This is a bit odd. England seem to have actually picked a half decent squad for a major tournament. I genuinely don’t remember the last time this happened, and it certainly hasn’t in T20 cricket. Damn it, who is going to be our Schofield/Maddy/Kirtley/Key/Napier this time? A team like;
Lumb
Kiesswetter
Pietersen
Collingwood
Bopara/Yardy
Morgan
Wright
Swann
Broad
Bresnan
Anderson
actually looks more than reasonable. Especially when you consider the thus-far impressive Tredwell is in the mix as well. Even Sidebottom could jut prove to be wily selection – if he stays fit, his left arm yorkers and slow bouncers are a handy variation.
Of course, the selectors picking the right squad for a change might actually prove to create an even bigger problem. If England go out in the first couple of rounds, then it is going to be inescapable that it is because they are just plain rubbish. This is where they need to learn a bit from their mentors, Pakistan. If you drop half the team, you can at least pretend you would be good if you had a full side.
Another small issue is that Michael Lumb seems to have been born in a familiar country. The link to the land of biltong may be tenuous in his case, but an alarming number of current England players seem to have strange combinations of “I”s, “E”s and “A”s in their place of birth. It’s hard to escape the fact that this one is going to run and run.
Let’s be positive though. At 10/1, England actually look like decent value for an each way punt. Big hitters at the top, canny accumulators with the odd slogger in the middle order and a varied bowling line up – are England finally getting the idea?
Hope you put some money on, Mystic Meg!