How long will England be no.1 for?

[honestbharani]

I've long felt that the English county system is head and shoulders above all others in the world. I know people have been critical of it in the past, but no other FC system has the same number of quality international players turning out every season. And almost all of these cricketers have said that the county system is the most professional and best structured system out there. Players are better compensated, the quality of resources has been good and English pitches arguably offer more for all bowlers (spinners and pacers alike) and more testing conditions for batters than most other countries. When you think about it, in a country that places as much emphasis on test cricket as England do and have done for over a century its actually a surprise that its taken this long for them to be a top test team.

I am not sure about spinners but for the rest of the different type of players, surely English pitches offer a lot for everyone.

 

[GIMH]

Spinners do well in domestic cricket; England is a good place to bowl spin, this is overlooked quite often.

 

[centurymaker]

for 4-8 months imo. either southafrica will overtake them or they'll get a few draws in uae, sl and end up a point or two below SA.

basically they don't really need to mess up to lose their position.

 

[tooextracool]

I am not sure about spinners but for the rest of the different type of players, surely English pitches offer a lot for everyone.

Really?

Players like Karthik, Keedy, Tahir and more recently Panesar have had an enormous amount of success over the years and none of them are exactly huge turners of the ball. Mushtaq Ahmed was prodigious for Sussex while he was around. Now I know people will say that's because of the English county players are pretty ordinary players of spin, and there is some truth to that, but you cant be a poor player of spin if the ball doesn't turn. Tracks like the Oval and Old Trafford especially have produced international wickets that could rival subcontinental pitches.

 

[honestbharani]

Spinners do well in domestic cricket; England is a good place to bowl spin, this is overlooked quite often.

Well, the fact that the same bowlers hardly taste the same success elsewhere tells its own story too, though... I am not saying all English FC batsmen are horrible against spin but succeeding against them doesn't mean that much. But yeah, I guess at the FC level at least, the spinners need some help to be successful but I am just not sure that what extent is because they are good and what extent is because the batsmen aren't that good...

Really?

Players like Karthik, Keedy, Tahir and more recently Panesar have had an enormous amount of success over the years and none of them are exactly huge turners of the ball. Mushtaq Ahmed was prodigious for Sussex while he was around. Now I know people will say that's because of the English county players are pretty ordinary players of spin, and there is some truth to that, but you cant be a poor player of spin if the ball doesn't turn. Tracks like the Oval and Old Trafford especially have produced international wickets that could rival subcontinental pitches.

Think my answer to GIMH applies here too.

 

[Glendulkar]

No one has a side/pool of players anywhere near as good as England.
In all departments we have strength in depth. We bat to 10, and it appears we are into a very similar era as the great recent Aussie sides(obviously not anymore).

Swann will do well on subcontinent, ok there maybe draws but if anyone is going to win its England

 

[Jono]

How the hell anyone could even try and argue Harbhajan is better than Swann is beyond me.

Ludicrous, absolutely ludicrous.

 

[GIMH]

Did I miss something? I have a hangover so probably.

 

[Jono]

Miss what?

 

[GIMH]

Posts saying Harby was better than Swann

 

[Jono]

Bun was.

 

[tooextracool]

Well, the fact that the same bowlers hardly taste the same success elsewhere tells its own story too, though... I am not saying all English FC batsmen are horrible against spin but succeeding against them doesn't mean that much. But yeah, I guess at the FC level at least, the spinners need some help to be successful but I am just not sure that what extent is because they are good and what extent is because the batsmen aren't that good...




Think my answer to GIMH applies here too.

I agree with you on the credibility of English CC batters against spin. But its hard to be poor against spinners that arent turning the ball. There must be assistance in the pitch for some of them to be taking 50+ wickets in a season.

 

[silentstriker]

I agree with you on the credibility of English CC batters against spin. But its hard to be poor against spinners that arent turning the ball. There must be assistance in the pitch for some of them to be taking 50+ wickets in a season.

Kumble would like a word with you .

In all seriousness, I completely agree re: county cricket and have made freuquent posts to that effect in the past even when England were doing badly.

To answer the topic, they have a good core of bowlers and some good young batsman, plus their board isn't full of morons and they give their team appropriate resources and preparation so I think 4-5 years. They are currently the favorites to win (at home!) the world test championship so that's the main goal. Once that starts, I think rankings will become meaningless as whoever wins that will be the world champion for four years (like odi rankings and world cup are now). So assuming England win, and they should, I would say until 2017. If the next one is held in the SC, one of those teams might be in with a shout (assuming they are in the top four to qualify).

 

[Debris]

Still not quite convinced by their bowling attack, somehow. Maybe it is just in comparison to the bowling of the last two sides to sustain the number 1 ranking and is a bit harsh. My guess is around the 2 years.

 

[Spark]

Have more doubts about their batting itbt. Their bowling is fine.

 

[Uppercut]

Well obviously they're not going to seem as good as the West Indian attack at this stage. No one starts their career as an ATG.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

The attack works well, we have 4 quality pacemen and a good spinner and also have in Finn, Onions, Shahzad (when he regains form) and Panesar a 2nd string that is stronger than quite a few sides first choice attack. Sides around the world seem to be struggling to get 20 wickets on a regular basis, England don't have that problem which shows they have a better unit. They are constantly bowling supposedly good batting sides out cheaply. Can't be a coincidence.

The batting might now be quality or just in a run of good form, time will tell on that one but the depth in the line up means the collapse can be overcome. You don't get as many 400+ scores as we have done in the last 8-9 months without having a good line up.

 

[Flem274*]

No one starts their career as an ATG.

I started my CW career as an all time great tbf.

 

[silentstriker]

Which quickly ended after the first post.

 

[Jacknife]

Well obviously they're not going to seem as good as the West Indian attack at this stage. No one starts their career as an ATG.

True ,that's why it's unfair and almost impossible to compare a team that have just hit the top, to the ones from yesteryear.