**Official** 2004 Natwest Series (Eng, NZL, WI)

[Mingster]

But why Bravo when Bradshaw has performed in every game? Unlike Bravo who went for 0 for 80?

 

[Mingster]

Well, you can't take Gayle's record away from him only because he scored 132*...

 

[Tim]

huh? Bradshaw has taken 2 wickets at an average of 71.50..Bravo was the leading wicket taker with 8 wickets at an average of 23.

Jacob Oram took 6 at an average of 22.50
Cairns took 5 at 14.80
Butler took 6 at 16.33
Harmison took 7 at 26.71
James Anderson took 7 at 28.85
Franklin & Lawson both took 6 wickets at an average of around 26.

So really there were a number of bowlers ahead of Bradshaw.
On those stats you'd definately have Oram & Cairns (because they can also bat well) and then its a matter of finding 2 other bowlers..Bravo/Harmison, Anderson/Butler etc.

 

[Mingster]

Bradshaw, RPO of 3.59.

 

[Tim]

But IMO there were a few players who made this line-up by default because no-one else performed..especially the batting.

I agree that Hopkins was there by default but had Gayle not have scored that century the next best option was either Trescothick or Astle.

Anyway Gayle has to be there because of that century..it's Bradshaw that I have the only problem with.

 

[Mingster]

And sustained over 40 overs....

You could include Styris, 4 wickets at 18 and 3.7 as well....but only 18 overs!

 

[Tim]

3.57 is good but his strike-rate was 120!
i'd prefer Bravo there...up until that last match which the Windies won anyway his stats were impressive.

 

[marc71178]

Well, you can't take Gayle's record away from him only because he scored 132*...

Yet you take Bravo out for 1 bad performance and the rest reasonable?

 

[Mingster]

WHAT? Read my post properly.

I said you can't not include Gayle in the side, because apart from his 132* his average was pretty crap.

Bravo on the whole didn't have a great record at the end of the round-robin.

 

[Mingster]

3.57 is good but his strike-rate was 120!
i'd prefer Bravo there...up until that last match which the Windies won anyway his stats were impressive.

Take Fleming's 99 away and his stats look a bit average as well.

 

[Tim]

fair point unlike the bowling i failed to read the batting averages.

Gayle definately deserves to be there & Fleming was perhaps lucky that Strauss wasn't opening.

 

[Mingster]

So Tim, you're saying that you would take a bowler with a RPO over 5 instead of a bowler who has an RPO of 3.5?

 

[Tim]

You got it! if a bowler is going at 5 an over & taking no wickets its a different story though.

Might I add that my selections would only be for this series alone as there are only a handful of bowlers with an RPO below 4.5.
I would always go for bowlers who take wickets & keep a low RPO of course.

 

[Mingster]

So in this case you would take Bravo ahead of Bradshaw.....ahhhh the NatWest ain't over yet so Bradshaw might be able to pick up a few wickets in the Final! Wait...although not too many though since its against the Black Caps....hmmmm

 

[Craig]

I would always go for bowlers who take wickets & keep a low RPO of course.

Really who wouldn't?

 

[Tim]

Was that necessary Craig?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

WHAT? Read my post properly.

I said you can't not include Gayle in the side, because apart from his 132* his average was pretty crap.

Bravo on the whole didn't have a great record at the end of the round-robin.

But surely 8 wickets in 4 games and just 1 bad game must be taken into consideration. He only really had one bad spell in fact. His first spell in the game v England was 4-2-11-0.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Anyway Gayle has to be there because of that century..it's Bradshaw that I have the only problem with.

In defence of Bradshaw though, his bowling was outstandingly consistent. He was basically the only consistent thing in the West Indian bowling department, bar Bravo until the last game.

 

[Nate]

gayle has been extremely impressive of late... one of the best in the world at the moment, and his bowling is more than handy.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

So in this case you would take Bravo ahead of Bradshaw.....ahhhh the NatWest ain't over yet so Bradshaw might be able to pick up a few wickets in the Final! Wait...although not too many though since its against the Black Caps....hmmmm

That said, Bradshaw could bowl 10-2-80-0 and have it all fall away.