England Ashes Squad
September 26th 2010 18:29
Link: twitter.com/mattsaltmer
England Ashes Squad
England's 16 man squad to head to Australia this winter, to defend the Ashes won in the summer of 2009, has been announced. There are no real shocks, as about 14 members of the squad picked themselves, but there will be a few players disappointed to have narrowly missed out. The thoroughly professional selection process, which has been in place for a few years now, also sees 16 more players head down-under as part of a performance squad, there ready, and playing cricket, should injury strike the main squad. The five-match test series begins on November 25th, with England looking to avenge their 5-0 series defeat, last time the sides met in Australia.
Given the retirement in recent years of key Australian cricketers, such as Matthew Hayden, Shane Warne, Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath, it is definitely a transition period for Australian cricket. Currently ranked 4th in the test rankings, they are still a world-class team, but not as strong as four years ago. England, however, despite currently being ranked a place lower in 5th, are coming good. World Twenty20 Champions, impressing in one-day cricket, and have won their last six series in all formats of the game. England now have a settled, and well balanced starting eleven, with only one real selection dilemma.
Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook are obviously in the squad as the opening batsmen. Jonathan Trott made his test debut in the final Ashes test last summer, and after making a century in that game, has cemented his position at number 3 in the batting line-up. Despite recent poor form, not hitting a test century in 18 monthes, Kevin Pietersen will no doubt bat at 4, with Paul Collingwood in at 5. This leaves one big choice for the final batting place in the team, Ian Bell or Eoin Morgan.
Ian Bell has matured a lot of the last few years, and has become a real class act for England, and Warwickshire. His place in the side seemed to be 100% assured, before a foot injury ruled him out of the series with Pakistan. Having been England's best one-day batsmen over the last couple of years, Bell's injury lead to Eoin Morgan getting his chance at test level. He averaged 29 against Pakistan, hitting a century in the opening test. While 29 is not a brilliant average, it is still higher than Collingwood, Cook, Strauss and Pietersen manged in the series.
Personally, I would go for Ian Bell at 6. He has the experience of three Ashes series behind him, and wouldn't even have his place in the team up for debate had it not been for injury. Morgan is a bright prospect for the future, and is undoubtedly our most valuable asset in one-day, and Twenty20 cricket. But should any of England's top order struggle early in the tour, Morgan and Bell could well both force their way into the team. The advantage for Bell is, he has batted at every position in the line-up, including opener, so no-ones place is safe.
Matt Prior will be the wicket-keeper, and after averaging 59 with the bat against Pakistan, is a valuable player coming in at number 7. He has worked hard at his glove work in the last couple of years, and seems to now be a reliable, and consistent performer in the side. Steven Davies has started his England one-day career impressively, and heads to Australia as Prior's back-up. Davies pipped Somerset keeper Craig Kieswetter, a Twenty20 world cup winner, to a place in the squad. Kieswetter will instead tour with the performance squad.
In the 2005 Ashes series, England's bowling unit of Ashley Giles, Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard and Simon Jones, was heralded as one of the best in the countries history. I would argue the current England bowling unit is much, much better. Graeme Swann and James Anderson, are currently ranked the 2nd and 4th best bowlers in world cricket. Swann has ignited his career in the last couple of years, and right now, is definitely England's best player in Test cricket. In swinging conditions, Jimmy Anderson is the best bowler in the world, but the question remains, can he take wickets in Australia?
Stuart Broad is a fast improving, all round cricketer. His devastating bowling spell in the final test of the last Ashes series, pretty much won England the urn. His bowling has stayed at the same standard in the last year, but he is always gaining experience, and his batting down the order could be vital for his side. While currently batting at 9, below Graeme Swann, I expect him to move up a place, after averaging 42 against Pakistan, and hitting an incredible knock of 169. Any team with a bowler making that many runs, and taking wickets, are lucky.
