ECB name an unchanged squad for the first Test match against Pakistan (Old Trafford, 5-9 August)

[MenInG]

England National Selectors have named an unchanged squad for the #raisethebat first Test match against Pakistan starting on Wednesday 5 August 2020 at Emirates Old Trafford.

The three-match series will be played behind closed doors, in a bio-secure environment.

England Test Squad:

Joe Root (Yorkshire) Captain, James Anderson (Lancashire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Dominic Bess (Somerset), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Zak Crawley (Kent), Sam Curran (Surrey), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Dom Sibley (Warwickshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham).

Reserves:

James Bracey (Gloucestershire), Ben Foakes (Surrey), Jack Leach (Somerset), Dan Lawrence (Essex).

Commenting on the selection of the squad, National Selector Ed Smith, said:

“After three Tests in quick succession against the West Indies, we now turn to an equally condensed Test series against Pakistan, with 15 days of Test cricket scheduled in a three-week period.

“Our 14-man squad is unchanged.

“County cricket now restarts on Saturday 1st August. We want to have sufficient reserves inside the biosecure Test match ‘bubble’, but we may also want to give opportunities, where possible, for the reserves to play county cricket. As we seek the best balance here, England may make changes to the reserves during the three-match series against Pakistan.”

The squad and reserves report to Emirates Old Trafford on Sunday 2 August 2020.

Ends

#raisethebat Three-match Test Series:

1st Test: England v Pakistan, 5-9 August, Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester

2nd Test: England v Pakistan, 13-17 August, Ageas Bowl, Southampton

3rd Test: England v Pakistan, 21-25 August, Ageas Bowl, Southampton

 

[Saj]

We might be ok if they rest Broad, Anderson, Archer, Wood and Woakes

 

[Omer2002]

We might be ok if they rest Broad, Anderson, Archer, Wood and Woakes

Are you sure Saj??

 

[Manunited18]

Weather forecast from this weekend onwards is meant to be hot for the next week or so

 

[HappyWarsFan]

Weather forecast from this weekend onwards is meant to be hot for the next week or so

Good. Hot and dry conditions should help Pakistan - flatter and drier pitches more conductive for spin.

 

[MenInG]

England captain Joe Root and coach Chris Silverwood will once again have a selection dilemma about the make-up of their pace attack after an unchanged 14-man squad was named for next week’s first Test against Pakistan.

Having rotated their frontline fast bowlers during the 2-1 raisethebat series win over the West Indies in recent weeks, the competition for places appears, if anything, even more intense than it was at the start of the month.

Stuart Broad responded to being left out of the opener with 16 wickets at 10.93 in the last two Tests, while Chris Woakes ended the series with a five-for and is now averaging 22.53 in home conditions. James Anderson is England’s leading wicket-taker, the raw pace of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood has swung matches in England’s favour in the past while Sam Curran has won every Test he has played in at home.

Wood and Curran were the unfortunate seamers to be left out of the decider but they have been retained in the squad to face Pakistan at Emirates Old Trafford next Wednesday. Top-order batsmen James Bracey and Dan Lawrence, wicketkeeper Ben Foakes and slow left-armer Jack Leach will stay on with the group for now as reserves.

National selector Ed Smith, said: “After three Tests in quick succession against the West Indies, we now turn to an equally condensed Test series against Pakistan, with 15 days of Test cricket scheduled in a three-week period.

“Our 14-man squad is unchanged. We want to have sufficient reserves inside the bio-secure Test match ‘bubble’, but we may also want to give opportunities, where possible, for the reserves to play county cricket. As we seek the best balance here, England may make changes to the reserves during the three-match series against Pakistan.”

The red-ball group will now leave the bio-secure bubble that has been their home for the last month before reconvening in Manchester on Sunday.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...ith-unchanged-test-squad-for-pakistan-cricket

 

[Hasan123]

Looks a strong squad for English conditions. One thing we need to remember is they have played 3 competitive games of cricket. We haven't played any serious cricket for months. Time out of any sport usually means players take a while to get going. Really worried about this aspect.

 

[MenInG]

Will Pakistan be a step up from West Indies?

Bumble: Pakistan are always unpredictable and will have flair. I wouldn't expect too much difference between them and West Indies. They may be short of runs as well against England in these conditions with a Dukes ball but England need to start strongly for once.

I never thought I'd say these words but perhaps England won't need a spinner next week at Old Trafford. Dom Bess didn't bowl at all in the third Test and only bowled 10 overs in the second innings of the second.

I expect Ben Stokes to be fit to bowl next week and it will come down to one place — do you play a spinner, the extra batsman in Zak Crawley or the left-arm variation in Sam Curran?

Nasser: It will be a very similar challenge. Pakistan have a slightly better batting line-up than West Indies with players experienced in England like Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq and Babar Azam even though his white-ball record is better than his Test one.

Their bowling is dangerous if a little inexperienced and the difference could be that England are coming off the back of a three-Test series and Pakistan will have to be careful not to be caught cold.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/c...id-Lloyd-answer-big-questions-series-win.html

 

[CrIc_Mystique]

As an indian neutral, i feel the way for pak to win is bat first - put 350-400 and get it to reverse and early. Guys like abbas and SSA are a given, nasim shah with his extra pace is the x factor and if pak get some sort of sizeable lead - i really feel yassir will be a factor in the 4th innings. TBH where it seams it will spin as well as an indian experience goes, Harbie was terrific in hamilton 2009, SAF-2010 etc-the same applies for Yasir. I know YS is not a popular selection with most PP'ers...but tradionally eng bats have struggled against quality leg spin and Ys can be the guy who can win you. I'd also back Masood - who i though handled the SAF pacemen well in SAF and shafiq to come good ...along with Azam who's set to join the modern greats...all in all if pak bat well - i'd back your bowling unit to fire in unison.....hoping to see a competitive series...and going by the WI series - eng are not invincible - their batting ain't that hot - should be xciting to watch real cricket after long time...

