King Pietersen
International Captain
Don't think that was due to lack of faith at all; it was because they wanted to play 5 bowlers, and it was irrelevant who opened the batting in those conditions against that attack.
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*Official* Road to the 2010/11 Ashes
- Thread starter archie mac
- Start date
tooextracool
International Coach
Why hasn't Hildreth been given a chance to play for the Lions?
tooextracool
International Coach
Honestly, I think Cook is more likely to score runs down under than Trott and even more so if Trott opens.
grecian
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I think people (including selectors and CWers) just have him down as a Taunton FTB. They'd have a point before this season, but he's worked really hard on some technical deficiencies, and he's scoring runs away from home, and TBH Taunton hasn't been the road it normally is this year either.
stumpski
International Captain
Joyce actually said on Sky recently that he's not interested in playing for England again.
Could Carberry not play at Lord's if Cook fails again here? We used to bring players in for the last Test of a summer quite often. One Test isn't much of a trial, but I'm sure Carberry would rather play that one game than not at all.
Could Carberry not play at Lord's if Cook fails again here? We used to bring players in for the last Test of a summer quite often. One Test isn't much of a trial, but I'm sure Carberry would rather play that one game than not at all.
aussie
Hall of Fame Member
What i hope will be the Ashes touring squad ATS:
1. Strauss
2. Cook??
3. Trott
4. KP
5. Collingwood
6. Bell
7. Prior
8. Swann
9. Broad
10. Anderson
11. Finn
12. Morgan
13. Davies/G Jones/Kieswetter
14. Onions*
15. Bresnan
16. Shazad/Tremlett/Sidebottom
17. Key/Carberry
Cook clearly cant go to Ashes. He will surely fail. His technical flaws that where first exposed in the 2006/07 Ashes has never gone away. That hundred in SA last winter, looking back i'm not sure how he did that.
The unfortunate thing is even if he fails in 2nd innings of the current test & is dropped. The potential back-up options on the county circuit dont exactly give much confidence. Carberry is obviously the man in form & is next line, but watching him bat i certainly dont believe he has the tecnique to handle quality international pace attacks. Like the current PAK attack (presuming he is called up if Cook fails & is dropped) nor down under this winter.
The more popular & likely scenario is that Trott may be tried as a makeshift opener however. But obviously making the transition from # 3 to opener is not an easy mental transition. Few batsmen (top players) in test history have done that well, while many have failed @ it. Much less Trott who isn't any great player. Plus given that Trott struggled last winter againts the quality SA attack (similar to what he will face in AUS) & in this current series vs the quality PAK attack he has just been decent. It is a nervy proposition to throw him into opening role in AUS, Since 1 or 2 early failures & we are back to square one.
I personally think Rob Key is Cook best opener replacement. Key played test before & did ok, so at least we know what he could handle test cricket to a fair degree. Since he last played for England, he has definately improved as a batsmen (even if this season he is not tearing it up on the domestic circuit).
Too bad Stephen Moore, they guy who scored that superb hundred in the 2009 Ashes 1st test warm-up that was shows on TV for ENG lions (againts Lee bowling @ 100%) hasn't kicked on this season since moving to Lancashire & is now injured. Certainly liked the look of him..
But damn, it times like this i wish Trescothick was still available. If he was Cook would have been axed since last summer & this problem wouldn't be around today.
Anyway...looking @ the rest of the potential touring squad. Another spinner in jokers like Tredwell & Rashid definately should not tour. If Swann GOD FORBIN where to get injured, 4 quicks should certainly play.
If Onions doesn't come back in time. One of Tremlett of Sidebottom will go, preferably Tremlett ATS for me.
1. Strauss
2. Cook??
3. Trott
4. KP
5. Collingwood
6. Bell
7. Prior
8. Swann
9. Broad
10. Anderson
11. Finn
12. Morgan
13. Davies/G Jones/Kieswetter
14. Onions*
15. Bresnan
16. Shazad/Tremlett/Sidebottom
17. Key/Carberry
Cook clearly cant go to Ashes. He will surely fail. His technical flaws that where first exposed in the 2006/07 Ashes has never gone away. That hundred in SA last winter, looking back i'm not sure how he did that.
The unfortunate thing is even if he fails in 2nd innings of the current test & is dropped. The potential back-up options on the county circuit dont exactly give much confidence. Carberry is obviously the man in form & is next line, but watching him bat i certainly dont believe he has the tecnique to handle quality international pace attacks. Like the current PAK attack (presuming he is called up if Cook fails & is dropped) nor down under this winter.
