England

[Yorkshire Blue]

Squad is due to be announced this week for the first test against the West Indies.

Whilst Hoggy, Harmy and Cook have all been in good nick after a much needed rest after the Ashes, those who went from the Ashes to the World Cup are unsurprisingly in not such good shape.

Vaughan is injured again (broken finger), KP injured a calf on I think his first game back. Of those that are playing today Collingwood made a duck and Bell was out for just 9.

My XI for the first test would be (assuming Vaughan injured and KP fit)

Strauss*
Cook
Bell
KP
Collingwood
Prior
Flintoff
Plunkett
Hoggard
Harmison
Panesar

Shah on stand-by if KP doesn't make it, and Mahmood 12th man (there are no county championship games, just one-dayers otherwise I'd have him bowling for Lancashire to get some overs under his belt)

 

[canveyshrimper]

Squad is due to be announced this week for the first test against the West Indies.

Whilst Hoggy, Harmy and Cook have all been in good nick after a much needed rest after the Ashes, those who went from the Ashes to the World Cup are unsurprisingly in not such good shape.

Vaughan is injured again (broken finger), KP injured a calf on I think his first game back. Of those that are playing today Collingwood made a duck and Bell was out for just 9.

My XI for the first test would be (assuming Vaughan injured and KP fit)

Strauss*
Cook
Bell
KP
Collingwood
Prior
Flintoff
Plunkett
Hoggard
Harmison
Panesar

Shah on stand-by if KP doesn't make it, and Mahmood 12th man (there are no county championship games, just one-dayers otherwise I'd have him bowling for Lancashire to get some overs under his belt)

Don't think you can argue with that, although I just think that Nixon may get the gig instead of Prior, in which case Flintoff at 6, and Nixon at 7.

I'm waiting to see how Simon Jones shapes up in 4 day cricket when he gets a game at Glamorgan.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Nixon is a very good one-day cricketer, and I'd probably retain him in the one-day set-up, but I don't think he's the best wicketkeeping option for test cricket.

I'd rather give Prior the gloves when he's in a bit of form (he's yet to make a 50 this season). I feel he's got to be the long term option, but want to avoid chucking him in at the deep end when he's out of nick. I suppose Nixon could therefore be a short term option.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Looking ahead to the second test, if Flintoff and Vaughan are going to be fit, could be some interesting selection dilemmas.

KP is our best batsman, so he's presumably safe. Cook, Collingwood, and Bell have scored a ton, 92* and 55* at the moment and are averaging over 45 so are difficult to drop (except Collingwood, who is easy to drop if you are West Indian). So that is already 4 places sewn up, and then you've got Strauss, Vaughan and Flintoff - the last three men to captain England - battling for 2 or 3 spots.

Presumably Shah will step down for Vaughan and Plunkett will make way for Flintoff.