Who to replace Kevin Pietersen

[Neil Pickup]

One best batsman broken.

Seven ODIs to go.

Who to call up as cover?

For me, it has to be someone capable of hitting boundaries and exploiting the powerplays. We have nurdlers coming out of our ears. That means Loye or Benning.

 

[silentstriker]

Cook. Class is class. If he's good enough in Tests, give him a shot at ODI.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Benning for me.

 

[BoyBrumby]

One best batsman broken.

Seven ODIs to go.

Who to call up as cover?

For me, it has to be someone capable of hitting boundaries and exploiting the powerplays. We have nurdlers coming out of our ears. That means Loye or Benning.

Both not without merit, Loye especially so.

Stewie Law for mine tho.

 

[PhoenixFire]

If Cook comes in, we'll be in deep trouble. Basically, Vaughan, Strauss (sometimes) and Flintoff are the only real stroke-makers in the side. Cook is a quality test player, but not the right ODI player in this side.

 

[silentstriker]

If Cook comes in, we'll be in deep trouble. Basically, Vaughan, Strauss (sometimes) and Flintoff are the only real stroke-makers in the side. Cook is a quality test player, but not the right ODI player in this side.

Dravid is not a stroke maker either, and neither was Bevan. You don't have to be a strokemaker to be successful.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Dravid is not a stroke maker either, and neither was Bevan. You don't have to be a strokemaker to be successful.

That's not my point. Cook doesn't really have ability yet to up the ante by getting singles every ball or hitting boundaries and 6s. In this team, we need a stroke-maker to replace KP, because we already have too many defensive type players in the team.

 

[Jamee999]

Dravid is not a stroke maker either, and neither was Bevan. You don't have to be a strokemaker to be successful.

Yes, but we need a strokemaker to fill the gap that Pietersen has left.

 

[silentstriker]

If you can find a player who'll average around 35-40 and do it consistently, thats whats important. Defensive or not, Cook has already faced Test attacks and is very young so you can groom him long term to be the anchor in that side after the oldies go.

 

[grecian]

Ally Brown, Stuart Law, or Mal Loye, we need someone who can do something different to the others.

They're all getting on a bit, but as we've called up Shaun Udal and Paul Nixon recently, I don't think that would be a major drawback.

The thought of Solanki, Shah or Key, just feels me, with the cold chill of mediocrity.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Its got to be Loye. Our top 3 just arent explosive enough. Loya has done it consistantly for Lancs. Give him a go.

 

[silentstriker]

Yes, but we need a strokemaker to fill the gap that Pietersen has left.

Do you really? Obviously, if you had a choice between a guy averaging 40 who scores fast and a guy averages 40 who scores slow, you'd go with the former.

The issue is I think Cook is your best batsman and he has the chance to be a really good long term ODI player, which I can't say for the others.

 

[PhoenixFire]

If you can find a player who'll average around 35-40 and do it consistently, thats whats important. Defensive or not, Cook has already faced Test attacks and is very young so you can groom him long term to be the anchor in that side after the oldies go.

You are totally missing my point. I have no doubt whatsoever that Cook is going to be a very fine Test and ODI player when he matures a bit, but what we need right now is a strokemaker.

 

[silentstriker]

You are totally missing my point. I have no doubt whatsoever that Cook is going to be a very fine Test and ODI player when he matures a bit, but what we need right now is a strokemaker.

I get your point but I just disagree that a strokemaker is what is needed necessarily. You need whoever can score runs consistently, defensively and otherwise. And if you already think Cook is going to be a long term ODI player, and he is already established in the Test side, then give him a shot in ODIs. He may suprise you sooner rather than later.

Frankly, the English ODI side cannot get much worse, and you need to just find six best batsmen, period. Strokemakers are way overrated in all forms of cricket, and IMO while nice to have, they shouldn't play if there are better cricketers available.

