Pick your XI

[marc71178]

Why? Giles is hopeless, he is a finger spinner that wont turn the ball on none turning wickets and has a poor average and strike rate. He rarely troubles batsmen.

He is the best spinner we have, and I seem to remember he's had some very good spells in recent times.

Jones and Harmison have problems with accuracy in both form of the game, I have seen every Jones Test match, and he does have a poor average in FC cricket.

So you've seen all 1 match and 7 overs and that's enough to write him off is it?

 

[marc71178]

Slater vs Tresco - Tresco averages 40.61 woth a SR of 51 and Slater averaged 42.83 at a SR of 53, slaters got the slightly better record there too

And you'll just ignore the fact that Trescothick and Vaughan are one of the most consistent opening pairs around, as well as being a left-right combination to break that up for someone who's over the hill. OK.

and well we have seen Harmison down here and yep, bichels a hell of alot better than him.

Ever heard of a balanced attack? Harmison provides something no-one else in the England side (or lets face it in this current Test match) can. Extra pace (he's 5-6 mph quicker than anyone else on show here, and he's improving his accuracy etc.)

As for Hussey - he's an opener, so see my point regarding our 2 establisshed openers.

And Katich and Clarke ahead of Hussain and Butcher - OK, drop someone averaging 45 in that slot for an unproven player.

I do hope the Australian Selectors adopt your attitude, it may even up World Cricket.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Devon Smith, David Bernard, Carlton Baugh, Tino Best, Pedro Collins

1/ Good job on judging Baugh and Best as being substandard. They've only played less than 5 Tests between them. :rolleyes: Your judgement is blatantly ignorant.

2/ Pedro Collins dismissed Sachin Tedndulkar a few times last year in the home Test series. He also got him for 3 (?) consective scores under 10 and 2 straight ducks. One was 1st ball.

3/ I agree that Bernard seems like he is not up to International standard - yet.

4/ Smith didn't do that much wrong. He got a couple of good balls and a bad decision. He averaged around 25 I believe, which isn't horrible for a young man playing his first Tests against an Aussie juggernaut. His technique looks solid and, with time I think he'll bloom.

Re: Samuels, he's done about as well as you'd expect a 19yr old debutant with almost no FC experience to do. He's clearly talented enough to play on the world stage. If he gets the mental side sorted, he could be world-class.

 

[Rik]

Ever heard of a balanced attack? Harmison provides something no-one else in the England side (or lets face it in this current Test match) can. Extra pace (he's 5-6 mph quicker than anyone else on show here, and he's improving his accuracy etc.)

Hmmmm Harmison has bowled a few good balls this Test but his accuracy has been lacking. I know all the bowlers have been below par but it's still no hiding place for Harmison. He also seemed to loose any sense when bowling to Smith today. At the moment our attack may look balanced on paper if you look at the styles, but if you look at the averages and the match returns it's a different story. When Jones comes back I wouldn't mind giving him replacing Harmison, Rod Marsh thinks Harmy is the future of English bowling, but at the moment he's just not accurate or consistant enough. I know that could be said of the entire attack, but Harmison has been a consistant pick of late despite his evident problems, which were not punished by a weak Zimbabwe lineup. Gough looks horribly out of it and didn't get a bowl in the 2nd innings, Anderson looked a bit better but still copped a pasting off Smith, Giles picked up 2 gifted wickets and Flintoff just got wacked in his 2 overs. Oh how I wish Caddick, Hoggard et al were fit...

To say I'm worried is an understatement of gigantic proportions. Our only 2 geniune wicket takers, Gough and Harmison, were dreadfully off form, Harmison copped a pasting (Australia all over again), Flintoff showed the problems he's allways had in Tests (ie he just doesn't bowl wicket-taking deliveries) and Giles still isn't potent enough. What do we do now?

 

[Langeveldt]

Craig, I saw Ray Price in your substandard list of players... i think he is a very good bowler, and was the guy who caused English batsman a few probs this summer...

Copying his spinning action (although im right handed) has enabled me to carry on bowling (I have gone to hell and back with my action and almost gave it up) and I have 31 wickets at an average of 11 this season...

Harmison bowled an absolute pearler to get rid of Kirsten today, but I wouldnt say he was anywhere near as good as Flintoff or Anderson, and with an action like that, he will never be...

 

[Craig]

If I think a cricketer is substandard I will say so. I SAW Simon Jones Test debut. Get it through your thick skull Marc.

I have seen Sammuels, Baugh, Smith (Devon), Tino Best and Dave Bernard.

I have not critised Taylor and Edwards as I have not seen them and I think Omari Banks has a big future.

I'm talking about at the moment currantly in world cricket.

And just because he bowled a great ball or has a good action doesnt mean they are world class cricketers.

