*Official* Pakistan in England 2010

[Prince EWS]

Bopara batting so high every time he gets picked for England is starting to really annoy me now. I actually really like him as a cricketer coming in at 6 or 7 to hit at the end and bowl some meds, but he doesn't have the technique or temperament at this stage to be batting in the top four in international cricket. Five at the absolutely highest IMO. I know Pietersen's being 'rested' and Collingwood is injured/sick but we're not really learning anything about Bopara in the role he'll be used in come the more important games by having him bat four like this. Collingwood should've been replaced by a top order bat when he was injured rather than Wright.. or Morgan should've at least batted four.

Strauss
Davies
Trott
Pietersen
Collingwood
Morgan
Bopara
Yardy
Swann
Broad
Anderson

That's gotta be the team building towards the WC, for mine. Bopara/Collingwood combination as the third seamer is a little weak but Bresnan has been terrible anyway.

 

[Jarquis]

11.1
Umar Akmal to Strauss, FOUR, 82.3 mph, dishes up a leg-stump half-volley first up that Strauss clips firmly, just wide of Mohammad Yousuf at mid-on who ******s the ball all the way to the rope, never looked like reaching it

Waaaat?

 

[Faisal1985]

The team has everything to win the WC tbh...

 

[Faisal1985]

YEAH! Ajmal you beauty.

 

[Prince EWS]

And there goes Ravi. He'll probably get dropped after this with Wright retained which would be such a waste. Bat him where he's effective FFS.

 

[Themer]

And there goes Ravi. He'll probably get dropped after this with Wright retained which would be such a waste. Bat him where he's effective FFS.

Which going by how he's performed at domestic level would be #3...

 

[Prince EWS]

Which going by how he's performed at domestic level would be #3...

He's not going to effective at #3 at international level though. He doesn't have the technique or temperament for it - not yet anyway. As a late order hitter he could be quite effective though. He definitely has the game for that.

 

[Faisal1985]

Akhar should surprise with the good old slower ball here.....i know i would have done it if i had been in my 8th over bowling almost 90mph.

Someone call Mazhar Majeed to remind Akhtar please.

 

[Faisal1985]

I am confused now....who bowled the 12th over from Pak? Gul or Akmal?

 

[King Pietersen]

He's not going to effective at #3 at international level though. He doesn't have the technique or temperament for it - not yet anyway. As a late order hitter he could be quite effective though. He definitely has the game for that.

This. Ravi's had success at International level whenever he's been down the order, and been a complete fail at the top of the order, yet he still keeps being thrown up there, it's ridiculous. The "he bats there in County Cricket" just doesn't work. Ian Bell bats 3 for Warwickshire, doesn't mean he's good enough to do it for England. Ravi Bopara should be in this side at number 6. If he gets replaced by Wright down the order after this game I'll be seriously annoyed.

Strauss averaging over 60 this year in ODi's with a strike rate in the 90's. Definitely not an ODi player.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Bopara. Sorry it's just getting irritating. It's not his ability. He's just not there mentally. Even when he's fielding he's making mistakes all the time. Unless he's up against complete numpties he's a shivering wreck. A situation almost has to be a no-lose one before he does anything. Then if it changes back to a win-lose situation. Implosion time, as per.

 

[Faisal1985]

Easy going for England from here onwards...

 

[Scaly piscine]

****ing rank amateur hour batting from England to lose wickets against this **** on a flat pitch. Chasing sweet FA too.

 

[King Pietersen]

Hussain on Gul: "Just can't work out what hasn't clicked"

Just about finishes the comment and Gul nips one back on Strauss and takes out his off-stump, beautifully bowled. Going to need another Morgan special here.

 

[Themer]

I personally don't think that Ravi's ever going to be good enough at 3 or down the order he's a modern day Ramprakash. I've yet to see him play a good lower order innings when under pressure against good opposition bar his knock against Sri Lanka way back in 07.

I'd rather us go in with Hildreth or another in form batsmen than repeatedly go back to Ravi.

 

[Faisal1985]

Ok then..they keep surprising me....Strauss is a huge wicket...

 

[Faisal1985]

Gul getting pacy here....hopefully he has found the rhythm.

 

[King Pietersen]

India in '07 in a partnership with Broad? Ravi's an excellent finisher, he's already done the job twice this summer. He also offers bowling. Might not look anything special, but he's partnership breaker and does take wickets. Wright's been given plenty of chances down the order, Ravi deserves a good go.

Hildreth? You know he averages 32 in List A cricket right? If we wanted someone fresh to finish an innings Jos Buttler would be a much better option. Inexperienced, but looks fantastic, would much rather see him called up ahead of Hildreth.

Akmal drops a clanger. Yardy gets a serious life.

 

[Faisal1985]

God.... i hate Kamran.......

 

[Prince EWS]

India in '07 in a partnership with Broad? Ravi's an excellent finisher, he's already done the job twice this summer. He also offers bowling. Might not look anything special, but he's partnership breaker and does take wickets. Wright's been given plenty of chances down the order, Ravi deserves a good go.

Yeah, AWTA. If Bopara is left out, which I'm fine with, Wright better not be playing. If they want someone to bat 6 or 7 as a hitter (other than Morgan) then it should definitely be Ravi. He's done his lot batting higher but domestically he's shown another side to his game of late and deserves an opportunity in that role. I know he's been batting up the order in county cricket but anyone who's watched him play T20 cricket of late knows what I mean.

He doesn't really know how to build an innings against quality bowling - he freezes - but if he's given free reign to finish off an innings then he'll do fine, IMO. He's also quite an under-rated and improving bowler. I don't like him as a cricketer in the way the England hierarchy seem to/want to, but I think he has untapped utility as a finisher.