*Official* England in South Africa

[england cricket]

England's quick bowlers for South Africa tour

Many people say that england have no zip bowler and no 90mph plus bowler but we do, Stuart Broad. Also with the inclusion with sajid mahmood we have someone who can match the pace of brett lee who on his day can be very destructive.

For tests I think that england should play 5 bowlers, if it is a typical bouncy south african pitch then 4quicks and swann with boad at 7 swann 8 plunkett 9 anders10 onions 11. The weakness of broad at 7 is made up for by the strength of swann at 8 and plunkett at 9. Does anyone know what speed plunkett is reaching with his bowling. I think sidebottom is no longer a threat.
If the pitch takes to spin I think that rashid should get the nod ahead of probably plunkett but perhaps onions. Then play rashid at 7 broad 8 and so on. I think in the future rashid can bat at 6 he has made 2 fifties for england lions in 2 games scoring highly then Jo denly against australia and the one player who seemed able to face the reverse swing of bret lee and even score runs off it.

 

[Richard]

Is there any chance someone could merge the 3 threads on the England tour to South Africa?

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Preferably rename wpdavid's original England in South Africa thread to the usual "official" format and then merge them and make it sticky.

 

[andyc]

Threads merged.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Also with the inclusion with sajid mahmood we have someone who can match the pace of brett lee who on his day can be very destructive.

Mahmood compared to Brett Lee? Now I've seen everything. More like Peggy Lee.

 

[aussie]

You obviously didn't see any of Cook's domestic innings, stop making assumptions. Cook changed his game up in ODs quite a bit at the backend of the summer.

I didn't need to see any. You telling me Cook who hasn't even eradicated his technical faults in his test match batting (his stronger game) that was exposed since the 06/07 Ashes. Has improved his OD batting which he has NO natural ability in, based on performances in a poor domestic OD competition?. Impossible..

 

[GIMH]

I didn't need to see any. You telling me Cook who hasn't even eradicated his technical faults in his test match batting (his stronger game) that was exposed since the 06/07 Ashes. Has improved his OD batting which he has NO natural ability in, based on performances in a poor domestic OD competition?. Impossible..

I don't really know what to say to that, words fail me

 

[marc71178]

Nope. Bopara place was in more jeopardy than him for the likely replacement in Trott.

I don't think either would've been picked if it had been possible.

This can't be a serious question.

Why not, the only reason I can think is that the answer shows your point of view to be wrong.

. Improve where?. Another classic case poor judgement of domestic stats. Cook has absolutely no skills to be a good ODI player - that i fact. Him scoring that 100 in 60 odd balls during the season shows how poor the bowling was on that day rather than any improvement in Cook's ODI batting.

Swann before the T20 WC had scored a smoking 90 off 50odd balls opening that batting. Should he have been considered as a creditable opening option for international cricket based on that?. Stop sleeping...

Oh here we go, more "facts" - if Cook performs it's poor bowling.

I notice you've not commented on the averages I pointed out, wonder why that might be?

 

[aussie]

Its under serious consideration, and he thinks he's a batsman these days.

Well having seen your recent IND/NZ test series with him batting @ 6, he clearly isn't test quality there ATS. But at least Franklin has really ability to improve as a test batsman - Wright certainy doesn't.

Even if the domestic competition sucks, the cream will still rise to the top. I don't rate Wright, but he had a good season and deserves to be recognised for it (though not as far as a flight to SA for tests).

Yes the cream will rise to the top. But as the recent test selection of Ravi Bopara showed not all outstanding FC performaces in this country equates to international success. After all these years the selectors really should realise this fundamental fact of English cricket.

 

[ozone]

I didn't need to see any. You telling me Cook who hasn't even eradicated his technical faults in his test match batting (his stronger game) that was exposed since the 06/07 Ashes. Has improved his OD batting which he has NO natural ability in, based on performances in a poor domestic OD competition?. Impossible..

Actually, he did make massive changes in his technique for OD cricket towards the end of the season, and looked more than capable of scoring runs quickly. I believe both of his hundreds were televised (Hampshire one definately was) and it was obvious to anyone that he had made adjustments.

More importantly, on what basis can you say that he has no natural ability in OD cricket?

 

[analyst]

Mahmood compared to Brett Lee? Now I've seen everything. More like Peggy Lee.

 

[Langeveldt]

Apologies to the OP but does anyone know when tickets will be on general sale.

Just buy tickets from Computicket - South Africas's leading ticket booking site - You can pay by credit card and pick them up from any Checkers supermarket if you are out here.. The grounds will be empty for the tests, and all international tickets here are like thirty bucks (or 2 pounds).. Don't let any tour operators try and make a huge markup by charging you English prices for your tickets..