The youngest, and newest member of England's bowling attack, is Steven Finn. The 21 year old Watford born seamer, has burst onto the scene, taking 13 wickets, at an average of 23, in the series against Pakistan. His batting is so poor he is below Anderson in the order, but he has shown on occasion, to at least have the ability to block, and hold up an end. But where as the batting line-up still requires decisions to be made, it is very likely Swann, Anderson, Broad and Finn, will start all five tests in Australia, all being well
However, there are three other bowlers in the squad, who all add something different to the England entourage. Chris Tremlett is selected ahead of Ajmal Shazhad, as the selectors feel his height, and bounce, could be suited to surfaces in Australia. If this proves to be the case, he could well force his way into the starting eleven. Tim Bresnan is in due to his decent performances in one day cricket. However, I feel Bresnan is probably the man in the squad, there most just to make up numbers, and is very unlikely to get a game.
The 16th, and final member of the squad, is spinner Monty Panesar. I am a huge fan of the cult-hero, who burst onto the test cricket scene back in 2006, and was for a while, the first name on the England team sheet. In the last series down under, he took a five wicket haul in Perth, and looked set to be England's premier spinner for years to come. A loss of form and confidence saw his place go to Graeme Swann, and he has not represented his country since the first Ashes test in Cardiff last summer, where he ended the match wicket-less. He has resurrected his career this season however, after switching counties to Sussex, and has forced his way ahead of James Tredwell and Adil Rashid, to make the squad. If there is a spinning pitch, England could play two spinners, but barring an injury to Swann, Panesar is unlikely to be in the side as main spinner.
So the squad in full is made up of seven batsmen; Strauss, Cook, Trott, Bell, Pietersen, Collingwood and Morgan. Two wicket-keepers; Prior and Davies. And seven bowlers; Anderson, Broad, Swann, Finn, Bresnan, Panesar and Tremlett. In all honesty, there are 12 players very much at the fore-front of English test cricket right now, and they are definitely good enough to retain the Ashes in Australia, something England have not achieved since 1987. I am confident in our chances, and personally, would pick this starting eleven for the first test, starting in Brisbane, on November 25th;
Strauss, Cook, Trott, Pietersen, Bell, Collingwood, Prior, Broad, Swann, Anderson & Finn.
You can find a full schedule of England's fixtures for the tour of Australia, including one-day matches, Twenty20 matches, tour matches against county sides, and the Ashes tests, here;
Really Long Link
England's 16 man squad to head to Australia this winter, to defend the Ashes won in the summer of 2009, has been announced. There are no real shocks, as about 14 members of the squad picked themselves, but there will be a few players disappointed to have narrowly missed out. The thoroughly professional selection process, which has been in place for a few years now, also sees 16 more players head down-under as part of a performance squad, there ready, and playing cricket, should injury strike the main squad. The five-match test series begins on November 25th, with England looking to avenge their 5-0 series defeat, last time the sides met in Australia.
Given the retirement in recent years of key Australian cricketers, such as Matthew Hayden, Shane Warne, Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath, it is definitely a transition period for Australian cricket. Currently ranked 4th in the test rankings, they are still a world-class team, but not as strong as four years ago. England, however, despite currently being ranked a place lower in 5th, are coming good. World Twenty20 Champions, impressing in one-day cricket, and have won their last six series in all formats of the game. England now have a settled, and well balanced starting eleven, with only one real selection dilemma.
Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook are obviously in the squad as the opening batsmen. Jonathan Trott made his test debut in the final Ashes test last summer, and after making a century in that game, has cemented his position at number 3 in the batting line-up. Despite recent poor form, not hitting a test century in 18 monthes, Kevin Pietersen will no doubt bat at 4, with Paul Collingwood in at 5. This leaves one big choice for the final batting place in the team, Ian Bell or Eoin Morgan.
Ian Bell has matured a lot of the last few years, and has become a real class act for England, and Warwickshire. His place in the side seemed to be 100% assured, before a foot injury ruled him out of the series with Pakistan. Having been England's best one-day batsmen over the last couple of years, Bell's injury lead to Eoin Morgan getting his chance at test level. He averaged 29 against Pakistan, hitting a century in the opening test. While 29 is not a brilliant average, it is still higher than Collingwood, Cook, Strauss and Pietersen manged in the series.
