With Flintoff injuries making it unlikely that he will play in the T20 series and perhaps even in the Ashes, it may well be that Bresnan will be lost to Yorkshire for the season.
Bresnan would be an obvious replacement in the 20/twenty squad. Can't really believe that he wasn't in the original after getting a call up for the test team. Whether he would be an ashes replacement is open to debate. Best thing England could do is declare now and then give Bresnan a longish bowl this afternoon. Last thing you need is to go into an ashes series not knowing.
Cardiff is rumoured to be a two spinner pitch so of the current line up Bresnan would be the one to go. Unless the second spinner is Rashid, which seems unlikely, the length of tail becomes more worrying. Rather like Yorkshire, there's plenty who can bat low down but you'd still not be too surprised if the last half dozen fell for twenty odd.
I've a feeling that Bresnan could become another Silverwood ... forever unlucky when playing for England ... tonight Tim only got 2 overs (& hadn't batted)
Bressy has got his first Test scalp;Nash,caught by sub (Scott Borthwick).The really pleasing thing was that all the England players genuinely seemed delighted for Bressy.Hopefully the first of many.
As soon as the messiah that is Flintoff is fit again he will return to the England fold and Bresnan will be back with Yorkshire.
Why? Because Freddie is more box office draw than Bresnan and therefore able to sell tickets that are moving slowly.
I do wonder what number Flintoff will bat when he returns as he is patently a worse batsmen than Prior (but then I would pick Foster instead of Prior anyway) and on recent form flintoff is also worse than Broad and possibly Swann (who looks to be ahead of Monty for the spinners role).
i could easily make an argument for the first Test v the Aussies being
Strauss
Cook
Bopara (hard to drop him now but may not be No. 3 by end of Ashes)
Pietersen
Collingwood
Prior
Broad
Swann
Flintoff
Anderson
Onions
Having seen Kartik of Essex turn the ball square at Cardiff in a match against Glamorgan and knowing the propensity of Cardiff to turn,I'd be inclined to take a bold step and play Rashid. It's possible (probable?) Flintoff won't be fit. Rashid should replace him. If Flintoff is fit, then I'd play him instead of Onions. Two spinners in the side mean that we will need a really skilled wicket-keeper. I would opt for Foster instead of Prior. My team for Cardiff would, therefore, be: Strauss/Cook/Bopara/Peterson/Collingwood/Broad/Rashid/Foster/Swann/Flintoff(Onions)/Anderson.
The batting order after Collingwood would depend on the Flintoff situation. If he was fit then I would play Flintoff at six. I don't worry too much about the batting in my preferred side - there may not be an obvious number seven but Broad, Rashid, Foster and Swann between them should be able to score enough in what will probably be a low scoring game.
For succeeding games, this team would need to be altered - but for Cardiff, the first game in the series, we need a positive result. I believe this side has the best chance to be successful.
Like your line up 1950 - I too would prefer Foster irrespective of the number of spinners we have in the team.
In his favour, England do have a policy of picking a keeper from the county connected with the coach (Moores/Prior and Ambrose), so this may work in Fosters favour with Flower.
The problem with Flintoff at 6 in the order is that he then thinks he has to bat like a test number 6 and as a result he tries to be a proper batsman. If you bat him at 8 or 9 then it gives him more freedom and takes the pressure of him so he has licence to bat in the way that suits him best.
We will never win the Ashes with Prior as wicket keeper. Never. He can bat a bit sometimes, but can't catch, which happens to be a fundamental requirement for the job.
Not a chance. Bresnan will soon be back with Yorkshire for two reasons: The selectors will recall Flintoff as soon as he is fit, and he nearly is. Secondly, England may opt for a second spinner as the season progresses - that being Monty Pansear. Thus, Bressy will be the odd man out.