England's ODI squad

[bigred]

Prediction for squad announced Wednesday.

Hales
Ali
Taylor
Root
Morgan
Bopara
Buttler
Stokes
Rashid
Finn
Anderson

Ballance
Tredwell
Woakes
Gurney

Think the selectors might actually say enough is enough as far as Cook and Bell are concerned. I'm a massive Bell fan but his ODI stats are poor since 2013.

 

[MUFC1987]

This article is utterly brilliant.

If Cricinfo are to be believed, and lets face it, they get most things right, then the selectors are essentially going around in circles. They mention that we've lost the last 5 series and then say that the selectors are either sticking with the exact plan/team that lost the last series, or they might, revert back to the likes of Bopara who missed the last series but played in all the other series that we lost. It's like being stuck on repeat in the hope that something different will come out this time.

Who said the England team was a closed shop, eh?

 

[_Sam_]

This article is utterly brilliant.

If Cricinfo are to be believed, and lets face it, they get most things right, then the selectors are essentially going around in circles. They mention that we've lost the last 5 series and then say that the selectors are either sticking with the exact plan/team that lost the last series, or they might, revert back to the likes of Bopara who missed the last series but played in all the other series that we lost. It's like being stuck on repeat in the hope that something different will come out this time.

Who said the England team was a closed shop, eh?

Think that's a bit harsh on Bopara, most of the time we've been losing he's been the stand out performer. It's not him that needs to be out of the squad.

 

[bigred]

Bopara has been our best player for over a year.

 

[T.J.Hooker]

But Cook and Moores have struck up a strong relationship over the last six months. Moores has been impressed by Cook's fortitude under pressure and his lack of personal agenda. While Moores endured some difficult relationships with his captains during his first stint as coach - he struggled with Kevin Pietersen, Michael Vaughan and Paul Collingwood at various times - he has found Cook like-minded, easy to work with and believes in him as a player.

It's a perfect combo of a coach who primarily values unthinking servitude and a captain incapable of anything else.

 

[War]

Well the countdown the upcoming disastrous 5 months of ODI cricket with that ENG time beings now..

 

[T.J.Hooker]

It's a sad state of affairs when I think a massive thrashing would be a better result for english cricket than a mediocre performance.

 

[_Sam_]

The EPP looks pretty good... Can we get an England v EPP game or would it be a bit too embarrassing?

 

[T.J.Hooker]

England vs Yorkshire might be an interesting game

 

[MUFC1987]

Think that's a bit harsh on Bopara, most of the time we've been losing he's been the stand out performer. It's not him that needs to be out of the squad.

Bopara has been our best player for over a year.

Show me the stats that prove this.

Bopara is the very definition of a bits and pieces cricketer. He's not good enough to bat in the top 6, or to be one of the 5 best bowlers. I like the guy and he's hugely talented in County Cricket, but he just isn't good enough for International cricket.

 

[_Sam_]

Show me the stats that prove this.

Bopara is the very definition of a bits and pieces cricketer. He's not good enough to bat in the top 6, or to be one of the 5 best bowlers. I like the guy and he's hugely talented in County Cricket, but he just isn't good enough for International cricket.

Stats never show everything. Bopara would be near the top of my team sheet for any England limited overs squad.

 

[bigred]

Stats never show everything. Bopara would be near the top of my team sheet for any England limited overs squad.

Agree. Stats count for a lot in Test cricket. But for me, ODI cricket is more about crucial moments in a game. Bopara has been brilliant at hitting quick runs in the final overs. He's also losing this tag of not being able to close out games. Your stats will never be that great in 50 over cricket if you bat at 7.

He's also been one of our more economical bowlers.

 

[MUFC1987]

Did I miss all these brilliant Bopara innings? The Bopara I remembered kept on getting runs (when he did actually manage any) before then either getting out, or simply not getting on with it and costing us the game that way. If you'd like to show me these innings that you speak of though (in recent times), I'd be more than happy to change my opinion.....

 

[bigred]

Did I miss all these brilliant Bopara innings? The Bopara I remembered kept on getting runs (when he did actually manage any) before then either getting out, or simply not getting on with it and costing us the game that way. If you'd like to show me these innings that you speak of though (in recent times), I'd be more than happy to change my opinion.....

You clearly don't rate Bopara, which is fine. Presumably then you'll be having one of the bowling all rounders(Woakes/Stokes/Jordan) batting at 7?

Think you'd be in the minority there though. Every pundit in the media seemed to be astonished by Bopara's exclusion this summer and pleased with his return. I was at the oval two years ago when he batted at 4 and smashed the Aussies around. He's not been given the chance to bat in the top 5 since then unless he's in an Essex shirt. For them he does a great job.

In the champions trophy we were basically going in with 4 bowlers plus Bopara. I think if we do 4 bowlers plus Bopara and Ali for the WC we'll be fine.

 

[MUFC1987]

You clearly don't rate Bopara, which is fine. Presumably then you'll be having one of the bowling all rounders(Woakes/Stokes/Jordan) batting at 7?

Think you'd be in the minority there though. Every pundit in the media seemed to be astonished by Bopara's exclusion this summer and pleased with his return. I was at the oval two years ago when he batted at 4 and smashed the Aussies around. He's not been given the chance to bat in the top 5 since then unless he's in an Essex shirt. For them he does a great job.

In the champions trophy we were basically going in with 4 bowlers plus Bopara. I think if we do 4 bowlers plus Bopara and Ali for the WC we'll be fine.

So where is this proof of how good a player Bopara has been? For the last year or so he's been very ordinary and didn't have any where near enough good performances in the bank to back that up.

I'd certainly go with a Stokes or Woakes at 7, depending on who the better BOWLER is. We need 5 bowlers. Australian pitches will be flat and high scoring. If we have part timers to bowl 10 overs, we'll be conceding 300 at a minimum in each and every game. Our batting line up is not good enough to chase that down regularly, even with Bopara averaging 20 at number 7. I'm all for 5 specialist bowlers because bowling is the hardest part of the game, especially with the fielding regulations these days.

Sticking in a batsman who turns his arm over a bit may well have worked 10 years ago, but it's not going to work any more. And the selectors and coaching staff's theory on this working, is exactly why we're so far behind the best sides in the world.