WHO TO PICK? Our writers select their England World Cup squads

The Cricketer's team make their selections as England prepare to announce the names of the 15 men who will try to lead them to World Cup glory...

JAMES COYNE

I’ve gone with the consensus of dropping David Willey from the original 15-man squad. It pains me to do it. If the ICC had 16-man squads – and really that should be the bare minimum – he would be my 16th.

If the Pakistan series had suggested that these accursed white Kookaburras might swing, or that we were in for a particularly wet or humid summer, Willey would still be in my 15. And I do think England are losing a little by not having the left-arm option.

But all is not lost for him. England have been chopping and changing to give everyone a game, but when we reach the hard yards of the World Cup there is bound to be an injury to a seamer, and Willey will in most circumstances be the one the selectors would turn to.

I do fear for Mark Wood – he has bowled in just one game this season, so his fitness must still be something of a concern. But England will need that wildcard pace through the air if the pitches turn out to be as Nullarbor-flat as we fear they might be. Liam Plunkett survives because England need someone to bowl those dirty overs in the middle.

I’m afraid I’m struggling to justify having Joe Denly in the 15. Eoin Morgan seems to lack faith in him bowling more than one or two overs at a time, and I just think that’s too much of a risk if someone breaks down injured during a match. I appreciate he is a multi-faceted cricketer, but so is Liam Dawson – plus he’s a better spinner and a superb fielder. But with him playing no part at all since the Sri Lanka tour the selectors may consider it too late for him now.

The third change is much easier: Alex Hales has surrendered his place, and the player out there most likely to score a big 50-over hundred is James Vince.

My squad: Eoin Morgan, Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

^{Jofra Archer is in line for a World Cup spot}

SAM MORSHEAD

How to squeeze 15 out of 17 is the equation that presents itself to the selection panel, and I would not want to be in their shoes.

How on earth can they leave Jofra Archer out? How on earth can they reason with any of the five seam bowlers who have taken England so far in the last four years, that being dropped is the right thing for the team? How on earth can they balance the unbalanceable? 

Personally, I would want Mark Wood in this squad. Whatever his ODI average says, he has the firepower and raw pace which could be so important on flat decks against two new Kookaburras this summer. Liam Plunkett's middle-overs expertise is vital and takes the pressure off the spinners. Archer is the afterburner, capable of winning a match by himself.

So it comes down to a simple toss up between Tom Curran and David Willey, and then we need to take recent performances into account. Curran's sparky, combative approach wins the day for this humble hack. But I'm not about to volunteer to break the news to Willey, who has been a big part of England's white-ball renaissance.

As for the rest of the squad, no other replacement batsman quite matches Alex Hales but I understand the rationale behind his exclusion. One day James Vince is going to go big in an England shirt, and when he does there'll be no going back. He should feature, and as should Liam Dawson. Joe Denly has not been given the chance to perform with the bat, and therefore should be judged as a third spinner - and in that regard Dawson stands shoulders above him.

My squad: Eoin Morgan, Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

SIMON HUGHES: Willey needs to make way in World Cup 15

NICK HOWSON

From the 15-man squad I selected prior to the initial announcement over a month ago, Liam Dawson coming in for Liam Plunkett is the only alteration.

Dawson's Hampshire form is impossible to ignore and he should have been brought in for the back-end of the Pakistan series to integrate him with the rest of the squad. Joe Denly is not fit for purpose in one-day international cricket but has been misused this summer.

Alex Hales should never have been removed from the squad after his two failed drugs tests became public. How senior England figures can claim the culture in the team has been tangibly damaged given previous transgressions is laughable. Overlooking his ability, Hales has been the victim of a flawed and démodé system which should not deny him a World Cup berth.

James Vince has all the skills to perform at international level but still lacks the temperament and diligence to succeed. He remains a rung below where this current outfit sit.

Plunkett, David Wiley and Tom Curran have failed to impress in the Pakistan series, and though the latter has done well with the bat they have failed to keep the runs down. Jofra Archer has a superstar quality which cannot be ignored while Mark Wood's express pace should also see him get the nod.

My squad: Eoin Morgan, Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

WORLD CUP PORTAL: Your one-stop shop for the summer spectacular

NICK FRIEND

As has been the case for some time, most of this picks itself. That there is conjecture over the final place says far more good than bad about the state of England’s one-day cricket. Even more so, that Sam Curran doesn’t even get a mention is testament to those ahead of him.

I’ve gone with Liam Dawson over Joe Denly as my spare spinner, if only because the former is more likely to get through 10 overs unscathed.

As for the final spot that has caused so much discussion, I’ve plumped for Wood over Willey. Willey, whose left-arm angle has proven so useful to England, has taken just five powerplay wickets since the start of 2018. Yet, even so, it is a marginal decision.

But over a nine-game group stage, the chance to sparingly unleash Wood’s low, slingshot action alongside – or instead of – Jofra Archer is too exciting a thought to pass up. If the demands on groundsmen in a summer packed full of cricket result in abrasive outfields and extended squares, then Wood will find any reverse swing there is to be found.

My squad: Eoin Morgan, Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

^{James Vince looks set to make the squad}

KISHAN VAGHELA

It has not often been the case in recent years that England have been looking for reasons to omit, rather than include, members on the fringes of the squad.

It is therefore a tough call from me to leave David Willey, who has been an integral part of the rebuild since the 2015 World Cup, out of the squad for Jofra Archer. 

However, Archer's emergence and performances since his debut have meant he was always going to be guaranteed a spot at the expense of one of Willey or Tom Curran, and I have punted for the latter for his extra verve and vibrancy to go with his variations, and the mere fact that Willey's involvement in the side has been limited recently.

Liam Plunkett is another member who could have been left out for Willey, but the former's knack of taking wickets in the middle overs offers a crucial alternative to the spin of Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali in that period of the game.

I have also picked Liam Dawson ahead of Joe Denly despite his fairly economical five for 27 at 5.40 at Trent Bridge in the recently concluded Pakistan series.

Denly has shown little to suggest he could come in as a frontline spinner and therefore I would prefer a full-time spinner in the squad in Dawson as backup to Rashid and Ali.

James Vince's displays of elegance without kicking on against Pakistan were symbolic of his international cricketing career so far, but he has merited his place as a replacement for Jonny Bairstow or Jason Roy in the absence of Alex Hales.

My squad: Eoin Morgan, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Moeen Ali, Mark Wood, James Vince, Liam Plunkett, Liam Dawson

Our coverage of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 is brought to you in association with Cricket 19, the official video game of the Ashes. Pre-order your copy now at Amazon.co.uk