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[WalkingWicket37]

That will do me, Lyon gets called a clubby and wouldn't make the England side, yet a guy with 140 test wickets at 40 would.

I'd take Giles over Lyon just so there wasn't the constant "Niiiiiccccccccceeeeeee Gaaaaarrrrrrrrry!" from behind the stumps...

[Manormanic]

That will do me, Lyon gets called a clubby and wouldn't make the England side, yet a guy with 140 test wickets at 40 would.

Just for you...Lyon is a clubbie. And no, he wouldn't make the England side - why replace a pie chucker who can bat with one who can't?

[Manormanic]

We just need to get Foakes in behind the sticks now!

"In comes Woakes, he bowls, it's hit into the on side. That's well fielded by Stokes, who gets a quick return in and that's an excellent take by Foakes"

If only we had a Noakes or Oakes!

[csnew]

Anyone see how much Lyon put himself up for in the IPL auction...Chuckled to myself! Listed himself in the 2nd highest bracket

[WalkingWicket37]

If only we had a Noakes or Oakes!

They'd only get selected if they were good blokes

[Seniorplayer]

They'd only get selected if they were good blokes

It's  been the England way for some time. Select the good team  men

[ppccopener]

It's  been the England way for some time. Select the good team  men

if that was true Jennings would never of got picked . There seems a myth on this forum England only pick public schoolboys who go round each others houses for Xmas.

[Seniorplayer]

Giles was never a special bowler, but he put the ball where he planned to better than 95% of the time, and he was therefore the right spinner for that side.  Lets face it, for all we might argue Ali vs Rashid (vs anyone else currently within the selectorial eyeline really) the fact is, if Giles was 28 and playing now, he would walk into the side.

Watched Giles throughout his England career never thought he was that great just the best of the rest that was around at that time.

[WalkingWicket37]

Watched Giles throughout his England career never thought he was that great just the best of the rest that was around at that time.

In an era with Shaun Udal, a young Swanny and Gereth Batty that's a big shout

[bk]

Watched Giles throughout his England career never thought he was that great just the best of the rest that was around at that time.

I played against Giles when he was making his way at Warwickshire in the Birmingham league. Was more of a batsman than slow bowler as a teenager but his work ethic stood out. He also worked very hard on his fielding and became a standout in the gully. He's a good example of making the most of what you've got.
Having started as a quick bowler at Surrey he had a good quicker ball and got a lot of bounce and turn on late summer club wickets. We talk about how England have been unable to replace Swann but Giles was the prototype of a spinner bowling "dry" to allow the seamers to rotate. Agree that England would love to have him back now.

[Manormanic]

Watched Giles throughout his England career never thought he was that great just the best of the rest that was around at that time.

If you read my original post, I didn;t argue that he was a great bowler, merely that he was the right spinner for that England side.  They had four attacking, wicket taking quicks, so needed a spinner would could bowl dry whilst picking up the occasional wicket as batsmen sought to see him as their escape valve.  He did that very well - and did in fact turn the ball more than most people expected when on a helpful wicket.  A similar analogy would be the way that Paul Harris proved useful for South Africa.

[Seniorplayer]

In an era with Shaun Udal, a young Swanny and Gereth Batty that's a big shout

Don't think it was that big a call they all had there opportunity  around the same time but didn't  cut it

[Manormanic]

Don't think it was that big a call they all had there opportunity  around the same time but didn't  cut it

pre-DRS was a difficult time to be an off spinner, unless you had found a way to get away with chucking in a doosra!

[Seniorplayer]

Apologies for dIegressing but if Derek Underwood the  best spinner ever to wear an England shirt had had DRS he would have been unplayable.

[ppccopener]

Apologies for dIegressing but if Derek Underwood the  best spinner ever to wear an England shirt had had DRS he would have been unplayable.

youre going back now Senior