I ain't got a clue how we line up here. Be a couple of disappointed people and maybe a shock or 2.

14 man squad and OHD on loan to Worcs

Surprised to see Lintott named, cant see him playing? Feel like Davies might get the gloves over Kai?

It looks very seamer-heavy with Webster, Barnard, Woakes and Booth who can all bat. If you include Smith then you perhaps leave out a bowler. I would like to see Booth play as he was really improving last season. It could mean we have Webster, Barnard, Woakes, Booth, Gilchrist and Bamber as seamers. If Smith plays, I would put him at 8 and have Woakes at 7, after all, he has a Test century and I cannot see why his talent can't see him up the order as Smith's time will come anyway. I would leave out Lintott, Thompson and Mousley from the 14 announced. There is still loads of batting and bowling there. I really am not sure why Lintott is the only spinning option.

Barnard
Bamber
Booth
Davies
Gilchrist
Hain
Lintott
Malik
Mousley
Smith
Thompson
Webster
Woakes
Yates

Tough decision who to leave out apart from Lintott.

Webster will bat in the top 5 id have thought?

Yates
Davies
Mousley
Hain
Webster
Barnard
Malik
Woakes
Thompson
Bamber
Booth/Gilchrist

???

A specialist batter at 7 and you still have 6 front line bowling options.

Andy wrote:

Yates
Davies
Mousley
Hain
Webster
Barnard
Malik
Woakes
Thompson
Bamber
Booth/Gilchrist

???

A specialist batter at 7 and you still have 6 front line bowling options.

As I said in my earlier post, I'd expect Booth & Lintott to definitely miss out. And 1 of Webster (simply because he hasn't had any pre-season in England), Thompson, Malik or Mousley - that's assuming Smith keeps wicket. If Davies picks up the gloves, we could go with Andy's lineup, IF Webster is seen to be ready (though I'm sure Gilchrist will be picked ahead of Booth)

paulbear wrote:

It looks very seamer-heavy with Webster, Barnard, Woakes and Booth who can all bat. If you include Smith then you perhaps leave out a bowler. I would like to see Booth play as he was really improving last season. It could mean we have Webster, Barnard, Woakes, Booth, Gilchrist and Bamber as seamers. If Smith plays, I would put him at 8 and have Woakes at 7, after all, he has a Test century and I cannot see why his talent can't see him up the order as Smith's time will come anyway. I would leave out Lintott, Thompson and Mousley from the 14 announced. There is still loads of batting and bowling there. I really am not sure why Lintott is the only spinning option.

Webster can bowl spin too

I have heard that Webster bowls spin but not sure how good he is. If there isn't a front-line spinner then I would go with:
1 Yates
2 Davies
3 Hain
4 Malik
5 Webster
6 Barnard
7 Woakes
8 Smith
9 Booth
10 Bamber
11 Gilchrist
It might be that Smith won't play in which case maybe a surprise Lintott inclusion rather than yet another seam option but if Smith doesn't play then Mousley would probably get picked.

paulbear wrote:

I have heard that Webster bowls spin but not sure how good he is. If there isn't a front-line spinner then I would go with:
1 Yates
2 Davies
3 Hain
4 Malik
5 Webster
6 Barnard
7 Woakes
8 Smith
9 Booth
10 Bamber
11 Gilchrist
It might be that Smith won't play in which case maybe a surprise Lintott inclusion rather than yet another seam option but if Smith doesn't play then Mousley would probably get picked.

Would go with the same although Hain at 4. Is Barker injured? I thought hed at least be ij the squad

Really looking forward to this one. Feels like a strong early test of the dark horse tag we've been assigned by media outlets this week. A seam attack to complete with any on offer this season anywhere in the country, mind. Be a good statement to make with a positive result here.

Davies, Yates, Malik, Hain, Webster, Barnard, Smith, Woakes, Bamber, Booth, Gilchrist.

Yep, the media do seem to think we've got a shot at the title.

But I don't think we have enough runs in the team. Hain and Barnard have done too much of the heavy lifting for a while so the rest of the top order need to fire and it doesn't get much tougher than Surrey in April in overcast conditions.

Will we try and prepare a flat one a la last season to go for a draw or more confidence this time round to get a win?

Team news ? Toss ?

We’ve won the toss and bowl first

Davies
Yates
Mousley
Hain
Barnard*
Smith+
Webster
Woakes
Thompson
Bamber
Gilchrist

I can't see that Thompson should get in just because he is new to the side after Booth was often our best bowler in certain games last season. Mousley instead of Malik is insane, did Malik's progress last season not deserve a place above a batsman who hasn't made a CC century and constantly gives his wicket away through poor shot selection a good way to make a player disillusioned before a ball has been bowled of a new new season.

The first wicket of the season is a run-out, that can’t have happened many times.

Live scores link

https://live.nvplay.com/ecb/?tab=m_summary#mc5520000-6664-a623-1e62-08de2d98ac35

Good to see Kai is keeping wicket, he should be backed to do the job for the full season.

Mousley is an England ODI international and bowls offspin, so contributed in two parts of the game.

Mousley might have played ODI's but is not anywhere being in England's best XI and very rarely bowls in CC matches. He also doesn't spin it much, it's more medium pace.

Ian Westwood & Ed Barnard obviously feel he's worth his place in the side.