There may be troubles ahead: England selection issues.

[KipperJohn]

Never see Keith Barker mentioned in relation to England but a very consistent performer in Div 1. 25 wickets this season already at 20 and a batting average of 47.

Career bowling 255 wickets at 25 and batting average of 29. Very useful player.

[alfie]

Never see Keith Barker mentioned in relation to England but a very consistent performer in Div 1. 25 wickets this season already at 20 and a batting average of 47.

Career bowling 255 wickets at 25 and batting average of 29. Very useful player.

Coincidence : I was just last night reading one of my old WCMs (2012) and noticed among the "players who might be considered for England in the next couple of years " , the very same fellow...and my casual thought was that I'd never really heard anything about him.
Perhaps he isn't "fashionable" ?

[hopeforthebest]

Never see Keith Barker mentioned in relation to England but a very consistent performer in Div 1. 25 wickets this season already at 20 and a batting average of 47.

Career bowling 255 wickets at 25 and batting average of 29. Very useful player.

Coincidence : I was just last night reading one of my old WCMs (2012) and noticed among the "players who might be considered for England in the next couple of years " , the very same fellow...and my casual thought was that I'd never really heard anything about him.
Perhaps he isn't "fashionable" ?

I think he's had ill timed injuries which have come when his name was beginning to get mentioned. Also the longevity of Broad and Anderson has reduced the number of opportunities.

[Arthur Crabtree]

He seems to get injured regularly. Maybe the new Glen Chapple in how he evades selector's gaze, remarkable given the search for a left arm seamer. Hasn't even played for the Lions. He came in via club cricket, which seems not to be the preferred route for England players. They like those who have graduated through ECB age group coaching academies, like Joe Root. He's elegible for West Indies too, so they haven't selected him either.

[Arthur Crabtree]

According to the cricinfo profile, he's said he would play for either England or WI.

[The Professor]

Players who I think could play for England within next 5 years

Lancashire - Haseeb Hameed - 19 years old. Very competent performer.

Northamptonshire - Ben Duckett - Two match winning displays this season. At the moment too inconsistent.

Worcestershire - Brett D'Oliveria - Bit romantic maybe but decent all-rounder.


Worcestershire - Joe Clarke - Only 20, shows some powerful displays with the bat and has full range with the bat.

[Alviro Patterson]

Players who I think could play for England within next 5 years

Matt Fisher
The Curran Brothers
Jack Burnham
Tom Kohler-Cadmore
Brad Taylor
Shiv Thakor

[The Professor]

Oh yeah! Forgot Burnham and TKC

[The Professor]

So how do we solve a problem like Stokesy?

Despite the fact I think he isn't good enough against the best Test teams, I don't envisage Woakes being dropped before the Pakistan series.

So what do we do?

Before today I had an inkling we'd drop Finn and have Woakes and Stokes with the latter in more for his batting.

Now I feel that we may mod Borthwick off and rejig the order of batsmen, move Ali up and have Stokes replace Compton.

Which leaves Jake Ball so far out in the wilderness he'll have to drink his own urine for hydration.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Ha!

Maybe Ball will get a white ball gig.

I don't think they'll solve the problem by picking more seamers. Stokes will come in and Woakes will make way. Perhaps Bairstow will bat at six.

[Aidan11]

I seem to recall Stokes won't be fit in time for the first test anyway.

[The Professor]

I seem to recall Stokes won't be fit in time for the first test anyway.

TMS said he was more than 50% likely to play

[Arthur Crabtree]

Good news he's nearing fitness. I suppose he'll have to get through a couple of games.

[The Professor]

Might play a few ODC games maybe

[hopeforthebest]

It's fair enough for Bairstow to drop Woakes but if the selectors drop him that would be a disgrace.