***Official*** NatWest Series/Challenge

[Craig]

But the problem is they don't have a genuine all-rounder!

Watson?

 

[luckyeddie]

Watson?

All right, a genuine all-rounder who's any good

(fell for that one, Craig, although my words might come back to haunt me)

 

[Barney Rubble]

Ian Bell has been drafted into the squad for today's game in case Vaughan can't play - it looks like that is increasingly likely, which may actually benefit England.

It'll be between Solanki and Bell for the number three spot - and the fact that they have brought Bell in, to my mind, means he will play. If they planned to play Solanki they wouldn't have called Bell up.

Could be his big opportunity up the order in ODIs for England - so far, apart from his stint as an opener in Zimbabwe, he's only batted 6 or 7, which doesn't suit him.

Scenario - Bell plays today, and anchors the innings with a brilliant 120 not out. What do the England selectors do for the next game?

 

[LongHopCassidy]

Drop Pietersen.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Drop Pietersen.

I guess the ONLY option if they want to keep Bell in after a good performance today is to drop the third seamer, and go back to Collingwood as the fifth bowler - a team like this:

Trescothick
Strauss
Vaughan
Bell
Flintoff
Pietersen
Collingwood
G Jones
Giles
Gough
Harmison

All I can say is it's a good job for Vaughan that he's the captain......

 

[wpdavid]

So, do we pick Tremlett or Lewis today?
Admittedly Lewis hasn't had the longest of runs, but I do think he's becoming cannon fodder on the easier wickets, whereas Tremlett looks to have rather more about him IMHO.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

So, do we pick Tremlett or Lewis today?
Admittedly Lewis hasn't had the longest of runs, but I do think he's becoming cannon fodder on the easier wickets, whereas Tremlett looks to have rather more about him IMHO.

If the English selectors have any sense, they will pick Tremlett.

 

[Barney Rubble]

I think it's fairly obvious which one the Australians will see as the greater threat, and which one they will see as a mere trundler (which he pretty much is). This should dictate which of the two plays.

 

[Neil Pickup]

The XI I would select:

Trescothick
Strauss
Bell
Collingwood
Flintoff
Pietersen
Jones
Giles
Tremlett
Gough
Harmison

 

[Jono]

Gough better play. Hurt me in Fantasy Cricket when he was rested against Bangladesh

 

[Scaly piscine]

It's pretty much clear blue sky here, about 15-20 miles away from Durham's ground - so that should make the selection in favour of Tremlett even more obvious - another day when the floodlights will barely make any difference til late into the second innings.

 

[shaka]

Vaughan out of match

 

[Adamc]

Vaughan out of match

Good news for England's run-rate.

 

[Barney Rubble]

The XI I would select:

Trescothick
Strauss
Bell
Collingwood
Flintoff
Pietersen
Jones
Giles
Tremlett
Gough
Harmison

Hopefully you're right, and I would expect you are.

Hope Bell does well, I've always been a fan of his.

 

[shaka]

It'll be interesting to see how they go without his captaincy

 

[Scaly piscine]

Hmmmmm England put Australia in

 

[Scaly piscine]

Ugh and Solanki replaces Vaughan, Bell doesn't play.

 

[Adamc]

No Clarke today. England will probably feel much more comfortable chasing, seeing as their last two wins against Australia came batting second. Australia really need a big total here, for their confidence as much as for having something to defend.

 

[shaka]

interesting move indeed, maybe they reckon an easy target will be set, if Tremlett gets an "almost hattrick" again.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Cricinfo's team list has Lewis still there instead of Gough, but the report below it says Gough comes back instead of Lewis.

More sterling work from our friends over there.