***Official*** England in India

[Viscount Tom]

England in India 2012-13 : Media boycott threatened over BCCI photographry stance | Cricket News | India v England | ESPN Cricinfo

Couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery this lot.

 

[morgieb]

Picking Napier is a cunning plan. As cunning as one from Baldrick I think, only you don't shovel **** you type it.

 

[LFD]

I think despite his larger size Patel's probably still the better fielder than Monty.

That should not be a factor when deciding on who should play.

People are saying Patel could get an extra 20 or 30 runs.

I think it should be who is more likely to take wickets? For me that is clearly Monty.

It is the batsman job to score the runs, the bowlers job to take wickets, they are both bowlers and therefore you pick the best bowler and the is Monty.

Michael Holding would agree with me!

 

[flibbertyjibber]

If the pitch is a real turner I would have no problem seeing as their are fitness doubts about Broad and Finn in us going in with Anderson, Bresnan, Swann and Panesar as the attack and if Patel is chosen ahead of Bairstow then that is fine. I'd rather play Panesar than a half fit Broad/Finn anyway.

 

[Woodster]

That should not be a factor when deciding on who should play.

People are saying Patel could get an extra 20 or 30 runs.

I think it should be who is more likely to take wickets? For me that is clearly Monty.

It is the batsman job to score the runs, the bowlers job to take wickets, they are both bowlers and therefore you pick the best bowler and the is Monty.

Michael Holding would agree with me!

They both bowl, but Panesar is a specialist spin bowler, Patel's main role is to score runs and chip in with a few overs, so you would hope that Panesar is the more likely to take wickets.

 

[LFD]

They both bowl, but Panesar is a specialist spin bowler, Patel's main role is to score runs and chip in with a few overs, so you would hope that Panesar is the more likely to take wickets.

Sounds like you agree with me that Monty should play.

I really dislike Patel as a cricketer. Not a very good batsman, not a very good bowler.

Should not be in the squad!

 

[Woodster]

If the pitch is a real turner I would have no problem seeing as their are fitness doubts about Broad and Finn in us going in with Anderson, Bresnan, Swann and Panesar as the attack and if Patel is chosen ahead of Bairstow then that is fine. I'd rather play Panesar than a half fit Broad/Finn anyway.

I know that balance has proved successful for India in the past, the two spinners and two seamers selection, I would be very hesitant about England doing the same. Yes the conditions have to be taken into account and a team selected with that as a contributory factor, but we would be getting away from one of our strengths, which is our seam/swing attack. Would be much happier with three quicks in there regardless of the pitch being a turner.

 

[Cabinet96]

Sounds like you agree with me that Monty should play.

I really dislike Patel as a cricketer. Not a very good batsman, not a very good bowler.

Should not be in the squad!

It's not like any of the other batsmen are making him look like a rubbish batsmen though are they?

 

[Woodster]

Sounds like you agree with me that Monty should play.

I really dislike Patel as a cricketer. Not a very good batsman, not a very good bowler.

Should not be in the squad!

No, I would favour the selection of Patel over Panesar. As I've said previously I'm not sure either will be massively effective with the ball and I feel more confident with Patel the batsmen in there.

He isn't my favourite player to be honest, but reckon he's done enough to start on Thursday.

 

[Cabinet96]

Am I the only one who would just rather have Patel as a batsmen, regardless of his bowling?

 

[grecian]

If the pitch is a real turner I would have no problem seeing as their are fitness doubts about Broad and Finn in us going in with Anderson, Bresnan, Swann and Panesar as the attack and if Patel is chosen ahead of Bairstow then that is fine. I'd rather play Panesar than a half fit Broad/Finn anyway.

Well if you're going on about the first Test, then it's hard to know if it'll be a real Bunsen, as it's a re-laid pitch. Going in with two seamers, one with an injury recently, against the best players of spin in the world seems madness, I'd rather Patel bowled a lot of overs than Trott.

 

[LFD]

It's not like any of the other batsmen are making him look like a rubbish batsmen though are they?

Not sure the series hasn't started yet. But it is the job of Cook, KP and the top six to get the main runs. Prior, Broad, Swann and Bresnan can all contribute as well as doing their other jobs.

But if people are think Patel is going to thrive, they might be in for shock!

England have to not only get runs, but get 20 wickets and I like picking bowlers on which is the best bowler. Not someone who can offer an extra few runs with the bat

 

[Woodster]

Am I the only one who would just rather have Patel as a batsmen, regardless of his bowling?

He'd get the nod for me ahead of the rest, but only if we get a good few overs out of his spin aswell.

 

[grecian]

Not sure the series hasn't started yet.

But if people are think Patel is going to thrive, they might be in for shock!

England have to not only get runs, but get 20 wickets and I like picking bowlers on which is the best bowler. Not someone who can offer an extra few runs with the bat.

Patel will be picked as a batsman. He's a decent player of spin, and has scored runs consistently in the build-up, plus bowled okay.

I'm not his biggest fan, but to suggest there's just 5 runs between Monty and Samit is absurd.

 

[LFD]

I'd rather Patel bowled a lot of overs than Trott.

I'd rather neither.

Anderson, Bresnan, Swann, Bresnan, Monty and KP are six options.

 

[LFD]

Patel will be picked as a batsman. He's a decent player of spin, and has scored runs consistently in the build-up, plus bowled okay.

I'm not his biggest fan, but to suggest there's just 5 runs between Monty and Samit is absurd.

I'd rather pick a batsman if they want an extra batsman not a part timer who is average in both departments. I don't read too much into warm up games.

Who said anything about 5 runs?

 

[Cabinet96]

But if people are think Patel is going to thrive, they might be in for shock!

Well, that's the thing. I'm certainly not expecting Patel to set the world alight, but I think a lot of our bats will struggle, especially Morgan and Bairstow if they play.

I'd rather neither.

Anderson, Bresnan, Swann, Bresnan, Monty and KP are six options.

That leaves such a weak batting line up though. Considering England's problems with the bat in Asia so far in 2012, do you really think weakening the batting is the best idea?

 

[LFD]

That leaves such a weak batting line up though. Considering England's problems with the bat in Asia so far in 2012, do you really think weakening the batting is the best idea?

I'd have a top six, Prior at seven, then Bresnan, Swann, Anderson, Monty.

That's if they think the pitch needs two spinners. If not I'd play Broad over Monty.

England probably won't make massive totals regardless of which batting line up they go with.

Their strength is their bowling and they need to ensure they bowl the opposition out for as low as possible IMO.

 

[Neil Pickup]

I'd rather neither.

Anderson, Bresnan, Swann, Bresnan, Monty and KP are six options.

That depends on how many times you count Bresnan.

For the record, I am happy with Patel as a sixth batsman; I still have nightmares when I wake up in a cold sweat having remembered the way Morgan played in the UAE, and Bairstow, whilst probably the best bet in the long term is hardly a sure thing and has no experience in these conditions.

Patel will play on Thursday, that is a given. The only selection question is Finn/Broad/Onions/Panesar depending on fitness, form and pitch conditions, and I would think Onions is the likely shout.

 

[marc71178]

Am I the only one who would just rather have Patel as a batsmen, regardless of his bowling?

What, than Monty - of course.

Well if people who want Monty in over him can base it on them both being bowlers and Monty being the better one, then clearly I can claim they're both batsmen and Patel's the better one so should be picked.