Collingwood retires from test cricket

[Woodster]

To be fair, Bopara is at least getting First Class games for England Lions, who are playing in the West Indies domestic competition.

I'm pretty sure that if Morgan opts to play IPL his next First Class game would be the 1st Test vs Sri Lanka. If he goes and plays IPL he should be ruling himself out of Test contention.

True with Bopara, but still don't think he should be going to the IPL and then hope he can come back and land his place in the Test side, it depends how much it means to him to play Test cricket again. Once established in the Test side he can go and earn his dollars in the IPL.

Morgan should want to give himself the best chance to succeed in Test cricket as immediately as possible. It shouldn't be down to the ECB to advise these guys what to do, they should take it upon themselves and pull out of the IPL.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Point about Collingwood..

People always say that he wasn't the most talented of batsman, but he made the most of what he had ect. I actually disagree very strongly; I think that Collingwood was limited by his technique, rather than his 'talent'. He has incredible hand eye co-ordination and excellent reaction times and had he had a better technique, he really could have been very good. Just my to cents.

But yeah, WAFG, absolute hero of a bloke.

 

[Prince EWS]

Point about Collingwood..

People always say that he wasn't the most talented of batsman, but he made the most of what he had ect. I actually disagree very strongly; I think that Collingwood was limited by his technique, rather than his 'talent'. He has incredible hand eye co-ordination and excellent reaction times and had he had a better technique, he really could have been very good. Just my to cents.

But yeah, WAFG, absolute hero of a bloke.

Yep, couldn't agree more.

He made the most of his technique and overall quality of his batsmanship with his temperament and fighting qualities, but his actual talent was IMO somewhat wasted by his technique.

 

[Woodster]

Point about Collingwood..

People always say that he wasn't the most talented of batsman, but he made the most of what he had ect. I actually disagree very strongly; I think that Collingwood was limited by his technique, rather than his 'talent'. He has incredible hand eye co-ordination and excellent reaction times and had he had a better technique, he really could have been very good. Just my to cents.

But yeah, WAFG, absolute hero of a bloke.

Yep, couldn't agree more.

He made the most of his technique and overall quality of his batsmanship with his temperament and fighting qualities, but his actual talent was IMO somewhat wasted by his technique.

Not sure I entirely agree with this, though you raise some good points. Ultimately it was his technique that let him down, especially when he was out of form, but I question whether he had the talent and natural ability to be able to put this right and perhaps make some serious changes if they were required.

As it was he persevered with his technique, making the absolute most of the tools he had, and imo did an excellent job of it.

Would a naturally talented batsman have the ability to try various things, and be successful at them, then decide what's the best way forward ? Not sure, just wondering what people's take on this is. Think Collingwood was pretty one-dimensional within his technique, and really over-achieved in his career. What he lacked in technique he made up for by being smart with his cricket and working exceptionally hard.

He was certainly very gifted in certain areas, as you say hand-eye co-ordination and his reactions, but overall would have to say there are many more naturally talented players around.

 

[Howe_zat]

Point about Collingwood..

People always say that he wasn't the most talented of batsman, but he made the most of what he had ect. I actually disagree very strongly; I think that Collingwood was limited by his technique, rather than his 'talent'. He has incredible hand eye co-ordination and excellent reaction times and had he had a better technique, he really could have been very good. Just my to cents.

But yeah, WAFG, absolute hero of a bloke.

Very true. People too often say "talent" when they mean "style" or some such.

Being such a top cricketer despite his lack of stylishness and technique is a talent if you ask me, and a very rare talent at that.

 

[Tom 1972]

I'm not going to put him in the Steve Waugh bracket, but there were some similarities insofar as Collingwood knew his limitations and batted accordingly and like Waugh, was tough as nails and pretty good in a ruck.

As an aside, he was a wonderful fielder/catcher behind the wicket.

 

[BoyBrumby]

England - with a long term view - would've liked to have seen Bopara be the first man in line, to help out with a bit of fifth bowling duties.

Do you think we'll see the ball being thrown to Trott, or Bell, first?

James Taylor bowls a bit of leg-spin. Just saying...

Actually, the best bowler of the options to come in at #6 is that Notts trencherman Sammy Patel, but he's a way back in the queue now. Even leaving aside his weight/fitness probs he's had two ordinary seasons on the bounce now.

 

[Prince EWS]

James Taylor bowls a bit of leg-spin. Just saying...

Actually, the best bowler of the options to come in at #6 is that Notts trencherman Sammy Patel, but he's a way back in the queue now. Even leaving aside his weight/fitness probs he's had two ordinary seasons on the bounce now.

I think the days where he'd balance the side particularly well are gone now, anyway. Yeah, he'd offer a fifth bowling option if he batted six, but when England had Flintoff, were carrying Panesar and were struggling to find a player who could keep to a decent standard and bat in the top seven, I really favoured:

6 Patel
7 Flintoff
8 Foster/Read
9 -11 quicks, or Monty if conditions really suited

The emergence of Swann and Prior and the retirement of Flintoff makes him a much less attractive option now, not to mention the fact that, as you said, he hasn't scored any runs in two years.

 

[vcs]

I think the days where he'd balance the side particularly well are gone now, anyway. Yeah, he'd offer a fifth bowling option if he batted six, but when England had Flintoff, were carrying Panesar and were struggling to find a player who could keep to a decent standard and bat in the top seven, I really favoured:

6 Patel
7 Flintoff
8 Foster/Read
9 -11 quicks, or Monty if conditions really suited

The emergence of Swann and Prior and the retirement of Flintoff makes him a much less attractive option now, not to mention the fact that, as you said, he hasn't scored any runs in two years.

He'd certainly balance the team coach on sharp turns, TBH.

 

[Howe_zat]

He'd certainly balance the team coach on sharp turns, TBH.

Yeah, but the plane coming over would be a nightmare. He'd have to sit in the aisle.