1) You put Roy, Bairstow, Butler, Stokes and Ali in any team and they would be amongst the favourites for the world cup.
2) If more than 1 of Vince, Malan or Denly bat in the top 6 in the world cup we won't win it.
3) Why was Archer integrated into the squad until he was eligible? Obviously he couldn't play but he could net/practise and be around the team. It was obvious 18 months ago he could be involved.
4) England have been so consistent in selection for the last 3 years and it all seems to have gone to pot in the last 6 months.
Don't really agree with point 4...all the players you mention in point 1 aren't available so they have to play others ...England played their strongest consistently selected team in the Windies ...they have consistently rotated bowlers Curran wood willey woakes and plunkett
Vinces bat clearly brushes the ground.....you could clearly see the spike before the ball reached the bat....very poor decision.
The problem was that there was no evidence on which they could overturn the umpire's decision. The umpire got it wrong, but the TV umpire didn't have anything that could overturn it. Hot spot would probably have reversed the decision.
Vince will be really frustrated, with the removal of Hales a knock of 80+ not out anchoring us home would have sent a nice message to the selectors that he should be in the WC squad
Archer bowled really well. Effortless away cutters at 93mph. There's not much answer to that.
But there's no reason yet to confirm him in the World Cup squad. England are in a luxurious position of being able not to make a decision yet. If he bowls as well over the next few games as he did yesterday, then he will make the rest of the teams sit up and take notice.
He's not going to be confirmed yet and I haven't seen anyone suggest such. When the squad has to be submitted to the ICC he'll be in it.
I hope so. I'm reiterating what Mike Atherton was saying yesterday. It's currently a great time to kick the can down the road. Don't make a decision yet. Don't make World Cup selection his next target. Make winning the next ODI against Pakistan his next target.
In Archer and Rashid we would have two of the most effective one day bowlers in the world. One averaging 90mph, the other with all the variations. Fully firing, that's 20 of the 50 overs taken care of. Stokes, Moeen plus any two from Woakes, Curran, Plunkett, Wood and Willey and we have a bowling attack to more than ably support our batting line up.
In English conditions there isn't a team in the World that can match that line up. But we have to turn up too and that's what makes cricket the game it is. Because history has shown that not all great teams have done so when it really matters.
Comments
Willey just fell down a hole.
Wicket for Archer.
Another Archer wicket.
Archer again but a run out.
Jordan gets a wicket.
Morgan was superb .
Archer has the impressive figures of 4-2-6-1
Rain has stopped and the pitch looks ok.
Health and safety gone mad .
Cricket is a summer game, not April or early May.
But there's no reason yet to confirm him in the World Cup squad. England are in a luxurious position of being able not to make a decision yet. If he bowls as well over the next few games as he did yesterday, then he will make the rest of the teams sit up and take notice.
In English conditions there isn't a team in the World that can match that line up. But we have to turn up too and that's what makes cricket the game it is. Because history has shown that not all great teams have done so when it really matters.