Continuing our series of county previews, here is an assessment of Leicestershire's chances in 2008.
2007 in a Nutshell:
Awful! Leicestershire finished second bottom in the County Championship, third bottom in the Pro40 and failed to make it out of the group stages of the two cup competitions. We've been a team in decline for the past decade, but few of us expected such a uncompetitive season, which has to go down as among the worst in our history.
A lot of the blame must be put onto the coach and recruitment committee. The overseas player appointments were both bizarre and badly thought out. RP Singh is a talented bowler, but was never going to be available to us for long because of the Indian tour of England. I don't understand why we set out to sign a bowler who was available to us for only a month! Mansoor Amjad on the other hand was just not ready for the demands of county cricket and should never have been offered a contact while he still had so much to learn.
The mid-season axing of Darren Robinson, the decision to appoint Snape as a specialist one day captain and the panic signings of Arno Jacobs and Garnett Kruger also contributed to a very disjointed team. These decisions coupled with a few injuries and a worrying lack of depth meant we never built up any momentum and struggled from week to week. In all honesty we gave up after the Twenty20 cup was washed out and were lucky not to finish bottom.
Probable side:
County Championship
New, Boyce, Ackerman, Dippenaar, Allenby, Nixon+*, DuPreez, Henderson, Malik, Lawson, Kruger.
One Day Games
New, Ackerman, Dippenaar, Allenby, Nixon+*, Boyce, Snape, Henderson, DuPreez, Lawson, Kruger
Openers:
It looks like we'll go in with quite an inexperienced opening pair this season, which could be a cause for concern. Tom New is a sure starter having had a very solid 2007 season, but he needs to convert his starts into big scores if he's going to progress as a cricketer. Matthew Boyce looks likely to partner him, but his first team outings and indeed his second XI games, haven't shown much in the way of performances and he could face pressure from 18 year old James Taylor.
Middle Order:
HD Ackerman, Boeta Dippenaar and Jim Allenby will fill the middle order slots and much will be expected of them this season. A lot rests on the two South Africans because they are the only two players with a pedigree of scoring hundreds. If we are to score big totals then realistically one of them will have to get in and make a big knock. Allenby had a solid first full season, but its thought that he can do better with the talent at his disposal.
Wicketkeeper:
There are no doubts about Paul Nixon after he enjoyed a fantastic 2007 season. He has the added burden of captaincy this season but that's unlikely to effect his performance because he has always risen to the big occasion and coped well under pressure. Tom New and young Joel Pope can also keep wicket, so it's quite a strong area for the foxes.
Fast Bowlers:
The quick bowling department looks potentially menacing and should cause problems for many. Lawson and Kruger both have international honours and DuPreez is the leading wicket taker in SA domestic cricket this season. The fourth seamer's position is up for grabs with Nadeem Malik, Ryan Cummins and Daniel Rowe all challenging each other. It's hoped that this competition will lead players to spur each other on.
Spinners:
There are some good one day spinners at the club with Claude Henderson and Jeremy Snape impressing in limited overs games in recent years. The concern is that they lack the penetration and tools to take wickets in the first class arena. Young Jigar Naik may be given a chance if Henderson proves to be as ineffective as in last season's County Championship.
Key Man:
HD Ackerman will be the key man for us this season. He looks like the only batsman capable of exploiting the fielding restrictions in one day games and will be instrumental if we are to have another good Twenty20 cup. He badly underperformed last season and the results show. If he can get back to his 2006 form then we'll be a hard to beat side.
Rising Star:
James Taylor has rejoined the county from Worcestershire and has bags of talent. He was among the top runs scorers in the recent U19 world cup and with a decent strike rate too. He may have to wait for his chance but could make an impression.
Captain and Coach:
Tim Boon and Paul Nixon have both signed on until 2010 which on the face of it looks like a good move as it ensures some stability. I have no qualms about Paul Nixon being captain as for most of last season it was like he was playing on his own anyway. His enthusiasm on the field and his little quirks and theories about the game could pay off. I'm not so sure about Tim Boon though who seems to have put his hat in for every top job going. He hasn't impressed so far and will need a good season.
2008 Prospects:
It's difficult to say. We've signed some genuine match winners in Dippenaar, DuPreez, Kruger and Lawson. We have better individuals than last year and if they blend together then we could cause a surprise or two. We probably lack the depth for what will be a tough County Championship season, but may fancy our chances in limited overs cricket.
We are still looking for Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Lancashire previews to complete a full set (the other 15 counties are already on the site). If you fancy giving them a go, do email cricketingworld@hotmail.com :it would be much appreciated!
Showing posts with label Paul Nixon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paul Nixon. Show all posts
Saturday, 12 April 2008
Saturday, 5 January 2008
Will you be staying long Colonel?!
The outright exclusion from England’s Test, One Day and Lions squads of Matt Prior was this weeks’ big news. Whilst Prior has shown an aptitude for scoring runs at the highest level, against the highest calibre of bowler, the bread and butter business of taking catches has let him down. Many people worried when Prior was first given the gloves that England had another Geraint Jones on their hands, neither good enough with the bat or the gloves to hold the position of England’s wicket keeper. I personally never doubted his ability to deliver the runs. His showings for the ODI side in Pakistan and India were never a true reflection of his ability. Unfortunately though, Prior is not the best wicket keeper in the country and further more he is not even currently in the top five when it comes to catching the ball.
To begin with though, it seemed as though exposure to International Cricket would bring the best from Prior and it served as a boost to his glove work. His performances in the crucial ODI series victory over India were faultless and a few mistakes in the preceding Test matches were seemingly forgotten and forgiven. However, then injury struck. Phil Mustard took over, but he simply proved the fact that brilliant county form means nothing at International level. Whilst he got starts with the bat against Sri Lanka he was far from the player he is for Durham and that was to be expected. So Prior soon returned for the Test match series in Sri Lanka and performed admirably, along with Ian Bell, in the first Test match, prompting the likes of Sam Lyon, Alec Stewart and Jack Russell, amongst others, to declare the arrival of England’s wicket keeper for the next decade.
Oh how the mighty fall though. Less than one month later and Prior has been jettisoned. Eight drops off of Ryan Sidebottom and crucial misses off of Mahela Jayawardene proved to be too much for England’s selectors. Yet his demotion need not be for good according to David Graveney, who has stated that if Prior can improve his glove work away from the media spotlight, then he can reclaim his place and fulfil his undoubted potential as England’s future wicket keeper batsman. It is unlikely that Prior’s replacement will average 40.14 from 17 Test Innings against West Indies, India and Sri Lanka away. However, they will hopefully hold on to more catches, which is the primary job of the wicket keeper. If they do not make runs though, you can guarantee that England will struggle because of their brittle tail and the wicket keeping debate will return to the discussions between cricket lovers up and down the Land once again.
So Colonel Mustard finds himself able to make the first move on Prior’s old job. He will keep wicket in the ODI’s in New Zealand and should he succeed he should in theory be given a chance in the Test series which follows. If not, then Tim Ambrose, once Prior’s deputy at Sussex, will step into the void and become England’s sixth wicket keeper in the space of a year. Whilst all this is ongoing and the likes of Geraint Jones, Chris Read, Paul Nixon, Prior, Mustard and Ambrose are mulling over their International careers, whether past, present or future, there is one player who goes quietly about his work at Essex, continuing to excel with the gloves and perform well with the bat. He is of course James Foster, once the man in possession, discarded because of injury and now seemingly forgotten about. With every passing wicket keeper, his stock grows. However, until he averages more with the bat on a home ground which is often one of the most conducive to batting in the country, he will it seems remain on the periphery of the England set-ups' radar. One further candidate exists, Steven Davies of Worcestershire. Demotion to Division Two will not help his cause, but the young man will be expected to come of age in the next year or so. Let the merry-go-round continue…
To begin with though, it seemed as though exposure to International Cricket would bring the best from Prior and it served as a boost to his glove work. His performances in the crucial ODI series victory over India were faultless and a few mistakes in the preceding Test matches were seemingly forgotten and forgiven. However, then injury struck. Phil Mustard took over, but he simply proved the fact that brilliant county form means nothing at International level. Whilst he got starts with the bat against Sri Lanka he was far from the player he is for Durham and that was to be expected. So Prior soon returned for the Test match series in Sri Lanka and performed admirably, along with Ian Bell, in the first Test match, prompting the likes of Sam Lyon, Alec Stewart and Jack Russell, amongst others, to declare the arrival of England’s wicket keeper for the next decade.
Oh how the mighty fall though. Less than one month later and Prior has been jettisoned. Eight drops off of Ryan Sidebottom and crucial misses off of Mahela Jayawardene proved to be too much for England’s selectors. Yet his demotion need not be for good according to David Graveney, who has stated that if Prior can improve his glove work away from the media spotlight, then he can reclaim his place and fulfil his undoubted potential as England’s future wicket keeper batsman. It is unlikely that Prior’s replacement will average 40.14 from 17 Test Innings against West Indies, India and Sri Lanka away. However, they will hopefully hold on to more catches, which is the primary job of the wicket keeper. If they do not make runs though, you can guarantee that England will struggle because of their brittle tail and the wicket keeping debate will return to the discussions between cricket lovers up and down the Land once again.
So Colonel Mustard finds himself able to make the first move on Prior’s old job. He will keep wicket in the ODI’s in New Zealand and should he succeed he should in theory be given a chance in the Test series which follows. If not, then Tim Ambrose, once Prior’s deputy at Sussex, will step into the void and become England’s sixth wicket keeper in the space of a year. Whilst all this is ongoing and the likes of Geraint Jones, Chris Read, Paul Nixon, Prior, Mustard and Ambrose are mulling over their International careers, whether past, present or future, there is one player who goes quietly about his work at Essex, continuing to excel with the gloves and perform well with the bat. He is of course James Foster, once the man in possession, discarded because of injury and now seemingly forgotten about. With every passing wicket keeper, his stock grows. However, until he averages more with the bat on a home ground which is often one of the most conducive to batting in the country, he will it seems remain on the periphery of the England set-ups' radar. One further candidate exists, Steven Davies of Worcestershire. Demotion to Division Two will not help his cause, but the young man will be expected to come of age in the next year or so. Let the merry-go-round continue…
Thursday, 21 June 2007
Who should England pick for Twenty20?
With the Twenty20 World Cup looming in September, it is time England assemble a strategy to win the tournament. Considering the amount of domestic Twenty20 played, England should be genuine contenders for tournament victory – but not if they dogmatically insist on playing an identical side to the one utilised on one-day internationals.
Here is the side they should pick:
Marcus Trescothick
The powerful left-hander has long since proved himself a superb international player, and has a game perfectly suited to Twenty20; indeed, he averages 55 in the three international games he has played to date.
Mal Loye
Mastered the art of the slog sweep off quick bowlers, an idiosyncratic shot which infuriates bowlers and has been extremely effective, even during his brief ODI career. Loye’s aggressive, fearless style has worked terrifically well to date in this form of the game.
Darren Maddy
Dubbed "Mr Twenty20" by David Lloyd, Maddy was the key man in Leicestershire’s two Twenty20 triumphs, opening the innings to great effect and scoring a match-winning 86* in last year’s final.
