So it looks like the England versus West Indies series might actually take place. Great news! I’m sick of watching re-runs. I find it almost impossible to watch full coverage of matches when I know the result. It’s like watching a predictable Tom Cruise movie. When you know how it’s going to end then there’s very little tension. It’s just not the sort of sporting cocktail I enjoy.
Although watching home internationals with no spectators is going to feel a tad surreal – we’re used to zero atmosphere in the UAE but not Old Trafford – it’s still better than no live cricket at all. What’s more, us bloggers will fill finally be able to write match previews and daily reports again.
The first stage of TFT’s ‘coverage’ of the Windies tour will be to guess the composition of England’s squad. Normally this kind of thing is easy. You know they’re going to name 12 or 13 players and most of the squad is written in stone beforehand. This time, however, it’s a little trickier. England are eventually going to name 45 players with distinct Test and ODI squads – in other words, no player will be named in both squads. This will enable England’s Test and ODIs side to play games simultaneously (at different venues of course) as the ECB tries to squeeze in as many money-spinning fixtures as possible in the time available.
This makes things rather interesting. For example, which squad will Jos Buttler appear in? He’s an average Test cricketer but an absolutely brilliant ODI player. In fact, one could argue that he’s the best white ball batsman we’ve ever had. Yet I imagine that England will name him in the Test squad just to be illogical and awkward. This kind of thing makes predictions impossible.
The other thing that’s problematic is the sheer number of players to consider. 45 players is an awful lot. It’s like naming a British Lions rugby squad. We can look at who played in the winter, and who went on the England Lions development tour to Australia, but we might still be a few players short. Consequently I’ll probably end up throwing a few leftfield names at you. And why not? Ed Smith likes throwing the occasional curveball so why can’t we?
The bankers
I think the best way to approach this exercise is to begin with a few dead certs for each squad and then see how many places are left. For the purposes of this exercise I’m going to assume that everyone will be fit by July.
I’m also, perhaps foolishly, going to assume that COVID-19 has sobered up Ed Smith and he’s going to think logically from now on. That means Buttler will appear in the white ball list.
Let’s begin with the Test squad as that’s going to be revealed first. Here are the bankers: Sibley, Burns, Crawley, Denly, Root (well, he is the captain), Stokes, Pope, Foakes, Bess, Sam Curran, Archer, Broad, Anderson, Leach
A couple of things to mention here. I’ve chosen Ben Stokes in the Test squad because Test cricket is (ostensibly) England’s No.1 priority. Therefore, if Stokes was named in the white ball squad at the expense of the Test team then there would probably be, not to put too fine a point on it, a bloody riot. The same goes for Jofra.
Joe Root is picked in the Test squad for exactly the same reason plus, of course, he’s captain. I’ve also unapologetically selected Ben Foakes. If he’s not going to play when Buttler’s absent then he’s never going to play again. This seems like the perfect opportunity to pick the best wicket-keeper in the country at long last. And I bet he scores more runs than most people expect too.
Now it’s time for the white ball certainties: Morgan, Buttler, Roy, Bairstow, Billings, Banton, Malan, Moeen, Woakes, Rashid, Wood, Brown, Jordan, Tom Curran, Parkinson.
This looks like a strong 15 names to me – even without Root, Stokes, and Archer. There’s plenty of experience in both batting and bowling. Woakes and Wood would lead the attack with Curran, Jordan and Pat Brown competing for places behind them. There are also three good spin options with Moeen and Rashid being pressed by Matt Parkinson.
The tough calls here were ring-fencing Woakes and Wood for white ball cricket. Ideally I’d like them available for Test cricket too. In fact, one could easily make the case that they should be in the other squad.
However, Woakes is an integral part of the ODI starting XI; therefore I think Eoin Morgan would miss him more than Joe Root. The Mark Wood decision just came down to fitness really. There’s less chance of him getting crocked if he’s only bowling ten overs per innings. I also think the white ball squad needs a little pace in Archer’s absence.
The other somewhat controversial selection is Moeen Ali. England seem desperate to get him back in the Test side but I really don’t understand why. Dom Bess is a better long term bet as an off-spinner and there’s no point in going back now. What’s more, Jack Leach has done really well in his Test career to date. He averages 29 after ten tests. That’s a better average than Graeme Swann.
Moeen has had his moments in Test cricket, of course, but he’s never been particularly consistent. Therefore preferring a guy who averages 37 with the ball over two younger spinners averaging under 30 makes absolutely no sense. In fact, it makes such little sense that I fully expect it to happen.
One obvious omission thus far is Saqib Mahmood. I went backwards and forwards on this but ultimately decided that he should be with the Test squad. I just feel that he offers something a little different. If one of the frontline seamers gets injured then I’d much prefer someone with a bit of pace, who might create some wickets, than a archetypal English medium-fast bowler.
