So what now for England?

somersetargyle

School Cricketer
Joined
Sep 4, 2005
Location
Plymouth
Online Cricket Games Owned
there has been so much talk about what side england select in future test matches; with flintoff we are basically replacing 2/3 players with his strengths in bowlling, batting and fielding - the most popular idea seems to be to maintain a five man attack with broad moving up but i just wonder if that might be a case of us burying our heads in the sand over the problems with our batting and over-dependency on 8 and 9 to score runs; i just think that england should wait until broad is truly ready to be relied on as a regular run scorer before they move him up the order, i also think that prior is good but still a typical wicket keeper and is therefore more suited to coming in at 7 where he will have slightly less pressure to defend and more chances to play his natural game, better keeper/batsmen than prior have played at no7 and for a good reason, also bear in mind that many international sides have proper full time batsemn at number 6 like north, yuvraj, de villiers or dilshan; id maybe go for something like this

strauss
cook
bell
pietersen
collingwood
trott
prior
broad
swann
anderson
onions/harmy/sidebottom/whoever
 

Skater

ICC Chairman
Joined
Jan 12, 2004
Profile Flag
England
My ideal eleven now would be:

1. Andrew Strauss (c)
2. Stephen Moore
3. Kevin Pietersen
4. Jonathan Trott
5. Ravi Bopara
6. Matt Prior (wk)
7. Stuart Broad
8. Graeme Swann
9. James Anderson
10. <pace>
11. Graham Onions
 

Sureshot

Executive member
Joined
Feb 7, 2005
Location
England
Online Cricket Games Owned
I think we have enough in Broad and Swann (don't forget his abilities, he does have an FC high of 183* and we all saw what he can do in this series), to be able to bat Broad at 7.

I'd love to see Sidebottom back in the side. He's back to full fitness now and gives us another dimension and complements the attack well.

Of course if we play two spinners then I think Rashid can come in, he can bat 7 (above Broad) and is in good form.

It's time we try something new in the middle order. I see Trott being a permanent fixture. He has the abilitiy, technically and mentally to compete at this level. There are some good, and in-form batsman out there. I've been impressed with Lumb, who has seemingly come from nowhere this year.
 

Owzat

International Coach
Joined
Apr 4, 2008
Online Cricket Games Owned
For me the main worries are batting Broad at seven, I'm not convinced he is yet capable. It's one thing to make the odd 50 here and there, but a Test number seven should have hundreds in his repertoire and he's yet to score one. Another is the bowling, still need time to see Broad and Swann perform consistently enough to persuade me they are good enough as part of a four or five. Those are the main worries in terms of playing four bowlers of five and who bats at seven - Prior if we play four bowlers.
 

Howsie

Chairman of Selectors
Joined
Jun 18, 2008
Online Cricket Games Owned
Pick the best six batsmen, bat Matt Prior at seven and pick the best four bowlers. Stuart Broad is not a international number seven (Not yet anyway).

If England try playing Broad at seven against South Africa this ashes win may feel like a long time ago.
 

Leicester Fox

Chairman of Selectors
Joined
Sep 28, 2006
Online Cricket Games Owned
Cook
Strauss
Trott
KP
Colly
Bell
Prior (WK)
Broad
Swann
Anderson
Onions

Simple.
 

Owzat

International Coach
Joined
Apr 4, 2008
Online Cricket Games Owned
Pick the best six batsmen, bat Matt Prior at seven and pick the best four bowlers. Stuart Broad is not a international number seven (Not yet anyway).

If England try playing Broad at seven against South Africa this ashes win may feel like a long time ago.

May not be a lot to go on but Broad batted seven at Headingley and we were skittled for 102 and lost by an innings with the tail five scoring six runs between them.

Ideally Broad should pootle off back to Notts, bat up the order for them with instruction to make a hundred in a proper manner ie no wham, bam, thankyou mam quick hundred, but one more cultured with defensive shots etc
 

Howsie

Chairman of Selectors
Joined
Jun 18, 2008
Online Cricket Games Owned
May not be a lot to go on but Broad batted seven at Headingley and we were skittled for 102 and lost by an innings with the tail five scoring six runs between them.

Ideally Broad should pootle off back to Notts, bat up the order for them with instruction to make a hundred in a proper manner ie no wham, bam, thankyou mam quick hundred, but one more cultured with defensive shots etc

Yea that's the thing. His runs at number 8 are seen as a bonus but batting at number seven you are expected to make runs. And most of the test runs I've seen him make are when the game is pretty much over, or when England has already piled up a big score.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top