The England team for tomorrow’s Test match against Pakistan has been selected under new criteria. Roderick Easdale isn’t entirely convinced
The England squad for the first Test of the two-match series against Pakistan, which starts tomorrow at Lord’s, is the first to be chosen by new national selector Ed Smith. he was appointed to bring more statistical analysis to selection, but this team seems a satire on such a notion.
Smith has three England caps and a double first from Cambridge, but, like many other journalists who cover the national team —he’s been a member of Test Match Special for the past few years—he also has a reputation for having rarely attended county cricket in recent years. his two spells as a county captain, of Kent and Middlesex, were marked by dressing-room unrest and criticism of his man-management. he’ll soon be at the hub of a still-being-created three-man selection committee with about a dozen scouts feeding their views into this body.
England’s Director of Cricket Andrew Strauss has explained the changes: ‘Our talent identification and selection structure are about getting better quality information and making decision-making as clear and robust as possible. Smith has a strong academic interest in high performance and excellent knowledge of the international game. he will help implement a structure that we hope can become world leading, not just in cricket, but in sport generally.’
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