Most of the headlines around the announcement of the Engand Lions squad to face Sri Lanka next week concern the rivalry between Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara for the number six slot in the senior side. Fair enough, as they are leading candidates to fill the slot vacated by Paul Collingwood, but neither are exactly helping their cause.
I have written before about my appreciation for the Essex star's decision to forego the IPL payday in favour of playing first-class cricket and getting runs under his belt in readiness for Tests. Morgan, however, has been preparing for the five-day game by indulging in the lucrative T20 tournament, so he needs to perform in the Lions game at Derby. His lack of preparation did him no harm last summer when, against my expectations, he scored over 200 runs in his first three Test innings, including 130 against Pakistan. However, his last five yielded a miserable 45.
James Hildreth captains the side, as he did successfully during the winter. The Somerset man could be a genuine contender for the senior side only he is not enjoying the best of starts in the County Championship. Samit Patel is being talked up for a possible recall. He has scored one century and a few 50s so far this summer but bagged a pair at te hands of his ex-teammate Ryan Sidebottom. Perhaps his offspin could provide an extra dimension but he is still hardly an athlete in the field, unlike Morgan.
Hampshire's Jimmy Adams deserves his place as opener but I'm not sure who will be his partner at the start of the innings, since none of the other eleven open for their counties. There is no Adam Lyth for starters. Craig Kieswetter could have done the job, as he does in one-dayers but he is ruled out by injury. His fellow wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow takes his place, fresh from a successful few weeks for Yorkshire, but is not a natural opener. I admire James Taylor. Only two years ago he was the PCA Young Cricketer of the Year and, still only 21, he has a first-class batting average of almost 49, a sound temperament and, rarely these days, is content to compile an innings rather an succumb to arrogant slogs a la T20. I also like the fact that he is under 5 feet 6 tall and we shorties have to stick together!
I feel England have a wealth of young batting talent but I have my doubts about the bowling succession strategy. Every time we produce a Steven Finn or Graham Onions, and they leave their counties for England in order to prevent wear and tear, they automatically pick up long-term injuries. How does that happen?! Good to see both are in the Lions squad but it's Onions who has shown the most promise in the summer to date. Ajmal Shahzad had his Test debut against Bangladesh last summer and played for England in the World Cup, so is effectively in the driving seat for a senior recall. Chris Woakes must surely have been pushing for a place but sore shins has caused him to pull out. The curse of England fast bowlers strikes again?
The twelve is completed by Surrey's Jade Dernbach and Hampshire's young spinner Danny Briggs. A Performance Squad member in the winter, Dernbach enjoyed some good performances in the Caribbean and did well against Leicestershire last week. I haven't seen him play but, given he was born in South Africa he must surely get promotion soon! Briggs was also born overseas - but on the definitely English Isle of Wight! He is still barely out of his teens but has already claimed almost 100 first-class wickets, including many on the unfriendly West Indian wickets earlier this year. He really made his name in the domestic T20 competition in 2010, able to combine wicket-taking with eye-catching economy. Shane Warne may be retiring but do England have a great international leg-spinner of the future? If he continues in recent vain, he and Woakes deserve to be the cornerstones of England's one-day and T20 teams for years to come and I hope in Tests, too. Whoever is selected in the final XI next week, Sri Lanka will certainly have a tough game on their hands.
