*Official* England and England A vs Pakistan & Pakistan A in the UAE

[Jarquis]

Collingwood's training bat.

 

[Prince EWS]

I agree he is not looking international class currently. If you are selecting a young inexperienced cricketer you are exceptionally fortunate if he comes in and has instant success and consistency. It is oh so easy to reflect on a poor start and simply say drop him end of, not good enough. You need to look past that a little.

That's a fair enough comment to make if you're making it to someone who thought Denly should've been selected in the first place. Most of us who are criticising him, though, thought he was a bad selection before he'd even played a game.

 

[Jarquis]

Timing Matty Prior!!!!

More importantly... SWANNEH

 

[King Pietersen]

Looks out for my money, but it'll be given not out I reckon.

Nice, been given out. Quality work from Prior, Swanny's done the job again for England in his 1st over.

Have to say, that Collingwood training bat is an absolute beast.

 

[Jarquis]

Have to say, that Collingwood training bat is an absolute beast.

Yeah, looks laminated so would be illegal to use in an actual match. Not that the pick up would be ideal for International cricket anyway

 

[Woodster]

That's a fair enough comment to make if you're making it to someone who thought Denly should've been selected in the first place. Most of us who are criticising him, though, thought he was a bad selection before he'd even played a game.

I see it as a fair enough comment regardless. Just because you thought he shouldn't have been selected in the first place does not necessarily make you correct because his international career has not started well.

Not every young player is going to start consistently well in international cricket, if they persevere with him and he comes good, this period will have been worthwhile. It requires patience and strong minded selectors. In my mind, if the management have identified a talented player that they believe has the attributes to become a very decent international, then they need to stick with him through the difficult times at the start, on the proviso that he does not look completely out of his depth. I don't think Denly does.

 

[King Pietersen]

Drop from Prior. Not doing his T20 hopes much good. Decent stumping, but he let those 4 byes through and now he's dropped a catch. Great bowling from Swanny though, in excellent form at the minute.

 

[Jarquis]

Was a fair deflection tbh. Still, dropped catch is a dropped catch.
Swanneh is my life

 

[Prince EWS]

I see it as a fair enough comment regardless. Just because you thought he shouldn't have been selected in the first place does not necessarily make you correct because his international career has not started well.

No-one's saying it does. He certainly hasn't done anything to change our minds though so we're going to keep criticising him, his game and his selection. If I got picked from absolute obscurity and failed, I doubt you'd be in here saying "Well the selectors thought Cribb was talented so they have to persist with him" because you'd have thought my initial selection was ridiculous. Welcome to our world of Denly.

If someone's been picked on consistent domestic performances (ie. not just one season) they deserve some faith and persistence should they fail early on, but if someone's picked because they're "talented" on a random punt that they'll perform better in international cricket than they have domestically they shouldn't be held onto for five series before the realisation that they shouldn't have been there in the first place hits home.

 

[King Pietersen]

Swanneh does it again. WAG.

 

[Jarquis]

3 overs, 2/9

 

[Woodster]

No-one's saying it does. He certainly hasn't done anything to change our minds though so we're going to keep criticising him, his game and his selection.

That's absolutely fair enough. If you were against his selection at the start and don't believe he's shown any signs of becoming a fully fledged international, then criticise away! It's a good job we don't all agree on all players, selections, etc, or this forum would be a much duller place!

 

[Woodster]

If I got picked from absolute obscurity and failed, I doubt you'd be in here saying "Well the selectors thought Cribb was talented so they have to persist with him" because you'd have thought my initial selection was ridiculous. Welcome to our world of Denly.

I happen to have made my own mind up regarding Denly as I've seen a fair bit of him. Obviously should the case arise where you are indeed selected, I would be much more sceptical as I would not have seen enough of you. Wouldn't necessarily say it was ridiculous without watching you bowl a ball or play a stroke. I would think it quite a bizarre selectorial decision.

It is quite an extreme example, but I understand what you're getting at.

 

[Pizzorno]

Swanneh is similar to Gosling and Kieswetter in that he'll forever have a place in my sport loving heart. What a day. So chuffed Kieswetter's in the England ODI squad as well.

 

[Woodster]

Not very sensible cricket from Akmal there, Swann had bowled beautifully and was bowling the last ball of his spell, and he tries to whack him out of the ground.

 

[King Pietersen]

Razzaq's started hitting the ball a long way, RRR down to 8.7. Really need a wicket now.

 

[Jarquis]

Get Razzaq out please

 

[Woodster]

Razzaq hitting it very cleanly, yes we definitely need to pick him up before he gives them the ascendancy.

 

[King Pietersen]

Eugh, looked like it was going straight to Shahzad, what was he doing? Desperate for a wicket now.

 

[Woodster]

Seemed to make a right dog's dinner of it!!

Come on Bres, give us Razzaq.