The fast bowlers I would take to Oz, Carse, Atkinson, Archer, Wood( if fit ). and Tongue who will get some bounce.
I think we need a bigger group than that. Wood and Archer wont play more than 3 each. Atkinson has had fitness issues. Aussie pitches arent what they were a few years ago, I think we will need a swing bowler, particularly in the day night test (If Woakes wasn't injured I would have taken him for that test alone). Potts should go as an option to just bowl line and get through a lot of overs taking some pressure off the spinner. Then Mahmood/Stone/Baker (whoever is fit/good enough) as a bit of a wildcard.
Does Adil have one Ashes tour left in his shoulder?
Does Adil really want one more Ashes tour? His central contract is unlikely to change for playing in the Ashes and by doing so he might write himself out of some of the franchises either because they clash or, more to the point, because of injury.
We are a bowler short at the moment today whereas at other times we've gone in with someone like Overton but that has left us a batter short. I know that I will be preaching to the converted but there has to be a place in the side for Rehan for Bethell or Jacks. The irony is that Rehan has spent all summer proving himself whereas Bethell has been prevented from playing in county cricket by the ECB and is looking extremely undercooked as a result.
England miss Moeen or a Stokes or Sam Curran. A 6 or 7 who's a proper bowler. S Africa know they can be sensible against the 4 main bowlers, especially Rashid, as they can target the 10 overs bowled by the fill in bowlers.
Spin is my major concern for the Ashes. I really don't rate Bashir and would be concerned about Head , Smith and Webster targeting him. No idea what the situation is with Leach and I don't see Bethell as a bowler.
Rehan Ahmed is in excellent form with the bat so could be a handy option to have available in the squad.
Jack Carson seems to be nowhere near selectors thoughts at all.
England miss Moeen or a Stokes or Sam Curran. A 6 or 7 who's a proper bowler. S Africa know they can be sensible against the 4 main bowlers, especially Rashid, as they can target the 10 overs bowled by the fill in bowlers.
Yeah I don’t understand why Curran isn't in the side - good all rounder and in very good form.
Can understand why he's not got more of a chance in the Test team, albeit I think he's a better Stokes back-up than Bethell/Woakes etc, but in white ball it seems odd.
I’m sure he is a fine cricketer, but I can’t help feeling that Bethell is playing above his current level of ability.
He's being treated in the same way as Bashir. Expected to learn his trade in international cricket having never honed his game at county level. Bopara hit the nail on the head when he said T20 cricket can be very unforgiving in the sense that a gap between games can put you out of form and it isn't the place to find that for obvious reasons. Whereas red ball and 50 overs cricket allows you time at the crease to find that but the ECB were never going to allow that to happen were they and when they are paying £25k a game for centrally contracted players in the Hundred to play in that, there isn't any monetary incentive for Bethell to do so either.
In the WC final in 2023 against India, Australia used 4 bowlers to bowl their full allocation of 10 overs. They asked Maxwell, Mitchell and Head to bowl the rest and they returned between them 10-0-44-1. Those three might be former "part-timers" but they have all learnt how to perform under pressure on the highest stage. Today Bethell and Jacks' combined figures were 10-0-112-1.
Bethell looks all at sea. I think a lot of pressure has been put on him too early. He needs to play more County games. He has been fast tracked into the international scene and he is struggling.
Comments
We are a bowler short at the moment today whereas at other times we've gone in with someone like Overton but that has left us a batter short. I know that I will be preaching to the converted but there has to be a place in the side for Rehan for Bethell or Jacks. The irony is that Rehan has spent all summer proving himself whereas Bethell has been prevented from playing in county cricket by the ECB and is looking extremely undercooked as a result.
Rehan Ahmed is in excellent form with the bat so could be a handy option to have available in the squad.
Jack Carson seems to be nowhere near selectors thoughts at all.
Can understand why he's not got more of a chance in the Test team, albeit I think he's a better Stokes back-up than Bethell/Woakes etc, but in white ball it seems odd.
Can only presume it's a personality thing.
Shouldn't the batting order have been changed ?