Finalising the Test squad
So where do things stand after the obvious picks? We’ve got 30 names so far (fifteen in each squad). Therefore we need to find a further 15 players. I suggest there should be 6 in the Test squad and 9 in the white ball squad. This is because Eoin Morgan’s men play two different forms of the game.
Picking the six extra Test players should be relatively simple. We need two batsman, a keeper, a spinner, and two seam bowlers to cover all bases.
First lets deal with the keeper. The next cab on the rank is James Bracey from Gloucs. He’s a good young keeper and a decent batsman too. He’s a little older than his nearest rival, Ollie Robinson from Kent, so if we’re choosing between the two Lions keepers then Bracey is the safer pick.
The backup bowlers should be Amar Virdi, Olly Stone, and Craig Overton. This trio will enable Root and Silverwood to replace like for like in the event of injury. Stone offers raw pace, Overton control (and a bit of batting), and Virdi is an exciting talent who might push Bess and Leach in the not too distant future.
The batting places are a little more complicated. Why? Because there’s bloody Keaton Jennings to consider. Although most of us wouldn’t touch him with a bargepole, we can’t ignore the fact that Ed Smith seems infatuated with the Lancashire opener – especially as he was picked for Sri Lanka.
Personally I don’t think there’s any need to pick another spare open. We’ve already got the returning Burns, Sibley, Crawley, plus Denly (who can open) available. Therefore I’m going to eschew Jennings and opt for Dan Lawrence, who was probably the standout batsman on the Lions trip down under, plus the deserving Sam Northeast.
Final Squad: Burns, Sibley, Crawley, Denly, Root, Stokes, Pope, Lawrence, Northeast, Foakes, Bracey, Bess, Curran, Overton, Archer, Broad, Anderson, Leach, Virdi, Mahmood, Stone.
Finalising the ODI and T20 squad
Now it’s time to allocate the final 9 white ball places with the batsmen coming first. I’m going to name five: Sam Hain, James Vince, Joe Clarke, Tom Kohler Cadmore, and …. wait for it … Alex Hales.
Hain has been an outstanding white ball player for a while now so he’s definitely worth his place. Vince obviously divides opinion but his record in T20s (and we can’t forget about T20s in a World Cup year) is very respectable. Tom Kohler Cadmore is a likely lad from the Lions with a lot of talent. He’ll benefit from being around the squad even if he doesn’t play much.
The two most controversial picks are obviously Clarke and Hales for very different reasons. Although Clarke struggled in first class cricket last season he enjoyed a productive Royal London campaign and remains an outstanding prospect.
As for Hales, I just think he’s too good to remain in the doghouse forever. He’s a world class white ball player and one of the best T20 openers in the world.
If Roy or Bairstow were to get injured during the World Cup then Hales could replace them in a heartbeat without weakening the side. It’s that simple for me. Although some people will never forgive him for taking recreational drugs – and that’s fair enough – I’m personally ready to move on.
Because we’ve already got numerous keeping options in the squad, the remaining four places go to bowlers. I’m choosing Lewis Gregory, Liam Plunkett, Henry Brookes, and Liam Dawson.
Gregory is a maturing multi-dimensional cricketer with leadership qualities. He clearly deserves his place after impressing both for Somerset and The Lions.
As for Plunkett we all know the story. He was jettisoned harshly after England’s ODI World Cup victory but remains a dependable option. If England need someone to step in at a crucial stage of the T20 World Cup then Plunkett’s the man. Nobody panics Jade Dernbach-style when they see big Liam’s name on the team-sheet. He’s a reassuring man-bear presence.
The same could be said for Dawson really. He’s never let England down. He’s a mature cricketer with a good temperament who offers something with both bat and ball. He also had a strong Royal London season in 2019 with 18 wickets at 20 and an economy rate of just over 4.
I’ve chosen Brookes as a wildcard really. He’s an exciting young bowler with genuine pace who should benefit from being around the squad.
Final Squad: Roy, Bairstow, Hales, Banton, Vince, Morgan, Buttler, Malan, Hain, Kohler Cadmore, Clarke, Billings, Moeen, Dawson, Woakes, Gregory, Rashid, Wood, Brown, Jordan, Tom Curran, Plunkett, Parkinson, Brookes.
So what do you all think? I have to admit that picking 45 was pretty exhausting by the end. I’m bound to have overlooked a few strong candidates.
Who would you pick? And most importantly who do you think Big Ed will pick?
And how long will it be before multiple players test positive for COVID-19 and they call off the whole thing anyway?
James Morgan
Very well argued, James. The only name I would take issue with is Overton – I wouldn’t consider either of them for any England team!
I particularly agree with your wicket-keeper argument. I suppose you would have Buttler keeping in the white ball format rather than Bairstow? Foakes is a better bat than he is often given credit for at Test level.
