The England Thread

[Prince EWS]

you think so? his slower ball might have caused a few problems but almost everytime,even when it dismissed hayden and gichrist, it was spotted.

I guess I haven't seen your rubbish bin bowl a slower ball so I shouldn't make the comparison.

Seriously though, I think his slower ball is proving rather effective - as you pointed out, even when it is picked, it seems to be relatively difficult to play. He still really shouldn't be anywhere near ODI cricket, mind - the post was a joke implying that it was it only decent thing he had ever done.

 

[tooextracool]

His slower ball might be doing a good job, but when hes not bowling it he was happily tonked around all over the place. Why on earth he is selected ahead of someone like Chapple no one will know.

 

[Richard]

How would you describe it then? Steepling bounce from short of a length? Pitched up for the swing?

How about "part-time medium-pace with generous helpings of width, Long-Hops, Half-Volleys, Full-Tosses and everything a batsman's wildest hearts desire"?

Over-egging the pudding a bit, I know, but you get the drift.

 

[Richard]

except for the WI A tour where he scored a hatful of runs?

A whole 3 good innings?

 

[Pup Clarke]

By any chance Richard do you happen to rate Paul Collingwood who is a similar bowler to Bopara?.I don't see him bowling loads of long hops,half vollies and full tosses.

 

[Richard]

His slower ball might be doing a good job, but when hes not bowling it he was happily tonked around all over the place. Why on earth he is selected ahead of someone like Chapple no one will know.

I certainly know and I think you probably do. It's painful to admit because it's so logic-baffling, but it's not really that hard to work-out:

Mahmood is a "wicket-taker", Chapple is a "typical county bowler who isn't good enough at international level". That's just the way selection is at the current time. Hopefully it'll pass.

And TBH, I personally honestly don't see Chapple doing a hell of a lot at ODI level, either. Better than Mahmood, yes, but he's never consistently put in the performances at List-A level either.

 

[Richard]

By any chance Richard do you happen to rate Paul Collingwood who is a similar bowler to Bopara?.I don't see him bowling loads of long hops,half vollies and full tosses.

Collingwood certainly used to be a similar bowler to Bopara, he barely knew how to land the ball on the same spot.

He's not any more, though, he's far more accurate and occasionally produces the odd really, really good spell in ODIs these days.

 

[Goughy]

I mean, is this the squad they spent 4 years planning towards?

8 of the team (greater than 50% for those bad at maths) have less than 25 caps.

and only 5 have over 50 ODIs (Anderson, Collingwood, Vaughan, Flintoff, Strauss)

Given that just the CBS gave the guys 10 games, this level of inexperience is criminal given 4 years of preperation and planning.

FCS, There are 3 guys with 10 or less caps (Panesar, Bopara and Nixon).

The 15 guys combined have 13 ODI centuries between them and one 5 wkt haul. Thats less than 1 very good, experienced player at each discipline should have. Eg Ponting on his own has 22 ODI 100s and Pollock has five 5+wicket hauls. The lack of experience is embarassing and a testament to the terrible preparation.

The ECB, making the South African planners for the 2010 Football World Cup look organised.

 

[Richard]

It's not just an England-selector fault IMO... did you read my piece a little while back?

 

[wpdavid]

I mean, is this the squad they spent 4 years planning towards?

8 of the team (greater than 50% for those bad at maths) have less than 25 caps.

and only 5 have over 50 ODIs (Anderson, Collingwood, Vaughan, Flintoff, Strauss)

Given that just the CBS gave the guys 10 games, this level of inexperience is criminal given 4 years of preperation and planning.

FCS, There are 3 guys with 10 or less caps (Panesar, Bopara and Nixon).

The 15 guys combined have 13 ODI centuries between them and one 5 wkt haul. Thats less than 1 very good, experienced player at each discipline should have. Eg Ponting on his own has 22 ODI 100s and Pollock has five 5+wicket hauls. The lack of experience is embarassing and a testament to the terrible preparation.

The ECB, making the South African planners for the 2010 Football World Cup look organised.

Hardly down to the ECB as such ...

Whilst not defending those who have selected the side over the last 4 years, there are a few observations to be made.
1. A number of the guys that have had a fair bit of time invested in them are unavailable right now (Tresco, Giles & Harmison spring immediately to mind, but there may be others I've forgotten)
2. The lack of centuries from those who have played loads of games says as much about the players as the selectors, imo.
3. Those with less than 10 caps should be judged on their merits. i.e. Panesar's there deservedly, but no-one would have thought it 9 months ago, Bopara might be reasonable cover for Collingwood, depending on your viewpoint, but don't get me started on Nixon

and, er, that's about it actually. Yes, it's a but of a nonsense, but I suppose we knew that already.

 

[cover drive man]

Vaughn's a gamble and not just with injuries he can play great on form but it's getting him on form.

 

[adharcric]

Any chance Bopara will get a match?

Vaughan, Joyce, Bell, Pietersen, Collingwood, Flintoff, Dalrymple, Nixon, Lewis, Panesar, Anderson IMO.

 

[Pup Clarke]

IMO Plunkett might have just edged out Lewis because of his recent good form.
My X1
Joyce
Vaughan
Bell
Pietersen
Collingwood
Flintoff
Dalrymple
Nixon
Plunkett
Panesar
Anderson

 

[GIMH]

I agree that they'll go with that. If it's a green top then I guess we'll see Bopara/Lewis

 

[Barney Rubble]

I agree that they'll go with that. If it's a green top then I guess we'll see Bopara/Lewis

I'm still not convinced they'll have the guts to drop Strauss. It'd be a poor decision, but they might keep him in for Joyce.

 

[GIMH]

You could be right. But let's hope you're not.

 

[marc71178]

I can see the logic. With Vaughan and Strauss and Joyce we have three openers already; with Michael fit then Loye was never going to play anyway. Bopara gives cover for the middle-order all-rounder in Collingwood and Dalrymple - and we managed a win Loyeless in the CBS anyway.

Not to mention that Ravi was the man who started the revival in the Commonwealth series

 

[Richard]

I'm still not convinced they'll have the guts to drop Strauss.

I'm very much convinced that they haven't.

There's barely a single member of the Press who's made such a suggestion.

 

[Richard]

Not to mention that Ravi was the man who started the revival in the Commonwealth series

Nonsense, it was quite clearly Paul Nixon.

No it wasn't, it was Malachy Loye.

No, it was Michael Vaughan with his captaincy.

What rubbish, it was clearly Freddie once he was relieved of the captaincy.

Now, we lay aside all sarcasm - this last line is the only one that's serious - it was PD Collingwood.

 

[Richard]

Any chance Bopara will get a match?

Yes. I'd be very, very surprised if he didn't.