The more popular & likely scenario is that Trott may be tried as a makeshift opener however. But obviously making the transition from # 3 to opener is not an easy mental transition. Few batsmen (top players) in test history have done that well, while many have failed @ it. Much less Trott who isn't any great player. Plus given that Trott struggled last winter againts the quality SA attack (similar to what he will face in AUS) & in this current series vs the quality PAK attack he has just been decent. It is a nervy proposition to throw him into opening role in AUS, Since 1 or 2 early failures & we are back to square one.
I personally think Rob Key is Cook best opener replacement. Key played test before & did ok, so at least we know what he could handle test cricket to a fair degree. Since he last played for England, he has definately improved as a batsmen (even if this season he is not tearing it up on the domestic circuit).
Too bad Stephen Moore, they guy who scored that superb hundred in the 2009 Ashes 1st test warm-up that was shows on TV for ENG lions (againts Lee bowling @ 100%) hasn't kicked on this season since moving to Lancashire & is now injured. Certainly liked the look of him..
But damn, it times like this i wish Trescothick was still available. If he was Cook would have been axed since last summer & this problem wouldn't be around today.
Anyway...looking @ the rest of the potential touring squad. Another spinner in jokers like Tredwell & Rashid definately should not tour. If Swann GOD FORBIN where to get injured, 4 quicks should certainly play.
If Onions doesn't come back in time. One of Tremlett of Sidebottom will go, preferably Tremlett ATS for me.
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aussie
Hall of Fame Member
I have been hearing this for the past few weeks & based on my regular check up on match reports from various county matches this year. Results | Global | Cricinfo.com
I haven't seen any indication that Taunton hasn't been a regular road.
Overall though, i think for Hidreths own good he needs to move away from Taunton before he is seriously considered for a future test birth.
wpdavid
Hall of Fame Member
I genuinely cannot beilieve that there's talk of Trott opening. Poor sod makes a match-winning ton on debut batting at number 5 and immediately get promoted to number 3, where he hasn't none nearly as well. Now he's earmarked as the fall-guy to open if Cook's trouble continue, mainly, afaics, because it avoids a tricky decision about the middle order when Bell's fit again.
Jacknife
International Captain
Yes,some glaring similarities,both sides have some key top order batsmen out of form.I believe that the schedule of England this year has done them no favours at all.In the winter after the SA series, England's had 2 tests away against Bang,then the 20/20 WC,then 2 more at home against Bang,then a huge break of 7 ODi's against Aus and Bang .I just think, having the 2 back to back test series against Bang, with all due respect, has done them no favours, as far as proparing the batsmen for proper top class test bowling .Basically these 4 tests are going to be it as far as tests this summer,I don't think that is enough for bowlers and especially batters to gain some form for test cricket.The 7 ODis we played were pretty pointless and for the good of the England team I almost believe they would have been better playing CC even though there was not that much to play due to the CC 20/20 comp and the standard isn't up to much but at least they would be able to hone their skills for tests.I know England have 3 games against state teams down in Oz but 4 test matches during a summer has not been enough ,especially coming back from the 20/20 WC, then the ODi series.
I know Australia have similar worries with their schedule,or lack of it.We may go into the Ashes this year with lots of players scratching around for form,it might make it entertaining.
aussie
Hall of Fame Member
I think its more due to fact that back-up options on the county circut dont give much confidence that they can step up.
Cook's hundred today has saved him & he wiill open @ Bisbane even if he fails in the final test of this current series. But as i mentioned in the PAK series tour thread, we have sort of seen this episode from Cook before. He struggled last summer @ home in Ashes & faced a situation in SA test where he was sort of playing for his place - and he scored a hundred.
Hopefully this time for ENGs sake, he can FINALLY bring some consistency to his batting when facing quality pace-attacks. Watching him bat since the 2006/07 Ashes series has been woefully frustrating.
tooextracool
International Coach
If he did, it seems strange that he refused to bat above 5 on our last tour there and England had to take such measures as having Collingwood bat above him.
Furball
Evil Scotsman
Pietersen finished that tour batting at 4.
tooextracool
International Coach
Indeed, though he was pressured into it by experts and by having to bat with the tail a couple of times.
Spark
Global Moderator
Nice to see. I want to catch that myself not least to see the "next generation" of Smith/Khawaja/Hughes in action at once.Bumble's just said Sky are carrying the England v Oz A game from Hobart before the 1st test. Coolio.
andyc
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Could just watch a NSW game tbf.