I’d surmise that Leach’s medical condition will keep him out and that Archer and Wood might be swapped around. I’m not saying that latter scenario is what should happen but more that it might given the problems Archer had around the Test team during the winter. It wouldn’t make sense to pick him in the Test squad but then not make the starting XI which of course he didn’t by the end of the winter and it would also be some compensation to Morgan for losing Stokes.
I still can’t get excited about the WI series I’m afraid. Empty grounds, sub-optimum XIs, ridiculous rules and whipping boy opposition? I’d rather play golf and do the garden. Last time WI were here they only competed when Shai Hope made two centuries in a match – he hasn’t made a century in any of his other 56 Test innings and has only made four 50s in 35 innings since then. If he was a horse, they’d be sending for the dope testers.
Waste of time. You can’t play sport under these restrictive conditions just to satisfy Sky. Social distancing, bio secure grounds, limits to spectators if any, sit here not there p, no over 70s probably. Sorry but in my view it’s pointless. Who wants to watch a poor West Indies team anyway? Forget it.
Well, Morgan’s put the kibosh on one of your selections James! It’s a trust thing, y’know. The door is open but there’s a giant boot pushing back at anyone who tries to open it further. It’s not closed though–there’s always the 2027 WC. Do you think it’s possible for one player to score 355 in a one-day innings?!
Some other random thoughts:
–I struggle to think of anyone obvious you’ve missed. Maybe a type more than a player: the one-day squad might look a bit less samey with a left-armer, although they’re queuing up to bang the door down. Willey, perhaps?
–I wonder how “deserving” a few of your batsmen are. Vince for the 89th time after looking dire in the WC?
Billings, who some superstatting on Cricinfo suggested had usually underperformed in big T20 leagues, has often underperformed for England and who’ll probably be the wrong side of 30 next time there’s an ICC event? Sorry, can’t get very excited.
Northeast–who’s usually struggled to get to double figures in any kind of pressure innings for the Lions and who averaged 25 in one of his two recent Div 1 seasons? I’d rather have Ballance if we’re going for a 30-year-old squad batsman.
–I’d be inclined to put Lawrence in the one-day squad, mainly because he’s more likely to get a game but also because none of your specialist batsmen are bowlers.
–although I can’t immediately think of a better selection than Bracey, it would be so nice to be able to select a reserve keeper who actually keeps for his county regularly! Does anyone have any views on Rossington–other than that he’s probably not svelte enough for modern England selectors?
I totally forgot David Willey. Ooops.
Eoin said he didn’t trust Hales yet literally ten mins after I published this post. Never trust anyone called Morgan.
I saw Bracey keep last season and thought he’s decent, but he looks a better batsman than keeper (like Ollie Pope). I also saw Ollie Robinson of Kent keep many times, and I think he’s probably the best Kent keeper since Alan Knott. I’d go for him.
Oh, and I’d also suggest the ‘other’ Ollie Robinson rather than Overton for the Test squad. His red ball figures over the last few years have been exceptional, and he can bat. (NB Who can resist seeing: A. Batter c. Ollie Robinson, bowled Ollie Robinson?!)
How would you compare Robinson with other “proper” current English keepers, Giles? I’m interested because I was under the impression that he was another specialist batsman who’d been turned into a makeshift keeper, but your comment seems to suggest that you think he’s at least better than Billings…
Billings is good keeper too, but also (like Bairstow) an exceptional outfielder ; as he was injured or at the IPL for much of last season, we saw a lot of Ollie, and he kept extremely well. It’s true most was standing back as we didn’t have much spin in the CC last season – it would be different this year if we get any cricket with Qadri. I can honestly say I didn’t see him miss any chance. Mind you, if I were picking a Test team today I’d have Foakes as my keeper without any doubts.
Have you seen Rossington? I’ve been intrigued ever since Mike Selvey tweeted a couple of years ago that he was one of the best keepers in the country…bearing in mind however that he was produced by Middx, so the assessment might not have been entirely objective!
I’d have also given Hales another go in the white ball squad – time to move on from last summer – but typically the ECB has been less forgiving (role models, team ethic blah blah). Can’t disagree with the vast majority of your selections, though I wonder if Leach will be left out for the sake of his health in the current circumstances. I would love to see Wood given a go at Tests again, but tend to agree that the white ball squad is the better option for now given his terrible injury record.
Do Leach’s health issues make him vulnerable to Covid? I read he suffers from Crohn’s disease. Does this put him in a vulnerable category? I really don’t know to be honest.
Crohn’s is an autoimmune disease, and many treatments involve suppressing the immune system to some extent – which would make him more vulnerable to Covid.
Thanks mate.
