There may be troubles ahead: England selection issues.

[sussexpob]

One thing that England do really need to consider with their choice of spinner is run saving ability as much as wicket taking ability. I cna imagine half way through the first test Cook looking round, his seamers are dying in 33 degree heat, but Rashid has already gone for 52 runs off his 10 overs, and Ali has gone for 60......

You need a spinner to be able to bowl 30 overs in a day and really tie up an end, even if he isnt taking wickets. When England won at Mumbai in 2012-13, Swann and Panesar went at under 3 an over and bowled 80 of 110 overs in the first innings, and 40 of 44 in the second. At kolkata in the first innings the same can be said, but Monty went over 3 an over in the 2nd dig.

Do England have a guy who can realistically keep it under 4 an over and bowl 40 overs in an innings? I very much doubt it. Thats were Tredwell maybe becomes more appalling, he has proved he HAD control in the ODI game.... but he hasnt played well for years.

England wasted the whole of this summer playing a spinner who realistically could never lead the attack in India. They will now go into the series blind, and you just cant see that working out well.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Tredwell bowled in the Caribbean last year and did a job, in the midst of his poor county record.

Not that I'm advocating a poor county record as a means of picking spinners.

Moeen was more effective when he got a bit of drift so the batter wasn't quite sure where it would pitch. Just before the WC in ANZ, he started bowling faster and lost the drift. Tredwell could be ok bowling quite flat on pitches that respond erratically. But England are in a bind. They have a faulty off spinner as their primary spin component, which means they look to variations to complement him. Which means they won't pick an offie even if there are other offies better than Mo. They're ruled out at the expense of a bowler who will be too expensive to bowl anything more than occasional spinner spells.

Maybe England should start again, pick two specialist spinners (perhaps Leach and Rayner/Batty/Tredwell. And then consider Mo as a batter who can bowl some second innings overs. Or Rashid to do the same.

[hopeforthebest]

I don't disagree with much of that but I wonder if just looking at the bare stats of Tredwell doe him justice. True each of his 19 wickets this year cost almost41 runs but I think that's in part due to often he's bowling to hold an end in difficult conditions, his R/R of 3.09 suggests he remains economical. He has a batting average of 34 which is not to be sniffed at.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Looks like spin isn't successful generally in division 2.

I can't see England doing anything other than pick three allrounders for the tour. Why should they do anything different from UAE (aside from it didn't work)? They have stuck with Mo (and Rashid in squads) since then. Ansari will be the third.

[Alviro Patterson]

If England can't find a suitable 2nd spinner for the winter tours, do they go for a bowler who can bowl dots for fun and use his cutters to full effect?

Someone like Steven Patterson?

[Arthur Crabtree]

Picking a sla, lbg and ob feels like England seek team adaptability to obscure the lack of versatility in the spinner himself. It doesn't feel that propitious a plan.

[Arthur Crabtree]

If England can't find a suitable 2nd spinner for the winter tours, do they go for a bowler who can bowl dots for fun and use his cutters to full effect?

Someone like Steven Patterson?

Won't A&B do that, in the middle overs?

[Arthur Crabtree]

Besides, the there-isn't-anyone policy is a theory which just ensures its premise is proved correct. NZ found a way to compete in UAE with Sodhi, Craig and a retired Vettori. Though it may be that McCullum is just a better user of spin than the great leader.

[Aidan11]

Imagine if Gareth Batty got selected.

Actually, no don't. It doesn't bear thinking about.

[yuppie]

How is Panesars return been going.

Know he had some issues but last i read he was overcoming them.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Monty hasn't played a lot of cricket this season.

[sussexpob]

It might sound verging on utterly batshite crazy, but one player Id be tempted to take is Bopara. Bowls decent cutters, and has shown in recent years and increased tendency to be considered a viable bowling option. At that pace he can bowl long spells, and of course he has a better test batting record than some in the current team.

I insist you insult this opinion, because it is pretty out there, even I known that.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Hmm. You can run it up the flagpole, but I aint going to salute.

Would have kept him in mind for LOIs in Asia, as a bowler, but that's history. We need the next Ravi Bopara.

[yuppie]

It might sound verging on utterly batshite crazy, but one player Id be tempted to take is Bopara. Bowls decent cutters, and has shown in recent years and increased tendency to be considered a viable bowling option. At that pace he can bowl long spells, and of course he has a better test batting record than some in the current team.

I insist you insult this opinion, because it is pretty out there, even I known that.

S Marsh just justified his selection in the Australian team. Its a pretty crazy world at present, so why not......

[sussexpob]

Averages plus 40 in the last 3 county years, and his last 50 wickets have come at 22 each.... just saying.