There may be troubles ahead: England selection issues.

[rich1uk]

a very big nudge from Bairstow to the selectors today

[ianp1970]

a very big nudge from Bairstow to the selectors today

Yes, but needs a vacant slot in the team first...

[Making_Splinters]

The Billings Bairstow selection is a difficult one. Bairstow is undoubtedly the better batsman all round, but on the other hand Billings is a far more destructive. It's very much a case of what the side needs at the time, needless to say neither will be opening with Roy and Hales available.

[sussexpob]

Jason Roy is a fantastic player for England, and his form going back to 2016 in ODIs would make only a CRAZY person suggest his under pressure of some form. A guy averages 45-50 at over a run a ball for 18 months, and a handful of bad matches means he wont go to a world cup?

He'd have to go through a disasterous run of two-three series to get dropped.

i just raised it on the back of a story that he had changed his plans to go back to the IPL based on struggling for form and that we have alot of competition for places

FFS no need to crucify me for raising a story that was current and relevant to an england player in a thread that was started to discuss england selection issues

I didnt quote you or mention you in anyway. In fact the comment about not going to the World Cup was in response to Bhave

[Dr Cricket]

My only point was few months ago that Roy and billings had to play since they place in the teams wasn't safe that allowed them to miss games.
Nothing more nothing less.

[sussexpob]

My only point was few months ago that Roy and billings had to play since they place in the teams wasn't safe that allowed them to miss games.
Nothing more nothing less.

A guy averages over 45 at SR110 for an 18 month period, and his place isnt secure?

I am not sure what a guy can do.

[Dr Cricket]

My only point was few months ago that Roy and billings had to play since they place in the teams wasn't safe that allowed them to miss games.
Nothing more nothing less.

A guy averages over 45 at SR110 for an 18 month period, and his place isnt secure?

I am not sure what a guy can do.

TBH ballance did get dropped from the test team with an high average.
anyway the points is Roy and billings are far to early into their english career to be secure of a spot in the team that they could miss games for the ipl.
Should be remembered roy only played 38 odi game as well, way to early in his career to assume he is a shoe in for the english team for the long run since anything could happen.
it was really the right decision that billings and Roy got recalled from the IPL games for england duty.
unlike Woakes, Stokes and Buttler they actually need to play the ireland games.

[andy]

Roy won't be dropped for a while he is secure for a while..IMO Hales is under more pressure...which i know seems a crazy thing to say, but the guy always seems to be under immense pressure and always seems to be one bad innings away from potentially being dropped...i like Billings i hope he does come into the side soon, but for me it should be for Morgan

[Arthur Crabtree]

Read a report that Joe Root wants Zimbabwe born Gary Ballance back in the team.

[m@tt]

Roy won't be dropped for a while he is secure for a while..IMO Hales is under more pressure...which i know seems a crazy thing to say, but the guy always seems to be under immense pressure and always seems to be one bad innings away from potentially being dropped...i like Billings i hope he does come into the side soon, but for me it should be for Morgan

I think that part of it is people confusing his struggles in the Test team with his ODI form.

Will be interesting to see what England do after the CT. In the short term, Root and Stokes are likely to be rested. If Morgan has a poor tournament then England may be tempted to give Buttler the captaincy.

[Slipstream]

Read a report that Joe Root wants Zimbabwe born Gary Ballance back in the team.

You would hope that the selectors pick the squad rather than the captain, especially a captain who hasn't settled into the job yet. Whitaker is a big Ballance fan though. I think Gubbins at Middlesex is better.

Last season
Gubbins 1409 runs at 61.26
Ballance 780 runs at 33.91

[Arthur Crabtree]

GB had a famously bad season before the recall. I'm surprised he averaged as high as 34.

Plus he had another bad tour.

I presume the interest in him returning is just from his runs this season which might make us think that he shouldn't have been recalled during his horror run, and could have waited until he showed this season's form.

[m@tt]

Anderson's probably out of the Roses match with a groin injury.

If his injury troubles continue, who plays against South Africa? Ball was the only other quick to play during the winter, albeit without much success. Would England gamble on Wood? Dobell is talking up Jamie Overton. Footitt started the season strongly but then got injured. Tom Curran?

[Arthur Crabtree]

Wouldn't R.Jones have a chance?

But most likely one of the squad players will come in, so Ball or Wood.

[sussexpob]

GB had a famously bad season before the recall. I'm surprised he averaged as high as 34.

Plus he had another bad tour.

I presume the interest in him returning is just from his runs this season which might make us think that he shouldn't have been recalled during his horror run, and could have waited until he showed this season's form.

Problem with Ballance is, I am pretty sure I have read he came out when he got dropped last time to say he wasnt changing any of his technique, and that there was a general belief it was good enough and that his struggles were form based.

Which means hes essentially still, and will forever remain, a walking wicket to any good bowler. Sorry mate, but you need to sack your advising team if they are telling you that.