Ravi Bopara - another pretender?

[Bloody Hell]

Ireland is the same country as England in cricket IIRC

Well, you tried...800 years of occupation and you still couldn't seal the deal! Played for Ed Joyce's old club in Ireland when I lived there...you won't find an Irishman who enjoys being called English.

Qualifying to be part of the English Cricket Team and being English are two different things! For all of KP's boasting I doubt he considers himself English. Though he wouldn't admit it in public - I bet he prefers Borewors to Lancashire sausages.

This thread is more about the No. 3 spot in the English lineup than Ravi B.

When Australia doesn't have a natural No.3 (which isn't that often), they pick a 3rd opener rather than try and force a middle order batsmen into the role.


Opener - Excellent defense, few shots

No.3 - Excellent defense, alot of shots - and knowing when to play what.

Middle Order - good defense, alot of shots


No. 3 batsmen select themselves - if you need a poll to decide, it's probably fair enough to say you haven't got one.

 

[whoami]

Well, you tried...800 years of occupation and you still couldn't seal the deal! Played for Ed Joyce's old club in Ireland when I lived there...you won't find an Irishman who enjoys being called English.

Qualifying to be part of the English Cricket Team and being English are two different things! For all of KP's boasting I doubt he considers himself English. Though he wouldn't admit it in public - I bet he prefers Borewors to Lancashire sausages.

This thread is more about the No. 3 spot in the English lineup than Ravi B.

When Australia doesn't have a natural No.3 (which isn't that often), they pick a 3rd opener rather than try and force a middle order batsmen into the role.


Opener - Excellent defense, few shots

No.3 - Excellent defense, alot of shots - and knowing when to play what.

Middle Order - good defense, alot of shots


No. 3 batsmen select themselves - if you need a poll to decide, it's probably fair enough to say you haven't got one.

A few shots like Sehwag?

 

[Bloody Hell]

As I typed that Ravi went for a golden duck!

 

[whoami]

Ian Bell is pathetic. Drop him and Bopara.
Grrr

 

[Bloody Hell]

A few shots like Sehwag?

Excellent defense like Sehwag. Obviously there are freakish batsmen - and we are talking about the english...not Indian pitches.

The english will never have an opening batsmen like Sehwag*, can't grow up on english pitches and play like him.



*unless the selectors persist with selecting players from other countries.

 

[whoami]

maybe you'e right but the pitches in england are getting flatter.

 

[wpdavid]

Well, you tried...800 years of occupation and you still couldn't seal the deal! Played for Ed Joyce's old club in Ireland when I lived there...you won't find an Irishman who enjoys being called English.

Qualifying to be part of the English Cricket Team and being English are two different things! For all of KP's boasting I doubt he considers himself English. Though he wouldn't admit it in public - I bet he prefers Borewors to Lancashire sausages.

This thread is more about the No. 3 spot in the English lineup than Ravi B.

When Australia doesn't have a natural No.3 (which isn't that often), they pick a 3rd opener rather than try and force a middle order batsmen into the role.


Opener - Excellent defense, few shots

No.3 - Excellent defense, alot of shots - and knowing when to play what.

Middle Order - good defense, alot of shots


No. 3 batsmen select themselves - if you need a poll to decide, it's probably fair enough to say you haven't got one.

Quite so. Before the series at home to WI, none of us had a clue who should bat at 3.
I certainly don't recall anyone mentioning Joyce,who seems to be flavour of the moment.

Unfortunately, our pig's arse of a domestic structure doesn't make it any clearer who should be there.

 

[Tooslo Byarf]

Honestly can't see him being replaced for the 5th test, so I suppose we look ahead to the squad for South Africa.
Still expect Bopara will be on the plane tbh.

The Oval. Here's the thing. Swann must play, even though he shouldn't be playing at Headingley.

Siders in for Broad and, if Fred is still unfit, Bresnan in for Harmmy.

Trott in for Bell, Rob Key in for Boppi and, down on our hands and knees, beg Trezzi to replace Cook.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Quite so. Before the series at home to WI, none of us had a clue who should bat at 3.
I certainly don't recall anyone mentioning Joyce,who seems to be flavour of the moment.

Unfortunately, our pig's arse of a domestic structure doesn't make it any clearer who should be there.

If he's fit Pietersen should bat at 3. Joyce? No way. If they change the middle order they'll bring more substandard players like Trott or Key.