And JR,

So what if you have taken 31 wickets at an average of 11? You didnt say if it was against top batsmen or weak batsmen or tail enders or what?

Carlton Baugh didnt look much of a Test batsman but I have no problems with him wicket keeping. Maybe I was a bit harsh on Devon Smith while Tino Best needs to work out his action.

And what is wrong with Robert Croft Marc or are you are a Warwickshire man?

 

[hourn]

England's future bowling will be allright, but it would help if a spinner comes along - but than again thats a luxury few teams have had.

But with Hoggard they have an excellent swing bowler, and James Anderson has great potential.

Darren Gough still has a few years left in him, but they need to get his body sorted out.

What happened to that Richard Johnson guy- haven't seen him, but 6 for or something like that on debut is pretty good??

Stephen Harmison will never crack it regularly into the test scene IMO - just to wild, and doesn't have the devestating speed of someone like Brett Lee.

I dunno about Simon Jones - didn't see much of him but my first impressions where he needs more pace into his run up.

James Kirtley - stay away from him.

The quick bowling in England should be allright in the future - a spinner would be useful. I think the batting could be the problem, but if you had to choose between strong batting or strong bowling, you'd take strong bowling.

 

[Craig]

Johnson is out with a grion problem.

 

[marc71178]

And what is wrong with Robert Croft Marc or are you are a Warwickshire man?

So did all of us English-based writers, and since it wasn't in the middle of the night for us, we were probably apying more attention.

That still doesn't answer how you can write someone off after 1 Test and 1 good 7 over spell.

And what is wrong with Robert Croft Marc or are you are a Warwickshire man?

Croft cooked his goose when he pulled out of a tour in 2001 - added to the fact his record is worse than Giles.

 

[Rik]

Right...let's sort some things out...

Jones had an impressive debut and took to Test Cricket immediately...and who did England pick in the 1st Test in Australia as their pace bowler? Ever since we've had to put up with Harmison...

Croft can't even take wickets at county level at a decent average, he never has, so how his coach can call him "International Class" and how he can wine about not being picked I do not know.

Giles will never be World Class, but at least he's better than Croft. I wouldn't mind Jason Brown or Gareth Batty being given a go in one of the Tests. It would hardly be a risk looking at Giles' current form and career average.

 

[marc71178]

Jones had an impressive debut and took to Test Cricket immediately...and who did England pick in the 1st Test in Australia as their pace bowler? Ever since we've had to put up with Harmison...

The attack England want includes one out and out pace bowler. With Jones injured, Harmisonhas the slot, and will continue to do so until Jones returns, in which case the selectors may have a tricky choice.

Giles will never be World Class, but at least he's better than Croft. I wouldn't mind Jason Brown or Gareth Batty being given a go in one of the Tests. It would hardly be a risk looking at Giles' current form and career average.

Giles' current form?

At the moment he is at both his highest batting and bowling rating ever.

 

[Langeveldt]

And JR,

So what if you have taken 31 wickets at an average of 11? You didnt say if it was against top batsmen or weak batsmen or tail enders or what?

Moderate standard club batsmen in the UK, and Under 18 college cricket... Nearly all adults tho, and im not one...

But that doesnt matter, what does matter is that Ray Price was one of the few Zim bowlers who kept England under control, and i was just trying to defend him....

 

[luckyeddie]

. It would hardly be a risk looking at Giles' current form and career average.

Giles bowled exceptionally well to Smith in both innings of the first test.

 

[Craig]

Fair enough on Jones we can argue to the cows come home. I hope England never pick Jones for a ODI, his LIst A record for Glam says he has played 5 List A matches, taken one wicket and is going over 6 an over.

 

[Mr. P]

stats don't always say everything

 

[Craig]

True but a econmy of 6.73 is not good enough.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Carlton Baugh didnt look much of a Test batsman but I have no problems with him wicket keeping.

He scored an unbeaten chanceless hundred against a full-strength Aussie side in a warmup game.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I have seen Sammuels

Is this the same Samuels who went to Australia at 19 years of age and defied the Aussies to average over 35 in Tests and around 30 in ODI's. Is this the same Samuels who played his 3rd (?) FC match against the World Champ Aussies and impressed everyone (except you obviously) that saw him?

 

[Rik]

The attack England want includes one out and out pace bowler. With Jones injured, Harmisonhas the slot, and will continue to do so until Jones returns, in which case the selectors may have a tricky choice.

I seriously hope they see sense and pick Jones. Especially as Harmison's average will be up around 40 again.

Giles' current form?

Yes his current bowling form, ie the inability to take wickets at a decent average for club or country.

At the moment he is at both his highest batting and bowling rating ever.

Speaks a thousand words...:rolleyes:

 

[Rik]

Giles bowled exceptionally well to Smith in both innings of the first test.

And he still scored 277 and 85...