So three quarters of the training squad is down and here goes trying to piece together the remaining men who are in line to attempt to regain The Ashes.
Six batsman, an all-rounder and two wicket keepers make up 9 of the sixteen-man squad, and it’s the men instilled with taking 20 wickets during each test match this summer that remain.
You may wonder why seven men are left aside for the bowlers on this occasion, well that is simply because of the possibility that two spinners may play throughout the series, so three may well make their way onto this training squad.
It’s been rumoured that England will field two spinners in the opening test match at Cardiff, and if so there could be a major role for any of Monty Panesar, Graeme Swann or Adil Rashid.
Panesar in truth is probably the least likely to take the field in that first test in Cardiff-due to his recent form, which resulted in him being dropped during the away series in the West Indies, and his omission from the two-match series against the same country last month.
He’s been accused of having one stock delivery, and not putting enough action on the ball to really impress on the big stage.
Now while most of these accusations could well be true-it doesn’t take away from Panesar his brilliant debut performance against the Aussies, where he took 5 for 92 on the first day of the third test after a host of calls for his inclusion ahead of Ashley Giles.
What will always let Panesar down is his contribution in the field and with the bat, something that you can never lay at the feet of Swann, who gives England a added dimension with the ball and allows the tail to wag as far down as seven or eight.
Swann took five wickets in just his second test match, adding to the 19 he took on the tour of the West Indies to fully lay his mark on the team.
Ever since he’s been an ever present in every England team whether it be one-day international of Twenty20 matches he is a vital player for the England cause.
The third spinner in contention for a call up is Rashid, and after an encouraging Twenty20 World Cup this man could well feature for the test team this summer.
He was called up to the series against India, only to be overlooked when it came to selection but even then the selectors had signalled their intentions.
He was selected alongside Swann in most of the Twenty20 World Cup matches and was one of the rare highlights from the tournament, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the two combine to similar success against Australia.
Yes he is yet to make a test match appearance to date, but due to the nature of Panesar’s form it would be foolish not to select a third spinner to accompany the two experienced men, if nothing else it would be a great experience for the 21 year-old.
For me all three men have to be selected, if England are serious about selecting two spinners for the first test they need to give each one an equal chance.
Even at this early stage I would be tempted to go with Rashid and Swann, given the raw talent that Rahid possess he could give the Aussies some real problems.
So with three spinners in the squad, we need to look at the fast bowlers and England’s problem position in the test team.
As I’ve said before James Anderson and Stuart Broad are sure starters for the first test and therefore inclusion in this squad.
That leave two more spaces preferably, even with Andrew Flintoff around, with plenty of seamers queuing up for selection for this summer.
Steve Harmison (Durham)
Pros: His career highlight came against the Aussies during their last tour when he took the final wicket at Edgbaston in the middle of a dream series for the Durham man. He has the bounce and height to trouble any batsman in world cricket
Cons: A dramatic loss of form was summed up by the last Ashes series in which he bowled a hideous wide as the first ball of the series. Since then he has barely re-captured the form that saw him a one time ranked as the world’s number one fast bowler, his form for his county has improved, only for him to be overshadowed by another England seamer.
Graham Onions (Durham)
Pros: Took 10 wickets in his first two test matches on home soil against the West Indies, including five for 38 on debut. He was the first player to reach 50 first class wicket this season, ahead of team-mate Harmison.
Cons: His experience is very limited, just the two home tests against the West Indies and nothing more. With no One-day or Twenty20 experience this is his first venture into the international set up, and despite his brilliant start there are still doubters against his pedigree.
Ryan Sidebottom (Nottinghamshire)
Pros: In just 21 matches Sidebottom has taken no less than five 5-wicket hauls already in his career against a variety of nations. In the six matches he played against New Zealand this year he took 41 wickets, including 7 for 47 in Napier. He produces demon swing, which famously bamboozles the Aussies and he could be the catalyst for another thrilling Ashes summer.
Cons: Injuries in the recent months have halted his progress, and allowed the likes of Onions to go maybe even ahead of him in the pecking order. It shouldn’t be forgotten what he brings to the team, and that before his injury he was first choice in the test team.
Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire)
Pros: Over 200 wickets in first class cricket for Yorkshire brought him to the attention of the England selectors earlier this year, with the seamer making his debut against the West Indies in the two test matches in May
Cons: While it was expected that he would make a bit impact in the side, he was almost not needed in the side with plenty of the wickets going to the first change bowlers of Broad and Onions, before Bresnan could even get in on the act. He took just three wickets in the series, and he begged the question what would he add to the England pace attack? Not enough it seemed to bowl more than 31 overs in two matches against the West Indies. It seems that Bresnan’s fate may well have been sealed with Onions superb form in that opening match.
As with Michael Vaughan, Harmison has been attempting to recapture form after a series of injuries and it seems just like Vaughan his summer may not go further than his home county.
The strike bowler has always looked off colour when given an opportunity back in the test team, and now England have developed there own match winning bowlers in Anderson and Broad.
For me Onions hasn’t put a foot wrong for either his county or Country, and he deserves at least a call up to the squad, if not a start in a test or two along the way.
Sidebottom seems to have done enough to assure himself an Ashes place, but it looks like a straight fight between him and Onions for a starting place in the team, that’s if the selectors resist with the twin spin option.
So there you have it, near enough the sixteen-man squad due to be announced tomorrow has been accumulated.
They are as follows: Andrew Strauss, Alistair Cook, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Ravi Bopara, Ian Bell, Andrew Flintoff, Matt Prior, James Foster, Monty Panesar, Graeme Swann, Adil Rashid, Ryan Sidebottom, Stuart Broad, Graham Onions and James Anderson.
Now I don’t profess that this will be the exact squad that will be announced, but it will be near enough to that that will fight for the Ashes this summer against Australia.
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