It's almost like someone giving me the opportunity to remove all strokemakers in favor of consistent defensively oriented batsmen (say Sehwag, Ganguly, et all for a bunch of Dravid's). I don't know who would consider that a bad tradeoff. Yea, we may not score 400 in a match, but I bet because of the consistency, we'd still have the best batting in the world.

If that batsman is not Cook, then fair enough. I don't know as much about county cricket as some, so I'll defer to your judgement on that. But to say you necessarily need a stroke maker is not right IMO.

 

[PhoenixFire]

We already have Strauss, Collingwood, Bell and a few others who can stick it out. What we need now is as near as a like to like replacement of Pietesen, and that man is Benning.

 

[Jungle Jumbo]

Cook is not a solution. IMO he will never make it as an ODI player - I'm prepared to stick my neck on the line for that.

It has to be Loye. We need someone to put the opposition on the back foot from ball one and take control of the game, something we haven't done for a long time. Plus, looking further ahead, he would be an asset on the smaller Caribbean grounds.

 

[Goughy]

The worst decision would be to callup Cook. A player of limited OD ability.

I know a lot of people dont like to look at Domestic OD stats but Cook has a poor OD record. No 100s and an average under 30.

I honestly believe that the chances of anyone with a list A av. of under 30 succeeding are low (no impossible but low). Also, preferably, I want a batsman to be able to prove they are capable of scoring a big score in ODIs by at least scoring 1 List A 100.

Just as examples, 2 famous guys that have ODI records that most people are surprised by how poor they are and people think they are better players than are Vaughan and Botham. If people actually looked at their List A records there would be no surprised.

Vaughan and Botham were/are not that good or consistent limited overs players.

As it stands ATM, Cook falls into that category. I dont want to cast him aside so early in his career, but he must prove himself capable before being selected.

I chose Loye, just because he could be capable of impacting games straight away and is very experienced.

However, I think I am being biased against Benham based on the fact I dont think I have ever seen him play.

TBH, If Benham is called up I would be fine. Loye would be ok. Shah has had too many failed opportunities and Cook would be sending all the wrong messages to players that can actually play limited overs cricket.

 

[no1_gangsta_786]

Id like to see Mal Loye have a chance. He is a good aggressive batsman and if he opens he will help England make use of the powerplays.

 

[TT Boy]

The worst decision would be to callup Cook. A player of limited OD ability.

I know a lot of people dont like to look at Domestic OD stats but Cook has a poor OD record. No 100s and an average under 30.

I honestly believe that the chances of anyone with a list A av. of under 30 succeeding are low (no impossible but low). Also, preferably, I want a batsman to be able to prove they are capable of scoring a big score in ODIs by at least scoring 1 List A 100.

Just as examples, 2 famous guys that have ODI records that most people are surprised by how poor they are and people think they are better players than are Vaughan and Botham. If people actually looked at their List A records there would be no surprised.

Vaughan and Botham were/are not that good or consistent limited overs players.

As it stands ATM, Cook falls into that category. I dont want to cast him aside so early in his career, but he must prove himself capable before being selected.

I chose Loye, just because he could be capable of impacting games straight away and is very experienced.

However, I think I am being biased against Benham based on the fact I dont think I have ever seen him play.

TBH, If Benham is called up I would be fine. Loye would be ok. Shah has had too many failed opportunities and Cook would be sending all the wrong messages to players that can actually play limited overs cricket.

Chris Benham is a talented cricketer but Phoenix Fire and the forum vote is referring to ubber county cricket slogger James Benning. Who has about as much finesse as Loots Bosman but like Loots he absolutely smashes the ball. Will doubtlessly get exposed at international level but he will go down swinging and against a sub standard international attack or on small West Indian grounds he may be rather effective. Though if he is the answer to replace are best batsman then we are truly ****ed.

 

[Jungle Jumbo]

Also bearing in mind that Cook wasn't even a regular in the Essex one-day side when he received his Test call-up.