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[musama91]

Our selectors should be shot and buried. The squad to South Africa was announced and shockingly, there have been lots of ommissions.

The teams:

Test squad: Andrew Strauss (Middlesex - captain), Alastair Cook (Essex - vice captain), James Anderson (Lancashire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Paul Collingwood (Durham), Steven Davies (Surrey), Graham Onions (Durham), Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire), Liam Plunkett (Durham), Matt Prior (Sussex), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Ryan Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire), Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire), Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire), Luke Wright (Sussex).

One-day squad: Andrew Strauss (Middlesex - captain), James Anderson (Lancashire), Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Paul Collingwood (Durham), Alastair Cook (Essex), Joe Denly (Kent), Sajid Mahmood (Lancashire), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Graham Onions (Durham), Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire), Matt Prior (Sussex), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire), Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire), Luke Wright (Sussex).

1) How is Owais Shah not in the squad. He save our arses against South Africa and played a great innings. I personally think he should have been in the England squad a looong time ago, years ago in fact. When he was making century after century at first class level no one looked at him, but now, when he has [probably] passed his peak, he is being considered.

2) Why is Luke Wright in BOTH squads? Where will he play. He is certainly not good enough to be a specialist batsman and Broady is the main allrounder who allows England to play with 7 batsmen and 5 bowlers. Is wright gonig to replace him? Is he even good enough to replace Broady is anything went wrong? Truly baffled

3) Steve Davies has been drafted in as a back up wicket keeper to Prior. Nothing wrong with him but as the selectors focus more on batting MUCH MORE than wicket keeping , will a guy with an average or 40 or so at first class level be good enough when others like Chris Read and Geraint Jones, both experiences internationals with averages of 75 and 52, are clearly not (in the selectors eyes)? How is a man who has never played for England able to do what those two cannot?

4) Bowling options are questionable as well: How were Mahmood and Sidebottom able to get a place in the England squad when other hopefuls like Steve Harmison and John Lewis were unsuccessful, despite much better seasons at county level. Both of them got more wickets (20 or so more) but as Sidebottom nad Harmison were involved with England, we must look at their strike rates and its still not looking good: Harmy (22) and Lewis (20) have strike rates bettering those of Mahmood (30) and Sidebottom (25). Maybe Sidebottom can still get a place because his strike rate isnt too far of Harmison and Lewis', but how in the world did Mahmood get in, when he played the full season AND ended up with less wickets and a higher strike (by about TEN RUNS) than the 2 previously mentioned.

5) Eoin Morgan had a poor county season averaging just 20 but, contrastingly to the great Mark Ramprakash, he proved himself on the international stage. It will be interesting to see whether he can keep it up. If however England needed a replacement batsman, Michael Carberry would immediately spring to mind. The rising cricketer achieved an average of 80 and is hot on Morgan's heels, who by the looks of it will need a good season, whether it be on the international or county stage.

In summary, WHAT THE (no swearing please) are the selectors doing. (must be repeated) WHAT THE ACTUAL (no swearing please). I have yet to understand their decision making.

It will indeed be interesting to see whether other forum members agree or disagree to what I have written. Before I end my argument it must be said: It looks like whatever Chris Read does is simply not good enough to spark an international comeback.

[Cover Drive]

jon lewis? against top class batsman? i dont think so!

[Apple]

the selctors i clearly looking forward to the ashes, WHY?

[harrystokoe]

1) Owais Shah was given a chance in the Test team at the start of the year and failed.

2) I agree that Luke Wright should not be in the test squad but In ODI's he scores handy runs down the order and is a decent   bowler, an English version of James Hopes

3)Steve Davies is only 23 so the selectors are clearly thinking about his future rather than selecting players such as Read and Jones who have had chances at international level and not impressed.

4) The selectors have clearly learned from their past mistakes and are not willing to take Steve Harmison on tour anymore as he hasn't impressed at all when away from home. John Lewis would never be good enough to trouble the likes of Smith, Kallis and Duminy.

5)Eoin Morgan performed very well in the Champions Trophy and therefore he should be kept in the side and not dropped when he has performed well.

On the whole the only selections in the Test squad I don't agree with are Sidebottom, Wright and Mahmood. Sidebottom has been given chances in the World Twenty/20 and other matches and not excelled while Wright still needs time to develop in the 4 day format before he is given a chance at Test level. Mahmood didn't impress when given a chance at test level and I personally believe he is simply not good enough to play test cricket.

[raymond]

This bloke has a career writing for the daily mail ahead of him! Seems a bit harsh to shoot and bury the selectors based on selections of a cricket team. All your moaning about is squad members, nothing that will in all probability affect the team.

[jamespaxton]

i personnaly believe luke wright should be in neither side, and i think ian bell should be in the ODI team aswell as tests, as should michael lumb. and the thought of jon lewis is almost as laughable as the inclusion of sajid mahmood! ajmal shazhad is 3 times the player of mahmood

[niceonechoppy]

Ive never understood what Jon Lewis did wrong at the interntional level to be discarded personally! Luke Wright is too inconsistent for my liking at first class level, so can't see him playing a major part at test level, if he gets a game.

[Apple]

I think we are looking Luke as being in the starting X1 well he defo wont be, he will be the last batsmen on the list

[stevie]

Don't understand how Shah isn't even in the ODI squad.

[musama91]

I feel for Shah more than anyone else in the squad. Jon Lewis, no matter how poor you think he may be, had one of the best figures for a bowler. His strike rate was up there with the best, only bettered by Kirby and Onions. I strongly believe that players should be selected because of their recent performances, not because of anything else like age or name or status.

And if a selector is viewing this thread (they are cricket fans as well), you should be shot and buried. alive.

[raymond]

Im sure that smith, kallis, de villiers and the like would not belive their luck if they were to have jon lewis opening the bowling agaisnt them. You shouldnt condemn people to death either, as you may have to face the lords wrath.

[Master-Basterd]

Im sure that smith, kallis, de villiers and the like would not belive their luck if they were to have jon lewis opening the bowling agaisnt them. You shouldnt condemn people to death either, as you may have to face the lords wrath.

I cant wait to see that first test match. Our bowling attack is going to get (would prefer it if you used a cleaner term than this - admin) by smith,kallis etc.

[mdl_1979]

I'm actually really pleased with the squads.  I think they got the balance about right.  Delighted that Owais Shah has been discarded.  He has played the odd decent innings but not enough to make up for his poor fielding.  I'm of the opinion that the Test and one day squads should be almost identical, so I'm pleased that Cook and Trott are in the ODI stuff.

[harrystokoe]

Owais Shah is more a liability than anything else, his running between the wickets is shocking and I feel the England middle order is better without him.

[Apple]

it is true that shah will run people out wen hes in the dressing room