Kevin Pietersen
The world’s best ODI batsman is a must pick if England choose to treat the game with the respect it deserves.
Paul Collingwood (captain)
Collingwood is seen as a nudger and nurdler but, as he showed with a 26-ball 46 in the Twenty20 game against Australia in 2005, is very adept at improvising to hit boundaries. He also possesses an ice-cool temperament and his accurate medium-pace bowling has much Twenty20 potential – his 4-22 against Sri Lanka are the best international figures in this form of the game.
Andrew Flintoff
An extremely destructive hitter when his mind is uncluttered, Flintoff’s accurate and fast bowling would surely prove very effective in Twenty20.
Paul Nixon (wicket-keeper)
Matt Prior has done terrifically in Test cricket and is a big hitter but, at the death in the claustrophobic environment of Twenty20, Nixon, with his resilience under pressure and penchant for the reverse-sweep, is an ideal man to have coming in – and his relentless sledging could also be worth a few wickets.
Ian Blackwell
Monty Panesar could prove too predictable in Twenty20 cricket, but Blackwell has fared well with bat and ball in this form of the game. His excellent ODI economy rate – 4.27 – suggests he could tie top quality batsmen down; regulars at Tauntan know he has copious destructive batting potential.
Mark Ealham
Snigger if you must but Ealham’s brand of frugal medium-pace bowling and uncultured hitting have earned extraordinary success in Twenty 20: his strike-rate is a phenomenal 174; his economy rate a mightily impressive 6.8.
Darren Gough
Gough was never granted a satisfactory international farewell but, in Twenty20 cricket, his love of the big stage, fantastic yorker and late-order biffing are deserving of one final international crack – remember he claimed 3-16 against Australia in 2005.
Stuart Broad
Broad revealed his big-match temperament with some sterling exploits in Leicestershire’s Twenty20 triumph last season, taking 3-13 off four brilliant overs against Kent in the quartr-final. An immensely promising quick, he can also bat reasonably well.
Other squad members:
Owais Shah
Shah has done disappointingly for England in ODIs, but he is a richly talented player whose unorthodoxy and flair have come good in Twenty20 - he averages 35 and has a strike-rate of 147.
Ravi Bopara
A Collingwood clone, albeit more obviously talented, Bopara had an excellent World Cup and, despite a modest Twenty20 record, is well suited to this format of the game.
Jeremy Snape
Snape’s nerve and willingness to bowl extraordinarily slow balls - known as 'moonballs' - have served him brilliantly in Twenty20; he has captained Leicestershire to their two titles and also averaged 25 with the bat.
Ryan Sidebottom
Sidebottom brings variety, in that he is a left-armer, control and the crucial ability to swing the white ball. These have certainly stood him in excellent stead in the helter-skelter of Twenty20: his economy rate is an exceptional 6.6.
If Trescothick were unavailable, Shah would replace him - he would bat at three and Maddy would open.
If Flintoff were unavailable, Snape or Bopara would replace him.
On the periphery: Mark Ramprakash, James Hildreth, Matt Prior, Michael Yardy, Dimi Mascarenhas, Monty Panesar
Here is the side they should pick:
Marcus Trescothick
The powerful left-hander has long since proved himself a superb international player, and has a game perfectly suited to Twenty20; indeed, he averages 55 in the three international games he has played to date.
Mal Loye
Mastered the art of the slog sweep off quick bowlers, an idiosyncratic shot which infuriates bowlers and has been extremely effective, even during his brief ODI career. Loye’s aggressive, fearless style has worked terrifically well to date in this form of the game.
Darren Maddy
Dubbed "Mr Twenty20" by David Lloyd, Maddy was the key man in Leicestershire’s two Twenty20 triumphs, opening the innings to great effect and scoring a match-winning 86* in last year’s final.
Kevin Pietersen
The world’s best ODI batsman is a must pick if England choose to treat the game with the respect it deserves.
Paul Collingwood (captain)
Collingwood is seen as a nudger and nurdler but, as he showed with a 26-ball 46 in the Twenty20 game against Australia in 2005, is very adept at improvising to hit boundaries. He also possesses an ice-cool temperament and his accurate medium-pace bowling has much Twenty20 potential – his 4-22 against Sri Lanka are the best international figures in this form of the game.
Andrew Flintoff
An extremely destructive hitter when his mind is uncluttered, Flintoff’s accurate and fast bowling would surely prove very effective in Twenty20.
Paul Nixon (wicket-keeper)
Matt Prior has done terrifically in Test cricket and is a big hitter but, at the death in the claustrophobic environment of Twenty20, Nixon, with his resilience under pressure and penchant for the reverse-sweep, is an ideal man to have coming in – and his relentless sledging could also be worth a few wickets.
Ian Blackwell
Monty Panesar could prove too predictable in Twenty20 cricket, but Blackwell has fared well with bat and ball in this form of the game. His excellent ODI economy rate – 4.27 – suggests he could tie top quality batsmen down; regulars at Tauntan know he has copious destructive batting potential.
Mark Ealham
Snigger if you must but Ealham’s brand of frugal medium-pace bowling and uncultured hitting have earned extraordinary success in Twenty 20: his strike-rate is a phenomenal 174; his economy rate a mightily impressive 6.8.
Darren Gough
Gough was never granted a satisfactory international farewell but, in Twenty20 cricket, his love of the big stage, fantastic yorker and late-order biffing are deserving of one final international crack – remember he claimed 3-16 against Australia in 2005.
Stuart Broad
Broad revealed his big-match temperament with some sterling exploits in Leicestershire’s Twenty20 triumph last season, taking 3-13 off four brilliant overs against Kent in the quartr-final. An immensely promising quick, he can also bat reasonably well.
Other squad members:
Owais Shah
Shah has done disappointingly for England in ODIs, but he is a richly talented player whose unorthodoxy and flair have come good in Twenty20 - he averages 35 and has a strike-rate of 147.
Ravi Bopara
A Collingwood clone, albeit more obviously talented, Bopara had an excellent World Cup and, despite a modest Twenty20 record, is well suited to this format of the game.
Jeremy Snape
Snape’s nerve and willingness to bowl extraordinarily slow balls - known as 'moonballs' - have served him brilliantly in Twenty20; he has captained Leicestershire to their two titles and also averaged 25 with the bat.
Ryan Sidebottom
Sidebottom brings variety, in that he is a left-armer, control and the crucial ability to swing the white ball. These have certainly stood him in excellent stead in the helter-skelter of Twenty20: his economy rate is an exceptional 6.6.
If Trescothick were unavailable, Shah would replace him - he would bat at three and Maddy would open.
If Flintoff were unavailable, Snape or Bopara would replace him.
On the periphery: Mark Ramprakash, James Hildreth, Matt Prior, Michael Yardy, Dimi Mascarenhas, Monty Panesar
Thursday, 3 May 2007
Keeping our Options Open
There is little at the moment that gets a cricket conversation going like the question “who would you have as England’s wicket-keeper?” For the last 2-3 years, the debate over Jones or Read (with Foster, Prior and Davies thrown in) has raged on message boards across the internet. And that’s without mentioning the current ODI keeper. Even after my first County Championship review, I was reminded not to forget about Phil Mustard. Therefore in the spirit of fairness, I will look at the eighteen possibilities, most of whom are supported by someone for the England job.
Derbyshire
29 year old James Pipe the man with the gloves. Formerly at Worcester, where he was the understudy to Steven Rhodes for many years, he was eased out in favour of Steven Davies and moved to Derby last season. Over 500 runs in a struggling Derbyshire team last season.
Durham
The aforementioned Phil Mustard is here. One of the younger wicket-keepers, aged 24, he scored over 800 runs last season with a healthy strike-rate. The Durham pace attack means that he rarely has to keep to spin, which may work against him in the future. However, he is clearly one for the future, particularly in the limited overs game.
Essex
James Foster made his England debut in 2001 and was the man to replace Alec Stewart, until he broke his arms in the nets and was overtaken by Chris Read, Geraint Jones and Matt Prior. Still only 27, he has a first class double-hundred to his name, which makes his continued exile the more puzzling as England looked for a wicket-keeper batsman.
Glamorgan
Mark Wallace made his county debut aged 17 was Glamorgan’s regular keeper at the age of 19 and is still only 25. One of Glamorgan’s few successes with the bat over the past couple of years, he is also highly rated with the gloves and has spent several winters in the England academy.
Gloucester
Steve Adshead was the man who replaced Jack Russell at Gloucester, having moved from Leicester. A first class average of over 30 with the bat and topped the Gloucester averages in the Pro 40 last season.
Hampshire
South African born Nic Pothas arrived as a Kolpak player, but is now England qualified. He played three ODIs for South Africa, but the continuing presence of Mark Boucher prevented him from building an international career. A vital part of the Hampshire team, he has the added difficulty of keeping to Shane Warne. Unlikely to figure in the England thinking because of his age (33) and background rather than his talent.
Kent
Geraint Jones was England’s last regular wicket-keeper, but a huge loss of form with the bat, and the replacement of Duncan Fletcher, makes it very unlikely that he will feature again in the near future. Brought into the team on the back of his batting prowess, he initially scored runs, with a ton against New Zealand. However, his wicket-keeping, although improving, was never test standard and some will claim that it could have cost us the Ashes. He was a part of the 2005 team though, even if he probably lost his place for good during the 2006-2007 return series.
Lancashire
Having started at Somerset, Luke Sutton moved from Derbyshire in 2005 having captained them for two years to replace the retiring Warren Hegg. Still only 30, he is described as a handy lower-middle order batsman. The presence of Murali in the Lancs team this season should give him plenty of opportunity to show what he can do with the gloves.
Leicester
Aged 36, Paul Nixon has been one of the best glovemen in the English game for a number of years. However, being not quite as good with the gloves as Jack Russell or quite as good with the bat as Alec Stewart meant that International honours nearly passed him by. However, his prowess in the 20 over form of the game got him an ODI call up and he was one of England’s few successes in the world cup. He should remain a fixture in the ODI team until at least the 20:20 world cup at the end of the summer. A test place may just be a step too far though.
Middlesex
David Nash was earmarked for greater things and has played 12 U19 tests. However, his batting and keeping never pushed on to the next level and instead he is looking over his shoulder at the challenge of Ben Scott.
Northants
Currently the man in possession here is Riki Wessels, son of former coach and Australian and South African player, Kepler. Wessels has signed on a Kolpak arrangement. However, Northants have also signed Irish wicket-keeper Niall O’Brien, who had a hugely successful World Cup. O’Brien will be England qualified at the end of the summer and the battle between the keepers could be an interesting one to watch.
Notts
Widely thought to be the best keeper in English cricket, Chris Read first played for England in 1999 aged just 21. Famously out while ducking a Chris Cairns slower ball, his batting reputation has never fully recovered from that, despite some high quality innings for Notts. He returned to the test team last summer, averaging a healthy 42, before being controversially dropped for the start of the Ashes series. He finally regained his place, but without being in any sort of form with the bat. He now looks to be behind Prior and Nixon in the battle for the England team. However, his prowess with the gloves means that the arguments will continue if he is not picked.
