England's Tour of Australia - Ashes, ODIs and T20s 13/14

The Tuffers and Vaughan show was very interesting. They agreed with the opinions here, and my own, that Onions must feel very hard done by note to make the trip. However they suggested as he will be playing in South Africa he could well be called up to the squad at short notice.
They had a great interview with Carberry and seemed to gloss over the Compton exclusion. My own feeling on that one Compton is younger and has scored more runs and in Div. 1 and can also feel unlucky to be left out.
Lots more interesting discussions and interview with Darren Lehmann if you missed it you can catch up on I-player http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/search?q=Vaughan.
Link marked as "coming soon" at time of posting.

Onions is very unlucky not to be in the squad, i would have taken him along instead of Stokes or Ballance. Compton should definitely have gone instead of Carberry, he has experience and a good temperament. Chris Woakes exclusion from both squads is just baffling.

(24-09-2013 13:19 )lancealot790 Wrote:  Onions is very unlucky not to be in the squad, i would have taken him along instead of Stokes or Ballance. Compton should definitely have gone instead of Carberry, he has experience and a good temperament. Chris Woakes exclusion from both squads is just baffling.

I can only assume that like Compton who was also excluded from the development squad as they want to see what others can do. Not agreeing with their policy just trying to explain it.

(23-09-2013 12:50 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  As far as I can see 10 places are nailed-on for the 1st Test - Cook,Prior,Root,Trott,Pietersen,Bell,Swann,Broad,Anderson,Finn.T​he final batting spot could go to any one of Bairstow,Stokes or Carberry.

I don't see how Finn's place can be nailed on. Rankin may possibly be ahead of him at the moment. Tremlett did well in Australia 3 years ago so will come into the reckoning as well.

The squads what it is ,a squad . We've all got a good idea on on at least 9 who will be definite "starters" fitness permitting .If there's no injuries on tour at least 4 of the squad won't play a test match . They're just going as back up and play in the minor tour games .Only surprise for me and most people is the non-selection of Graham Onions of Durham .He must be thinking "what have I done wrong ?". How the England selectors can call him up for one of the recent squads at home and then overlook him now is baffling ,to say the least .
p.s. Hope Monty watches his fluid intakes .Afterall , we wouldn't want him pissing all over the Aussies . They'd never live it down !

(24-09-2013 18:55 )Jack Bishop Wrote:  I can only assume that like Compton who was also excluded from the development squad as they want to see what others can do.

Is there an age limit for this development squad? I only ask because Compton is 30.

There's no age limit for the Development Squad,although there's is little value for players that have been involved before.There is very little cricket only 2 matches,mainly technical work,strength & conditioning & preparing up & coming players on how the full England squad go about there business,including media work etc.The general policy seems to be younger players,this is not a shadow squad for the full England side to be used as back-up in the event of injury.
There is an England Lions tour later,it will be interesting to see if Compton is included in that.

There must be something not right with Compton .After his success in the New Zealand and India tours ,less than 12 months ago .He's dropped down the pecking order like a ton of bricks .
Compton had a poor run in the New Zealand return series here in May and has been totally discarded now .Fallen out with the Flowers managememt team perhaps ?

Graeme Hick has been appointed high Performance Coach of Cricket Australia's Centre of Excellence,working with Australia A & Under 19's.
That man was a great County Cricketer but struggled at Test level against high quality fast bowling,from England's point of view it's a great appointment.

England's Gary Ballance has previously been labelled The New Graeme Hick,I hope not,I'd like to think he'll do better.

Yes ,Graham Hick was outstanding at county level .
He did struggle in the test arena against higher quality bowling .But so did most of his England team mates .I think being "hailed" the "saviour of English cricket" added to the pressure on him .
For the benefit of anyone who doesn't know ;
Hick came over from Zimbabwe to Worcester and spent 7years in county cricket to earn his England qualification .While doing so ,Hick plundered virtually every bowling attack in the country .I think he reached is pinnacle with a score of 400 in one innings .The English cricket media then went into overdrive about Hick ."With Hick in the team , England will be unbeatable !" was the general consensus . Sadly the reality was not quite the same .