Darren Gough '“ Selection posers for England ahead of first Test in West Indies
You look at England’s team and it is almost impossible to pick a starting 11. In Sri Lanka we had three spinners and three ’keepers in the side. I cannot see that happening in the Caribbean.
Jack Leach, who got 18 wickets in the winter and deserved his tour place, could easily miss out in the first Test in Barbados. Ben Foakes, the player of the series in Sri Lanka, could too if they decide to use Ben Stokes as the fourth seamer as opposed to the third.
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Hide AdThe options seem to be Stokes as the fourth seamer with Sam Curran, Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson. Or leave out Broad and put Curran and Foakes in and play Stokes as your third seamer, which he is good enough to do.
It is just how much you want his work-rate to be as he will be batting at five. It is an interesting one and a very hard selection.
Jonny Bairstow, after the fine 100 in Sri Lanka and 98 in the warm-up game, is a ‘cert’ at three.
It will be an interesting series. The West Indies just got battered in Bangladesh and were beaten by an innings and 200-odd runs in the last Test.
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Hide AdYet it might surprise a lot of people that England have actually only won one Test series in the West Indies since 1968.