Somerset
Craig Kieswetter played for South Africa in the 2005-6 U19 World Cup then decided to try to qualify for England, initially as a Kolpak, having been educated at Milfield. Clearly highly thought of by the South Africans, he looks to have an international future for someone.
Surrey
Jon Batty got his chance with Surrey with the close proximity of Alec Stewart’s retirement and the tragic accident that befell Graham Kersey. Now 33, Batty opens the innings for Surrey to great effect, and is one of the better batsman of the wicket-keepers in the English game. It would be a surprise if he was now called up, but not un-merited.
Sussex
Currently the favourite to start the first test, Matt Prior averages nearly 40 in first class cricket, was a major contributor to the Sussex successes last season and with Mustaq in the team, has had to keep to high quality spin as well as seam. He has played ODI games for England and toured as understudy to Geraint Jones in 2005-6. However, he was unconvincing in the England games he has played to date. His first class record means that he deserves a chance at the higher level. However, should he fail, there are a number waiting to step in.
Warwicks
An interesting situation could develop here. Warwick have signed Kumar Sangakkara, who is arguably the best wicket-keeper batsman in the world. However, also on the books is Tim Ambrose, who has moved from Sussex where Matt Prior was limiting his chances. Ambrose has immediately made his mark (and is currently 197 not out against Worcester)
Worcester
According to most experts, it’s not if but when does Steven Davies take the England gloves. Still only 20, the selectors may look at the problems that Read and Foster had being thrust into the test team too early and allow him to settle in the first class game. His time will come, but probably not just yet.
Yorkshire
Gerard Brophy and Simon Guy are battling it out to be Yorkshire’s first choice keeper. Brophy, an ex-Kolpak but now England qualified is a hard hitting lower order batsman who has started this season much better than he played last. Guy is a promising youngster who is now 28. Neither will be holding their breath for England call ups and Yorkshire fans are watching the progress of the current U19 keeper, Greg Wood, with interest.
The verdict
I’d have Chris Read every time, as I believe that the batting should be a bonus. However, with the lack of a genuine all-rounder in the current England team (until Flintoff sorts out his batting), then James Foster or Matt Prior deserve their chance.
Derbyshire
29 year old James Pipe the man with the gloves. Formerly at Worcester, where he was the understudy to Steven Rhodes for many years, he was eased out in favour of Steven Davies and moved to Derby last season. Over 500 runs in a struggling Derbyshire team last season.
Durham
The aforementioned Phil Mustard is here. One of the younger wicket-keepers, aged 24, he scored over 800 runs last season with a healthy strike-rate. The Durham pace attack means that he rarely has to keep to spin, which may work against him in the future. However, he is clearly one for the future, particularly in the limited overs game.
Essex
James Foster made his England debut in 2001 and was the man to replace Alec Stewart, until he broke his arms in the nets and was overtaken by Chris Read, Geraint Jones and Matt Prior. Still only 27, he has a first class double-hundred to his name, which makes his continued exile the more puzzling as England looked for a wicket-keeper batsman.
Glamorgan
Mark Wallace made his county debut aged 17 was Glamorgan’s regular keeper at the age of 19 and is still only 25. One of Glamorgan’s few successes with the bat over the past couple of years, he is also highly rated with the gloves and has spent several winters in the England academy.
Gloucester
Steve Adshead was the man who replaced Jack Russell at Gloucester, having moved from Leicester. A first class average of over 30 with the bat and topped the Gloucester averages in the Pro 40 last season.
Hampshire
South African born Nic Pothas arrived as a Kolpak player, but is now England qualified. He played three ODIs for South Africa, but the continuing presence of Mark Boucher prevented him from building an international career. A vital part of the Hampshire team, he has the added difficulty of keeping to Shane Warne. Unlikely to figure in the England thinking because of his age (33) and background rather than his talent.
Kent
Geraint Jones was England’s last regular wicket-keeper, but a huge loss of form with the bat, and the replacement of Duncan Fletcher, makes it very unlikely that he will feature again in the near future. Brought into the team on the back of his batting prowess, he initially scored runs, with a ton against New Zealand. However, his wicket-keeping, although improving, was never test standard and some will claim that it could have cost us the Ashes. He was a part of the 2005 team though, even if he probably lost his place for good during the 2006-2007 return series.
Lancashire
Having started at Somerset, Luke Sutton moved from Derbyshire in 2005 having captained them for two years to replace the retiring Warren Hegg. Still only 30, he is described as a handy lower-middle order batsman. The presence of Murali in the Lancs team this season should give him plenty of opportunity to show what he can do with the gloves.
Leicester
Aged 36, Paul Nixon has been one of the best glovemen in the English game for a number of years. However, being not quite as good with the gloves as Jack Russell or quite as good with the bat as Alec Stewart meant that International honours nearly passed him by. However, his prowess in the 20 over form of the game got him an ODI call up and he was one of England’s few successes in the world cup. He should remain a fixture in the ODI team until at least the 20:20 world cup at the end of the summer. A test place may just be a step too far though.
Middlesex
David Nash was earmarked for greater things and has played 12 U19 tests. However, his batting and keeping never pushed on to the next level and instead he is looking over his shoulder at the challenge of Ben Scott.
Northants
Currently the man in possession here is Riki Wessels, son of former coach and Australian and South African player, Kepler. Wessels has signed on a Kolpak arrangement. However, Northants have also signed Irish wicket-keeper Niall O’Brien, who had a hugely successful World Cup. O’Brien will be England qualified at the end of the summer and the battle between the keepers could be an interesting one to watch.
Notts
Widely thought to be the best keeper in English cricket, Chris Read first played for England in 1999 aged just 21. Famously out while ducking a Chris Cairns slower ball, his batting reputation has never fully recovered from that, despite some high quality innings for Notts. He returned to the test team last summer, averaging a healthy 42, before being controversially dropped for the start of the Ashes series. He finally regained his place, but without being in any sort of form with the bat. He now looks to be behind Prior and Nixon in the battle for the England team. However, his prowess with the gloves means that the arguments will continue if he is not picked.
Somerset
Craig Kieswetter played for South Africa in the 2005-6 U19 World Cup then decided to try to qualify for England, initially as a Kolpak, having been educated at Milfield. Clearly highly thought of by the South Africans, he looks to have an international future for someone.
Surrey
Jon Batty got his chance with Surrey with the close proximity of Alec Stewart’s retirement and the tragic accident that befell Graham Kersey. Now 33, Batty opens the innings for Surrey to great effect, and is one of the better batsman of the wicket-keepers in the English game. It would be a surprise if he was now called up, but not un-merited.
Sussex
Currently the favourite to start the first test, Matt Prior averages nearly 40 in first class cricket, was a major contributor to the Sussex successes last season and with Mustaq in the team, has had to keep to high quality spin as well as seam. He has played ODI games for England and toured as understudy to Geraint Jones in 2005-6. However, he was unconvincing in the England games he has played to date. His first class record means that he deserves a chance at the higher level. However, should he fail, there are a number waiting to step in.
Warwicks
An interesting situation could develop here. Warwick have signed Kumar Sangakkara, who is arguably the best wicket-keeper batsman in the world. However, also on the books is Tim Ambrose, who has moved from Sussex where Matt Prior was limiting his chances. Ambrose has immediately made his mark (and is currently 197 not out against Worcester)
Worcester
According to most experts, it’s not if but when does Steven Davies take the England gloves. Still only 20, the selectors may look at the problems that Read and Foster had being thrust into the test team too early and allow him to settle in the first class game. His time will come, but probably not just yet.
Yorkshire
Gerard Brophy and Simon Guy are battling it out to be Yorkshire’s first choice keeper. Brophy, an ex-Kolpak but now England qualified is a hard hitting lower order batsman who has started this season much better than he played last. Guy is a promising youngster who is now 28. Neither will be holding their breath for England call ups and Yorkshire fans are watching the progress of the current U19 keeper, Greg Wood, with interest.
The verdict
I’d have Chris Read every time, as I believe that the batting should be a bonus. However, with the lack of a genuine all-rounder in the current England team (until Flintoff sorts out his batting), then James Foster or Matt Prior deserve their chance.
Friday, 27 April 2007
England Player World Cup ratings
The dust has settled and having got over the disappointment of going out early, it’s time to review the English performance and rate and slate the England players.
The Team
In all honesty, apart from the Australians, we were probably the most predictable team on show. We lost against all of the top four, but beat everyone else. In the games against the eventual semi-finalists, the Sri Lankan game could/ should have been won, we were undercooked against a New Zealand team that started well but ran out of steam at the end of the tournament, we gave Australia their biggest test (according to Ricky Ponting). Only in the South African game were we out-classed – unfortunately that was the one that really mattered.
If anything, it was probably the manner of our victories that caused the most frustration. Workmanlike rather than comprehensive wins against Kenya, Canada, Ireland and Bangladesh denied the country any sense of excitement or hope of what might be to come. Only in the final dead rubber against the West Indies was there a game to really capture the imagination, and most had given up caring by that point.
Overall, fifth almost by default. Low risk cricket, which became the trademark of the Fletcher era meant we weren’t going to be surprised, in the way that India, Pakistan and South Africa were. However, we weren’t going to do much surprising either.
The Players
Michael Vaughan – 6.
An enigma at One Day cricket. The game against the West Indies showed what he can do. However, the South Africa effort was more typical. He can be a brilliant fielder, but is more likely than most to drop a dolly. Bizarrely, the most consistent part of his game was his bowling, which was a real bonus to England and enabled us to go in with Bopara as the fifth bowler. I think if he wants to continue at One Day cricket, we should persevere with him, but the debate will rage on.
Ed Joyce – 4
Following his hundred in the Commonwealth Bank series, there was hope he could kick on. However, despite good scores against Kenya and Canada, he looked out of his depth against the major teams and is lucky to have kept his place in the England squad for the summer.
Andrew Strauss – 6
An odd winter for Strauss, who started off looking in good form without scoring runs. By the time the World Cup came along, he was out of the team, but eventually got back in as Joyce continued to struggle. A good battling innings against South Africa gave hope for the coming summer, but overall a tournament to forget.
Ian Bell – 7
England’s second best batsman – not that that is saying a lot. There were times when he was batting with Pietersen that England looked in a good position, notably against Sri Lanka and Australia. An accumulator rather than a hitter, he looks the best of the bunch to continue as an anchor in the top order.
Kevin Pietersen – 9
Probably the only player from outside the top four sides who would make it into the team of the tournament. Two hundreds, one of which gave us a competitive score against Australia, the other won us the game against West Indies, and at his best against the bigger teams. Scored more slowly than is usual for him, but this was mainly due to the clatter of wickets going on at the other end. Crucially failed against South Africa, and his presence may have spurred them onto their best performance of the tournament. The best one day batsman in the world.
Paul Collingwood – 7
A disappointing competition in the context of his Commonwealth Bank series heroics, but regularly came in needing to consolidate, and in the knowledge that he would be followed by the woefully out of form Andrew Flintoff. One magnificent match winning innings against Ireland, some tight bowling in helpful conditions and the fielding was up to its normal exceptional standard.
