The England Test squad for India is announced tomorrow

What would you like it to be and what will it actually be?

I'd have:

Strauss, Cook, KP, Bell, Bopara, Colly, Fred, Prior, Mark Davies, Topbottom, Harmy, Anderson, Rashid, Panesar.

I'd just as happily take Shah over Bopara but Ravi's had a far better season. They'll probably go with the above except swap Davies for Broad and Rashid for Patel.

I think it's about time Davies was given a go. He's had an injury free season and he's 27 - we're missing his prime bowling years.

I reckon they'll go with:

Pietersen (c), Strauss, Cook, Bell, Bopara, Collingwood, Flintoff, Prior (wk), Broad, Sidebottom, Anderson, Harmison, Panesar, Swann.

I'd go with:

Pietersen (c), Cook, Bell, Shah, Bopara, Collingwood, Flintoff, Prior (wk), Broad, Sidebottom, Anderson, Harmison, Panesar, Rashid.

Batsmen-

Strauss
Cook
Bell
Pietersen
collingwood
Shah

Keepers/All rounders-

Prior
Foster
Flintoff
Patel

Fast bowlers-

Harmison
Anderson
Broad
Sidebottom

Spinner-

Panesar



Word is that Rashid wont be picked because they want to give him a bit more time. Shah is incredibly deserving of a spot and unlike Vaughan, Pietersen rates him as a player, and more importantly understands him as a character. Bopara misses out. Samit Patel is receiving rave reviews from all and sundry, and appears to be taking his game to the next level. I think he'll make the test squad.

We wont beat India by bowling them out with 2 specialist spinners. Australia and South Africa have shown that hitting India hard with pace is the way to go on their home tracks, so Patel gives the option of a top 6 batsman, plus the ability to bowl 10-15 overs a day of holding finger spin whilst the quicks try and ruffle India's feathers at the other end.

Trevor, where do you get your inside information from?

eowyn wrote:Trevor, where do you get your inside information from?

The papers...

Oh and Lara. Mark Davies? Not many green seaming wickets for a 76 mph bowler to exploit in India....

Mark Davies is the sort of bowler who should have been picked ahead of Darren Whatsisface for Headingley.

eowyn wrote:Trevor, where do you get your inside information from?

Ashley Giles has slept with everyone involved with English cricket, so there's plenty of sources who have picked up pillow talk information about England's plans.....

Henry wrote:

eowyn wrote:Trevor, where do you get your inside information from?

Ashley Giles has slept with everyone involved with English cricket, so there's plenty of sources who have picked up pillow talk information about England's plans.....

Ah, so you're currently getting it on with someone who has slept with Gilo? Gotcha

The papers...

Ok lets be honest- Don't we all?

Except for Lara, who gets her (his?) information from Steven Stubbings's brother.....

JKLever wrote:

eowyn wrote:Trevor, where do you get your inside information from?

The papers...

Oh and Lara. Mark Davies? Not many green seaming wickets for a 76 mph bowler to exploit in India....

Meh, he outbowls everybody at Durham and pretty much everyone in English cricket everytime he plays. His figures are ridiculously good and lack of pace never hindered McGrath or Pollock.

I would be interested to see Davies' home/away averages if anyone could find them.

Henry wrote:Kabir Ali is the sort of bowler who should have been picked ahead of Darren Whatsisface for Headingley.

Fixed

Lara Lara Laughs wrote:

JKLever wrote:

eowyn wrote:Trevor, where do you get your inside information from?

The papers...

Oh and Lara. Mark Davies? Not many green seaming wickets for a 76 mph bowler to exploit in India....

Meh, he outbowls everybody at Durham and pretty much everyone in English cricket everytime he plays. His figures are ridiculously good and lack of pace never hindered McGrath or Pollock.

I would be interested to see Davies' home/away averages if anyone could find them.

We're talking 76-78 mph - those two you mention were a lot faster than that.

He's a Mark Saggers, trash county players then he'd be biffed on the international stage. Have you even seen him bowl?

On tv before. Cant say i rember him bowling as slowly as 76. Sounds like roobish to me.

How tall is Davies?

Lara Lara Laughs wrote:On tv before. Cant say i rember him bowling as slowly as 76. Sounds like roobish to me.

I said 76-78

And embee, he's not a giant by any means...