Bopara could be worse because there's no evidence whatsoever so far of him being a Test-class batsman. His only 3 Tests so far all produced very poor performances indeed.
If any England side over the past 4 years had been picked on that basis I'd have a bit more sympathy. But the claims of some obviously superior players to the ones who have been in the side at any given time have been ignored in favour of people who might be world class in the future.
I know - and it irritates the hell out of me because it's such patently wrong strategism, and makes a mockery of what Test cricket is supposed to be about.
Well, I disagree, Bell has shown that he has long term problems with the mental side of his game. Taking a game out and then coming straight back in makes no sense, he needs to spend a period of time playing county cricket and filling his boots before he is even considered for a test recall. However, I can see his career developing in a similar way to Mark Ramprakash's.
Regardless of how you see this tour game, it is almost certainly acting as a shoot-off for the spot to replace Flintoff.
Well I can't. Bell has already done far more than Ramprakash ever did at Test level. I think the mental side of Bell's problems is a bit overstated; it's not like Test cricket overawes him, it's just stronger attacks generally have the better of him. In that way he's rather more akin to John Crawley than anyone.
Whether Bopara should've got the squad call-up ahead of others is indeed irrelevant to the question of him or Bell - but as I say, I simply think Bell has the better case. If you don't, that's not a POV completely devoid of merit either, because Bopara is certainly not hopeless nor devoid of promise, but the thing I fight against is the idea that Bell must not come back after only being dropped for 1 game.
Perhaps comparing him to Ramps is harsh, but I meant it more in the way that I don't think Bell will ever fulfil his potential at the highest level, but will continue to score thousands of runs at FC level.
So he's missed the birth and will miss the Test. Worst of both worlds.
Oh Lawdy... school boy error
afaik.
The difference between Sid's & Khan's figures is almost chucklesome. 2/19 off 13 overs for the former; the latter's 15 overs yielding 5/79.
14 no balls, unacceptable
Haven't seen him bowl for a couple of years because of his injury and then Kent ignoring him for limited overs stuff for the majority of 2008, but when I saw him he was fast-ish, but not Lee/Ahktar/Tait ultra rapid. Averaged aroung 85-6mph, but could crank the odd one over 90.Exactly how fast is Amjad? May go for a few runs but then again which England FAST bowler did not? He may compliment someone like Sidebottom? It must be said that we always struggle to knock over the tail, he may go at 5 an over but can he knock over the tail and take some wickets?
So just like all the other English pace bowlers then bar Freddy...
Probably still heavily jet lagged from arriving on a flight from New Zealand just the day before the match started.