Ravi Bopara – 7
When selected, he was compared to Theo Walcott. At the end of the tournament, he should be seen as a regular in the team and (with Collingwood and Vaughan), part of the fifth bowler allocation. His maiden fifty came in the valiant effort against Sri Lanka batting at 7. At the end of the tournament, he was in at 3, which looks like a much better place for him to bat. He’ll be around for a long time to come.
Andrew Flintoff – 4
Nothing short of a disaster for Freddie. He lost the vice-captaincy and any hope of replacing Vaughan as permanent captain when he retires. He lost his reputation as one of the great all-rounders with a wretched series with the bat and has gone from loveable laddish hero to potential new George Best. Consistent, but not spectacular with the ball, he was still England’s best quick bowler.
Paul Nixon – 8
He would probably still be talking if knocked unconscious. A revelation during the tournament, with his ability to get under the skin of the opposition and to play unorthodox effective innings in trying circumstances. Indeed he played the reverse sweep so much, he may have been better playing right handed, but his 6 off Murali was one of the shots of the tournament. He almost got us home against Sri Lanka. He kept the momentum going against West Indies. A fixture in the England team until the 20:20 world cup.
Jamie Dalrymple -3
No runs and hardly trusted to bowl. This could have been the tournament where he blasted onto the world stage. Vaughan’s bowling shows what should have been possible. However, a wretched start saw him usurped by Ravi Bopara, and he now faces a difficult job getting back into the team. Like Joyce, lucky to have made the England summer squad.
Jon Lewis – n/a
One of our tightest bowlers in Australia before flying home injured, but not selected to play in any of the matches, despite the inadequacies of the alternatives. Left early to support his wife through a difficult pregnancy, he must of wondered why he was there at all. One of Fletcher’s failings in the latter days was his favouritism of players. In the England squad for the summer, he must be hoping for better treatment from Peter Moores.
Saj Mahmood – 3
One of Fletcher’s favourites, picked time and again for his supposed prowess in batting, bowling and fielding, he was found wanting in all three disciplines. Only two runs scores all tournament, one good performance with the ball (against Sri Lanka) and conceding runs at nearly 6 an over. Even his fielding was sloppy. He’s still young, but really needs time in county cricket.
Liam Plunkett – 3
Runs in the first game, following on from the successes at the end of the Australia tour promised of more to come. However, his bowling was even more expensive than Mahmood’s, going at nearly seven an over during the tournament. The performances of Plunkett and Mahmood make the treatment of Lewis even more peculiar.
Stuart Broad – n/a
Only played in the last game, so no rating applies. However, hitting the winning runs will help with his confidence and his bowling was tight in a high scoring match. His reputation has probably been increased by missing most of the tournament, and it would be no surprise to see him start for England in the summer.
James Anderson – 6
Played the tournament with a broken finger, but that didn’t seem to upset his bowling. He at least made sure that things were kept tight at one end at the start of the innings, but wasn’t able to take the early wickets that England needed. Along with Flintoff, he was England’s best bowler and is certainly a fixture in the One Day set up. He needs better support though
Monty Panesar – 5
The fielding and batting are no longer comical, but the joy seemed to have gone out of the bowling as well by the end of the tournament. Tight rather than attacking, he seemed to be doing an impression of Ashley Giles and, in the end, he was probably out-bowled by Michael Vaughan. He’s not played a lot of One Day cricket for Northants, and it showed.
The Team
In all honesty, apart from the Australians, we were probably the most predictable team on show. We lost against all of the top four, but beat everyone else. In the games against the eventual semi-finalists, the Sri Lankan game could/ should have been won, we were undercooked against a New Zealand team that started well but ran out of steam at the end of the tournament, we gave Australia their biggest test (according to Ricky Ponting). Only in the South African game were we out-classed – unfortunately that was the one that really mattered.
If anything, it was probably the manner of our victories that caused the most frustration. Workmanlike rather than comprehensive wins against Kenya, Canada, Ireland and Bangladesh denied the country any sense of excitement or hope of what might be to come. Only in the final dead rubber against the West Indies was there a game to really capture the imagination, and most had given up caring by that point.
Overall, fifth almost by default. Low risk cricket, which became the trademark of the Fletcher era meant we weren’t going to be surprised, in the way that India, Pakistan and South Africa were. However, we weren’t going to do much surprising either.
The Players
Michael Vaughan – 6.
An enigma at One Day cricket. The game against the West Indies showed what he can do. However, the South Africa effort was more typical. He can be a brilliant fielder, but is more likely than most to drop a dolly. Bizarrely, the most consistent part of his game was his bowling, which was a real bonus to England and enabled us to go in with Bopara as the fifth bowler. I think if he wants to continue at One Day cricket, we should persevere with him, but the debate will rage on.
Ed Joyce – 4
Following his hundred in the Commonwealth Bank series, there was hope he could kick on. However, despite good scores against Kenya and Canada, he looked out of his depth against the major teams and is lucky to have kept his place in the England squad for the summer.
Andrew Strauss – 6
An odd winter for Strauss, who started off looking in good form without scoring runs. By the time the World Cup came along, he was out of the team, but eventually got back in as Joyce continued to struggle. A good battling innings against South Africa gave hope for the coming summer, but overall a tournament to forget.
Ian Bell – 7
England’s second best batsman – not that that is saying a lot. There were times when he was batting with Pietersen that England looked in a good position, notably against Sri Lanka and Australia. An accumulator rather than a hitter, he looks the best of the bunch to continue as an anchor in the top order.
Kevin Pietersen – 9
Probably the only player from outside the top four sides who would make it into the team of the tournament. Two hundreds, one of which gave us a competitive score against Australia, the other won us the game against West Indies, and at his best against the bigger teams. Scored more slowly than is usual for him, but this was mainly due to the clatter of wickets going on at the other end. Crucially failed against South Africa, and his presence may have spurred them onto their best performance of the tournament. The best one day batsman in the world.
Paul Collingwood – 7
A disappointing competition in the context of his Commonwealth Bank series heroics, but regularly came in needing to consolidate, and in the knowledge that he would be followed by the woefully out of form Andrew Flintoff. One magnificent match winning innings against Ireland, some tight bowling in helpful conditions and the fielding was up to its normal exceptional standard.
Ravi Bopara – 7
When selected, he was compared to Theo Walcott. At the end of the tournament, he should be seen as a regular in the team and (with Collingwood and Vaughan), part of the fifth bowler allocation. His maiden fifty came in the valiant effort against Sri Lanka batting at 7. At the end of the tournament, he was in at 3, which looks like a much better place for him to bat. He’ll be around for a long time to come.
Andrew Flintoff – 4
Nothing short of a disaster for Freddie. He lost the vice-captaincy and any hope of replacing Vaughan as permanent captain when he retires. He lost his reputation as one of the great all-rounders with a wretched series with the bat and has gone from loveable laddish hero to potential new George Best. Consistent, but not spectacular with the ball, he was still England’s best quick bowler.
Paul Nixon – 8
He would probably still be talking if knocked unconscious. A revelation during the tournament, with his ability to get under the skin of the opposition and to play unorthodox effective innings in trying circumstances. Indeed he played the reverse sweep so much, he may have been better playing right handed, but his 6 off Murali was one of the shots of the tournament. He almost got us home against Sri Lanka. He kept the momentum going against West Indies. A fixture in the England team until the 20:20 world cup.
Jamie Dalrymple -3
No runs and hardly trusted to bowl. This could have been the tournament where he blasted onto the world stage. Vaughan’s bowling shows what should have been possible. However, a wretched start saw him usurped by Ravi Bopara, and he now faces a difficult job getting back into the team. Like Joyce, lucky to have made the England summer squad.
Jon Lewis – n/a
One of our tightest bowlers in Australia before flying home injured, but not selected to play in any of the matches, despite the inadequacies of the alternatives. Left early to support his wife through a difficult pregnancy, he must of wondered why he was there at all. One of Fletcher’s failings in the latter days was his favouritism of players. In the England squad for the summer, he must be hoping for better treatment from Peter Moores.
Saj Mahmood – 3
One of Fletcher’s favourites, picked time and again for his supposed prowess in batting, bowling and fielding, he was found wanting in all three disciplines. Only two runs scores all tournament, one good performance with the ball (against Sri Lanka) and conceding runs at nearly 6 an over. Even his fielding was sloppy. He’s still young, but really needs time in county cricket.
Liam Plunkett – 3
Runs in the first game, following on from the successes at the end of the Australia tour promised of more to come. However, his bowling was even more expensive than Mahmood’s, going at nearly seven an over during the tournament. The performances of Plunkett and Mahmood make the treatment of Lewis even more peculiar.
Stuart Broad – n/a
Only played in the last game, so no rating applies. However, hitting the winning runs will help with his confidence and his bowling was tight in a high scoring match. His reputation has probably been increased by missing most of the tournament, and it would be no surprise to see him start for England in the summer.
James Anderson – 6
Played the tournament with a broken finger, but that didn’t seem to upset his bowling. He at least made sure that things were kept tight at one end at the start of the innings, but wasn’t able to take the early wickets that England needed. Along with Flintoff, he was England’s best bowler and is certainly a fixture in the One Day set up. He needs better support though
Monty Panesar – 5
The fielding and batting are no longer comical, but the joy seemed to have gone out of the bowling as well by the end of the tournament. Tight rather than attacking, he seemed to be doing an impression of Ashley Giles and, in the end, he was probably out-bowled by Michael Vaughan. He’s not played a lot of One Day cricket for Northants, and it showed.
Wednesday, 18 April 2007
Always Look on the Bright Side
Is the glass half empty or half full? Depends who's buying ultimately, but following the understandable doom and gloom around at the moment, and well articulated by Tim and Nick on this blog, the time has come to look for the positives in English cricket.
Test Cricket
It's important that we don't mix up the One day debacle with the Test team and treat them as one and the same. Last summer, we comprehensively beat Pakistan. Over the past 3-4 years we have dominated teams on the test circuit and we should bear this in mind with the Ashes defeat.
We were beaten by a highly motivated Australian team who are comfortably the best in the world. We couldn't cope with injuries to key players, notably Marcus Trescothick, Michael Vaughan and Simon Jones. Some of the selection choices didn't help, but playing Monty Panesar and Chris Read from the start wouldn't have changed the result.
We have a settled test team, with competition for places throughout the team. It is also a young test team, which could be around for a long time. How we bounce back in the summer will be critical, but we shouldn't panic on this front.
ODI
We went into the tournament as the 8th best team in the world. We will finish 5th or 6th, depending on what happens against the equally poor West Indies. Isn't this therefore a good tournament for us ?
South Africa aside, we have looked competitive against the big teams in the tournament. We probably gave Australia their biggest test so far and should really have beaten Sri Lanka. Never mind that we've not looked convincing against the minnows, we have at least beaten them all- unlike South Africa, India and Pakistan.
On the playing side Kevin Pieterson, Paul Collingwood, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, James Anderson and Paul Nixon can all come out with reputations enhanced. Monty Panesar has shown that he can be a One day bowler. Andrew Strauss's innings yesterday was a welcome return to some sort of form
However, there are negatives. Michael Vaughan and Ed Joyce played safety first cricket at the start but didn't capitalise on their starts. Joyce in particular faces a fight to continue his international career with England while his Irish former team mates are looking forward to a new phase in theirs. Jamie Dalrymple has gone backwards with his batting and wasn't trusted with the ball. Saj Mahmood and Liam Plunkett let the opposition get off to flyers, despite Anderson at the other end. And then there is Freddy....
