a great deal on Pieterson's shoulders.
Would Ramprakash be a backward step? I think it's worth the gamble at 5 or 6, as If nothing else it would let Collingwood go back to Durham and regain some form.
If Panesar is injured there's not too many options as replacements and I wholeheartedly agree with Sanjayn's comment regarding Saqlain.
Prior is not in my view, a test class 'keeper - although he'd be my one day 'keeper - and although Ambrose did well in the Winter, he still has some way to go in order to prove himself at test level, and whilst I think he's earned his chance to establish himself in the New Zealand series, I think that Read or the forgotten man, Foster would both be better options for the South Africa tests .
It will be an interesting Summer's Cricket and I'm looking forward to it.

[HaydozA]

English have been enjoying the football a lot more than cricket, john. The arse-kicking that they endure in the Ashes every two years (with the odd series going the other way) has ensured that

[Ed]

The English cricket team selections, always a talking point this time of year here is what I think.....

I think that Ramprakash deserves to be picked at number 6, like I mean what more could a guy do to be selected, his record speaks for itself.....

Also I think that Bell has been getting 50, then getting out for too long, he should be told to lift his game if he wants to play against South Africa. However I would keep him for this series, see how he goes..... give him a chance, he can bat.....

Same goes for Strauss, he needs to earn his spot back like any other player, and really needs to find his form to be considered for future selections.

I think that Vaughn, for his tactical prowess is a certainty, also with that being said he needs to score runs, sooner rather than later.

Kevin Pietersen is a wizard, he is first on the sheet, his batting is awesome and I personally can't wait to see him play.....

With the ongoing Flintoff issue, if he's fit, he plays, but I am not convinced he has it in the tank to bowl 20 overs a day in a test match, so wait until he is ready then, unleash him.....

On the other hand, the wicket keeper is always a contentious selection, England have trialed and dropped so many over the last few years I never thought that Read was that bad, but he seems on the outer and never destined to get another chance same goes with Geraint Jones, In Sri Lanka I thought that Matt Prior was a good choice and should have been retained, but it seems the England selectors are very impatient and Tim Ambrose is playing well so give him a crack, but stand by him for a bit.....

Monty is the spinner, no argument, not Saqlain Mushtaq, I mean seriously, there would be a revolt if he were picked.....

Alistair Cook will open, but he also needs runs.

The bowling attack, I would like to see Hoggard, Sidebottom and Broad, I guess Anderson is in there as well, if he plays it will still be good, but Harmison, that guy shouldn't be even be playing County cricket.

And that is that, my England XI;

Opener; Cook
Opener; Strauss
Number 3; Vaughan
Number 4; Pietersen
Number 5; Bell
Number 6; Ramprakash
Wicket Keeper; Ambrose
All Rounder; Broad
Quick; Sidebottom
Quick; Hoggard
Spinner; Panesar

12th Man; Anderson

[Gareth Finch]

Firstly, Saqlain Mushtaq what an interesting thought!!
However, England surely must remain loyal to Monty, if they do he will take more wickets than any other english spinner for decades! Maybe a productive two spinner attack in the sub continent though.
Back to this series:
Cook, Strauss, Vaughan, Pietersen, Bell, Ramprakash (just to keep everybody talking), Read, Broad, Sidebottom, Hoggard, Panesar.

NB: be ruthless with Strauss, Vaughan and Bell. Collingwood is still a very good player. Ramps deserves the three tests he has been overdue his second coming.

[Tim B]

The assertion that Hogard will "let no one down" sums up the problems this england team face if they want to compete with the top international teams at a level above that of the new zealanders.

I have to agree with Duncan Fletcher that Hoggard struggles without being surrounded by faster strike bowlers. He is one of a number of players in this team (strauss, cook, colly etc) who will more often than not apply the fundamentals of good, traditional, english technique with admirable dedication and character, yet often seem to lack that extra dimension to their game when something other than an attritional approach is required.

Of course every team likes to have a few of these dependable sorts numbered amongst their ranks but england have too many of these players to dominate top quality opposition and far too few players capable of changing the course of a match.

[John Andrew]

A few more statistics about England's three main bowlers during the period that they've been playing together.

