***Official*** Pakistan and England in UAE

[MW1304]

I'd rather not push Trott up to open when he's never even done it at FC level, really. Batted 4 at Warks didn't he? Carbs is a perfectly reasonable opener so I see no need to do that. Especially as it would give us a middle order including Morgan and Bopara, which doesn't fill me with confidence tstl. I guess that's a separate issue but still..

 

[Furball]

Jimmy Taylor opened for the Lions against SL A did he not?

Yep.

 

[Xuhaib]

looking forward to how Talha bowls in the 3 day game before the test if he can rattle them with pace he could be the surprise selection.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Everyone missing the actual solution imo. Trott would open and Bell would bat 3

Yup. If Strauss or Cook went down on the morning of a test that's the way we'd go.

IIRC Trotters was actually preferred as an opening option to Carberry for the 2nd test in Bangladesh after Carbs had debuted in the first to allow us to play the fifth bowler.

 

[wpdavid]

I'd rather not push Trott up to open when he's never even done it at FC level, really. Batted 4 at Warks didn't he? Carbs is a perfectly reasonable opener so I see no need to do that. Especially as it would give us a middle order including Morgan and Bopara, which doesn't fill me with confidence tstl. I guess that's a separate issue but still..

Agreed on all points.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

looking forward to how Talha bowls in the 3 day game before the test if he can rattle them with pace he could be the surprise selection.

Same here. Hope he does well, because we really need a good fast bowler for Test cricket. Sarfraz Nawaz was impressed and he is supposed to be the quickest in Pak at the moment, even quicker than Wahab.

 

[TT Boy]

Not another one.

I see he is in the England Lions squad for Banga. Quite a young squad sent out there.

Roy is top player. The new KP or James Benning. Not sure yet. Tipped for greatness by me first.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

The England V Associates XI will be televised.

Here's hoping Hamid Hasan kicks some ass.

 

[Woodster]

Yup. If Strauss or Cook went down on the morning of a test that's the way we'd go.

IIRC Trotters was actually preferred as an opening option to Carberry for the 2nd test in Bangladesh after Carbs had debuted in the first to allow us to play the fifth bowler.

Yes Trott was favoured over Carberry, but that seemed the obvious choice as leaving Trott or any of the middle order out was not really an option and the last man in was going to be the first man out without a massive score on debut.

I would hope England would replace an opening batsman with another opening batsman should we lose Cook or Strauss, presuming the absence was before a squad was named. Carberry seems a more than adequate short-term replacement, and I see no good reason to be tinkering with moving Trott up and bringing in an alternative number three or making even more changes to a settled batting line-up.

Would like to see another good season from Alex Hales with Notts in 2012 to strengthen his claims for the future spot.

 

[Prince EWS]

I'd rather not push Trott up to open when he's never even done it at FC level, really. Batted 4 at Warks didn't he? Carbs is a perfectly reasonable opener so I see no need to do that. Especially as it would give us a middle order including Morgan and Bopara, which doesn't fill me with confidence tstl. I guess that's a separate issue but still..

Yeah. Pushing Trott up to open would be fine if your next best middle order player was significantly better than your next best opener, but that's not really true, especially when the selectors refuse to pick James Taylor. Bell's a lot better at five than at three too; so it's Carberry or Hales really.

 

[Pothas]

Roy is top player. The new KP or James Benning. Not sure yet. Tipped for greatness by me first.

Saw him live last year and he was seriously impressive, fell not far short of a very quick century. It was against Leicestershire though who were a bit poo to say the least.

 

[Pothas]

Yeah. Pushing Trott up to open would be fine if your next best middle order player was significantly better than your next best opener, but that's not really true, especially when the selectors refuse to pick James Taylor. Bell's a lot better at five than at three too; so it's Carberry or Hales really.

Was always dead against Bell ever moving up the order again but he was such a joy to behold at 3 last sumer. It is absolutely correct that he bats where he does but it did leave me with a twinge of regret at what we might be missing.

Big fan of Carberry and was so pleased that he made his way back after all he went through last year. Think he could do a very servicble job in England and Australia where I have always thought he would go well.

 

[smash84]

Same here. Hope he does well, because we really need a good fast bowler for Test cricket. Sarfraz Nawaz was impressed and he is supposed to be the quickest in Pak at the moment, even quicker than Wahab.

We're in for some serious pounding if Sarfaraz Nawaz is our quickest bloke

 

[Bouncer]

We're in for some serious pounding if Sarfaraz Nawaz is our quickest bloke

He actually meant that for Talha and not Sarfaraz

 

[Xuhaib]

Same here. Hope he does well, because we really need a good fast bowler for Test cricket. Sarfraz Nawaz was impressed and he is supposed to be the quickest in Pak at the moment, even quicker than Wahab.

talha is more Sami then Akhtar I am afraid hopefully he has improved since last I saw him.

 

[Prince EWS]

Meh, Sami was gun in theory. It just didn't work out for him for various reasons. If you've got a young bowler who is Sami-like that's a pretty good start; I'd take that nearly every time. It won't always end in tears.

 

[Xuhaib]

"We Will Have to Play Above Our Level of Ability to Defeat England" : Taufeeq Umar - PakPassion - Pakistan Cricket Forum

Good to see feet are firmly grounded. Best of Luck lads you will need it.

 

[Xuhaib]

Meh, Sami was gun in theory. It just didn't work out for him for various reasons. If you've got a young bowler who is Sami-like that's a pretty good start; I'd take that nearly every time. It won't always end in tears.

i was mainly referring to their habit's of leaking runs Sami's biggest issue was he bowled too many 4 balls I think Talha is also very similar in this respect.

 

[smash84]

Meh, Sami was gun in theory. It just didn't work out for him for various reasons. If you've got a young bowler who is Sami-like that's a pretty good start; I'd take that nearly every time. It won't always end in tears.

lol......true

just the other day....the other day an indian colleague of mine was asking me the same thing.....why didn't Sami click since according to him "he had all the ingredients of a young Malcolm Marshall"

 

[r3alist]

All Pakistani cricket fans should know by now that raw ingredients alone are only part of the pre requisites needed to be a top player.

Sami never struck me as a smart bowler, he had one trick alone, which became am even bigger issue when he changed his style.