What do we do?
On the test side, we carry on with the players we've got and the coach we've got for the summer.
The team below is one that can look to close in on the Australians.
Cook
Strauss
Vaughan
Pieterson
Collingwood
Bell
Flintoff
Read
Jones/Anderson
Panesar
Hoggard
For One Day cricket, we need a new coach and captain. I'd go for Peter Moores as One Day coach, with Collingwood as captain. We need a new approach at the start of the innings and to identify players who have the appetite for the game and the willingness to take the risks required. This should then lead to a smooth transition for Moores to succeed Duncan Fletcher, maybe at the end of the summer.
At the last World Cup, we went out in the group stages and were amongst the worst test teams in the world. We have progressed, but we need to go further and faster.
Test Cricket
It's important that we don't mix up the One day debacle with the Test team and treat them as one and the same. Last summer, we comprehensively beat Pakistan. Over the past 3-4 years we have dominated teams on the test circuit and we should bear this in mind with the Ashes defeat.
We were beaten by a highly motivated Australian team who are comfortably the best in the world. We couldn't cope with injuries to key players, notably Marcus Trescothick, Michael Vaughan and Simon Jones. Some of the selection choices didn't help, but playing Monty Panesar and Chris Read from the start wouldn't have changed the result.
We have a settled test team, with competition for places throughout the team. It is also a young test team, which could be around for a long time. How we bounce back in the summer will be critical, but we shouldn't panic on this front.
ODI
We went into the tournament as the 8th best team in the world. We will finish 5th or 6th, depending on what happens against the equally poor West Indies. Isn't this therefore a good tournament for us ?
South Africa aside, we have looked competitive against the big teams in the tournament. We probably gave Australia their biggest test so far and should really have beaten Sri Lanka. Never mind that we've not looked convincing against the minnows, we have at least beaten them all- unlike South Africa, India and Pakistan.
On the playing side Kevin Pieterson, Paul Collingwood, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, James Anderson and Paul Nixon can all come out with reputations enhanced. Monty Panesar has shown that he can be a One day bowler. Andrew Strauss's innings yesterday was a welcome return to some sort of form
However, there are negatives. Michael Vaughan and Ed Joyce played safety first cricket at the start but didn't capitalise on their starts. Joyce in particular faces a fight to continue his international career with England while his Irish former team mates are looking forward to a new phase in theirs. Jamie Dalrymple has gone backwards with his batting and wasn't trusted with the ball. Saj Mahmood and Liam Plunkett let the opposition get off to flyers, despite Anderson at the other end. And then there is Freddy....
What do we do?
On the test side, we carry on with the players we've got and the coach we've got for the summer.
The team below is one that can look to close in on the Australians.
Cook
Strauss
Vaughan
Pieterson
Collingwood
Bell
Flintoff
Read
Jones/Anderson
Panesar
Hoggard
For One Day cricket, we need a new coach and captain. I'd go for Peter Moores as One Day coach, with Collingwood as captain. We need a new approach at the start of the innings and to identify players who have the appetite for the game and the willingness to take the risks required. This should then lead to a smooth transition for Moores to succeed Duncan Fletcher, maybe at the end of the summer.
At the last World Cup, we went out in the group stages and were amongst the worst test teams in the world. We have progressed, but we need to go further and faster.
Sunday, 15 April 2007
England's One Day Headache
England have patently struggled so far at this World Cup and generally in One Day cricket since the end of 2005 at least. We now examine some of the key problems for England and what can be done to resolve them by the summer's end.
Aggressive Opener:
Marcus Trescothick has the ability to take the game to opposition sides at the top of the order in both forms of the game, but it is his ability to plunder the powerplay overs that England have especially missed to date. With no Tresco, there have been no blistering and imposing starts, no centuries from the top, no senior player to turn to and a missing pair of ever-reliable slip catching hands. Once Trescothick is under way he is incredibly hard to stop (just ask Devon!) and his ability against spin makes him a fantastic all round player, capable of pulverising opposition attacks ala Jayasuriya. In his void there has been no reliable replacement. Mal Loye was tried, but in relative terms failed and following that there was no time to find another chosen one. Andrew Strauss, Michael Vaughan and Ed Joyce, for all their qualities, fall into another bracket entirely. Will Jefferson and Michael Carberry are two openers who will look to press their claims further this summer.
Strike Bowler:
Australia have Brett Lee and now Shaun Tait, New Zealand have Shane Bond, Sri Lanka Lasith Malinga. Without Simon Jones England are missing that go to strike bowler, the magical one who is capable of getting a wicket at any stage of the innings, especially during the middle overs, when the ball is starting to show signs of reverse swing. In 2005 Jones was being groomed as the replacement for Darren Gough and how badly they have missed a man who can fill those boots. Without that special strike bowler England have struggled to turn games around, or finish the job. For all the qualities England’s other bowlers have, without Jones and the retired Stephen Harmison, England are, as Michael Vaughan himself stated, a “squeezing attack.”
The Pietersen, Flintoff quandary:
Pietersen bats too low, Freddie too high. It is as simple as that. As the best player in the side KP should be batting at number three, where he can make full use of the fielding restrictions and bat for the nigh on maximum amount of time. We don’t see Ricky Ponting or Jaques Kallis batting at four. It is a point I continue to dwell on though! Flintoff meanwhile has averaged a woeful 22 since the start of the India series one year ago and on that basis would be better suited to playing at seven. The Freddie to open debate is a dangerous one, lest we all forget his failings at number three at the ICC Champions Trophy, just six months ago, against a new ball. His skills are best suited to the last ten overs and that is when he should make his thunderous entrance, not whilst the spinners are on, with quick singles and nurdling required. Flexiblity in the batting order is not though something which England seem to understand however.
Issue for the future:
The wicket keeping situation is still one that will rouse curious debate throughout the nation and indeed world. Whilst Paul Nixon has impressed many with his commitment and desire, at 36 he can not be considered the future, nor groomed for the next Ashes series, ICC Champions Trophy, or World Cup. It is also questionable as to whether he has the technique to survive at Test level. With Chris Read and Geraint Jones seemingly failed men of yesterday now, there are two main contenders for the role and those two players resided within the academy squad over the winter. They are of course Matt Prior and Steven Davies, the young wicket keepers currently playing in the county season curtain raiser at Lords.
Simplistically stated, Prior is seen as the better and more explosive batsman of the two, whilst Davies is seen to have more potential with the gloves and a Gilchristean resemblance (he is left handed!). Prior has already tasted international cricket, albeit on the subcontinent and in positions varying from opener, to number three, to number five. He plays his best cricket for Sussex at six though and should be looked at as a serious contender for the lower order of the one day side at least, given Davies’ younger years. Davies is probably the long-term heir apparent, but may be too fresh to throw in immediately. James Foster is of course another option, but his exclusion from the academy squad would seem to signal that he is further down the pecking order in the race to become England’s first undisputed wicket keeper since Alec Stewart retired.
The line-up:
With Tresothick and Pietersen in the top three, England would be a powerful side to be feared once again. Both are capable of huge innings at fast rates, whilst Ian Bell is a player who would look to accumulate and bat more cautiously, allowing others to bat around him. With a lower order of Flintoff and the aggressive wicket keeper, England would be well placed to also attack those final overs. That leaves us the middle order trio whose jobs would be to milk the middle overs and wristly flick the ball in to gaps, turning ones in to twos and running the opposition ragged. Paul Collingwood is brilliant at this and is also one of the best finishers in the game, but is slightly suspect against serious pace around offstump early on in his innings. Ravinder Bopara meanwhile has shown us that he too could be a brilliant finisher and innovative gap finder, but he is still young. Both are probably suited to coming in against spin, so numbers five and six seem appropriate.
A number four is thus required, someone capable of playing against both pace and spin. Andrew Strauss may seem an obvious choice and he could yet prove to be the answer, he did after all start his promising international career there. However, Owais Shah showed in India, during a crucial innings of 88, that he is a fantastic player of spin, capable of wristy stroke play that many fine players would drool over. As a regular first class number three and one day opener he also has the technique against pace. He has long been a fine domestic one day and Twenty20 player and has really kicked on in the longer form of the game over the past two seasons as well. Given just a paltry three matches at number three in India during yet another woeful one day series for England, he has since dropped back into the abyss, though he lined up for the MCC vs Sussex at Lords on Friday. Rumours abound that Fletcher does not like him much, John Emburey claims his face does not fit. Only such reasoning can explain his exclusion to date. Maybe if Fletcher departs this summer, Shah may finally make the step up.
England’s best one day line-up undoubtedly looks a lot like this, can England get them fit and gel them together by the end of the summer though, in time for the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa?:
Marcus Trescothick
Ian Bell
Kevin Pietersen
Owais Shah
Paul Collingwood (c)
Ravinder Bopara
Andrew Flintoff
Matt Prior/ Steven Davies/ Paul Nixon (wk)
Simon Jones
Monty Panesar
James Anderson
12th Man: Ashley Giles/ Liam Plunkett
Chris Pallett
Aggressive Opener:
Marcus Trescothick has the ability to take the game to opposition sides at the top of the order in both forms of the game, but it is his ability to plunder the powerplay overs that England have especially missed to date. With no Tresco, there have been no blistering and imposing starts, no centuries from the top, no senior player to turn to and a missing pair of ever-reliable slip catching hands. Once Trescothick is under way he is incredibly hard to stop (just ask Devon!) and his ability against spin makes him a fantastic all round player, capable of pulverising opposition attacks ala Jayasuriya. In his void there has been no reliable replacement. Mal Loye was tried, but in relative terms failed and following that there was no time to find another chosen one. Andrew Strauss, Michael Vaughan and Ed Joyce, for all their qualities, fall into another bracket entirely. Will Jefferson and Michael Carberry are two openers who will look to press their claims further this summer.
Strike Bowler:
Australia have Brett Lee and now Shaun Tait, New Zealand have Shane Bond, Sri Lanka Lasith Malinga. Without Simon Jones England are missing that go to strike bowler, the magical one who is capable of getting a wicket at any stage of the innings, especially during the middle overs, when the ball is starting to show signs of reverse swing. In 2005 Jones was being groomed as the replacement for Darren Gough and how badly they have missed a man who can fill those boots. Without that special strike bowler England have struggled to turn games around, or finish the job. For all the qualities England’s other bowlers have, without Jones and the retired Stephen Harmison, England are, as Michael Vaughan himself stated, a “squeezing attack.”
The Pietersen, Flintoff quandary:
Pietersen bats too low, Freddie too high. It is as simple as that. As the best player in the side KP should be batting at number three, where he can make full use of the fielding restrictions and bat for the nigh on maximum amount of time. We don’t see Ricky Ponting or Jaques Kallis batting at four. It is a point I continue to dwell on though! Flintoff meanwhile has averaged a woeful 22 since the start of the India series one year ago and on that basis would be better suited to playing at seven. The Freddie to open debate is a dangerous one, lest we all forget his failings at number three at the ICC Champions Trophy, just six months ago, against a new ball. His skills are best suited to the last ten overs and that is when he should make his thunderous entrance, not whilst the spinners are on, with quick singles and nurdling required. Flexiblity in the batting order is not though something which England seem to understand however.