 

[Saj]

Are you sure Saj??

And Stokes and Root too

 

[shamaan]

Looks a strong squad for English conditions. One thing we need to remember is they have played 3 competitive games of cricket. We haven't played any serious cricket for months. Time out of any sport usually means players take a while to get going. Really worried about this aspect.

The intra matches and getting used to conditions should be pluss thing

 

[shamaan]

As an indian neutral, i feel the way for pak to win is bat first - put 350-400 and get it to reverse and early. Guys like abbas and SSA are a given, nasim shah with his extra pace is the x factor and if pak get some sort of sizeable lead - i really feel yassir will be a factor in the 4th innings. TBH where it seams it will spin as well as an indian experience goes, Harbie was terrific in hamilton 2009, SAF-2010 etc-the same applies for Yasir. I know YS is not a popular selection with most PP'ers...but tradionally eng bats have struggled against quality leg spin and Ys can be the guy who can win you. I'd also back Masood - who i though handled the SAF pacemen well in SAF and shafiq to come good ...along with Azam who's set to join the modern greats...all in all if pak bat well - i'd back your bowling unit to fire in unison.....hoping to see a competitive series...and going by the WI series - eng are not invincible - their batting ain't that hot - should be xciting to watch real cricket after long time...

I would go the opposite bowl first our strength is the bowling and pluss day 1 could be fresh pitch. If we bat first we could loose the game with in the first day

 

[Hasan123]

The intra matches and getting used to conditions should be pluss thing

They aren't competitive games. There is a massive difference.

 

[shamaan]

They aren't competitive games. There is a massive difference.

So shal next time shal the PCB say we dont want to arrive early or have any intra matches we rather go straight into the test series this is the next best option

 

[Hasan123]

So shal next time shal the PCB say we dont want to arrive early or have any intra matches we rather go straight into the test series this is the next best option

I didn't say that. The problem was that covid19 meant we haven't played competitive games for months.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Manchester went into lockdown again, is this game still on?

 

[shamaan]

Manchester went into lockdown again, is this game still on?

Yes

 

[MenInG]

Manchester went into lockdown again, is this game still on?

The England and Wales Cricket Board does not believe England's first Test with Pakistan at Emirates Old Trafford will be affected by extra coronavirus restrictions in Greater Manchester.

The government has banned separate households from meeting each other indoors across the area.

The opener against Pakistan starts on Wednesday, 5 August.

The ECB says it will continue to follow government advice, but protocols in place will allow the game to proceed.

England recently completed a 2-1 series win over West Indies, with the final two Tests taking place at Old Trafford in a bio-secure bubble without spectators.

The new lockdown rules in Greater Manchester, as well as other areas in the north, came into force at midnight after a spike in coronavirus cases.

The measures mean different households will not be allowed to meet in homes or private gardens. Individual households will still be able to go to pubs and restaurants but not mix with another households.

England's victory over West Indies moved them third in the World Test Championship, behind India and Australia.

The second and third Tests against Pakistan will be played at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/53605859

 

[MenInG]

National selector Ed Smith said: “After three Tests in quick succession against the West Indies, we now turn to an equally condensed Test series against Pakistan, with 15 days of Test cricket scheduled in a three-week period.

“Our 14-man squad is unchanged. We want to have sufficient reserves inside the bio-secure Test match ‘bubble,’ but we may also want to give opportunities, where possible, for the reserves to play county cricket.

“As we seek the best balance here, England may make changes to the reserves during the three-match series against Pakistan.”

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/s/england-may-tweak-test-line-says-ed-smith

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Yes

I can smell a pull out just like with the PSL.

 

[shamaan]

I can smell a pull out just like with the PSL.

Can england financially pull out now that they have arrived?

 

[sweep_shot]

I think England should play the same XI they played in third Test (against West Indies).

Burns
Sibley
Root
Crawley
Stokes
Pope
Butler
Woakes
Broad
Bess
Archer.

 

[Forum363]

I think England should play the same XI they played in third Test (against West Indies).

Burns
Sibley
Root
Crawley
Stokes
Pope
Butler
Woakes
Broad
Bess
Archer.

I fear this lineup the most.

I would rather England dropped a pacer and included Crawley, he’s less of a threat to us than someone like Woakes or Anderson. But I’m sure they won’t do that unless Stokes is fully fit.

And Bess is about as good as Iftikhar with the ball currently so shouldn’t pose an issue unless we throw our wickets away.

 

[MenInG]

The England and Wales Cricket Board have confirmed the coaching team for the #raisethebat Test series against Pakistan.

Head Coach – Chris Silverwood

Assistant Coach – Graham Thorpe (First Test)

Assistant Coach – Paul Collingwood (Second & Third Tests)

Pace Bowling Consultant - Graeme Welch (seconded from Warwickshire CCC)

Batting Consultant – Jonathan Trott

Spin Bowling Consultant – Jeetan Patel (Second & Third Tests)

National Lead Fielding Coach - Carl Hopkinson

Wicketkeeping Coach – Bruce French

 

[MenInG]

Ollie Robinson

Seamer Ollie Robinson has been withdrawn from Sussex’s squad for their Bob Willis Trophy match against Kent starting today at Canterbury. He will join the bio-secure bubble at the Ageas Bowl as part of England men’s behind closed doors training group ahead of the second Test against Pakistan on Monday.