Cricket: First Test Squad

With the First Test squad to be named soon, here's my take on things:
I'd plump for
1 *Strauss
2 Cook
3 Bell
4 Pietersen
5 Collingwood
6 Prior +
7 Broad
8 Swann
9 Harmison
10 Onions
11 Anderson

The questions are numbers 3 and 10. Bell has scored some runs so is in, Onions has taken the 2nd most wickets after Anderson and has been around for a while so plays.

If only Sajid Mahmood had any kind of consistancy, he'd be close. The one thing the Australians have been vulnerable to is pace, real quick bowling. Bond has taken them apart in the past, the 2005 Ashes was won with a proper pace attack. Now we need some good pace bowling and Mahmood would be the man if he could get the ball in the same postcode twice in a day's place.

I've gone for three all-rounders in Prior, Broad and Swann to balance the side. Swann is primarily included as the best spinner ahead of Panesar who needs to convince to get back in