Issue for the future:
The wicket keeping situation is still one that will rouse curious debate throughout the nation and indeed world. Whilst Paul Nixon has impressed many with his commitment and desire, at 36 he can not be considered the future, nor groomed for the next Ashes series, ICC Champions Trophy, or World Cup. It is also questionable as to whether he has the technique to survive at Test level. With Chris Read and Geraint Jones seemingly failed men of yesterday now, there are two main contenders for the role and those two players resided within the academy squad over the winter. They are of course Matt Prior and Steven Davies, the young wicket keepers currently playing in the county season curtain raiser at Lords.
Simplistically stated, Prior is seen as the better and more explosive batsman of the two, whilst Davies is seen to have more potential with the gloves and a Gilchristean resemblance (he is left handed!). Prior has already tasted international cricket, albeit on the subcontinent and in positions varying from opener, to number three, to number five. He plays his best cricket for Sussex at six though and should be looked at as a serious contender for the lower order of the one day side at least, given Davies’ younger years. Davies is probably the long-term heir apparent, but may be too fresh to throw in immediately. James Foster is of course another option, but his exclusion from the academy squad would seem to signal that he is further down the pecking order in the race to become England’s first undisputed wicket keeper since Alec Stewart retired.
The line-up:
With Tresothick and Pietersen in the top three, England would be a powerful side to be feared once again. Both are capable of huge innings at fast rates, whilst Ian Bell is a player who would look to accumulate and bat more cautiously, allowing others to bat around him. With a lower order of Flintoff and the aggressive wicket keeper, England would be well placed to also attack those final overs. That leaves us the middle order trio whose jobs would be to milk the middle overs and wristly flick the ball in to gaps, turning ones in to twos and running the opposition ragged. Paul Collingwood is brilliant at this and is also one of the best finishers in the game, but is slightly suspect against serious pace around offstump early on in his innings. Ravinder Bopara meanwhile has shown us that he too could be a brilliant finisher and innovative gap finder, but he is still young. Both are probably suited to coming in against spin, so numbers five and six seem appropriate.
A number four is thus required, someone capable of playing against both pace and spin. Andrew Strauss may seem an obvious choice and he could yet prove to be the answer, he did after all start his promising international career there. However, Owais Shah showed in India, during a crucial innings of 88, that he is a fantastic player of spin, capable of wristy stroke play that many fine players would drool over. As a regular first class number three and one day opener he also has the technique against pace. He has long been a fine domestic one day and Twenty20 player and has really kicked on in the longer form of the game over the past two seasons as well. Given just a paltry three matches at number three in India during yet another woeful one day series for England, he has since dropped back into the abyss, though he lined up for the MCC vs Sussex at Lords on Friday. Rumours abound that Fletcher does not like him much, John Emburey claims his face does not fit. Only such reasoning can explain his exclusion to date. Maybe if Fletcher departs this summer, Shah may finally make the step up.
England’s best one day line-up undoubtedly looks a lot like this, can England get them fit and gel them together by the end of the summer though, in time for the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa?:
Marcus Trescothick
Ian Bell
Kevin Pietersen
Owais Shah
Paul Collingwood (c)
Ravinder Bopara
Andrew Flintoff
Matt Prior/ Steven Davies/ Paul Nixon (wk)
Simon Jones
Monty Panesar
James Anderson
12th Man: Ashley Giles/ Liam Plunkett
Chris Pallett
Tuesday, 6 March 2007
So what did that tell us then?
It’s always dangerous to read too much into a meaningless warm up game, but I’m not going to let that stop me. What does England’s 241 run win over Bermuda tell us about what is going to happen over the next few weeks?
Selection
Michael Vaughan and Ed Joyce is clearly the opening pair of preference, and it looks increasingly like Andrew Strauss is the spare man in the batting line-up. This is a remarkable downturn in fortunes for Strauss, who England were looking to take on Marcus Trescothick’s mantle as the senior man at the top of the innings.
Vaughan looks like he is going to take the responsibility to have a go in the first few overs in the Mal Loye style, allowing Joyce and then Ian Bell to play themselves in around him. It has to be remembered that Vaughan is a naturally aggressive batsman and this approach may allow him to protect his many injuries as the chance for a longer innings is reduced. He’s clearly not 100% fit, but seems to be being sensibly eased back into the matches.
With Jamie Dalrymple now assured his place at 7, England have a pretty long batting line up and three genuine all-rounders. However, it does seem ironic that Chris Read was dropped because he couldn’t be trusted to bat at 7, and Paul Nixon will end up batting at 8.
Jon Lewis and James Anderson are the opening bowling pair of preference, with Liam Plunkett and then Saj Mahmood as cover. Therefore, I would expect England’s first choice line up to be
Vaughan
Joyce
Bell
Pietersen
Collingwood
Flintoff
Dalrymple
Nixon
Lewis
Panesar
Anderson
The Pitches
If this is representative, and the Ireland – South Africa game was similar, then they are as slow as was promised. Therefore, the predictions of regular 400+ scores may be wide of the mark and scores of 220 may be closer to the norm. Dwayne Leverock was Bermuda’s best bowler taking the pace off the ball. England's most important bowlers may end up being Collingwood, Dalrymple and Panesar with Anderson or Lewis making way for Bopara.
The Minnows
Clearly Bermuda will be disappointed with their performance, which was not helped by an injury to Irvine Romaine, their captain and one of their leading batsmen. However, it must be remembered that Bermuda are one of the weaker minnows, and Ireland’s performance against South Africa gives more hope that there will be a few scares for the big boys.
Selection
Michael Vaughan and Ed Joyce is clearly the opening pair of preference, and it looks increasingly like Andrew Strauss is the spare man in the batting line-up. This is a remarkable downturn in fortunes for Strauss, who England were looking to take on Marcus Trescothick’s mantle as the senior man at the top of the innings.
Vaughan looks like he is going to take the responsibility to have a go in the first few overs in the Mal Loye style, allowing Joyce and then Ian Bell to play themselves in around him. It has to be remembered that Vaughan is a naturally aggressive batsman and this approach may allow him to protect his many injuries as the chance for a longer innings is reduced. He’s clearly not 100% fit, but seems to be being sensibly eased back into the matches.
With Jamie Dalrymple now assured his place at 7, England have a pretty long batting line up and three genuine all-rounders. However, it does seem ironic that Chris Read was dropped because he couldn’t be trusted to bat at 7, and Paul Nixon will end up batting at 8.
Jon Lewis and James Anderson are the opening bowling pair of preference, with Liam Plunkett and then Saj Mahmood as cover. Therefore, I would expect England’s first choice line up to be
Vaughan
Joyce
Bell
Pietersen
Collingwood
Flintoff
Dalrymple
Nixon
Lewis
Panesar
Anderson
The Pitches
If this is representative, and the Ireland – South Africa game was similar, then they are as slow as was promised. Therefore, the predictions of regular 400+ scores may be wide of the mark and scores of 220 may be closer to the norm. Dwayne Leverock was Bermuda’s best bowler taking the pace off the ball. England's most important bowlers may end up being Collingwood, Dalrymple and Panesar with Anderson or Lewis making way for Bopara.
The Minnows
Clearly Bermuda will be disappointed with their performance, which was not helped by an injury to Irvine Romaine, their captain and one of their leading batsmen. However, it must be remembered that Bermuda are one of the weaker minnows, and Ireland’s performance against South Africa gives more hope that there will be a few scares for the big boys.
Tuesday, 13 February 2007
World Cup squad
With England's unexpected success in claiming the CB Cup I am actually looking forward to the World Cup with some hope for once. On the generally slow and unpredictable West Indies pitches some shock results are likely and England might just be the surprise team of the tournament. If they can latch onto the momentum they've built up over the last couple of weeks they have a chance to progress into the latter stages, where anything can happen.
To win the World Cup they will need consistency in both bowling and batting, as well as a squad which can adapt to varying conditions and overcome injuries. Taking wickets is crucial, so attacking bowling options are important. The batting line-up needs stability as well as aggression, a combination England have shown in their last four ODIs.
With these factors in mind my squad would be:
Vaughan (Captain) - Though he has not been a consistent one-day player he is the leader the team has so desperately needed over the last few months. It is not a coincidence that his return saw England's resurgence. Flintoff may have carried on the good work in the finals, but it was Vaughan who inspired a seemingly beaten team. Plunkett was just one of the players who praised the positive encouragement given to him by Vaughan, which led to an unthinkable improvement in his own and the team's performance in the CB series. On his day Vaughan is still capable of a match-winning innings and is essential as England's on field leader.
Flintoff (Vice-captain) - Simply one of the top one-day players in the world and capable of immense contributions with both bat and ball. His accurate and aggressive bowling and destructive batting make him irreplaceable. He has also shown good tactical sense as a stand-in captain.
Joyce - His wonderfully crafted century spurred England's recent revival. A left-handed batsmen of elegant strokeplay, he has also shown the ability to read the game situation and play accordingly. Most surprising of all, though, has been his aggressive shots in the powerplays, which make him the ideal one-day opener and possibly the man to take Trescothick's mantle.
Pietersen - One of the best one-day batsmen currently playing and England's trump card in a rapidly improving batting line-up. The only question is whether he should bat at three or four. I would be inclined to get him in as early as possible as he obviously has the technique to deal with all types of bowling and would be equally destructive in the first few overs as he has been in the middle overs of matches.
Collingwood - Just when the doubters were turning on him he plays three great innings on the bounce, takes wickets, executes run outs and makes spectacular catches. The man in form, without doubt, and England's best finisher. Seems to play well with both the top order and the tail and will need to maintain his current form if England are to have a chance in the Caribbean.
Bell - Still a bit Jeckyll and Hyde in one-dayers, but a class player nonetheless. I don't think he should play at three, rather five or six, depending on the match situation. If he can be consistent he will be a real asset for England, as he is a wonderful fielder and offers a bowling option on slow low pitches.
Strauss - His form has been awful lattely and he has rarely sparkled as a one-day player, yet I cannot leave him out of the squad. He has class and can be consistent. I believe he will find his form if he is given a run of games in the middle order, though he would struggle to make the first team if everyone is fit. As a replacement he offers cover as opener, number three and in the middle order, and he is a fine slip fielder. It would be a mistake to omit a player of his class.
Nixon - Though the runs have not flowed from his bat, Nixon has kept well and offered a very vocal presence out in the middle. His vast experience seems to have been a good influence on the younger players around him and it would be a serious error to return to either Jones or Read, both of whom showed they are not up to the task. He is not a long term option, but should be England's wicket-keeper for the World Cup.
Dalrymple - He has not done anything amazing in recent matches, but his bowling will be suited to the West Indian pitches and he is capable of great cameos with the bat. He has also established himself as a very good fielder and part of a winning team. He seems to be an integral part of the momentum England have built up recently and should be left in the squad, though not guaranteed a first team slot.
