Who are your picks?

[Animator!]

Oh how your wonderful reasoning comes out.
Pietersen left South Africa because the quota system, you know the biggest problem is South African cricket, was stopping him from playing. He was a better player than several black players that were picked ahead of him for the Natal side, but the Black players were picked above him because of the quota system. Therefore he left. He was being discriminated against. Really expect him to stay.

 

[evertonfan]

But I thought Australian's were against people who weren't full blooded Aussies playing for them? That is certainly the case when ever people argue about Pietersen. Until Andrew posts 'the list' that is.

 

[Griffo]

i was joking have a sense of humour...

the list?

We just rib you on how you cant get players who were born in England and you fall straight into the trap and we are satisfied... dont try and disprove it with facts it shows that you have just fallen into the trap

 

[evertonfan]

We play with an entire English XI. If you find that a reason for ribbing people then you are really quite odd.

 

[Animator!]

Well, no, because I just completely proved whatever point you have about Pietersen being wrong, and now your trying to argue that you made me and Matt looks like idiots.

 

[manee]

Warning to stay on topic. Griffo, stop talking about this myterious trap of yours and Animator and Evo, stop arguing with him.

 

[Skater]

I have lots of players in my mind who I think have long and successful international careers ahead of them.

Stuart Broad, he has impressed me in the ODIs he has played with his pace already, Adil Rashid, I saw him in the Roses match and he looked really good and completely comfortable with his surroundings and Suresh Raina, he hasn't done too well so far but he's so young he will do nothing but improve.

 

[Griffo]

Stuart Broad seems to carry alot of Englands hopes, I think he has potential but his stats arent overly impressive

 

[Skater]

Stuart Broad seems to carry alot of Englands hopes, I think he has potential but his stats arent overly impressive

Well, what can I say, statistics are only half the story, and they shouldn't be the be-all and end-all of a discussion. Stuart Broad is young, still developing and he has so many skills when it comes to bowling yorkers.

 

[Animator!]

He's only played a year and a half of Cricket at County Level and beyond. I wouldn't expect his statistics to be great. It's not very often a player can come in straight away and take a hundred wickets a year.

 

[jeita]

I would have to say ben hilfenhaus will have a fairly big future in the game. He will have to pave his way via the ODI setup, much as nathan bracken has, as the fast-bowling stocks for test matches seem to be tied up already, but given the selector's unwillingness to select tait and lee in the same team, as well as clark's perceived weakness in ODIs, I would rate hilfenhaus to figure prominently. His ability to swing the ball at 145kph-ish is a great asset to have, particularly on overly batsman friendly wickets.

ross taylor from new zealand has also impressed me.. will obviously need to tame his strokeplay early in his innings, but provided he can be a constant in the international setup, and too much pressure isnt placed on him to carry the top-order early on in his career, he seems to be a great prospect.

 

[rabeta]

My PLayers to watch:

Saj Mahmood: He has got a long way to go but as long as he does not come back into international cricket too soon, say give him another two season, then he will be a quality bowler. He has the ability to bowl reverse swing, due to his wrist and seam position, and bowl it at very good pace as well. If he can learn to bowl full and straight in one-dayers then he will be a real handful. His first ball after his injury yesterday highlighted how much potential he has got.

Joe Denly: As said by Manee, he is a very talented player, scores at a good rate, and looks the part. As long as he learns his trade in County cricket he will be a very good player for England.

James Harris: In the spotlight a couple of weeks ago, such a fine bowler at only 17. I think he has the ability to be a very good bowler, and a capable batsmen, though, you never know when a player comes through so early, they may never become what they are built up to be.

Tariq Mahmood: This is my main pick. Saw him bowl at the Under 19 world cup, and he can definitely bowl. Though I think he has gone a bit off tack in the last couple of years, he looked some prospect and could swing the bowl a mile with a lot of control. One to look out for.

Good thread Manee

 

[King Pietersen]

Alastair Cook- Best young player in the world right now, averages 45 in test cricket and has shown that he has the technical ability to battle with the best of them. He also has a fantastic FC record, truely is the future of English cricket, along with Pietersen.

Stuart Broad- Firey, talented and skillful young fast bowler. Shows immense promise and will surely be one of Englands primary fast bowlers come the 2009 ashes. Expect big things from the Leicestershire Lad.

Suresh Raina- At 20 years old, he is one of Indias hot talents. He hasnt really set the odi scene alight as of yet but with a first class average of 46 he shows real talent. He is an aggressive batsman, similar to that of one Yuvraj Singh. If he continues to destroy FC bowling attacks in India he could be set for a big big future.

Ravi Bopara- The 22 year old Essex lad has to be one of the more promising all round cricketers that England could have at their disposle in the next few years. Bopara was one of the only shining lights in a dismal world cup campaign that saw England knocked out in the super 8's. Bopara shows talent in both forms of the game, he shows the steely detirmination and range of strokes in the OD game and the concentration and skill in the Longer game. He has been on fire for Essex this season, and has taken his century tally up to an impressive 6 in FC cricket. With a decent conversion rate in FC cricket, he looks set to be another star of English Cricket in the next few years.

edit: Rabeta, just looked up Mahmood, Far from impressive, very poor stats, maybe he has potential though- at 22 though he hasnt got much time to improve. He should have much better figures for someone his age if he really is as talented as you say he is

 

[jeita]

Given the talent of young english fast bowlers around, the english selectors would have to have rocks in their head to pick saj mahmood again. he was the worst of an average bunch of bowlers that competed in the last ashes series, and is clearly not up to international standard. looked well out of his depth in every test he played. it's all well and good looking like a world-beater on a damp english wicket, but when he gets tested against one of the best teams in the world on wickets that weren't helpful toward fast bowlers, he looked like an amateur.

with plunkett, anderson, broad and jones etc. around for many years to come, i dont see how saj should even get a look in.

 

[Jaztheman]

My main player to watch is an amzing youngster, aged only 22 and he already has lots of matches to his name, with very very immpresive stats. He has a Test average of 45.09 in 19 matches(55.05 average in 67 FC matches) he averages 76.84 in 5 ODIs(76.40 average in 33 One Day matches) and he has a great average of 96 in 2 international twenty20's(79.54 average in 4 twenty20's) With those averages how can you deny him a place in the England squad, he has had the NBC Denis Compton Award 4 years running!!!! and got voted young cricketer of the year in 2005. He also captained England in the 2004 Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh and scored two centuries while leading them to the semi-finals.

The player I am talking about is the messiah of English Cricket, young Essex boy, Alastair Cook.