true, although SA away is no easy nut to crack (unless you are the Aussies)....
all I am trying to point out is that this run of injuries is on a par to that of NZ from that tour. As I said in another thread that NZ have still not been able to pick from a full / fit squad since then.
At the time the NZ bowling attack was primarily based around Cairns, Nash, Vettori & O'Connor - on that tour we lost the first 3 for over 12 months!!! The injury to Jones is unfortunate, but he was hardly an integral part of the attack - only Gough can lay claim to that! So far as I know only their (Gough & Jones) are season ending injuries - the rest should be right b4 the WC & England should be thankful for that much....
Even for the upcoming 1st Test v India Cairns, Adams, O'Connor, Franklin, Butler, Horne are all unavailable thru injury, along with the retirements of Parore & Nash means we have still currently got 6 - 8 players unavailable!
England need to bite the bullet and try some fringe players into the Test squad - even some from the OD team like Irani - give them a run to see what they can do. NZ had to blood players like Martin, Bond, Butler, Oram, Vincent, Franklin, McCullum - even ODI 'specialists' like Harris & Styris got Test caps during this time!!!
Look upon it as a test of the intestinal fortitude of the team, Captain & Administration. Going on about the injuries is not going to change anything, except imbed a 'poor bugger me' attitude - time to step up to the mark & see what the aforementioned group is made of!!!!
I don't want to disrespect anyone and start the'whinging pom' chant - but it's starting to get that way guys!!!!
:rolleyes:
!