Shah would probably come in for Bell, just can't of anyone else who is good enough.

It wouldn't surprise me if a certain former captain returned...

Nasser is a bit old, don't you think ...

Pieterson has got a role in a new film:

Dumb slog millionaire.

what happened

From the squad that's available Id go with:

Cook
Strauss
KP
Shah
Bopara
Flintoff
Prior
Broad
Swann
Anderson
Monty

This is supposed to be one of the slowest pitches in the world so 2 spinners are expected to be picked and I'd give Monty a few more chances yet as he did look to bowl a lot better here than he did in India.

The best test teams have their best batsman playing at number 3 so KP has to play there for me and it would take some pressure off Shah.

Harmison and Sidebottom did nowt to merit their continued inclusion - to be fair they didnt do too much wrong neither but neither of them offer much when conditions dont suit them.

I was stunned that a bowler like Jerome Taylor did the damage...he's not particularly fast and doesn't move the ball much...I seriously think he'd struggle to get in the Lancashire team...as a bowler anyway, he'd probably get in as an all-rounder though considering our batting strength

I thought someone was taking the p*ss when they text me the score yesterday... Unbelievable.

I don't think Bopara is with them ace, he was due to be in the studio tonight !!!

I'd play Rashid I think, not sure your going to get an opportunity any better than this to blood him. In my head, I think it's way too early for him to be playing Test Cricket, but, there'll be no expectations right now, he can't do any worse kind of thing, so maybe that's what you need rather than when things are going well for the team and it's a 'Risk Selection'. All that can happen is that he can exceed any minimal expectations.

If they were calling Bopara up, I guess it'd have happened by now logistically like. (I'm with you, I would have, get him & Shah in at the expense of Bell & Colly). They think alot of Colly though, and when he's under pressure he normally digs out a score. I'm just bored rigid of his minimal backlift and punchy style, awful to watch, quite how the IPL have picked him up, they must need a quality fielder at gully.

I think we'll get come Friday

Bell > Shah
Sidebottom/Harmison > Swann

Not sure who'll drop out, I guess they'll see what they think it'll do with the new ball, swing a bit early on, or bit of bounce before it gets flat and go from there.

I actually feel sad that in about 2 tests time, I'll have to watch Tim Ambrose play for England again. I feel vialated.

Bopara isn't an option as he's not in the squad, and they won't be calling up anyone else unless there are injuries. The other squad members who didn't play in Jamaica are Shah, Ambrose, Rashid, Swann, Anderson. Not much scope for wholesale changes to the top order there, and that's where we lost the First Test. Harmison took 2/49 and Sidebottom went for less than two runs an over. Even if they might have taken more wickets or helped finish off the Windies innings in fewer overs they can hardly be held responsible for the team failing to avoid defeat after trailing by only 74 on first innings with just over five sessions remaining.

St John's (the next venue) is usually a batsman's paradise - it's where Brian Lara set his two world record scores of 375 and 400, neither of which helped his team to win the match if I remember rightly.

Shah simply has to replace Bell for me, and I wouldn't argue with introducing him at 4 with KP moving up to 3, but unless Swann or Rashid comes in as a second spinner for tactical reasons I'd be amazed if there were any other changes, and rightly so IMO.

I think you're doing the boy a disservice. Alright, he'll never be an Ambrose or Walsh, but that's what the West Indies selectors have been guilty of in the last 6-7 years, in that thinking that every fast bowler that's come into the side is a ready made replacement for 2 of the greatest bowlers that ever held a cricket ball. As a result, quite a few promising bowlers have been discarded after a few tests.

Taylor has had the benefit of the recently changed selection policy, and is really starting to blossom. He puts it in the right places, he does move the ball both ways, and is plenty quick enough. He'll take stacks of wickets.

I agree, but you know what annoys me the most ? In the first innings, he was bowling a. Cross seam, b. Slower balls - like off cutters, lots of them as well, clear as day you could see it on the footage. I was watching the criket with a mate, who's I think a pretty good bowler, and we chatted about this for ages, looked to get extra bounce out of the surface by hitting the seam and whatnot, anyhow I digress a tad. Second innings starts, Cook wafts at one, KP gets a beauty etc, then Struass & Prior both fall to these cutters, when Prior is dismissed it shows you Struass on the balcony doing the motion of this cutter.

That's where my beef is, they don't learn, these are our elite cricketers. You would have at least thought that they'd have reviewed the 1st Innings, team meeting or whatever, even as individuals you see them looking at them monitors for hours. They should be looking at what he bowled and how best to combat it. Instead, he comes out and tears through them.

It's stuff like that, that's just not very good.

Are they using St Johns? I thought they'd moved to the Sir Vivian Richards stadium, which was built for the World Cup.

Oh, and I think you're right on those Lara games ending as draws, I seem to remember him getting stick for batting on to 400, effectively ending the game as a contest.

A game that smacks of a team believing its own hype.

For once I am defending Pietersen, yes he got out like a plonker in the first innings but at least he made 97. Flintoff undid all his good work on day 1 by getting out early on day two. Sarwan and Gayle showed the way to play on that stinker of a pitch.

IMO, the only change excluding injuries should be Bell or Collingwood (probably the former, although I say that with a heavy heart) being replaced by Shah. It simply has to happen. The rest of the squad should be given a chance to redeem themselves, although I'd say once again Harmison looked rubbish and Sidebottom rusty.

You never know, this might just be the kick up the backside the squad needs.

Disgraceful batting performance. For all those wanting Bell and Collingwood out of the side (I agree btw) what about Cook? In the last 14 months he averages less than both of the other two yet seems to be exempt from any criticism?

I can't believe Bopara has not travelled, he should replace Collingwood and Shah should be replace Bell. I would also look at giving Rashid a go, has to be worth a look at.

Is there a limit imposed by the ICC on the size of touring parties, or is it a self-imposed one from the ECB in order to keep costs down? 16 simply doesn't give you much scope for changes, particularly when you take five seamers, three spinners and two specialist keepers.

I beleive it's purely self-imposed and we could take more players if we wanted to.

Yes, you're right, so in fact the conditions for the next match will possibly be completely different to what I expected. There's also the Stanford stadium on Antigua now just for good measure!

Apologies, I thought Bopara was in the touring party.

I should have known better than to expect us to pick a young, very talented and very confident player to tour



Im sure there's no limit to touring parties, we've definitely taken 18 on tours to the windies and oz before.

I think the start of the domestic season is going to be very interesting and there will be quite a lot of batsmen out to try and force their way into the England reckoning...Denly, Key, Horton, Moore, Vaughan, Carberry will surely be knocking on the door if they start the season with a barrage of runs??

As far as I can see there's only been 1 test match there, versus Australia last year, and that ended up in quite a high scoring draw. The full card is [url=http://content-www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/319140.htmlhere[/url.

Hardly any wickets for spinners, wonder if England will go with just seamers?

whats going on . i read england got bowled out for 51runs

I hope not. If 4 seamers can't get the job done, then I don't see a fifth guy doing anything massively different. Of course, we could go in with 4 bowlers and Shah, but I'd much prefer a batsman to make way for Owais rather than Monty.

I'd get rid of Bell and Panesar, and bring in Deidrie and Shah.

You must've just come back from the space station have you??.......

we could send the local a grade side for the ashes