Who to choose for the rest of the Ashes Series
On the first of next month England and Australia switch from the sublime, a five-day test match, to ..(ahem), a T20 blast/thump/smash/bash.
But this will still form part of the ongoing Ashes series.
After their loss at Trent Bridge, it presents England with a near vertical climb up an ice-covered rock face with no grips to rely on. The metaphor is unwise, as we are being promised a return to the sweltering heat of last week. But the points system requires them to win almost every remaining game, six in total. Since the Australians are unfamiliar with the word loss, the most loyal English fans can hope for is an improvement on the 4-12 reverse suffered last time.
Guessing the England squad is made even harder after the selection errors committed in the previous bout. Transferring batting and bowling skills from the one format to the other is a severe challenge. Jon Lewis might be minded to give youth its chance. In the test it was limited to the two Laurens with the new ball.
First, the batting
We can assume that Danni Wyatt who will feature prominently; the short format shows her at her best. Tammy Beaumont’s inclusion is more problematical. There’s no doubting she’s in form, but it was T20-style cricket that saw her omitted from the Commonwealth Games. She can hit the ball with the best of them; Lewis must just decide whether she can realign her thinking from the intense concentration of last week.
Nat Sciver-Brunt and Sophia Dunkley look like home bankers. Then come the hard choices. Isn’t it about time adoring crowds were allowed to see Alice Capsey in action? She hasn’t been in her best from of late, but if not now, then when?
Well-informed voices were calling for Grace Scrivens to get her call-up papers. But she can’t really be considered: she’s left-handed. I add that to prove I’m not stupidly biased towards Kent players.
Others to miss out on the big game include Bess Heath and Danni Gibson, who have both been making waves in their T20 games at Loughborough. Both hit the ball immensely hard, and Gibson is developing into a true all-rounder.
Then the bowling
The bowling choices are harder to assess. First, most of those who turned their arm over at Trent Bridge will be feeling the after-effects. In a mad moment you could imagine yourself not picking any of them. What! Not even Sophie Ecclestone? Well, we’ll have to check that her left arm is still safely attached to her shoulder.
But there is plenty of room for the spinners who were unwisely overlooked last week: Dean, Glenn, Gordon, Linsey Smith are but four who come to mind.
The Australians are unlikely to be planning an all-out assault with top pace. England can respond likewise. Pace off the ball keeps reaping its reward in T20s. And let’s hope the ground-staff have been instructed to set the boundary-rope almost invisible from the middle.
Keeping keepers
There must even be a doubt about Amy Jones’ retention. No, let me put that a different way. It would be sensible for the selectors to indicate who they see as her long-term successor. As yet we have precious little evidence of their preference(s). Not only Lancastrians rate Ellie Threlkeld highly, but we have to admit there is no single outstanding candidate to be short-odds favourite. One or two appearances across the coming six matches (3 x T20s, 3 x ODIs) would give a sense of long-term continuity.
Selection policy
All depends on how Lewis and his assistants arrange their selections from now on. They may pick two separate squads for the two series, or a single (slightly larger) squad to cover all the remaining games.
What some of us want to see above all is youth given its chance. They are the new generation, born into an era of full-time contracts, where they can spend time honing their skills. But they do need the opportunity to test themselves against the best; and they happen to be in town at this very moment.
Details
First T20: 1 July, start of play 18.35, Edgbaston, Birmingham
A curious time to start, but we all know why.
