Last batting place for the ashes?

The main question over selection for the ashes lies on who will be englands final batsman in the ashes. Which of the 4 candidates is best?

1.Mark Buthcher - Has proved himself a decent international player over the last few years although prone too throwing his wicket away. Obvioulsy has sufferd from injuries over the last year and will he be able to recove his form? Not the long term option but it is all about beating Australia

2.Robert Key- A regular recently due to Butchers injuries but has bot proved himself at international level. Capable of scoring freely i saw him score a good hundred against the west indies but again prone to throwing his wicket away as seen on a couple of ocasions in south Africa. I dont think he is international class and would be found badly wanting against the very best.

3.Ian Bell- Highly rated for a number of years and last yea finaly really started to fulfill his potential. The future England number 3 and showed determination in a good debut against the West Indies. but will he be ready to face Australia?

4.Kevin Pieterson- Obviously showed his brilliant destrucitve ability in the one dayers and like Bell will become a key member of the test side. He can also play more patient ininings and his move to the rose bowl will help him with this. Hugely talented but will he be too much of a gamble ?

Obviously a lot depends on form and fittness i am not sure who i would pick what do you think?

its difficult, i would certainly rule out key as he is not upto the job that is clear, pietersen would be a huge risk that if it paid off would be great, but i dont think thats incredibly likely although would love to be proved wrong, butcher maybe past his best and is always injured now and hasnt been consistant in the last few tests he has played in. i wuold like to see bell be given a chance as he looks the part as a test match player in my opinion. although it would be intresting to give pietersen a run out against bangladesh in that batting position.

But personally i would give bell a go, pietersen could be givn a go if bell fails in that role, but any more failures from butcher could mean that his time would well and truly be up, which in a way is a great shame as he has played some entertaining innings.

Atacking the aussies is often the best way to play them and Pieterson and flintof at 5 and 6 would certainly do that

kendall said:

Atacking the aussies is often the best way to play them and Pieterson and flintof at 5 and 6 would certainly do that

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thats what i was thinking, a blitz from those two could be very effective and beneficial indeed, however if they both failed then that would be a waste.

I do feel a bit sorry for Butcher but his form hasnt been great when he has been able to play England will need to take risks against Australia so Pieterson could well be worth the gamble

I hardly think Butcher and Key if they played, would even figure in Australia's pre-match discussions, such is Australia's confidence against those two guys. By contrast, Bell and Pietersen are not scarred, and both have excellent FC records, and promising starts to their embryonic international careers.

I could see Butcher featuring in an Australian pre-match discussion.

tassietiger said:

I could see Butcher featuring in an Australian pre-match discussion.

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His 173 would still be the aussie minds, but i think they go for a shot out (or bat off) aganist Bangladesh. Not a great indication for who will preform aganist Australia but it is the only realistic way to pick the player they want. My pick is Pietersen but both Butcher and Bell have strong cases. Key i don't think will even come close to the England side come the first Test.

i agree about taking the attack to Australia. NZ sat back & got done so England should be using the NZ series as an example and doing the opposite.
If you wait for Australia to make the first move then 9 times outta 10, they'll come out on top.

Pietersen & Flintoff would be food for thought at #5 & #6

Tim said:

i agree about taking the attack to Australia. NZ sat back & got done so England should be using the NZ series as an example and doing the opposite.
If you wait for Australia to make the first move then 9 times outta 10, they'll come out on top.

Pietersen & Flintoff would be food for thought at #5 & #6

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That could be an very attacking middle order in Pietersen, Flintoff and Jones but wouldn't it also be a bit of a liability. We all know that Flintoff and Jones are capable brainless shots from time to time and i also heard that KP does it as well on the FC arena. You could have three quick wickets and then your down to the lower order/tail. But if they come off then it could put Australia on the back foot like they done with Gilchirst and Clarke when they have some big partnerships. I still think KP is the right option but i can see why they would go for the safer and experience Buther or the techincially sound Bell.

From past experiance, all 4 will be tried throughout the series and discarded when they don't score a hundred in their first 3 innings.

Our selectors aren't so bad at that any more - consistency of selection is the key.

Go with Peterson and Bell.
I think this is the lineup to face the Aussies:
Strauss
Trescothick
Bell/Thorpe
Vaughan
Pieterson
Flintoff
Jones
Giles
Hoggard
Jones
Harmison

I believe that Trescothick can also keep wickets? If England were daring enough, I would include Bell AND Thorpe - leaving Jones out and have him keep wickets.

vvk said:

Go with Peterson and Bell.
I think this is the lineup to face the Aussies:
Strauss
Trescothick
Bell/Thorpe
Vaughan
Pieterson
Flintoff
Jones
Giles
Hoggard
Jones
Harmison

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I think Thorpre is a vital member of the team and he will have a good series he has been a quality player and is a great fighter and wouldnt it be great if graham Thorpe hit the runs that won the ahes in the his final test at the ovel.

I think that bell is a bit too young at 22ish and will eventually give way to Pietersen barring Bell showing brilliant form in the FC season and bang tests whilst KP would have to completely flop. No way would they leave Thorpe out though, it will be his last test series i think. It will line up like this prob:

Strauss
Trescothick
Vaughan
Thorpe
Pietersen
Flintoff
Jones
Giles
Hoggard
Jones
Harmison

With Bell slotting in once Thorpe has retired.

kendall said:

I think Thorpre is a vital member of the team and he will have a good series he has been a quality player and is a great fighter and wouldnt it be great if graham Thorpe hit the runs that won the ahes in the his final test at the ovel.

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Thorpe scores a ton against the aussies in first and last test, would be very nice indeed. He always has liked the oval...

That's true, I think Thorpe's experience and composure will prove vital. He has a damn good track record as well. Bell, only being 22 can wait a couple of months.

BTW..the Trescothick's keeping standard...how high is it?

vvk said:

That's true, I think Thorpe's experience and composure will prove vital. He has a damn good track record as well. Bell, only being 22 can wait a couple of months.

BTW..the Trescothick's keeping standard...how high is it?

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It doesn't matter, because I 100% guarantee you he isn't up to keeping for an entire Test match - physically, mentally or technically.