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[FattusCattus]

In light of this 'utterance' from the current Ashington manager  http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/33906773  (has he even seen him play?)   - it made me think of what a challenge this would be to pick the right pair of spinners for this tour.

working on the principle that Root and Ali count as one spinner, another two need to go on the tour, so I started thinking about the contenders -

Riley - don't think he's done anything this season
Rashid - surely next cab off the block
Kerrigan - don't think he's done much either?
Tredders - surely that ship has sailed?


so then we get into the wild cards -

Jordan Crane - who?
Ravi Patel - Lions man, but little first class experience
Anasari -
Briggs - Has he bowled this season?
Monty - No coincidence he's suddenly been brought back into the fold?


After that, I'm struggling really.

[Buzz]

Ansari - he can also opening the batting which kills two birds with one stone - and is a leftie.

Rashid is far too temperamental

No one else really runs him close in my view.

[johnnyw]

Could do worse than look at Scott Borthwick. Decent bat too

[arsenal123]

Well this season Riley hasn't backed last season up.

Kerrigan is a bit of a forgotten man.

Tredwell I hope has sailed.

Crane looks good but is an 18 year old leggie for goodness sake!

Ravi Patel can't get in the Middlesex side and was on loan at Essex a few weeks ago.

Dawson looks a better bowler than Briggs at the moment.  Think him and Crane are ahead in the pecking order.

Monty you hear bad things about at the moment.

Ansari looks to be developing nicely.


Anyways, the attack is going to be Anderson, Broad, Stokes, Ali and Rashid with Root an option.  Ansari to go as the back up.

[iand123]

Riley cant even get in Kent's first XI, he did well last year but seems to have struggled this year.

Ali/Rashid and Root will be our options in that series

[Vitas Cricket]

If we are looking at kids, may as well throw Rob Sayer into the mix, did very well for England at the U19 World Cup and has just made his FC debut for Leics, snaring 3 poles.

He can bat too, properly. Eng U19 batted him far too low in my opinion.

It will be Rashid though one would assume, with Moeen moving up the order at the expense of Lyth, unless he scores a triple ton at the Oval of course...

[northernboy1987]

Could do worse than look at Scott Borthwick. Decent bat too

I think Borthwick nowadays is much more of a "batsman who bowls" rather than a frontline spinner who can bat a little, if Moeen isn't a frontline spinner I'm not sure Borthwick is either (just my opinion).

[FattusCattus]

Anasari I think is the leading wicket taker in the CC out of English qualified spinners. However, you need someone who is just thinking of bowling spin and not another batsman who bowls a bit. Anyone seen him bowl?

Patel is a bit of a stupid situation - Middx remain obsessed with Oliie Rayner, who really doesn't take wickets. Patel is a far, far better bowler, especially on a helpful surface. He gets one start, and immediately takes 5 wickets. Lacks FC experience though.

It is a bit of a pickle this isn't it?  I'd take Rashid and Anasari - don't see many other candidates.

[smilley792]

We've got a 14 year old leggie that taken 40 odds wickets this year at senior level......

[Alvaro]

Well, Ansari can play piano. So that's one plus.

[northernboy1987]

It is a bit of a pickle this isn't it?  I'd take Rashid and Anasari - don't see many other candidates.

Totally agree, Rashid has to play doesn't he? I'm not 100% convinced about him but surely he's done enough to deserve a go at it?

[ajmw89]

Ansari is a fantastic fielder.  I suspect, given how much he's bowled this season, Surrey may have been asked by the ECB to get him bowling more...

[Bats_Entertainment]

Events this summer suggest the majority on here ought to leave England selection well alone.

[Bats_Entertainment]

Ansari is a fantastic fielder.  I suspect, given how much he's bowled this season, Surrey may have been asked by the ECB to get him bowling more...

I think they've bowled him totally on merit. I like him very much. He will play for England, for sure. Not sure he's ready yet.

[ajmw89]

He's not ready for selection.  I'm not sure he's a good enough bowler for test level yet, but he is a very clever lad