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[FattusCattus]

So - we are transported back 50 years to when they still played the Possible v Probables fixture. The current England XI with Finn fit and back in for Woakes is untouchable. what XI would you pick to take them on? Here's my effort:

Lyth
Lees
Ballance
Vince*
Ansari
Roy
Davies+
Rashid
Curran
Plunkett
Brooks
Willey (12th)

[smilley792]

Lyth
Carberry
Ballance
Pietersen
Bell
Robson
Buttler
Rashid
Plunkett
Wood
Onions

[Woodyspin]

So - we are transported back 50 years to when they still played the Possible v Probables fixture. The current England XI with Finn fit and back in for Woakes is untouchable. what XI would you pick to take them on? Here's my effort:

Lyth
Lees
Ballance
Vince*
Ansari
Roy
Davies+
Rashid
Curran
Plunkett
Brooks
Willey (12th)

I like this, don't think Roy cuts it though... Maybe a Billings? He can be your specialist gun fielder.

Also what about the other curran when eligible

[WalkingWicket37]

Would be interesting to see who made the possibles XI.
I imagine there would be some competition for a few places, with the lack of any quality spin options a bit of a concern.


Lyth/Robson/Carberry
Lees
Ballance/Bell
Morgan*/Vince*
Roy
Ansari/Patel/Dawson
Buttler+/Billings+
Willey/Curran
Plunkett/Woakes
Wood/Brooks
Footit/Topley

I imagine Rashid would be likely to get the nod too, but I'm not entirely sure where he'd fit into the side balance wise.

[Manormanic]

Lyth
Lees
Vince
Balance
Ansari
Buttler
Rashid
Woakes
Willey
Plunkett
Footitt

[northernboy1987]

I would look to the future with a pretty young side:
1: A Lyth
2: A Lees
3: T Fell
4: J Vince
5: G Ballance
6: S Hain
7: J Buttler
8: T Curran
9: D Willey
10: M Wood
11: M Footitt

[Buzz]

Daniel Bell-Drummond
Ben Foakes (wkt)
Joe Clarke
Sam Curran
Stephen Davis

should all have their names in the hat too

As for Gary Ballance. He should only be mentioned when he has done a Mark Butcher and totally rebuilt his technique for international cricket. It is possible and if I were him, that is what I would have spent the winter doing. He hasn't. As a result he is off the list.

Separately this team already has a name, it is called the England Lions... and coached by the mood hoover himself...

Personally I would go with most of the Surrey side... hahahaha

Lees
Bell-Drummond
Clarke
Pieterson (surely he can be considered (!)) Ok, in his absence- Vince.
Davies
Ansari
Foakes
Curran
Curran
Wood
Footitt

One Surrey name not on the list is Jason Roy - I just feel he goes too hard at the ball for test cricket and isn't ever even going to get a go. Batting at 6 for Surrey won't be pushing his chances either...

[jamielsn15]

^ Interesting re; Ballance and I agree.  Michael Vaughan on Five Live last night saying that we are over reliant on stats and averages and the Selectors need to look at highlighting players who've got that 'something' probably in a similar way that Vaughan and Tresco were picked - didn't have outstanding averages but had 'something.'

[edge]

They should still be playing this game every season, worked a treat with Lumb/Kieswetter the only time it's been done lately. Possibles team should be made up of actual realistic possibles though - sorry Carberry/Davies fans.

Lyth/Bell-Drummond
Lees
Fell
Balllance
Buttler
Ansari
Foakes
Woakes
Rashid/Curran
Plunkett
Footit

[ScottParko]

Stoneman
Lees
Borthwick
Vince
Ballance
Ansari
Buttler
Wood
Plunkett
T Curran
Footit

[dannyhall04]

As for Gary Ballance. He should only be mentioned when he has done a Mark Butcher and totally rebuilt his technique for international cricket. It is possible and if I were him, that is what I would have spent the winter doing. He hasn't. As a result he is off the list.

Hang on, Buzz - have you seen much of Ballance this winter? He's been on tour with a host of coaches, yet you seem confident he hasn't been working on his technique?

[dannyhall04]

^ Interesting re; Ballance and I agree.  Michael Vaughan on Five Live last night saying that we are over reliant on stats and averages and the Selectors need to look at highlighting players who've got that 'something' probably in a similar way that Vaughan and Tresco were picked - didn't have outstanding averages but had 'something.'

Ballance certainly 'had something' when he raced to 1,000 quicker than 660+ other players to have played for England!

[edge]

Hang on, Buzz - have you seen much of Ballance this winter? He's been on tour with a host of coaches, yet you seem confident he hasn't been working on his technique?

Balllance has publicly stated he won't be working on his technique! Big shame if he sticks to that, he's clearly got what it takes if he can adapt.

[ppccopener]

spot on Ballance has stated he won't change.

why does he have to go to mark butcher ? Gary Palmer? why? because Buzzsaw says so ? 

how many of the current England side average what he does in Tests(so far).

Ian Bell...best technical batsman of the last 20 years, average mid to late 30's. 

[northernboy1987]

spot on Ballance has stated he won't change.

why does he have to go to mark butcher ? Gary Palmer? why? because Buzzsaw says so ? 

how many of the current England side average what he does in Tests(so far).

Ian Bell...best technical batsman of the last 20 years, average mid to late 30's.

To be fair to Bell his Test average is about 42.

But I see your point