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Ali is live
Ali Martin is online now answering your questions about England’s cricketing future – and anything else cricket-related.
Key events
Who is missing?
Rooto asks: Who do you think is missing from the squad? How many points will Lancs win Division 2 by?
Ali:
Beyond Rehan Ahmed, I don’t think there are too many glaring absentees. Craig Overton is enjoying a superb season for Somerset but I don’t see him as one of England’s best four quicks or able to bat higher than No8. I have been tracking Mitch Stanley for a while, who looks to have some serious attributes, but can see he’s not quite Test-ready yet. As you well know, I have retired from any Lancashire predictions…
Would it not make more sense to play a batting all-rounder who can bowl spin?
LastWarriorPoet asks: In the absence of a genuine batting all-rounder, would it not make more sense to play, or at least develop by playing, a batting all-rounder who can bowl spin? There are options - Ahmed, Coles, maybe Jacks - all of whom have far greater potential than four seam bowlers plus cobbling something together from Lawrence and Root.
Is it in fact the truth that by effectively dumping a bowling option for an extra batter, England have reverted back to the failed safety first approach of the previous decade?
Ali:
This slightly carries on from the question about Rehan Ahmed and I agree with your broader point. Ben Stokes is clearly a huge loss but reducing potency with the ball in favour of some extra runs is not the way I would have gone personally. This may be a holding pattern of sorts, however, because it’s clear they are looking at Sam Curran for the role down the line (he is not yet fit enough to play Test cricket, some talk of a hernia that’s being managed). The Barbados Test in 2019 taught us that Curran is not “frontline” enough to be one of three seamers but fourth seamer batting at No7 could balance the side better. If not then yes, a spin-bowling all-rounder such as Ahmed looks the only other way to go.
Why is Ahmed not getting picked?
stewart99 asks: Why is Ahmed not getting picked, he looks to be a decent chance of being a no 6/7 batter and could mature into a serious spin option if he is given something approaching the support that Bashir has had?
Ali:
I was lucky enough to be in Rawalpindi in late 2022 when Rehan Ahmed claimed a five-wicket haul on his Test debut aged just 18 years and 126 days. At the time it felt like a star had been born.
Everything after that, however, was (rightly or wrongly) geared towards the Ashes and Ahmed’s low trajectory, and perhaps a better googly than leg-break at the time, saw them prefer to look the over-spin/off-breaks of Nathan Lyon via Shoaib Bashir – only to get cold feet at the last minute.
English cricket’s relationship with leg-spin is historically ropey and there has been an aversion to playing one at home. It seems to have continued this summer, and in a now inexperienced side, I wonder if they think he’s just not quite ready yet. Like you, I hope he gets his chance at some point though. The good thing is he’s still only 22, so plenty of time on his side.
Ali is live
Ali Martin is online now answering your questions about England’s cricketing future – and anything else cricket-related.
Welcome to the Conversation
Meet the new boss … same as the old boss? Next week Joe Root returns as England captain under new coach Stephen Fleming as the men’s team look to turn their summer around after defeat to New Zealand earlier in the summer as Ben Stokes dramatically announced his retirement and before Brendon McCullum was relieved of his duties.
Ali Martin will be here at 2pm BST on Friday 14 August to discuss the new shape of the team. Post any questions you might have below about England, the men and women’s Hundred season or anything else you’d like to ask our cricket correspondent.
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