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[Vic Nicholas]

Just watching Cowan on the highlights and he looks a very stiff hard hands player as if he has spent a lot of time on the bowling machine or is it just me looks good though

Cowan has always struck me as the journeyman cricketer who through obsessive practise has earned himself a test cap. He is up there with Hussey for judging leaves in teh Australoian first class scene. Very patient and focussed.

Would not have got into the test team in the recent past when it was a very attacking batting order, but in these more brittle times, he is just the man we need right here and now.

[Number4]

Cowan has always struck me as the journeyman cricketer who through obsessive practise has earned himself a test cap. He is up there with Hussey for judging leaves in teh Australoian first class scene. Very patient and focussed.

Would not have got into the test team in the recent past when it was a very attacking batting order, but in these more brittle times, he is just the man we need right here and now.

Totally agree Vic

[Vic Nicholas]

Not sure who will open when Strauss retires, but otherwise, I think this team would be pretty decent:

Cook (c)
A N Other
Bell
Taylor
Morgan
Stokes
Barstow
Bresnan
Broad
Finn
Briggs/Kerrigan

Looks good, but I am not sold on Morgan...yet.

Kerrigan from Lancs I don't mind. Briggs I don't know a whole lot about TBH. You don't fancy the Makem leggy Borthwick?

[petehosk]

Cook (c)
Bell-Drummond?
Bell
Taylor
Morgan
Stokes
Barstow
Bresnan
Broad
Finn
Briggs/Kerrigan

I would put Bell-Drummond as he's 18 and is showing massive promise!
But as has been said before, 5 years is a long time in cricket so even the English team may change beyond recognition!

[Vic Nicholas]

Cook (c)
Bell-Drummond?
Bell
Taylor
Morgan
Stokes
Barstow
Bresnan
Broad
Finn
Briggs/Kerrigan

I would put Bell-Drummond as he's 18 and is showing massive promise!
But as has been said before, 5 years is a long time in cricket so even the English team may change beyond recognition!

Too true.

Two years ago I had never heard of Cummins (who was 16) and Lyon (who only started playing FC cricket in the last handful of games last summer) and I would have thought you insane if you suggested that Cowan and Warner would be opening the batting (together no less!) for Australia.

I am still not sure I can believe it.

It does show how quickly things can change at international level.

[The_Bird]

Joe Root, Tom Maynard, RHB and Steve Davies are all waiting too..

[Vic Nicholas]

Joe Root, Tom Maynard, RHB and Steve Davies are all waiting too..

Root maybe...but Maynard???

Are you taking the piss?

[Johnny]

Nope, don't fancy Borthwick to be honest. I think people spend too much time trying to uncover the next Shane Warne, and it's never going to happen.

I think Swann and Monty show that finger spin is stool alive, and that you don't HAVE to have a wonder spinner in your ranks to be a good team.

As you say though, things change...

I'm sure I'd have mentioned how amazing Adil Rashid is going to be if I was writing this a few years ago, and I never rated Bresnan until the last Ashes (and he's continued to prove he is good enough this summer too)

My XI also misses out Meaker, Dernbach and Buttler, as well as giving premature retirements to Trott and Pieterson.

Off course all the talent I have listed might just turn out to be the next generation of ramprakash and hicks :S

[Vic Nicholas]

Nope, don't fancy Borthwick to be honest. I think people spend too much time trying to uncover the next Shane Warne, and it's never going to happen.

I think Swann and Monty show that finger spin is stool alive, and that you don't HAVE to have a wonder spinner in your ranks to be a good team.

As you say though, things change...

I'm sure I'd have mentioned how amazing Adil Rashid is going to be if I was writing this a few years ago, and I never rated Bresnan until the last Ashes (and he's continued to prove he is good enough this summer too)

My XI also misses out Meaker, Dernbach and Buttler, as well as giving premature retirements to Trott and Pieterson.

Off course all the talent I have listed might just turn out to be the next generation of ramprakash and hicks :S

Until the last Ashes, I thought Bresnan was no better than Trevor Jesty - but after his performances here last summer, I am now a fan. Tremlett always struck me as having the killer instinct of Bookaboo, but he also impressed last summer.

One of Trott or Pietersen may still be around in five years time, but it is tempting fate (like Oz has done) to carry two 36 year olds at the same time.

Buttler would have to improve a lot to get in front of Bairstow, but has plenty of time.

I am not sold on Dernbach, while Meaker I have seen next to nothing of.

Anyways, enjoy the next four to five years as the bulk of your team will change very little over that time.

[Manormanic]

A lot can indeed change, but you fail to mention that Andy Flower is probably bright enough and certainly unsentimental enough to move with the times rather than stubbornly refusing to change and keeping picking the same faces again and again as they grow older - indeed, he has already shown with the one day game that he is looking to incorprorate more youngsters into the national set up so that they gain experience before they are asked upon to be the main men.

Accepted Australia have a crop of good young players coming through - but so do England.  As I've said before, for the ones you've named we have Bairstow, Taylor,  Stokes, Lyth, Root, Borthwick, Adil Rashid, Rafiq, Woakes, Finn, Ashraf, Roland-Jones, Topley and plenty more who have every bit as much potential.

In summation, the current England team is nowhere near as good as the best Australian side under Waugh, but I doubt that in five/six years time they'll be as bad as the side that Ponting led into the ground either!

[Julesoak]

Root maybe...but Maynard???

Are you taking the piss?

Watched Maynard a few times at The Oval this year. He certainly gives it a whack. But there's a big difference between whacking Div 2 bowlers about and being a successful international batsman.

He's got potential but needs to learn how to play a long innings. But it's been done before - Tresco, Vaughan, Strauss, Morgan (hopefully)

And I know it's an old bugbear, but there is a big difference between coming to England as a kid (which loads of Saffa's did in the 90s and 00s for economic and social reasons) and coming over as a 20 year old because you find your way blocked at home.

With all the emigration to Oz in recent times I suspect they may find the odd UK-born player in the ranks in 15-20 years time...

[Johnny]

Forgot about Woakes - I rate him very highly to be honest, and think he's been a bit hard done by not to get the same opportunities as some of the other young players

[Manormanic]

Kerrigan from Lancs I don't mind. Briggs I don't know a whole lot about TBH. You don't fancy the Makem leggy Borthwick?

Kerrigan is not quick enough therough the air for international cricket - he may well be able to rectify that, but I don't think at this stage he is one ripe for fast tracking.  Briggs doesn't turn the ball enough and is destined to be our Xavier Doherty, I fear.

In terms of spinners, Rashid will come good eventually (and is a quality batsman and fielder to boot).  Borthwick might be useful - perhaps too early to tell, but he has an all round game and the support of a top coach in Geoff Cook, so the chances are reasonable.  I also rate Azeem Rafiq if we're looking three to five years down the line - can give the ball a real rip and has a similar character to a certain off spinning encumbent.  And of course, we have the option of George Dockrell, which some do not approve of - but he does look quality for a kid of 19, and has the benefit of some international experience!

[The_Bird]

Root maybe...but Maynard???

Are you taking the piss?

I thought you were a stats man Vic? 1000+ in the LV averaging over 40 In all competitions and only 22, in 5 years yep

[Manormanic]

Buttler would have to improve a lot to get in front of Bairstow, but has plenty of time.

Bairstow may well end up playing as a batsman only - he is so good that he doesn't need to rely on his keeping, and in all honesty he is no better than functional with the gloves at any rate.

Buttler may not be the man to take it on though - John Simpson and Adam Rossington at Middlesex are the new Russell and Read (anyone who doesn't get the reference PM me) and Steve Davies will surely come again.