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[Tail Ender]

The English touring squad to Australia is due to be announced today. I've read a couple of articles claiming Ballance, Stokes and Rankin are going to be the bolters, with Graeme Onions to miss out.

The Telegraph are claiming the below as the likely squad; I guess someone else will post the actual squad when it is named.

AN Cook (capt), JE Root, IJL Trott, KP Pietersen, IR Bell, JM Bairstow, MJ Prior (w/k), SCJ Broad, GP Swann, JM Anderson, ST Finn, WB Rankin, BJ Stokes, MS Panesar, MA Carberry, GS Ballance, TT Bresnan (to join when fit).

Thoughts on that lot then, lads?

[Kulli]

Can't see Carberry making the cut after his recent form but you never know, other than that I'd be pretty happy if that's the side they go for.

[ItsJustCricket]

I hope they give Nick Compton another chance...

[Alvaro]

If Andrew Gale makes the trip I'm Don Bradman's box.

Nice subterfuge Nick....

[nick123]

Could they give James Taylor ago over Bairstow ?

[Manormanic]

The English touring squad to Australia is due to be announced today. I've read a couple of articles claiming Ballance, Stokes and Rankin are going to be the bolters, with Graeme Onions to miss out.

The Telegraph are claiming the below as the likely squad; I guess someone else will post the actual squad when it is named.

AN Cook (capt), JE Root, IJL Trott, KP Pietersen, IR Bell, JM Bairstow, MJ Prior (w/k), SCJ Broad, GP Swann, JM Anderson, ST Finn, WB Rankin, BJ Stokes, MS Panesar, MA Carberry, GS Ballance, TT Bresnan (to join when fit).

Thoughts on that lot then, lads?

8 batsmen and an all rounder but only four seamers until Bresnan arrives?  I can't really see that happening....

[Number4]

Can't wait till the Aussies smash 'em this time round

[The_Bird]

Panesar ??

I doubt it very much.

[Tumo]

If Taylor does not make the squad then it's a travesty, especially when the bat-pad gate specialist Bairstow gets a chance ahead of him..

[Byo]

If Taylor does not make the squad then it's a travesty, especially when the bat-pad gate specialist Bairstow gets a chance ahead of him..

Bairstow will go as back up keeper I reckon...

[400notout]

Panesar will be in the squad.
Think Carberry/Compton/Vince will all be in the A squad.
Ballance is a good shout!

[The_Bird]

Tredwell the consumate professional will be in ahead of Panesar surely. Sends out a completely wrong message if Panesar gets on the plane, if someone can act like a clown at his age and go on the biggest tour an England cricketer can go on then its a huge travesty.

[Tumo]

Bairstow will go as back up keeper I reckon...

I agree, but if he goes, the short one goes, he's been different gravy this season, and let's be honest he didn't do a great deal wrong against SA...

[Manormanic]

I agree, but if he goes, the short one goes, he's been different gravy this season, and let's be honest he didn't do a great deal wrong against SA...

has he?  his first class record is not as good as Gary Ballance, James Vince or Moeen Ali and is only marginally better than Varun Chopra and Sam Robson...as for South Africa, the difference between his performance Bairstow's demonstrates exactly why JB is the man in possession!

[Manormanic]

Tredwell the consumate professional will be in ahead of Panesar surely. Sends out a completely wrong message if Panesar gets on the plane, if someone can act like a clown at his age and go on the biggest tour an England cricketer can go on then its a huge travesty.

But Panesar will not get taken apart and Tredwell, for all his personal qualities, will.

I'd take Adil Rashid personally - if Swann is injured, play Rashid as six bat and get a few overs from him behind four quicks.