Plunkett - Over the last few matches he has shown his wicket-taking ability, despite bowling under extreme pressure. He may go for runs, but wickets will ultimately win more matches than economy rates. if he can tighten up his line and length a bit he will be excellent - at the moment he is merely very good.
Panesar - A world class spinner, who has adapted his bowling to suit the one-day game. He still attacks and exerts pressure on batsmen, but can spear it in a bit if required. In the World Cup he could be one of the star performers and is clearly a potential match-winner. His fielding and batting have also improved, making him a first choice for every match.
Anderson - When he's fully fit he is an excellent one-day bowler, possessing pace, swing and control. England need him if they are to progress in the tournament, as their only failing recently has been conceding too many runs to the new ball.
Mahmood - Frustratingly inconsistent, but blessed with huge talent. If he can find his rhythm quickly in match he can disturb any batsman. His excellent use of the slower ball recently shows how he is learning and improving. With his armoury Mahmood must be in the squad, though he is unlikely to make the first team.
Lewis - An experienced and canny performer, who can bowl devastating spells with the new ball. At the moment he would be second choice behind the rampant Plunkett, but Lewis will be needed in England's squad for those matches when conditions demand an extra seamer or injury strikes.
Broad - Young and still developing, but possessing all the ability necessary in an international bowler. He would be last in the pecking order, but seems to have the temperament to make the most of any opportunities he is given.
To win the World Cup they will need consistency in both bowling and batting, as well as a squad which can adapt to varying conditions and overcome injuries. Taking wickets is crucial, so attacking bowling options are important. The batting line-up needs stability as well as aggression, a combination England have shown in their last four ODIs.
With these factors in mind my squad would be:
Vaughan (Captain) - Though he has not been a consistent one-day player he is the leader the team has so desperately needed over the last few months. It is not a coincidence that his return saw England's resurgence. Flintoff may have carried on the good work in the finals, but it was Vaughan who inspired a seemingly beaten team. Plunkett was just one of the players who praised the positive encouragement given to him by Vaughan, which led to an unthinkable improvement in his own and the team's performance in the CB series. On his day Vaughan is still capable of a match-winning innings and is essential as England's on field leader.
Flintoff (Vice-captain) - Simply one of the top one-day players in the world and capable of immense contributions with both bat and ball. His accurate and aggressive bowling and destructive batting make him irreplaceable. He has also shown good tactical sense as a stand-in captain.
Joyce - His wonderfully crafted century spurred England's recent revival. A left-handed batsmen of elegant strokeplay, he has also shown the ability to read the game situation and play accordingly. Most surprising of all, though, has been his aggressive shots in the powerplays, which make him the ideal one-day opener and possibly the man to take Trescothick's mantle.
Pietersen - One of the best one-day batsmen currently playing and England's trump card in a rapidly improving batting line-up. The only question is whether he should bat at three or four. I would be inclined to get him in as early as possible as he obviously has the technique to deal with all types of bowling and would be equally destructive in the first few overs as he has been in the middle overs of matches.
Collingwood - Just when the doubters were turning on him he plays three great innings on the bounce, takes wickets, executes run outs and makes spectacular catches. The man in form, without doubt, and England's best finisher. Seems to play well with both the top order and the tail and will need to maintain his current form if England are to have a chance in the Caribbean.
Bell - Still a bit Jeckyll and Hyde in one-dayers, but a class player nonetheless. I don't think he should play at three, rather five or six, depending on the match situation. If he can be consistent he will be a real asset for England, as he is a wonderful fielder and offers a bowling option on slow low pitches.
Strauss - His form has been awful lattely and he has rarely sparkled as a one-day player, yet I cannot leave him out of the squad. He has class and can be consistent. I believe he will find his form if he is given a run of games in the middle order, though he would struggle to make the first team if everyone is fit. As a replacement he offers cover as opener, number three and in the middle order, and he is a fine slip fielder. It would be a mistake to omit a player of his class.
Nixon - Though the runs have not flowed from his bat, Nixon has kept well and offered a very vocal presence out in the middle. His vast experience seems to have been a good influence on the younger players around him and it would be a serious error to return to either Jones or Read, both of whom showed they are not up to the task. He is not a long term option, but should be England's wicket-keeper for the World Cup.
Dalrymple - He has not done anything amazing in recent matches, but his bowling will be suited to the West Indian pitches and he is capable of great cameos with the bat. He has also established himself as a very good fielder and part of a winning team. He seems to be an integral part of the momentum England have built up recently and should be left in the squad, though not guaranteed a first team slot.
Plunkett - Over the last few matches he has shown his wicket-taking ability, despite bowling under extreme pressure. He may go for runs, but wickets will ultimately win more matches than economy rates. if he can tighten up his line and length a bit he will be excellent - at the moment he is merely very good.
Panesar - A world class spinner, who has adapted his bowling to suit the one-day game. He still attacks and exerts pressure on batsmen, but can spear it in a bit if required. In the World Cup he could be one of the star performers and is clearly a potential match-winner. His fielding and batting have also improved, making him a first choice for every match.
Anderson - When he's fully fit he is an excellent one-day bowler, possessing pace, swing and control. England need him if they are to progress in the tournament, as their only failing recently has been conceding too many runs to the new ball.
Mahmood - Frustratingly inconsistent, but blessed with huge talent. If he can find his rhythm quickly in match he can disturb any batsman. His excellent use of the slower ball recently shows how he is learning and improving. With his armoury Mahmood must be in the squad, though he is unlikely to make the first team.
Lewis - An experienced and canny performer, who can bowl devastating spells with the new ball. At the moment he would be second choice behind the rampant Plunkett, but Lewis will be needed in England's squad for those matches when conditions demand an extra seamer or injury strikes.
Broad - Young and still developing, but possessing all the ability necessary in an international bowler. He would be last in the pecking order, but seems to have the temperament to make the most of any opportunities he is given.
Monday, 12 February 2007
Collingwood and Flintoff restore some English pride
England somehow managed to revive a seemingly doomed tour by winning four consecutive ODIs and, in the process, winning their first major foreign tournament for almost a decade. Here are ratings for all the batsmen, as well as the 'keeper, who took part in the CB Series.
Ian Bell 6/10
Bell was a constant throughout the ODIs at number three. He consistently made 20s and 30s but only made two 50s (though both were in victories over Australia). There were whispers over the rate at which Bell scored his runs, as well as his running between the wickets, but, especially with his fine fielding, he was a qualified success and is in possession of a spot for the World Cup.
Ravi Bopara 6
Bopara played only one game, in which he made useful cameos with bat and ball, and helped to reinvigorate a struggling side. But has he done enough to earn a place in the World Cup squad?
Paul Collingwood 9
For his first six games, Collingwood looked as if his spirit had been shaken irrevocably by the events of the Ashes. But, after missing a game through illness, Collingwood returned in magnificent style, scoring two match-winning centuries and a 70 to re-emerge as a vital member of England’s one-day batting line-up; his industry, experience, running between the wickets and penchant for hitting boundaries make him an indispensable facet of the side. There was more good news for Collingwood: he bowled very steadily throughout, taking eight wickets and going at only 4.7 an over, overtaking Dalrymple as England’s fifth bowler in the process; meanwhile, his fielding remained superlative.
Andrew Flintoff 8
Flintoff has taken enough knocks to last a career on this tour, but he remained defiant till the end and earned some reward when his improving captaincy led England to victory in he finals. He only scored one fifty, but generally batted effectively at six, scoring important runs in the finals. Flintoff’s bowling seemed on the verge of collapse halfway through the series but, by the series’ end, he was back to his talismanic best, leading a vibrant side by example.
Ed Joyce 6.5
Joyce began the series unsure of himself and in the middle-order; he ended it with three failures, and several injudicious shots, as opener. But in between he scored a confidence-boosting 66 against New Zealand, then a superb century against Australia. He is an inherently elegant batsman whose square-of-the-wicket play is particularly effective but is also happy to use his feet and hit over the top during the Powerplay overs.
Mal Loye 6
Fans called desperately for his selection, thinking his idiosyncratic style would make an instant impact. He was certainly not overawed, and his slog sweep certainly got people excited; but he too often got out to rash shots outside off-stump, particularly against the left-armers. After a terrible decision in the first final, Loye played with more selectivity in the second, without overly diminishing his flair. But a mix-up ended his innings on 45, leaving his World Cup still up in air. Yet he is deserving of a place – on the short boundaries in the Caribbean, his characteristic shot could wreak havoc. If he doesn’t, who else can satisfactorily exploit the Powerplays?
Paul Nixon 6
His selection continues to seem ridiculous, but his ‘keeping was good; his experience, gift of the gab and value to team spirit immeasurable. The selectors picked him for his lower-order batting – and, though he too often failed when batting late on, he lead England home in the innings that most mattered.
Kevin Pietersen 8
Only played the opening game, and scored a typically belligerent 82; despite Collingwood’s recent innings, he is by far England’s finest ODI batsman. But he will be extra keen to prove it is no more than an anomaly that finals victory came without him.
Andrew Strauss 3
Only Steve Harmison’s stock fell more in Australia; Strauss did not make more than 55 in 20 international innings. His game has disintegrated, and it must be hoped the selectors recognise that Joyce performs the Strauss role better than he does currently, while Loye, statistically only marginally more successful, provides a whole new option.
Michael Vaughan 5
Came back amidst huge hope that he would rekindle the spirit of ’05. Alas, the hopes proved ill-founded, although England won two of the three games he played in. His captaincy was as canny as ever, but on batting alone he was patently not worth selection.
Ian Bell 6/10
Bell was a constant throughout the ODIs at number three. He consistently made 20s and 30s but only made two 50s (though both were in victories over Australia). There were whispers over the rate at which Bell scored his runs, as well as his running between the wickets, but, especially with his fine fielding, he was a qualified success and is in possession of a spot for the World Cup.
Ravi Bopara 6
Bopara played only one game, in which he made useful cameos with bat and ball, and helped to reinvigorate a struggling side. But has he done enough to earn a place in the World Cup squad?
Paul Collingwood 9
For his first six games, Collingwood looked as if his spirit had been shaken irrevocably by the events of the Ashes. But, after missing a game through illness, Collingwood returned in magnificent style, scoring two match-winning centuries and a 70 to re-emerge as a vital member of England’s one-day batting line-up; his industry, experience, running between the wickets and penchant for hitting boundaries make him an indispensable facet of the side. There was more good news for Collingwood: he bowled very steadily throughout, taking eight wickets and going at only 4.7 an over, overtaking Dalrymple as England’s fifth bowler in the process; meanwhile, his fielding remained superlative.
Andrew Flintoff 8
Flintoff has taken enough knocks to last a career on this tour, but he remained defiant till the end and earned some reward when his improving captaincy led England to victory in he finals. He only scored one fifty, but generally batted effectively at six, scoring important runs in the finals. Flintoff’s bowling seemed on the verge of collapse halfway through the series but, by the series’ end, he was back to his talismanic best, leading a vibrant side by example.
