That's great news for Chris. I see that Olly Stone is also in the squad - ironic that the two of them are going to be fit just as the Bears' season ends. But good luck to them!
That's great news for Chris. I see that Olly Stone is also in the squad - ironic that the two of them are going to be fit just as the Bears' season ends. But good luck to them!
Good to see Chris Woakes starring for England yesterday. Let's hope that his knee op has worked and he is fully fit again.
Definitely. With the way this summer has gone, the emergence of Potts and fitness of Robinson, I think his days in the test team, even at home, are numbered. With the 50-over world cup being this time next year, I can see that as a natural end to his international career, if only as England management will want to try and bring on another opening bowler for the next cycle.
At least this should lead to seeing him more in Warks lineups over the next couple of years.
Well, here's some good news:
https://edgbaston.com/news/woakes-shuns-ipl-for-county-championship-start/
Excellent news.
I hope they just let him play and don’t limit his overs or pick what matches he can and can’t play.
I do wonder if this has come from a realisation from Woakes that he’s maybe fallen down the pecking order a bit, and needs to perform.
With Robinson and Wood now ahead of him. Plus Archer will be fit this summer. Obviously Anderson and Broad. And there’s plenty of long term absences who are going to be healthy, lingering around the squad like the Currans, Overtons, Mahmood, Stone, Cook. Seems like there’s going to be some interesting selections to be made with the seamers for England this summer.
Woakesy must be MotM today for Sharjah. Although they lost, he took 2 wickets (for 23 off his 4 overs) and scored 62 off 29 balls ! Mo Ali less effective !
"You can take the boy out of Atherstone, but you can never take Atherstone out of the boy !"
"The Bears and the (footballing) Foxes for ever !"
Good interview with Chris here:
Surely with his record at home he must be in with a decent shout of making the squad, though you’d imagine that a lot will depend on how he does for Warwickshire over the next few matches.
If everyone is fit, I don't think Chris will get an Ashes game. Stokes will want Broad and Anderson with Robinson as their back-up, plus one of Archer/Wood/Stone plus a spinner. Fitness is the key, though, particularly Stokes himself. If he's not fit to bowl, there is no other batting all-rounder in sight unless they can persuade Moeen to come back. This leaves the wicket-keeper batting at 6 with a long tail to follow. In that case, they would want either Woakes or Curran to bat at seven. Work on your batting, Chris!
Josh Tongue has been selected ahead of Chris for Thursday's Test match against ireland at Lord's. Seems his Test career may be drawing to a close although with the state of our quicks' fitness, who knows when an opportunity might present itself.
Does this mean that he’ll be able to play for us a bit more?
Seems a little harsh to pick someone ahead of him who was not even in the original squad. My concern is he ends up neither playing for us or England much more this summer.
It's a bit sad now reading the interview with him where he says: "It is an amazing feeling to be back in England colours and I am ready to give it my all,"
I may be completely wrong but I doubt that's it for Woakes. He's likely being wrapped in cotton wool just in case Jimmy pulls up or cannot get through two tests in a row. He's played two CC games Vs Surrey and Hants did fine in both and they're far better opposition than Ireland so doubt he needs this 'test' to prove anything to anyone. His role is very decent back-up for Jimmy Broad Robinson
Good luck to Josh Tongue who if he does well will be another option for England perhaps 4th or 5th test if the injuries rack up in the early part of the series
Surely we are passed the situation where he ends up not playing for Warwickshire but in reserve for England? Makes no sense at this stage in his career.
ExiledBrummie wrote:
Seems a little harsh to pick someone ahead of him who was not even in the original squad. My concern is he ends up neither playing for us or England much more this summer.
They have done this to him for the last 10 years in O.D.I's and Tests. What I would hate is him not knowing if he is playing or not and just hanging around the team and missing games for Warwickshire just because the selectors are not sure if they want to play him or not. He is after all, a professional who wants to play cricket and maybe he is on the last 3-4 years of a career which has seen him play very little first-class cricket in the last 8 years due to being messed about. Why bother to name him only to take a risk on a rookie who if he has a bad few days, could be the difference between a win and a loss - Is that the sort of thing we want to see before an Ashes series crammed into the season before August.
The usual poor treatment by the selectors leaving Woaksey in limbo yet again. He should at least be playing in the T20 games.
Since Chris Woakes doesn't get into the England team at Lord's, I can't see him getting in elsewhere unless there are more injuries:
https://wisden.com/series-stories/ashes-2023/ashes-2023-england-announce-xi-second-test-lords-eng-vs-aus-2
We still won’t be allowed to play him though. That would be absurd, a player playing for their county, instead of being 15th man with no chance of selection.
Chris is obviously a great net bowler! Wish he'd just give up on the test team and focus on white ball only for England and us when available.
I'm surprised that Anderson has retained his place - Mark Wood should've got the nod with his extra pace. Woakes gets poor treatment, he should be released for the Bears. You can end up resting players too long that they can end up rusty and at risk of injury from lack of match fitness.