*Official* England in Australia (2 T20 & 7 ODIs)

[TT Boy]

It’s strange as Irani, Austin, Fleming, Wells et cetera all superior cricketers to Wright got so little opportunities in an entirely poor period for England in limited overs cricket yet Wright has got multiple chances to impress, batting in all kinds of positions and all he has to show for it is one knock against India at home in 2008 and one death over in NZ.

 

[andyc]

Odd that Smith didn't get a single bowl in either game, tbh. Maybe White doesn't rate his bowling?

 

[Prince EWS]

The thing about Luke Wright is he is fine when you're owning a game and just want a quick 12 from 4 or whatever, which is useful now and again in a T20.

How often does he even do that though? So far in his T20 international career, his average contribution has been 14 off 11 deliveries. He's not even provided the cameos. 24 innings isn't really a small sample size either.

 

[Howe_zat]

The thing about Luke Wright is he is fine when you're owning a game and just want a quick 12 from 4 or whatever, which is useful now and again in a T20. A luxury like that though can be quite costly when you need a more sustained contribution like today. And I like the guy.

The thing is, if you're owning a game any cricketer can get away with that. Is he really more likely to thwack a few fours than Yardy, Bres or Swanny? I suppose he has a slightly better chance, but no so much he can get carried around by the rest of the team when they're doing badly.

As for being a bowling option, in his last 11 matches he's bowled one over. One.

As a result, he absolutely has to perform as a batsman, and regardless of his position or potential use in the side, he's simply not doing. Any top order batsman or front line bowler would have been dropped after so many poor performances and Wright should not be excepted from this just because he could be a good option.

Rant over.

 

[Prince EWS]

Odd that Smith didn't get a single bowl in either game, tbh. Maybe White doesn't rate his bowling?

He didn't bowl him much for Australia A either until the second day Australia fielded where I think he'd been given instructions. Maybe he sees a bit of himself in Smith...

 

[GIMH]

I agree that Wright should be dropped. I'd love to see him succeed as I enjoy watching him play when he actually hangs about, but enough is enough.

Would have loved to see him get a Test in Bangladesh though

 

[Howe_zat]

Would have loved to see him get a Test in Bangladesh though

Just would've been an insult to Bangladesh.

 

[King Pietersen]

Ravi would be more consistent a finisher, has already played more impressive innings at the death of an innings than Wright, we wouldn't lose any bowling (not that Wright bowls anyway) and he's decent in the field.

Collingwood needs to go from the T20 side as well. Appreciate him in the field, and he's done a good job as captain, but he should hand the reigns to KP AFAIC. He just isn't scoring runs in T20 cricket. He just isn't good in that form of the game. 583 runs in 33 innings at an average of 18.8 and a strike rate of 127, it's not good enough frankly, and he only averages 13 from the 4 games he's played for Durham. I'd love them to give Buttler a go.

Bell
Davies +
Pietersen *
Morgan
Buttler
Bopara
Yardy
Bresnan
Broad
Swann
Anderson/Woakes

That's the team I'd love to see. Explosive batting all the way down (especially if they stick with Woakes), a stronger lower-middle order with Buttler and Bopara in there and KP would get the captaincy back. Perfect.

 

[Manee]

It’s strange as Irani, Austin, Fleming, Wells et cetera all superior cricketers to Wright got so little opportunities in an entirely poor period for England in limited overs cricket yet Wright has got multiple chances to impress, batting in all kinds of positions and all he has to show for it is one knock against India at home in 2008 and one death over in NZ.

Indeed. I think it is the curse of Flintoff. Wright is a hard hitting batsman who occasionally bowls pretty damn quick. I think this has been enough to convince the selectors that he is the second-coming, so to speak.

Odd that Smith didn't get a single bowl in either game, tbh. Maybe White doesn't rate his bowling?

He didn't bowl him much for Australia A either until the second day Australia fielded where I think he'd been given instructions. Maybe he sees a bit of himself in Smith...

It is a good theory EWS. It does annoy me though. Subjective analysis like seeing a bit of yourself in a player is all well and good. However, Smith is a proven T20 bowler, domestically. He has a **** FC record and so did **** in Tests and okay in ODs and so okay in ODIs. However, it would seem that his expected failure in the other two formats has doomed his bowling for the one in which he is solid - like a sort of Ravindra Jadeja in reverse, though Jadeja has not and will not likely receive a Test cap.

 

[Furball]

Smith's non bowling is strange given that he was one of the best bowlers in the World T20.

As for Wright, when Kevin Pietersen is getting a bowl ahead of you, it's time to drop the pretense that he's an all rounder. He's a specialist bat, and a woeful one at that.

 

[zaremba]

Rage, rage against the dying of the Wright

 

[Redbacks]

Well played Australia. Was limited to radio coverage as tv and net went down this morning.

