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[FattusCattus]

Seeing as the Windies squad is now announced, let's have a little fun and conhjecture with our best possible potential 'A' team (or 'Lions' if we must!)

The scenario is that everyone is fit, and we are off to play tests in New Zealand. what would your starting XI be - this'll get the ball rolling?

Gubbins
Stoneman
Roy
Malan
Clarke *
Pope +
An All-rounder (but who?)
J Overton
C Overton
Bess
Wood

[Buzz]

Archer can be your allrounder Brucie

[edge]

Good topic Fattus! With everyone fit and Archer currently unavailable, I will go with the following. Lots of young promise and a couple of experienced heads, no genuine all-rounder but with reasonable seam and spin backup both available from the batsmen. Contrasting styles of batsmen throughout, three quite different seamers and Bess. Would possibly like some more left-handers, but what can you do. Otherwise I quite like this side!

1 Rhodes
2 Roy
3 Livingstone
4 Hildreth
5 Clarke
6 Pope
7 Billings
8 Bess
9 Roland-Jones
10 J Overton
11 Porter

[Manormanic]

Ooh, interesting. I'll probably change this five times but, on the basis of trying to win the series and playing Kiwi conditions I would go...

Roy
Vince
Malan
Joe Clarke
Livingstone
Pope
Patel
Jordan Clark
J Overton
Roland-Jones
Coad

If asked to look only at players with a test future, Patel would be replaced by Amar Virdi and Clark by Will Rhodes.

[stevat]

Ooh, interesting. I'll probably change this five times but, on the basis of trying to win the series and playing Kiwi conditions I would go...

Roy
Vince
Malan
Joe Clarke
Livingstone
Pope
Patel
Jordan Clark
J Overton
Roland-Jones
Coad

If asked to look only at players with a test future, Patel would be replaced by Amar Virdi and Clark by Will Rhodes.

Coad would be dangerous in New Zealand, always liked Gleeson as a bowler, and think you'd be hard pressed to ignore Bailey from Lancs given the year he had last season.  In fact when you think of their side without Buttler and Anderson it's very strong for Div 1, nevermind Div 2 with that attack (Onions, Anderson, Bailey, Gleeson) and Joe Burns and Glenn Maxwell as overseas too.

Hard to disagree with most of your selections there, would probably try and fit TKC in there as well.

[Manormanic]

TKC...even the most one-eyed Yorkshire fan would accept that he is not quite at the Test level just yet, though he had a really encouraging second half of the 2018 season in First Class cricket.  Lad had immense potential mind.

As for Lancashire - they did indeed have a superb attack last season.  Only problem was their batting feel apart at the slightest pressure, which is odd given the calibre of players like Hameed, Davies, Livingstone, Chanderpaul, Vilas etc.

[FattusCattus]

Duckett surprisingly left out of this list, England A currenly in a proper bum-squeaky finish in India, and Ben is the unlikely hero (at the moment)

[mattw]

Josh Tongue of Worcs deserves some recognition. Only 21 years old with 91 wickets @ 25's

[FattusCattus]

And it turns out - he is a hero!!!

well done Ben

[Bats_Entertainment]

Not that unlikely a hero! Another good player whose confidence was dented by playing for England before he was really ready?

[FattusCattus]

Also seems to be batting 4 rather than opening these days.

[alexhilly1492]

Davies
Gubbins
Madsen (age maybe an issue, unlucky to be at derby selection wise too i reckon but a damn good player)
Clarke
Livingstone
pope
billings
Overton, C
Bess
Overton, J
Porter

theres loads to pick from though like roy, coad, duckett, matt carter, steve mullaney, Hain, pope, malan etc

theres a wealth of talent that really should be pushing the current test lineup for there spots, whether thats lions runs or county runs etc!

[alexhilly1492]

Also seems to be batting 4 rather than opening these days.

he's at 4 for notts too, may not be the best move if he wants to play test cricket again though

*cough* Root *Cough*

[Mister Le Chiffre]

Don't see why Roy is being mentioned as a test player. Plays at the oval, general consensus a flat track, averages a rather lacklustre 38. Stick to white ball cricket and leave the proper stuff to proper batsmen.

As for Duckett he had his chance and he was hopelessly out of his depth. Until he sorts his fitness out he shouldn't even be mentioned

[mattw]

Don't see why Roy is being mentioned as a test player. Plays at the oval, general consensus a flat track, averages a rather lacklustre 38. Stick to white ball cricket and leave the proper stuff to proper batsmen.

As for Duckett he had his chance and he was hopelessly out of his depth. Until he sorts his fitness out he shouldn't even be mentioned

There aren't many proper batsmen left!