England vs NZ

[miked]

Only surprise is Bethels inclusion. Seems a bit odd but if they want a
bitson who can smash a quick 30 or 40 and bowl a few mediocre overs, and
i spose hes just there 'for experience' and prob wont play.

Ben Stokes (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob
Bethell, Harry Brook, Bryson Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben
Duckett, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Olly Stone,
Chris Woakes.

mike

[John Hall]

Post by miked
Only surprise is Bethels inclusion. Seems a bit odd but if they want a
bitson who can smash a quick 30 or 40 and bowl a few mediocre overs, and
i spose hes just there 'for experience' and prob wont play.

Yep. With Smith probably missing at least one Test to go home for the
birth of his firstborn, Cox is likely to play as batsman/keeper and they
need a spare batsman. Bethell does seem a surprising choice though.

Post by miked
Ben Stokes (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob
Bethell, Harry Brook, Bryson Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben
Duckett, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Olly Stone,
Chris Woakes.
mike

So from the party you've posted, it looks like they are assuming that
Smith will be unavailable for the entire tour - or at least for enough
of it for it not to be worthwhile for him to fly out to NZ.

[miked]

Post by John Hall

Post by miked
Only surprise is Bethels inclusion. Seems a bit odd but if they want a
bitson who can smash a quick 30 or 40 and bowl a few mediocre overs, and
i spose hes just there 'for experience' and prob wont play.

Yep. With Smith probably missing at least one Test to go home for the
birth of his firstborn, Cox is likely to play as batsman/keeper and they
need a spare batsman. Bethell does seem a surprising choice though.

Post by miked
Ben Stokes (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob
Bethell, Harry Brook, Bryson Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben
Duckett, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Olly Stone,
Chris Woakes.
mike

So from the party you've posted, it looks like they are assuming that
Smith will be unavailable for the entire tour - or at least for enough
of it for it not to be worthwhile for him to fly out to NZ.

yes since they announced that Cox would replace Smith for part, they
seem to have given up on Smith playing at all. I spose its the
distance/flights involved, but he will be a big loss given our top order
isnt exactly that reliable. And Cox hasnt kept regularly for a while. A
key role in the team on tour and they rely on a debutant who doesnt
usually keep wkt. Its just typical england now.

mike

[David North]

Post by miked
Only surprise is Bethels inclusion. Seems a bit odd but if they want a
bitson who can smash a quick 30 or 40 and bowl a few mediocre overs, and
i spose hes just there 'for experience' and prob wont play.
Ben Stokes (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob
Bethell, Harry Brook, Bryson Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben
Duckett, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Olly Stone,
Chris Woakes.

3 spinners seems excessive for a tour of NZ, more so considering that
the tour is earlier in the season than usual.

[John Hall]

Post by David North

Post by miked
Only surprise is Bethels inclusion. Seems a bit odd but if they want a
bitson who can smash a quick 30 or 40 and bowl a few mediocre overs, and
i spose hes just there 'for experience' and prob wont play.
Ben Stokes (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob
Bethell, Harry Brook, Bryson Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben
Duckett, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Olly Stone,
Chris Woakes.

3 spinners seems excessive for a tour of NZ, more so considering that
the tour is earlier in the season than usual.

It looks as if they've just gone with the same squad that they had in
Pakistan, with the enforced replacement of Smith. As you point out, the
conditions are likely to be very different, but we know that they don't
like chopping and changing so I suppose that accounts for it.