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- Oct 2011
- 26998
- Cambridgeshire
- Ipswich (convert)
- Those chocolate-coated ring-shaped ones you get at Christmas
From: https://www.ecb.co.uk/england/men/ne...th-australia-a
In-form openers Dom Sibley and Zak Crawley are among four players in line to make their England Lions debuts against Australia A in the four-day match starting on Sunday.
The pair have enjoyed batting at the host venue, Canterbury, in recent weeks Sibley struck a superb double century for Warwickshire last week, while Crawley averages 49 in his last six innings at his home ground.
Gloucestershire batsman James Bracey and Sussex seamer Ollie Robinson are the other two uncapped Lions in the squad, which also contains three players with Test match experience Ben Foakes, Ben Duckett and Jack Leach.
Robinson is joined by the only seamer with more Specsavers County Championship wickets than him in Lewis Gregory. The Somerset all-rounder has been in fine form all season, with his 44 first-class wickets costing just 12 runs apiece, and a batting average of 34 for the Championship leaders.
Lions Head Coach Andy Flower said: Were really looking forward to a great challenge against a very experienced Australia A side, some of whom will be looking to stake a claim for Ashes selection.
Weve got a very good squad of players travelling with us to Canterbury; one thats more than capable of delivering a positive result.
Lions selection is always tricky. Weve got an eye on the England teams short-term needs ahead of a busy winter schedule, but were looking at some medium- and long-term prospects as well. We also need to respect the counties needs during this busy time in the domestic season.
While some players will be playing at this level for the first time, there is plenty of experience in our squad too. This will be a great learning opportunity for all these players and a chance to test themselves against a strong opposition.
James Bracey (Gloucestershire)
Zak Crawley (Kent)
Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
Ben Foakes (Surrey)
Lewis Gregory (Somerset)
Jack Leach (Somerset)
Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire)
Sam Northeast (Hampshire)
Jamie Porter (Essex)
Ollie Robinson (Sussex)
Dom Sibley (Warwickshire)
No place for Jamie Overton but I believe that the Lions don't take more than two players from one County.
Comment
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- Oct 2011
- 26998
- Cambridgeshire
- Ipswich (convert)
- Those chocolate-coated ring-shaped ones you get at Christmas
Australian XI certainly looking the stronger side on the whole. The two stand out players for England Lions in the first couple of days have been Denly and Curran, perhaps unsurprisingly.
Comment
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- Oct 2011
- 26998
- Cambridgeshire
- Ipswich (convert)
- Those chocolate-coated ring-shaped ones you get at Christmas
The commentary team I'm listening to (ooh, another wicket) were suggesting that the Championship is still a high standard on the whole but it's really missing batters who are willing to stick around for four sessions. They all want to score too quickly.
That said, if England move Root up to three then we can pack the middle order with Stokes, Buttler, Bairstow, Woakes, a spinner and see how that goes.
Comment
-
- Oct 2011
- 26998
- Cambridgeshire
- Ipswich (convert)
- Those chocolate-coated ring-shaped ones you get at Christmas
Meanwhile, brushing the disaster that was the third ODI under the carpet, here's England's squad of 13 for the Only Test of the women's Ashes, starting Thursday:
Heather Knight (captain), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Kirstie Gordon, Amy Jones, Laura Marsh, Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Lauren Winfield, Sarah Taylor
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