Personally, I would go for Ian Bell at 6. He has the experience of three Ashes series behind him, and wouldn't even have his place in the team up for debate had it not been for injury. Morgan is a bright prospect for the future, and is undoubtedly our most valuable asset in one-day, and Twenty20 cricket. But should any of England's top order struggle early in the tour, Morgan and Bell could well both force their way into the team. The advantage for Bell is, he has batted at every position in the line-up, including opener, so no-ones place is safe.
Matt Prior will be the wicket-keeper, and after averaging 59 with the bat against Pakistan, is a valuable player coming in at number 7. He has worked hard at his glove work in the last couple of years, and seems to now be a reliable, and consistent performer in the side. Steven Davies has started his England one-day career impressively, and heads to Australia as Prior's back-up. Davies pipped Somerset keeper Craig Kieswetter, a Twenty20 world cup winner, to a place in the squad. Kieswetter will instead tour with the performance squad.
In the 2005 Ashes series, England's bowling unit of Ashley Giles, Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard and Simon Jones, was heralded as one of the best in the countries history. I would argue the current England bowling unit is much, much better. Graeme Swann and James Anderson, are currently ranked the 2nd and 4th best bowlers in world cricket. Swann has ignited his career in the last couple of years, and right now, is definitely England's best player in Test cricket. In swinging conditions, Jimmy Anderson is the best bowler in the world, but the question remains, can he take wickets in Australia?
Stuart Broad is a fast improving, all round cricketer. His devastating bowling spell in the final test of the last Ashes series, pretty much won England the urn. His bowling has stayed at the same standard in the last year, but he is always gaining experience, and his batting down the order could be vital for his side. While currently batting at 9, below Graeme Swann, I expect him to move up a place, after averaging 42 against Pakistan, and hitting an incredible knock of 169. Any team with a bowler making that many runs, and taking wickets, are lucky.
The youngest, and newest member of England's bowling attack, is Steven Finn. The 21 year old Watford born seamer, has burst onto the scene, taking 13 wickets, at an average of 23, in the series against Pakistan. His batting is so poor he is below Anderson in the order, but he has shown on occasion, to at least have the ability to block, and hold up an end. But where as the batting line-up still requires decisions to be made, it is very likely Swann, Anderson, Broad and Finn, will start all five tests in Australia, all being well
However, there are three other bowlers in the squad, who all add something different to the England entourage. Chris Tremlett is selected ahead of Ajmal Shazhad, as the selectors feel his height, and bounce, could be suited to surfaces in Australia. If this proves to be the case, he could well force his way into the starting eleven. Tim Bresnan is in due to his decent performances in one day cricket. However, I feel Bresnan is probably the man in the squad, there most just to make up numbers, and is very unlikely to get a game.
The 16th, and final member of the squad, is spinner Monty Panesar. I am a huge fan of the cult-hero, who burst onto the test cricket scene back in 2006, and was for a while, the first name on the England team sheet. In the last series down under, he took a five wicket haul in Perth, and looked set to be England's premier spinner for years to come. A loss of form and confidence saw his place go to Graeme Swann, and he has not represented his country since the first Ashes test in Cardiff last summer, where he ended the match wicket-less. He has resurrected his career this season however, after switching counties to Sussex, and has forced his way ahead of James Tredwell and Adil Rashid, to make the squad. If there is a spinning pitch, England could play two spinners, but barring an injury to Swann, Panesar is unlikely to be in the side as main spinner.
So the squad in full is made up of seven batsmen; Strauss, Cook, Trott, Bell, Pietersen, Collingwood and Morgan. Two wicket-keepers; Prior and Davies. And seven bowlers; Anderson, Broad, Swann, Finn, Bresnan, Panesar and Tremlett. In all honesty, there are 12 players very much at the fore-front of English test cricket right now, and they are definitely good enough to retain the Ashes in Australia, something England have not achieved since 1987. I am confident in our chances, and personally, would pick this starting eleven for the first test, starting in Brisbane, on November 25th;
Strauss, Cook, Trott, Pietersen, Bell, Collingwood, Prior, Broad, Swann, Anderson & Finn.
You can find a full schedule of England's fixtures for the tour of Australia, including one-day matches, Twenty20 matches, tour matches against county sides, and the Ashes tests, here;
Really Long Link
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