I don’t see how it’s possible to predict whether the series will go ahead. The present relaxations have only just begun and their effects cannot be analysed yet. From a spectators point of view I don’t see the point of playing professional sport under artificial conditions, where the result is relatively meaningless, just so TV revenues can be accumulated. Look at the travesty of the Bundersleage. If Sky get exclusive rights, how many cricket fans will have access to it as pubs and clubs won’t be open. You can’t social distance a crowd, either inside or outside the ground. 1 player, supporter or ground staff employee goes down with the virus and it could set things back months, all for the sake of what?
Agreed totally Marc. Even a Test behind closed doors takes a heck of a lot of back up staff to stage. I really fail to understand why people just can’t wait until all sport just gets back to at least near normality. People need to find other interests and schedule their time a bit differently, try it, it works. One missed cricket season is hardly a problem in the grand scale of things right now. Just forget about it.
Interesting article. I for one am really looking forward to Test cricket!
Hard to argue with your logic on the squads/choices.
One name missing from the whiteball squad is Salt who, if you pardon the pun, seems to be flavour of the month with some…
Personally I would give serious consideration to Ravi. A truly multidimensional cricketer.
So no comeback for Hales according to Morgan. Anyone with two brain cells to rub together knows that Hales’ real crime was not the recreational drug story, it was the night out in Bristol. What exactly his crime was that night, as far as the England set-up is concerned, we’ll probably never know. Not telling anyone what had happened so they could send in the clean-up crew seems most likely. (BTW, if Hales really did kick someone in the head that night then I’ve no sympathy for him at all – but the evidence for this seems very unconvincing).
I’m afraid this is the all-too-predictable result of England’s WC triumph. Rather than putting that win down to, say, being an extremely rich team with some talented players playing at home, they put it down to their cult-like ideas about “team culture”. We’re just going to see more of this for the foreseeable future.
England’s wins in international tournaments have never been a springboard for an era of domination in any major team sport (think football in 1966 or rugby in 2003), they always collapse into hubris. It would be nice if this one were different but the early signs aren’t especially encouraging.
It’s complete deja vu–full-on Andy Flower bullying mode.
Moralistic blathering about “trust”–tick
Public shaming of a player for ill-defined, or illogical, reasons–tick (in theory Hales’s crime was complying with the ECB’s own policy for drugs infringements)
Obsessive desire for “reintegration”–tick
Building up festering grudges over a long time–tick (if Hales’s real crime was his behaviour in Bristol, then he should have been punished for that, at the very least several months earlier, and at a time when England still had a ODI series before the WC squad was announced to test replacements)
Obsession with team culture–tick (what was that Steve Archibald comment again?!)
Obsession with discipline even at the expense of replacing a mediocre player with a good one–tick (ironically, top-order batting was the one area where England’s strength in depth was tested in the WC, and it was found severely wanting).
It helps Morgan of course that Hales doesn’t always come across as the most likeable character, like Pietersen…but that’s not the point. If the England management can’t deal with players who are a pain in the arse sometimes, they shopuldn’t be the England management.
The biggest surprise is that initially England have announced not 45 players but 55! https://www.ecb.co.uk/england/men/news/1674230/england-men-confirm-back-to-training-group
Of James’s 45, the only ones to miss out are the expected Alex Hales, plus Joe Clarke, Sam Northeast, and Liam Plunkett. So well done James for being so close.
And Liam Plunkett really should at least be in the enlarged squad, even if he isn’t going to be in a team. How recent was that World Cup victory?
PS: What happened to Toby-Roland Jones? He’d seem to fit in the ‘played the odd match a few years ago and now recalled to make up numbers in the 55’ category — but I can’t remember why he was dropped in the first place.
Funny how England pick a 55 man squad – it happens to be Stokes’ shirt number as well. Perhaps they reckon Morgan might find 11 players among them he can trust? And who didn’t have Reece Topley in their draft squad? It seems barely playing for several years is no obstacle if you’re in the right circles.
Meanwhile, the counties are kept hanging on even further. The logistics of the furlough scheme mean they won’t be able to keep doing this much longer and we’ll discover whether this has been a cynical move to pre-emept a mutiny in the shires or there will really be some CC this season.
Well, people on a recent thread were wondering about the possibility of a modern David Steele emerging from the domestic game to save England at an advanced age, having never played international cricket before–and now here we have two of them, Evans and Gleeson!
I think I’m right in saying that Evans has never even played for the Lions, and Gleeson didn’t till he was past 30
Evans is a white ball, esp. T20, specialist, so a slightly different type of player than David Steele!
…looks a bit different too…!
I remember reading one of these light-hearted player questionnaires from when he was at Warks where one of his teammates named him as the vainest player in the dressing-room because of the amount of time he spent doing his hair. Somehow I don’t have that image of Steele–although who knows, maybe a lot of effort went into that appearance…