Sounds like a fair result, on the positive side 2 series played and still not lost one.

It's just silly that we don't play 3 T20s and end up with the winner. Without a rained out game, there should be a definite winner of the series. On aggregate I think we just got up though

 

[Howe_zat]

Ravi would be more consistent a finisher, has already played more impressive innings at the death of an innings than Wright, we wouldn't lose any bowling (not that Wright bowls anyway) and he's decent in the field.

Collingwood needs to go from the T20 side as well. Appreciate him in the field, and he's done a good job as captain, but he should hand the reigns to KP AFAIC. He just isn't scoring runs in T20 cricket. He just isn't good in that form of the game. 583 runs in 33 innings at an average of 18.8 and a strike rate of 127, it's not good enough frankly, and he only averages 13 from the 4 games he's played for Durham. I'd love them to give Buttler a go.

Bell
Davies +
Pietersen *
Morgan
Buttler
Bopara
Yardy
Bresnan
Broad
Swann
Anderson/Woakes

That's the team I'd love to see. Explosive batting all the way down (especially if they stick with Woakes), a stronger lower-middle order with Buttler and Bopara in there and KP would get the captaincy back. Perfect.

By and large, I agree. Colly I have much more sympathy for than Wright, after all he has actually produced on occasion, is a smart cricketer and can actually play the match - but as he's not been producing lately, I would hear an argument to have him step aside.

Buttler is an excellent choice. It's about time we started giving the Somerset side that''s done so well some rewards in international cricket. Hildreth obviously has his fans and Trego could well be worth a gamble.

The only point I strongly disagree on is KP as T20 captain.

Reasons why Swanny should be the T20 captain:

1) He's undroppable

2) He already assists Colly in the field and often sets his own fields

3) He bowls with a consistent 4-post-powerplay-overs plan, so he wouldn't bowl himself selfishly

4) He's got the dressing room behind him

5) He'd bring Jimmy back into the side

6) He'd give the best post-match interviews

 

[Prince EWS]

By and large, I agree. Colly I have much more sympathy for than Wright, after all he has actually produced on occasion, is a smart cricketer and can actually play the match - but as he's not been producing lately, I would hear an argument to have him step aside.

Buttler is an excellent choice. It's about time we started giving the Somerset side that''s done so well some rewards in international cricket. Hildreth obviously has his fans and Trego could well be worth a gamble.

The only point I strongly disagree on is KP as T20 captain.

Reasons why Swanny should be the T20 captain:

1) He's undroppable

2) He already assists Colly in the field and often sets his own fields

3) He bowls with a consistent 4-post-powerplay-overs plan, so he wouldn't bowl himself selfishly

4) He's got the dressing room behind him

5) He'd bring Jimmy back into the side

6) He'd give the best post-match interviews

Haha those are excellent points. I'd really get behind a team captained by Swanneh. Lets do it.

 

[Redbacks]

Maybe the selectors hope L Wright will do an Andrew Symonds and pull a brilliant career out after years of mediocrity in the lead up.

Nice innings from Ian Baker tonight, WAG

 

[zaremba]

It's about time we started giving the Somerset side that''s done so well some rewards in international cricket. Hildreth obviously has his fans and Trego could well be worth a gamble.

Which has, perhaps, been part of the logic for picking Wright.

I've not seen Buttler play but from everything I've heard he sounds an exciting prospect. Will surely get a go sooner or later, as will Hildreth.

 

[Howe_zat]

Which has, perhaps, been part of the logic for picking Wright.

I've not seen Buttler play but from everything I've heard he sounds an exciting prospect. Will surely get a go sooner or later, as will Hildreth.

To Youtube!

YouTube - Somerset v Glamorgan CB40.flv (starts around 3:00)

 

[Leg Cutter]

Attention Guyss
I have to ask a question over aussies selection of stven smith
He is the man who come to bat on number 7 in t20 cricket and in the recent two matches his score is 15 (11) and today he scores 13 on 22 balls..

Still u have Mitchell jHonson in the bank and aussies still sending Mr.Steven Smith :X
Un Understandable thinking from aussies and White...

 

[social]

Maybe the selectors hope L Wright will do an Andrew Symonds and pull a brilliant career out after years of mediocrity in the lead up.

Nice innings from Ian Baker tonight, WAG

Never, ever, ever ever compare Luke Wright to Andrew Symonds

One had world class talent and showed it

The other doesnt

 

[Jarquis]

. Well, I don't look at the game like that, because I'd rather walk to Perth to watch, for example, Mark Waugh hit one cover drive, than sit in my loungeroom and watch some robotic bloke who averages 10 more per innings than him grind out what I think is dire, boring ****. So of course it's subjective, but I'm afraid I don't regard him as a good player. You and others do, that's fine.
.

You seem to have forgotten batting is about scoring runs.