Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
Who knows? Sidebottom of West Indies was poor... and he was poor in 2008 as well... and he hardly set The World on fire in Sri Lanka in 2007/08. He looked unfit in all bar the lattermost.Just how likely is Sidebottom to be in the starting side even if all his niggles clear up? I know he's been mostly very good since his recall, but he looked pedestrian when he did play in the Windies (I know pretty much everyone did with the wickets over there). And I've heard whispers from fans and media alike that he may go the way of Hoggard and be discarded for "loosing his nip" ?
The concern is, is he ever going to be fit enough to bowl once more how he did in New Zealand in 2007/08 and at home in 2007? If so, he should be in the side without a backward glance. But if not, then he shouldn't. Trouble is, nor should very many others currently. The seam well in this country at present is truly badly dry. Flintoff remains outstanding as a component but not in himself; Anderson remains promising but with unspectacular returns; and apart from those two there's Sidebottom, mentioned above. There's also Hoggard and Kabir Ali who as I mentioned a few posts back I honestly would not be surprised if someone has not decided a while ago that they're never playing for England again, for whatever bizarre reason.