These days, the announcement of the England winter touring party is normally a damp squib. Back in the '80s, there were usually half a dozen certainties, a few possibles and then in came a few players who performed brilliantly in the Gillette Cup/Nat West Trophy final the day before. In 2013, Andy Flower et al possess the luxury of a settled and successful side so it's only cover for injuries or the rare turning wicket that allows the opportunity for selectors to spring a surprise.
Cook, Trott, Root, KP, Bell, Prior, Broad, Swann and Anderson pick themselves, so the rest are fighting for only two places. Bresnan is presumably out of the equation through injury so the main contest is for the two vacant seamer positions, along with the number six batsman/all-rounder spot. Maybe this season is not so different from yesteryear in that limited-over form seems to be the dominant factor in choosig players for the Ashes Test squad. Not from the YB40 but recent ODIs.
A few years ago, Michael Carberry was a free-scoring opener for Hampshire. This year he has been brilliant in short formats but mediocre in the Championship. So in he comes! Jonny Bairstow, I can understand, if only because he has become so adept at carrying drinks that there are no others with the same waiting credentials. Tut-tut. In my day, 12th men had to carry drinks on a tray without spilling anything. Any idiot can carry a cool box!
Genuine all-rounders are, surprisingly in this era of T20 bits and pieces players, very thin on the ground. Chris Woakes advanced his case today with a century for Warwickshire, but all too late. Ben Stokes has made the squad as a brisk strokemaker and nippy bowler who can give as good as he gets. His batting catches the eye, but he has captured 41 wickets at 25 for Durham which is pretty useful. I've no problem with Gary Ballance joining the team. Forget his duck against Ireland; he's had an excellent season with Yorkshire in first-class cricket and deserves his chance of a Test debut.
On the bowling side, Boyd Rankin has been impressive in the 50-over games, and Steve Finn always gives the impression that he is the best man to bang 'em in short and bother those pesky Aussie short-arses. How well he can actually deliver against top-class batsmen like Clarke is more debatable. Nevertheless, if I were Jimmy Anderson I'd be a bit worried. It would seem that the selectors are unashamed heightists. Seamers have clearly been included on the bass of being at least 6 foot 5 tall. Why else would Chris Tremlett be there instead of Graham Onions? The latter has been the best Championship bowler in each of the past two seasons delivering under pressure in the top flight and leading the attack for the number one county. Tremlett has managed a mere 32 wickets at 33 from 11 games for a relegated county. Go figure. Perhaps Onions would have tipped the balance too far in favour of players from northern counties? Seems ludicrous to me.
As support spinner, England have turned to Monty Panesar. So awful both on and off the pitch, past glories have swung the decision his way, helped by James Tredwell being right-handed and Sean Kerrigan having frozen at The Oval. Perhaps the Essex loanee will put his disastrous summer behind him and take a few wickets in his single Ashes Test. Actually, I hope he does, but please don't let him go for a night out with Ben Stokes....
I don't know whether members of the England performance programme squad can be called up as replacements, but if I were Chris Jordan - who had a good day against Durham today - and Moeen Ali, possibly the star of the domestic season, I'd keep an eye on signs of broken fingers or twisted ankles on Root, Carberry, Stokes or Trott.