England's performance in test matches with or without senior bowlers between 2002 and 2008:

With Matthew Hoggard
P W L T D W/L
62 30 16 0 16 1.87
Without Matthew Hoggard
P W L T D W/L
17 5 7 0 5 0.71

With Steve Harmison
P W L T D W/L
56 28 15 0 13 1.86
Without Steve Harmison
P W L T D W/L
23 7 8 0 8 0.87

With Andrew Flintoff
P W L T D W/L
54 24 16 0 14 1.50
Without Andrew Flintoff
P W L T D W/L
25 11 7 0 7 1.57

[John Andrew]

The fastest Englishmen to 200 test wickets:

1. IT Botham 41 tests
2. AV Bedser 44 tests
3. FS Trueman 47 tests
4. JA Snow 49 tests
5. D Gough 50 tests
6. MJ Hoggard 52 tests

Which of the above would you drop from the England team because they had one bad test match?

[Allan Schoenherr]

Intersting to see how Colly has fallen out of favour everywhere, slightly unfair given that the evidence of poor scores includes a few cases where he was stuck with our long and winding tail. My solution would be to swap him with Bell, this would suit both of them as we have seen how expansive Bell can play once the pressure is off a bit, and coming in at 6 should ease it either way, if we are 500/5 at the time or 50/5....

As for the openers, I reckon Key and Cook would really make a great pair, with Vaughan, Strauss, Carberry and Shah fighting for number 3. I would probably give Vaughan the nod, as if not we have to find a new captain as well.

I would like to know what Mustard did so wrong when he had the gloves?

As for the bowling, I agree that Onions should be given a chance, but a pace attack of Sidebottom, Onions and Hoggard lacks a bit of bite, is Tremlett worth a recall? Is it too early to consider a recall for Mahmood? I think with the bowling we have more options, Charlie Shrek could offer some pace and bounce, Steven Finn shows promise and I am sure Rashid will rediscover his form. But for now - Broad, Onions/Hoggard, Sidebottom and Panesar. If Fred is back for the last Test then he could bat in front of Broad and drop Onions/Hoggy.

So - Cook, Key, Vaughan, KP, Collingwood, Bell, Ambrose, Broad, Onions/Hoggard, Sidebottom and Panesar.

[leigh vernier]

Can't believe comments by Vish re IPL.
It isn't even cricket! Bosh-slosh-n-tosh.Trundler bowlers. Batting to make coaches take up tiddlywinks.
This is American Idol on a bad day crossed with a fifth rate soap opera. In a world of minscule sound bites there's no room for noble cricket. Black armband time. R.I.P.

[Paul Cranswick]

It would be fitting and poetic justice for Ramprakash who is in Bradmanesque form for fully three years to be given the chance of 100 100's at the home of cricket and his original home ground a la Boycott in 1977. Bell and Collingwood have done ok but surely it is a chance to experiment a little against a frankly poor NZ team. Cook is in appalling shape.
Id go for
STRAUSS, HORTON, RAMPRAKASH, VAUGHAN, PIETERSEN, WRIGHT, FLINTOFF, READ, SWANN, SIDEBOTTOM & ANDERSON

[John Andrew]

I don't see why I should have to say this, but...

The English have been enjoying test cricket for over a hundred years.

The Indians have been enjoying 20-20 cricket (an English innovation, by the way) for a couple of years, and the IPL for a few weeks.

Let's see who gets bored first.

[baz]

Cook
Wright
Bell
KP
Vaughan
Flintoff
Ambrose
Broad
Sidebottom
Anderson
Panesar

Although I quite like your suggestion of Wright in as the allrounder: in that case, Strauss to open and Flintoff gets told to prove he can bat as well as bowl. Collingwood seems to have solved your problem by becoming injured.

[Innocent Abroad]

I think the selectors will go for Hoggy ahead of Anderson.

Not sure on what basis you're dissing Collingwood although obviously Luke Wright's done himself no harm at all in the Lions' game.

Agree about Freddie: let's keep him up our sleeve for now and unleash him on the Sarf Efricans, who probably won't play a spinner (so we should prepare spin-friendly pitches and play two - or so Mr Vettori tells me).

[vish]

Does anyone really care the first XI of england cricket team ?? Whats the latest on IPL .. & whats the first XL for the Delhi Daredevils? Who's going to be their 5th bowler ?? who's going to open for the kolkata knightriders for the next game?? such pressing questions and you are still wondering the first XI for england ??? get a life .. !!!

[SanjayN]

If Saqlain ever plays for England, it will be a sad indictment of English cricket.