England announce provisional World Cup squad

England have announced their provisional 30-man World Cup squad. Alastair Cook has been confirmed as captain.

England provisional World Cup squad: Alastair Cook (Essex) (Capt), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire), Gary Ballance (Yorkshire), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Ravi Bopara (Essex), Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Jack Brooks (Yorkshire), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Harry Gurney (Nottinghamshire), Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Craig Kieswetter (Somerset), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Stephen Parry (Lancashire), Samit Patel (Nottinghamshire), Liam Plunkett (Yorkshire), Boyd Rankin (Warwickshire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Ben Stokes (Durham), James Taylor (Nottinghamshire), James Tredwell (Kent), James Vince (Hampshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Luke Wright (Sussex).

Outside of Anderson and Broad, those not currently in Sri Lanka will have a hard time finding themselves in the final 15-man squad that will be announced at the end of the Sri Lanka series.

www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/dec/06/en...-trott-alastair-cook

I suppose it is provisional but Bairstow, Keiswetter, Bresnan, Gurney etc....


This obsession with Keiswetter continues but I suppose the consolation I take is Denbach is not included.

Based on the provisional squad, my best guess on the final 15 would be: Cook, Moeen, Anderson, Bell, Bopara, Broad, Buttler, Finn, Hales, Jordan, Morgan, Root, Taylor, Tredwell, Woakes.

My guess is that only 2 of Jordan, Woakes and Stokes will be picked. I think Stokes has the higher upside but his form with both bat and ball has been atrocious, not that Woakes has been a whole lot better, mind.

England can't get rid of under performing Cook and Stokes, Sri Lanka can't let go of Kusal and Ajantha Mendis. Both teams are ripe for World Cup doom because of favoritism.

I'm really starting to believe that Stokes won't make the final 15. He has struggled with his run up, struggled with his rhythm, struggled with his line and length. When he has bowled, he has been expensive and only been used sparingly. His batting numbers of late speak for themselves.

Woakes hasn't been that much better but it seems clear that England have more trust in him than Stokes as he has opened the bowling and then been used at the death.

Vic Marks, in his column today selects the same 15. It's not exactly an awe inspiring squad, especially with Cook and Morgan searching for form.

Dilly,

Were we not meant to have had the 15 man squad announced today?

Look I know Cooky is in crap form but would you make a captaincy change now?

I am undecided but there is a school of thought who believe in selecting your best 11 and then the skipper!

I believe the selectors are expected to announce the final squad before the end of the month.

As for Cook, at this stage in the game, I'd stick with him. The selectors named him as captain for the Sri Lanka tour and then again as captain in the provisional squad. I, personally, would have made the change prior to the tour of Sri Lanka. I think it is too late now to make the change and so everyone should get behind Cook and hope that somehow he can find some form. His demeanor in the field and at the crease is cause for concern, though, as he looks entirely frustrated and worn down.

I've said it before, make a decision and stick with it. All the speculation in the media doesn't do anyone any good. Moores didn't help the matter when he failed to give Cook his full backing earlier in the week.

Ditto