 

[whoami]

Pieterson wont be fit for months.
I think Joe Denly should replace Cook, i know it wont happen though.
Serious shake up needs to happen with that batting line up but they wont do it.
Bopara will be dropped doubt anyone else.

 

[Prince EWS]

Quite so. Before the series at home to WI, none of us had a clue who should bat at 3.
I certainly don't recall anyone mentioning Joyce,who seems to be flavour of the moment.

I would've mentioned him but he'd just come off a poor season so I'd have been shouted down. I think he's a good bat and he always seems to be the one scoring runs in really tough CC conditions (comparatively I guess ).

 

[GIMH]

Well, you tried...800 years of occupation and you still couldn't seal the deal! Played for Ed Joyce's old club in Ireland when I lived there...you won't find an Irishman who enjoys being called English.

Qualifying to be part of the English Cricket Team and being English are two different things! For all of KP's boasting I doubt he considers himself English. Though he wouldn't admit it in public - I bet he prefers Borewors to Lancashire sausages.

This thread is more about the No. 3 spot in the English lineup than Ravi B.

When Australia doesn't have a natural No.3 (which isn't that often), they pick a 3rd opener rather than try and force a middle order batsmen into the role.


Opener - Excellent defense, few shots

No.3 - Excellent defense, alot of shots - and knowing when to play what.

Middle Order - good defense, alot of shots


No. 3 batsmen select themselves - if you need a poll to decide, it's probably fair enough to say you haven't got one.

Sorry mate, the Ireland thing was more of a running joke on this board. Welcome to CW

 

[sledger]

Bring back Ramps for one last hurrah imo.

 

[Craig]

Ian Bell proves that when the going gets tough, he just packs up his suitcases and leaves.

 

[FBU]

Bopara has to go back to Essex and not be picked for the ODI squad either.

 

[whoami]

Bring back Ramps for one last hurrah imo.

he would probably do a better job than bell, ravi, colly and cook.

 

[Uppercut]

I would've mentioned him but he'd just come off a poor season so I'd have been shouted down. I think he's a good bat and he always seems to be the one scoring runs in really tough CC conditions (comparatively I guess ).

Haha, the CC can be bloody tough to bat in at times. The quality's obviously heavily diluted from what you Aussies have but I'd have some serious respect for a batsman averaging over 50 in England. In Australia it's almost the given.

Joyce can score runs in really tough conditions, and people on these boards seem to ****ing adore players like that, but unfortunately that's not what makes a test batsman at the moment. Consistency and concentration on flat decks is what gives you the difference between India or Australia's batsmen and England or New Zealand's. How you perform in that one-match-every-30 where you're facing top-quality pace on a minefield seems to hold more water with some of the posters here for some reason, but it's not what you should really be looking for in a test batsman.

That said, I'd still pick Joyce. The bloke's quality.

 

[whoami]

Haha, the CC can be bloody tough to bat in at times. The quality's obviously heavily diluted from what you Aussies have but I'd have some serious respect for a batsman averaging over 50 in England. In Australia it's almost the given.

Joyce can score runs in really tough conditions, and people on these boards seem to ****ing adore players like that, but unfortunately that's not what makes a test batsman at the moment. Consistency and concentration on flat decks is what gives you the difference between India or Australia's batsmen and England or New Zealand's. How you perform in that one-match-every-30 where you're facing top-quality pace on a minefield seems to hold more water with some of the posters here for some reason, but it's not what you should really be looking for in a test batsman.

That said, I'd still pick Joyce. The bloke's quality.

the difference between australian and english batsmen? u seem to be forgetting they have low scores in 2 first innings. india, sri lanka and south africa are the best for not getting out on flat wickets, south africa especially.

 

[Uppercut]

the difference between australian and english batsmen? u seem to be forgetting they have low scores in 2 first innings. india, sri lanka and south africa are the best for not getting out on flat wickets, south africa especially.

Those first innings weren't in easy batting conditions though.

Australia maybe aren't what they were at avoiding collapses when the going's easy, now that you mention it. They're certainly better than England though. I'm thinking largely of their losses at Chennai, Edgbaston and Hamilton, all very flat surfaces.

 

[sledger]

I really really want the selectors to make a one off reach out plea to Trescothick to ask him to come back for one final match, obviously will never happen, but so wish it would.