: Tue Jun 23, 2009 8:48 am  

Interesting selections for the Lions and England XI games, looks like they are giving Onions and Rashid a chance to show they can cause the Aussies some problems and win test spots, though it could be argued that they should be kept away from the Aussies so they don't have experience of playing them come the first test.

England team v Warwickshire at Edgbaston (1-3 July):

Andrew Strauss (captain), James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Ravi Bopara, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Andrew Flintoff, Monty Panesar, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior (wk), Graeme Swann.

England Lions v Australia at Worcester (1-4 July):

Ian Bell (captain) (Warwickshire), Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire), Joe Denly (Kent), Steven Davies (wk) (Worcestershire), Stephen Harmison (Durham), Sajid Mahmood (Lancashire), Stephen Moore (Worcestershire), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Graham Onions (Durham), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Vikram Solanki (Worcestershire).

: Tue Jun 23, 2009 10:21 am  

Not sure that there's anything to be gained from hiding Rashid and Onions from the Aussies. It will be a useful trial for both of them. And both Harmisom and mahmood could play themselves into contention.

: Tue Jun 23, 2009 10:21 am  

Asim wrote:

Like he was last season.

We've seen this pattern before, he gets dropped, does well for his county, gets recalled, does OK when he first comes back to the test team, drops off again sharpishly.

He's had his time, we have to move on and give some younger players a chance to establish themselves rather than have them just keeping Harmison's place warm until he can be arsed again.

If he is bowling well he should be in the squad, he has genuine pace and bounce and seems to be bowling with agression. He does have issues but for instance comparing him to Bresnan it's a non brainer when you look at form this season.

: Tue Jun 23, 2009 10:25 am  

ricky ponting. brett lee.

: Tue Jun 23, 2009 10:45 am  

PAUL M wrote:

If he is bowling well he should be in the squad, he has genuine pace and bounce and seems to be bowling with agression. He does have issues but for instance comparing him to Bresnan it's a non brainer when you look at form this season.

I don't think Bresnan is the right comparison, he is in the squad as he offers more with the bat as well, and might help provide balance to the team if needed.

Harmison is obviously an out and out bowler, but if we recall him every time he has a good few weeks how are other, younger players who haven't got a history of letting England down ever going to mature into test performers when they keep getting dropped to make way for him?

: Tue Jun 23, 2009 10:47 am  

changa wrote:

ricky ponting. brett lee.

What's that - a list of the Aussies genuine world class players?

Getting shorter every year, isn't it?

: Tue Jun 23, 2009 10:48 am  

Asim wrote:

I don't think Bresnan is the right comparison, he is in the squad as he offers more with the bat as well, and might help provide balance to the team if needed.

Harmison is obviously an out and out bowler, but if we recall him every time he has a good few weeks how are other, younger players who haven't got a history of letting England down ever going to mature into test performers when they keep getting dropped to make way for him?

Correct. Plus, Harmison isn't good enough anyway. Ponting and Hughes would have absolutely slaughtered him.

: Tue Jun 23, 2009 11:03 am  

The Penguin wrote:

Correct. Plus, Harmison isn't good enough anyway. Ponting and Hughes would have absolutely slaughtered him.

And that, for me, hits the nail squarely on the head.
The last time he was in the England team he wasnt even bowling particularly fast...Anderson, Broad, Sidebottom, Flintoff are all way ahead of him and neither Onions nor Bresnan have done anything wrong in their 2 tests to date...I applaud the selectors for this squad

: Tue Jun 23, 2009 11:34 am  

Asim wrote:

I don't think Bresnan is the right comparison, he is in the squad as he offers more with the bat as well, and might help provide balance to the team if needed.

Harmison is obviously an out and out bowler, but if we recall him every time he has a good few weeks how are other, younger players who haven't got a history of letting England down ever going to mature into test performers when they keep getting dropped to make way for him?

Which younger bowlers are these then? Okay there is Onions and Broad but Harmison could easily have come in for Sidebottom.

When Harmison gets it right he is arguably our best bowler, right now in the CC he is getting it right more often than not.

: Tue Jun 23, 2009 11:35 am  

The major issue with Harmison IMO is his mental fragility. One bad performance and he disappears back into his sulky shell for the rest of the series.