 

[The Masterplan]

Saj will prove all his critics wrong.

 

[CricketGuy007]

ramprakash is finished! How can you pick a 40 year old now! He should have played alot more when he was younger! Why pick him now? It becoming a young mans sport now! Need to be physically and mentally fit to play high level of cricket!Is mark physically and mentally fit enough to play international cricket?

 

[analyst]

ramprakash is finished! How can you pick a 40 year old now! He should have played alot more when he was younger! Why pick him now? It becoming a young mans sport now! Need to be physically and mentally fit to play high level of cricket!Is mark physically and mentally fit enough to play international cricket?

He probably is actually fitter than Strauss, Cook, Trott and Pietersen and less mentally troubled than Bell, Collingwood, Bopara. It doesn't really say a lot about the standards of fitness the players maintain, Carberry is about the only youngish player around domestic cricket who can be considered a real athlete.

 

[Furball]

ramprakash is finished! How can you pick a 40 year old now! He should have played alot more when he was younger! Why pick him now? It becoming a young mans sport now! Need to be physically and mentally fit to play high level of cricket!Is mark physically and mentally fit enough to play international cricket?

Have I missed something here?

 

[aussie]

Actually, he did make massive changes in his technique for OD cricket towards the end of the season, and looked more than capable of scoring runs quickly. I believe both of his hundreds were televised (Hampshire one definately was) and it was obvious to anyone that he had made adjustments.

I dont buy it. Those OD hundreds he scored againts Hampshire & Durham where shockingly mediocre attacks.

Vs Hamphsire, the attack was:

- Riazduddin
- Cork (longggg past his best)
- Ervine
- Dawson
- Balcome

WTF???

vs Durham, with no Harmo, Onions or Davies makes it even worst. Plus in this game James Foster scoring 83 from 38 balls is a bigger joke, since as well would have seen in T20 WC againts againts international attacks he could get the ball of the square most of time.

The selectors have made huge mistake buy using this as a guide to recall to the ODI set-up.

More importantly, on what basis can you say that he has no natural ability in OD cricket?

Just have to watch him bat, nothing more. He is the 2009 version of Atherton opening in ODI cricket.

 

[aussie]

I don't think either would've been picked if it had been possible.

Bopara defiantely would have been dropped given he was having a shocking summer with the bat. Shah previous ODI form before the AUS ODI series meant it wouldn't have made scene dropping him.

Why not, the only reason I can think is that the answer shows your point of view to be wrong.

Ha, well please tell how much better ODI batsmen we have in this country that are better than Shah again?

Oh here we go, more "facts" - if Cook performs it's poor bowling.

Yes - Poor bowling in a poor domestic OD competition. That is why not all performances should be taken has a clear indicator as how players will go on the international stage. This should really be very obvious ATS after years of mediocre performances in ODI cricket, i dont understand how people aren't seeing this.

I notice you've not commented on the averages I pointed out, wonder why that might be?

Because its inaccurate intepretation of stats.

 

[marc71178]

Bopara defiantely would have been dropped given he was having a shocking summer with the bat. Shah previous ODI form before the AUS ODI series meant it wouldn't have made scene dropping him.

So ignore the woeful series against Australia then, and select him regardless?

He's a crap fielder and mediocre batsman who adds very little to the team, so drop him to try other options (who are better than him)

Ha, well please tell how much better ODI batsmen we have in this country that are better than Shah again?

Every single one of the one's in the squad for a start. I asked you which of them was worse than him, and you couldn't answer - revealing that...

Yes - Poor bowling in a poor domestic OD competition. That is why not all performances should be taken has a clear indicator as how players will go on the international stage. This should really be very obvious ATS after years of mediocre performances in ODI cricket, i dont understand how people aren't seeing this.

So Cook with his apparent years of mediocre performances averages a whole 0.04 yet Shah isn't mediocre?

Also completely ignoring the improvement in Cook's performances over the past few months.

Because its inaccurate intepretation of stats.

Or maybe because it makes your argument completely and utterly impotent.

 

[Scaly piscine]

He probably is actually fitter than Strauss, Cook, Trott and Pietersen and less mentally troubled than Bell, Collingwood, Bopara. It doesn't really say a lot about the standards of fitness the players maintain, Carberry is about the only youngish player around domestic cricket who can be considered a real athlete.

What a complete pile of horse crap.

Who's the guy who averages under 30 in Test cricket again? Who blew up repeatedly trying to get his hundredth 100?