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[Ashvir]

What about Bopara? Monty?

[Mr Cricket]

no time for either of them ash

[strokeplayer]

bopara should be given a go again...and suprised you dont rate cook - i like him.

[Ashvir]

Bopara will have a big IPL...Mark my works!

[Colesy]

Bopara hasn't done anything to warrant his place since being dropped, Swann is much better than Monty with bat and ball..

[Mr Cricket]

if he does maybe i can change my mind, but right now ive got no time for him, hes got potential but needs to convert it in to runs and match winning knocks! will he get a game at IPL? who knows after his recent international embaressment.

i dont like cook because he has done nothing that anybody else off the county circuit couldnt have done, and for some reason he is golden boy at the ecb. well done to he and bell for a couple of good knocks in SA but i still dont see either of them taking the world by storm

[Buzz]

Mr Cricket... given that Trott is a middle order player and Carberry is an opener why do you have Trott opening and Carberry at 4?

I think that given his record, whether or not you rate him or not, Cook has to play in the test side for the time being. Also going with the 5 batsman, Prior and 5 bowlers will leave the team likely for at least one collapse a series - which is painful.
Personally I would have a test team similar to the one we have - other than I would have onions in the team and put sidebottom out to pasture. If we could find an out and out quick who could bowl a length then we would have a pretty strong team. Given that we don't have a specialist 3, I put Carberry in, drop Bell and shunt the others down... note the change in batting order, Pietersen is better at 5 than 4 and is not suited to batting at 3. Plus frequently, opening bowlers hate bowling to left handers so having 3 at the top of the order works for me
Cook, Strauss, Carberry (or Bell), Trott, Pietersen, Collingwood, Prior, Broad, Swann, Andersen, Onions/mythical quick bowler

the One day and 2020 stuff has been so hit an miss so far to try and predict a team is almost impossible. But I think you have made a pretty good selection

[Buzz]

p.s. Bopara may be on the fringes of the one day side, but in general his first class record in New Zealand this winter has been shocking so isn't ready for a recall

[Marcussjd9]

I know, if we cant beat our own B team, who can we beat?

Pakistan lost to Pakistan A as well. Think it shows more about the benefits of acclimatising yourself prior to a series, remember the Lions have just played a few games before this match whereas England haven't.

[Mr Cricket]

everybody is entitled to their view buzz and thats mine!

[GJ]

Ashvir you seem to be obsessed with Bopara! The guy hasnt really done much to warrent a recall and wouldnt fit very well into the Twenty20 team anyway.
And dropping Cook would be a stupid move. He and Collingwood were by far the best batsmen on the SA tour so i dont know why you would even think about dropping him. Hes the best opening option alongside strauss by far.

[Mr Cricket]

i dont agree, thats just my view, your entitled to yours aswell!

[niceonechoppy]

Pakistan lost to Pakistan A as well. Think it shows more about the benefits of acclimatising yourself prior to a series, remember the Lions have just played a few games before this match whereas England haven't.

Very true, Luke Wright mentioned about getting rid of "cobwebs" as well.

[procricket]

averaging 40 and 10 hundreds in 50 tests not to shabby would like to see any other county opener come in and do that. Only man i wanted to bring in is Key but it looks like his time has passed

[procricket]

Luke Wright should be no were near a England shirt in my opinion (very average county player at best)