pietersen should possibly be dropped for now

[donwasaverage]

i.e left out of the test side in india to make room for collingwood. (after pakistan bell has to stay). he has repeatedly shown that while a quite brilliant shotmaker he lacks the patience and defensive technique that a reliable test batsman requires in certain conditions.

I would feel more confident with collingwood in there as a much needed middle order anchor to balance out the attack minded flintoff and jones.

admittedly colly is more of a one day batsman himself but he has already proven that he is more resiliant in crisis, makes more responsible shot selections and plays with sounder technique. these are all crucial qualities needed to help avoid collapse and, when necessary, bat for very long periods of time - something that this england team has never really managed to do. to be fair we haven't needed to much but all out attack cannot work on every wicket against every team.

collingwood's the man. pietersen can come back when he learns to defend.

 

[cameeel]

Somehow i dont think you'll get much support for the idea.

 

[andyc]

Pietersen can defend. Often during the Ashes he'd play himself in at a strike rate of about 60 and then start going for the big shots.

 

[Dasa]

Pietersen can defend. Often during the Ashes he'd play himself in at a strike rate of about 60 and then start going for the big shots.

There's a big difference in doing that on the subcontinent though...his only innings of substance in the Pak series was due to some absolutely terrible dropped catches from the Pakistanis...I don't think he knows how to build an innings properly, especially in conditions he's likely to encounter in India. You can't play yourself in with a strike rate of 60, you have to start slow and accumulate.

 

[SJS]

It would be shocking if he was dropped.

It is uncommon to see someone with that much potential. For England, it is a dream come true. They need to nurture him rather than make him a victim of their own massive expectations of an exciting young talent.

To say that he cant defend is akin to saying that Atherton could not play strokes as some have said here.

 

[Jono]

He obviously won't be dropped, but I think he will struggle in India. Not because of his defence, because I think there is nothing wrong with it. Its temperamental issues really, because other than that he's got the goods.

 

[Natman20]

I havnt actually seen him batting in the last series so im not sure how he is going but looking at the scorecards he hasnt done very well at all.

 

[SJS]

He obviously won't be dropped, but I think he will struggle in India. Not because of his defence, because I think there is nothing wrong with it. Its temperamental issues really, because other than that he's got the goods.

I agree with that.

He needs to get his feet firmly entrenched on the ground. He has had his fairy tale start which has come to him far easier than anyone (dont know about himself) expected. Now he needs to start to work for his success. It wont come easy all the time.

 

[deeps]

Australia dropped Clarke
England might drop pieterson

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Pietersen is in a class of his own. He's still learning at the highest level but needs to be left in side, not have his place under threat because he didn't instantly adjust to a different climate.

 

[howardj]

i.e left out of the test side in india to make room for collingwood.
collingwood's the man. pietersen can come back when he learns to defend.

Are you out of your mind?

If you were ever considering dropping Pietersen at this stage - and I don't think there is any reason whatsoever to do so - the last guy who you'd have instead of him would be Collingwood. I just don't think Collingwood measures up.

 

[andyc]

Australia dropped Clarke
England might drop pieterson

Australia dropped Clarke because he was averaging under 40. Pietersen is well over that mark and doesn't deserve to be dropped

 

[Craig]

Australia dropped Clarke
England might drop pieterson

Clarke got dropped because he couldn't get a run.

 

[marc71178]

The more I think about it, the more I think that both could play, moving Flintoff down to 7 (with the added bonus of splitting Flintoff and Pietersen up) - and dropping a seamer (more than likely Hoggard as Vaughan doesn't seem to trust him to bowl without the New Ball)

 

[Barney Rubble]

The more I think about it, the more I think that both could play, moving Flintoff down to 7 (with the added bonus of splitting Flintoff and Pietersen up) - and dropping a seamer (more than likely Hoggard as Vaughan doesn't seem to trust him to bowl without the New Ball)

I'd be in favour of that, too, if both our top two spinners hadn't been bowling like me for the last three matches. (Hint: I'm crap)

I just don't want us to end up like we did in Lahore again - play one spinner and then end up not trusting him to bowl even half as many overs as the quicks, resulting in the quicks being vastly overworked. Especially in India - if we end up carrying Giles (or Udal, or whoever else might play) and the pitches give our seamers no help at all, the Indian batsmen will fill their boots.

 

[wpdavid]

The more I think about it, the more I think that both could play, moving Flintoff down to 7 (with the added bonus of splitting Flintoff and Pietersen up) - and dropping a seamer (more than likely Hoggard as Vaughan doesn't seem to trust him to bowl without the New Ball)

Strewth Marc, that's a turnaround regarding Flintoff!

But I think you're right. And Collingwood is more of a number 6 than a number 4 anyway, I reckon. Another bonus of playing Fed at 7 followed by the keeper at 8 is that then our spinner doesn't need to be batter, so Pansesar could bat at 11 behind Harmison & Simon Jones.

 

[deeps]

but vaughan doesn't trust harmison with the new ball.

so by dropping hoggard, there is no opening bowling pair.

 

[wpdavid]

but vaughan doesn't trust harmison with the new ball.

so by dropping hoggard, there is no opening bowling pair.

I'm not sure that Vaughan doesan't trust Harmison - I think the idea was that Fred could swing the new ball more than him. In any case, Jones certainly can swing the new ball, so if they did want harmy to bowl 1st change, they could open with Fred & Jones.

 

[marc71178]

but vaughan doesn't trust harmison with the new ball.

He's opened with him for a long time up to the Pakistan series for one who's not trusted.

 

[social]

Geez, talk about panic stations from some people.

As an Aus supporter, I'd like nothing more than to see Eng chop and change their team.

However, people should realise (as Im sure the Eng selectors do) that:

a. the sub-continent is very different to almost everywhere else in the world and it takes time to learn how to play there;

b. the task is made doubly difficult if you dont have a spinner; and

c. Eng's current team has just lost their first series for 2 years.

In other words, no need for wholesale chages YET.

If they get flogged in India and show similar short-comings, then make a change but only if their are better replacements.

As Marc quite correctly pointed out when I repeatedly called for Giles' omission, "what is the point if there is no-one better."