Yorkshire axe Test pace bowler Plunkett in disciplinary move

Mail, do you think Brooks has any chance of a call up? He has a career strike rate under 50 in county cricket and performed well on the A tours. He was the second leading wicket taker in Division One last year with 68 wickets at an average of 28 and is off to another fast start this year.

If we believe that Jimmy, Broad, Jordan and Stokes will likely be the four front line seamers this summer, my personal choice for the next five in line would be Wood, Footitt, Overton, Plunkett and Dunn.

The likes of Mills, Gregory, Meaker, Roland Jones and Topley all have potential and Finn, Woakes and Rankin still seem to be on the periphery. Of course, given England's resistance to change, it may take a while for some of the younger bowlers to be given a chance and should any changes be made, Finn, Woakes, Plunkett and Rankin will probably be given first shot.

[quote author=Mail? link=topic=97624.msg637257#msg637257 date=1431468954]
For me Plunkett and Finn have to be part of the premier team.

In my view Finn has been messed about and he should be persevered with.

I was impressed with Plunkett's pace and he bats so if I compare him to either of Stokes and Jordan, he edges it for me but I know Stokes is in favour and Jordan might make way should any of the recent tourists be ditched.

I like your choices though.
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I agree on Plunkett. I think he would give the team a better balance. Stokes gives the team a deeper batting lineup but his bowling is still very hit and miss and with Broad's own recent struggles, we need someone other than Jimmy to provide some consistency.

You also raise a good point about persevering with Finn. I must confess, I keep forgetting how young he still is. What I wouldn't give to get the Finn of old back.

My own XI would be: Cook ©, Lyth, Ballance, Bell, Root, Buttler, Moeen Ali, Jordan, Wood, Broad, Anderson.

I would like to see what Wood has to offer at the Test level but given that he failed to get a look in during the recent tour of the Caribbean, I am not sure he will get selected this summer. In reality, I think England probably stick with the same team that faced the West Indies with the exception of Lyth replacing Trott. So, Cook ©, Lyth, Ballance, Bell, Root, Stokes, Buttler, Moeen Ali, Jordan, Broad, Anderson.

As for the rest of my own 17-man squad: Bairstow (wk), Footitt, Hales, Plunkett, Rashid, Stokes.

[quote author=Mail? link=topic=97624.msg637262#msg637262 date=1431473079]
I am not far away from you in either your selection, bar one, and what is likely to happen.

I am not a big Bairstow fan and it is not always necessary to have a back up keeper.

However I can live with that.

My only frustration with Mo at County and Country levels is him not going on to get big ones.

He should have had a better conversion rate than 24% and although he was not significantly from players of his age, he was meant to have emerged earlier.

He was very good at the youth level.

Are you going to see any of the tests against NZ?
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It's kind of interesting to me that Mo is now being picked for his bowling more so than his batting. If he bowls like last summer than he can be an integral part of the team, if, however, he is closer to what we saw against West Indies, he may well struggle to keep his place in the team. He hasn't really looked comfortable at the Test level with his batting yet and his strike rate (39.06) also suggests that he hasn't quite made the adjustment. If Mo struggles against New Zealand, would you opt for Rashid?

Unfortunately, it doesn't look likely that I will be able to get to either Lords or Leeds in person. Obviously, the Ashes are always special but I am really looking forward to the two Test's against New Zealand. I really like the way they play and expect the series to be competitive with a lot of good cricket on display.