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[jonpinson]

What am I missing, seriously?

I think he is the only all rounder I have seen who can neither bat nor bowl consistently at the level required.

Someone correct me please but I cannot see how this guy has been selected pretty constantly for a few years now.

[tim2000s]

Not going to disagree with you. Haven't yet seen him deliver. Swann, Bresnan and Broad are more all-rounders than Wright.

[ppccopener]

me neither

England pick on attitute these days as well as ability.

someone like Rob Key misses out because he likes a fag and a beer and dont like training.

wright must have impressed the management over the last couple of years but we would be better off with a specialist rather than a bits a pces player
collingwood does both for us

[Alvaro]

What am I missing, seriously?

I think he is the only all rounder I have seen who can neither bat nor bowl consistently at the level required.

There's hardly a dearth of these in English cricket history are there?
Ronnie Irani, for starters.

[Byo]

Most overrated player in the England set up for many a year!!!

[jonpinson]

There's hardly a dearth of these in English cricket history are there?
Ronnie Irani, for starters.

I don't deny there are hardly any good all rounders of a similar ilk, but if he fails constantly with both bat and ball, surely they would be better to pick either a proper batsman or proper bowler?

[Alvaro]

what if he saves you 20 runs in the field?

[Buzz]

While I don't disagree with you - I am pretty certain we would all have been saying the same thing about Collingwood ten years ago and before him Craig White (remember him!)
I suspect that the view in the camp is that he has talent, is a good young player and has a chance. He has also taken a few for the team going in to pinch hit during the power play overs and getting out cheaply going for shots with a license.

I am not saying that Luke Wright will score 4000 test runs and take 100 wickets - but as mentioned elsewhere the selectors have got a lot right recently so should be indulged with this selection in my opinion - especially as they have picked Prior - which I have been championing for a while.

[jonpinson]

Thin ice though isn't it?

I can't believe we are picking people on their fielding prowess above batting and or bowling. Or at least we shouldn't be. By the same token I could argue if we picked an economical bowler, those 20 runs wouldn't need to be saved in the first place. Or indeed a batsman who may well score 20 more per innings...

[jonpinson]

While I don't disagree with you - I am pretty certain we would all have been saying the same thing about Collingwood ten years ago and before him Craig White (remember him!)
I suspect that the view in the camp is that he has talent, is a good young player and has a chance. He has also taken a few for the team going in to pinch hit during the power play overs and getting out cheaply going for shots with a license.

I am not saying that Luke Wright will score 4000 test runs and take 100 wickets - but as mentioned elsewhere the selectors have got a lot right recently so should be indulged with this selection in my opinion - especially as they have picked Prior - which I have been championing for a while.

Got to pull you up on your first point Buzz. Collingwood was an outstanding fielder from game one, a more than capable middle order bat and a useful bowler. I'd rate White as far better with both bat and ball than I've ever seen from Wright.

How long can you wait before a young player 'with potential' comes good? It's not like he has only just come in to the team. I'm of the belief that the ODI team should be seen as a gateway for young players to make a stab at the test team but I also believe in only giving people so many chances before you have to look elsewhere. 

[Buzz]

Jon - I agree - but collingwood was around the one day side for almost 3 years before his test debut. It isn't as if we are talking Ricki Clarke here!

If you are going to select a better allrounder for the subcontinent and you aren't going to pick Samit Patel - but you need someone with enough first class experience and who is about 24 - who are you going to pick?
For me Ravi Bopara is the only person who really could fit that bill and with his IPL experience I would have picked him ahead of Wright - even though Wright is a better fielder.

But Ravi seems to have not impressed the two Andrew's

[Tumo]

me neither

England pick on attitute these days as well as ability.

someone like Rob Key misses out because he likes a fag and a beer and dont like training.

wright must have impressed the management over the last couple of years but we would be better off with a specialist rather than a bits a pces player
collingwood does both for us

No mate, Rob Key misses out because he's fat, can't field, can't particularly run, and is nowhere near the level required talent-wise. Wright HAS the ability. He just needs to prove it.
And it's not as if there's anybody competing with him is it? Apart from Samit Patel, but in the same vein as Key he's not 'fit enough' according to the coaches. To be fair, I've been to Trent Bridge and seen him snacking away on a burger from one of the vans outside...

Bopara isn't good enough, don't rate him in the slightest!

[Washington]

I agree with the majority here that he simply isn't good enough, cant ever remember him ever contributing a match winning performance! Averages 20 with the bat and 50 with the ball. He is inconsistent in the field and feels its a bit unfair on Colly and Craig White that they are mentioned in the same ilk as Wright!

He is that inconsistent that if I was a selector I would punt on someone like Hildreth or Rashid

[jimba101]

I'm a massive fan of Wright. He's got the ability, but he's playing dreadfully at the moment. I was slightly surprised he made the squad. Not sure who a like-for-like replacement would be though....

Hope he has a big season for Sussex this year!

[uknsaunders]

Luke Wright - inconsistent, however

T20 WCF - bowled a great over and got taken off
T20 NZ - him and Morgan cleaned up the top order mess

Flintoff like averages at the career start.

He's in for potential and it only comes by playing.