There may be troubles ahead: England selection issues.

[Dr Cricket]

Rayner the highest realistic english prospect in the wicket list, Batty got more wickets.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Fair enough, five more wickets in three more games. Though the Yorkshireman has a better SR. Rayner is supposed to be very accurate but not bowl many revs. At 6 foot 5, and with pitches that may well turn for a spinner who doesn't get much action on the ball, maybe he'll be useful in India. But there's no buzz around him from reporters who actually watch fc cricket.

[Dr Cricket]

yeah reporters that watch FC is where I get my county news or forums from die hard county fans, they generally quite spot on about players.
interesting quote from booth suggest the mainstream papers will not listen to Bayliss on selection matters and basically said the guy doesn't watch county games and the other 3 selectors makes the call considering all the papers did not see balance or Toby getting picked.
Surprised none of the ECB journalist mates got a tip either yesterday.

[hopeforthebest]

It's pretty likely that Rashid will come in if Mo is dropped. Mo got runs v SL and that's half of his job in this side. I'd like to see a specialist spinner, but England don't think there's one to pick.

Ansari was opening the batting for Surrey last year and since his injury is doing OK (29 ave) in the middle order. He also has 13 wickets in 5 games @ 28.76 ave. Rashid is also a know quantity so there's no need to play him.

I know he's a top order bat. I just didn't know if he's more auspicious than the options ahead of him. Pure knee jerking from me, but if they were going to spray out a cap, I'd like to see Rayner have a try, but I don't know if he's any better than the allrounders. He's top wicket taker among the spinners this summer though (I think).

I don't know if Ansari can make a test bowler but the selectors thought so last winter and it's better to have a look at him now than take him in the winter and discover their mistake. This series is ideal for looking at a spin option because they are not expected to be match winners, although if the summer really takes hold more will be expected of them.
Incidentally, last year in Div 2 he played 14 games before breaking his thumb averaging 36.71 with the bat and took 44 wickets @30.97. I suspect those are far better stats than Moeen had before he was selected.

[m@tt]

Lions squad has been announced. Very young team as per normal. Some new faces too, including a few who were in the U19s WC squad.

Malan (c), Bell-Drummond, Duckett, Clarke, D’Oliveira, Billings (wk), Livingstone, Dawson, T Curran, J Overton, Mahmood, Garton, S Curran.

I've got tickets for the first game in Cheltenham a week on Tuesday.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Cheers Matt. A lot of changes from the one that went to UAE in the winter.

[m@tt]

Cheers Matt. A lot of changes from the one that went to UAE in the winter.

Out: Foakes (only one keeper needed, also Surrey have 2 selections), Plunkett (too old), C Overton, Parry (too old), Roland-Jones (with seniors), Westley, Whitely (Worcs have 2 selections).

Westley's omission is surprising considering he's being mentioned in selection meetings.

And when I say "too old", it's a different matter for overseas Lions tours where it's good to have some experienced players a short distance from the senior team. But for home series, you don't need to pick players like Plunkett and Parry.

[braveneutral]

Monty and KP will be going to India.

[Slipstream]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/cricket/e ... es-8386828

[hopeforthebest]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/cricket/englands-jimmy-anderson-ben-stokes-8386828

Nothing more than the musings of a bored sports writer.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Lions squad has been announced. Very young team as per normal. Some new faces too, including a few who were in the U19s WC squad.

Malan (c), Bell-Drummond, Duckett, Clarke, D’Oliveira, Billings (wk), Livingstone, Dawson, T Curran, J Overton, Mahmood, Garton, S Curran.

I've got tickets for the first game in Cheltenham a week on Tuesday.

Just realised. No Yorkshire players. Maybe a mistake?

Actually, based on recent performances, Azeem might be worth a go.

[Alviro Patterson]

Lions squad has been announced. Very young team as per normal. Some new faces too, including a few who were in the U19s WC squad.

Malan (c), Bell-Drummond, Duckett, Clarke, D’Oliveira, Billings (wk), Livingstone, Dawson, T Curran, J Overton, Mahmood, Garton, S Curran.

I've got tickets for the first game in Cheltenham a week on Tuesday.

Just realised. No Yorkshire players. Maybe a mistake?

Actually, based on recent performances, Azeem might be worth a go.

I would have liked to see Steven Patterson get rewarded with Lions recognition.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Just limited overs this series though.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Patterson strikes me as in the Chris Rushworth file. Justifiable, even desirable selections, but too far outside the plan to be credible. Looking around, I'm starting to get an impression that the ECB are looking at marketability as a factor in selection (too late for KP), and a 20 year old with hair from Surrey is more desirable. Until things get desperate again anyway.

[Slipstream]

Gary Ballance's Test return is in doubt because of a groin injury which caused him to miss Yorkshire's NatWest T20 Blast tie in Derby on Sunday.

He will now be closely monitored by England's medical team ahead of the Test and, although he is making confident noises about his fitness, Yorkshire's director of cricket, Martyn Moxon, warned that his recovery could not entirely be taken for granted.

Moxon said: "Gary's got a bit of a tight groin which he sustained on Friday in the T20 against Birmingham. At this stage, we don't know whether he will be fit for the Test, but he may be okay."