Ed Joyce 6.5
Joyce began the series unsure of himself and in the middle-order; he ended it with three failures, and several injudicious shots, as opener. But in between he scored a confidence-boosting 66 against New Zealand, then a superb century against Australia. He is an inherently elegant batsman whose square-of-the-wicket play is particularly effective but is also happy to use his feet and hit over the top during the Powerplay overs.
Mal Loye 6
Fans called desperately for his selection, thinking his idiosyncratic style would make an instant impact. He was certainly not overawed, and his slog sweep certainly got people excited; but he too often got out to rash shots outside off-stump, particularly against the left-armers. After a terrible decision in the first final, Loye played with more selectivity in the second, without overly diminishing his flair. But a mix-up ended his innings on 45, leaving his World Cup still up in air. Yet he is deserving of a place – on the short boundaries in the Caribbean, his characteristic shot could wreak havoc. If he doesn’t, who else can satisfactorily exploit the Powerplays?
Paul Nixon 6
His selection continues to seem ridiculous, but his ‘keeping was good; his experience, gift of the gab and value to team spirit immeasurable. The selectors picked him for his lower-order batting – and, though he too often failed when batting late on, he lead England home in the innings that most mattered.
Kevin Pietersen 8
Only played the opening game, and scored a typically belligerent 82; despite Collingwood’s recent innings, he is by far England’s finest ODI batsman. But he will be extra keen to prove it is no more than an anomaly that finals victory came without him.
Andrew Strauss 3
Only Steve Harmison’s stock fell more in Australia; Strauss did not make more than 55 in 20 international innings. His game has disintegrated, and it must be hoped the selectors recognise that Joyce performs the Strauss role better than he does currently, while Loye, statistically only marginally more successful, provides a whole new option.
Michael Vaughan 5
Came back amidst huge hope that he would rekindle the spirit of ’05. Alas, the hopes proved ill-founded, although England won two of the three games he played in. His captaincy was as canny as ever, but on batting alone he was patently not worth selection.
Saturday, 3 February 2007
The Future’s Bright!
Much was rightfully made of Ed Joyce’s superb maiden international century in the last One Day International. However, we also witnessed the emergence and revival of another two potential stars. Ravinder Bopara showed in his brief innings that he could be the perfect replacement for Paul Collingwood, who has patently lost his way recently. His pace between the wickets is excellent, much to Jamie Dalrymple’s surprise it seemed! He also showed that he has the ability to find a gap in the field as well as to turn ones into twos. These are of course the key attributes of a great finisher and Collingwood has not finished a game for England for a very long time indeed. In the field Bopara’s pace was a bonus and he has the ability to become one of England’s best fielders. Most welcome of all though was Bopara’s nippy bowling. Described as a medium pacer, Bopara was regularly hitting 80mph in his brief stint, during which he surprised Michael Hussey with a bit of pace and swing. This bodes especially well for England’s future, if Bopara could be developed into a bowler who could consistently bowl ten overs.
Should he develop into more of an all rounder, then he would of course join Andrew Flintoff and also Liam Plunkett, who has once again shown an impressive ability to hold a bat and score quick important runs. His bowling also seems to have returned to the promise of last winter, when he established himself in the England team. After injury though it has taken him a while to break back into the side, but now that he has, he looks as if he wants to stay and he seems fit, which is not something I was expecting, following the slow returns of Ashley Giles and James Anderson.
Monty Panesar and James Anderson would also both feature in England’s best one day side. There does however remain one important question. Jamie Dalrymple has not been bowling and when he has, has not been bowling particularly effectively. Does Dalrymple therefore belong in England’s best eleven as a specialist batsman? There are undoubtedly better players out there than Dalrymple when it comes to batting, Owais Shah one of the most obvious candidates. But Dalrymple does bring with him a lot of fight and grit and he has shown on numerous occasions, including yesterday, an impressive ability to come in when England are on top, a rare occurrence, and take the game forward, acting as another finisher. He is also a superb fielder and does offer the spin option should it be required. If he is not going to bowl regularly though it must bring his selection into question. Perhaps he and Bopara could share ten overs at the World Cup.
Fast forward to the World Cup and it would seem as though Flintoff, Plunkett, Panesar and Anderson are going to be the main bowlers, possibly backed up by another seamer at times, probably Jon Lewis, or the part time bowling of Dalrymple, Bopara and Collingwood. Ed Joyce seems to have cemented his place at the top of the order, although the same can not yet be said for Mal Loye who will likely be replaced by Michael Vaughan should the England skipper be able to maintain his fitness. Ian Bell has supposedly made number three his own, though he needs to start converting his 50’s. Pietersen is the man at four, who can be brought up to three if required. Flintoff is no doubt lurking at five or six, with the lower order comprising of Dalrymple (extra seamer), Nixon, Plunkett, Panesar and Anderson.
That would leave just one place in the side for Strauss, Collingwood or Bopara, at number five or six. Collingwood currently holds the role but I would be disappointed if Bopara did not get a chance to impress there again against New Zealand, with the veteran so out of form. Few would argue that Strauss should bat so low and so his best bet is to make a top four spot his own once more, but that would mean displacing a top order player, of whom Joyce was the most likely until his heroics. England currently have more top order players than places though, which is why Strauss is so at risk, with Vaughan and Pietersen certain to return in the top four for the World Cup and Bell and Joyce playing in such assured fashion.
Chris Pallett
Should he develop into more of an all rounder, then he would of course join Andrew Flintoff and also Liam Plunkett, who has once again shown an impressive ability to hold a bat and score quick important runs. His bowling also seems to have returned to the promise of last winter, when he established himself in the England team. After injury though it has taken him a while to break back into the side, but now that he has, he looks as if he wants to stay and he seems fit, which is not something I was expecting, following the slow returns of Ashley Giles and James Anderson.
Monty Panesar and James Anderson would also both feature in England’s best one day side. There does however remain one important question. Jamie Dalrymple has not been bowling and when he has, has not been bowling particularly effectively. Does Dalrymple therefore belong in England’s best eleven as a specialist batsman? There are undoubtedly better players out there than Dalrymple when it comes to batting, Owais Shah one of the most obvious candidates. But Dalrymple does bring with him a lot of fight and grit and he has shown on numerous occasions, including yesterday, an impressive ability to come in when England are on top, a rare occurrence, and take the game forward, acting as another finisher. He is also a superb fielder and does offer the spin option should it be required. If he is not going to bowl regularly though it must bring his selection into question. Perhaps he and Bopara could share ten overs at the World Cup.
Fast forward to the World Cup and it would seem as though Flintoff, Plunkett, Panesar and Anderson are going to be the main bowlers, possibly backed up by another seamer at times, probably Jon Lewis, or the part time bowling of Dalrymple, Bopara and Collingwood. Ed Joyce seems to have cemented his place at the top of the order, although the same can not yet be said for Mal Loye who will likely be replaced by Michael Vaughan should the England skipper be able to maintain his fitness. Ian Bell has supposedly made number three his own, though he needs to start converting his 50’s. Pietersen is the man at four, who can be brought up to three if required. Flintoff is no doubt lurking at five or six, with the lower order comprising of Dalrymple (extra seamer), Nixon, Plunkett, Panesar and Anderson.
That would leave just one place in the side for Strauss, Collingwood or Bopara, at number five or six. Collingwood currently holds the role but I would be disappointed if Bopara did not get a chance to impress there again against New Zealand, with the veteran so out of form. Few would argue that Strauss should bat so low and so his best bet is to make a top four spot his own once more, but that would mean displacing a top order player, of whom Joyce was the most likely until his heroics. England currently have more top order players than places though, which is why Strauss is so at risk, with Vaughan and Pietersen certain to return in the top four for the World Cup and Bell and Joyce playing in such assured fashion.
Chris Pallett
Saturday, 20 January 2007
Turning the tide?
There has been nothing but doom and gloom surrounding the England team and their woeful tour of Australia, until now. Following what from a distance appears another abject and downright pathetic performance against the hosts, England can actually take heart from two major positives, their best opening wicket stand on tour so far, between the dominant Mal Loye and out of form Andrew Strauss and the re-emergence of James Anderson as a dangerous One Day International bowler.
It may just be that England emerge from this tour in a better position to challenge for the World Cup. Even suggesting that their could be a challenge may sound laughable at present, but slowly England are realising what makes a successful One Day International side. Perhaps they are learning from the masters, Australia.
Prior to Michael Vaughan’s latest injury David Graveney stated that he was happy with a top three of Strauss, Vaughan and Bell. Distressed does not come close to describing how this made me feel. Fortunately though, Vaughan’s misfortune has been England’s fortune. Forced to give Mal Loye a shot in at least three games now, England’s selectors have found an answer to part of the puzzle. Marcus Trescothick has been England’s dominant one day top order batsman since the retirement of Nick Knight. Rather than replacing Trescothick with a belligerent like for like though, the selectors chose to open with Ian Bell and promoted Andrew Flintoff to three, which encouraged slow starts and prevented Freddie from doing what he does best, finish games.
Having realised that they were wasting Flintoff at three, England then failed to answer the problem by opening with Michael Vaughan, who one suspects would not even be in the side if it were not for the absence of Trescothick, the recent demoralising sequence of defeats and the current lack of inspired and intelligent leadership. Now, we must not get carried away. Loye scored just 36. But it was a speedy and aggressive 36, scored at a run a ball rate.
When Pietersen is restored to the side for the World Cup, with Flintoff lurking below, England will have three attacking players spread throughout their order, who sides around the world will fear.
Currently lacking Pietersen though, England are still desperately short of fire power. Ed Joyce is a classy player, full of talent, but his mental state on this tour appears frail and if one is brutally honest he is not the type of player England currently need to replace a power player like Pietersen. Joyce is a nudger and nurdler, not a player who will take a game by the scruff of its neck. Joyce’s Middlesex colleague Owais Shah would have been the closest England have to a replacement for Pietersen, but he is seemingly out of Fletcher’s good books. Joyce is more in the mould of a Strauss, a Bell, a Collingwood. England already have too many of those unfortunately.
Ravi Bopara will now surely get a chance in the rest of this series to stake his claim for a middle order slot in England’s one day team. However, ultimately there will not be room for more than three of Vaughan, Strauss, Bell, Joyce, Bopara and Collingwood in England’s one day side. Long term, the likely occupants are Strauss, Bell and Bopara. For now though, few will place Bopara above Collingwood, who has though shown a worrying deterioration in form at precisely the wrong time. It is also likely that Michael Vaughan’s leadership skills will get him the nod at the World Cup if fit, although as I have stated before I believe he should be concentrating on Test cricket afterwards, in order to prolong his career.
This could leave Strauss and Bell fighting it out for the number three/four position in England’s middle order. Strauss has occupied the role before, whilst Bell has shown that he can be a success in that middle order position, especially against spin.
Long term, many believe that Strauss should be the captain and no disagreements will be found here. He has shown time and again that he raises his game when captain and England have made a mistake in returning to Andrew Flintoff, rather than turning to his namesake, Strauss. Flintoff, in contrast to Strauss seems to wilt somewhat under the burden of captaincy and freed of responsibility he gave his best performance by far on tour so far against New Zealand.
In the wicket keeping department it appears as though the management are going to stick with Paul Nixon through until the summer, when one hopes that one of Matt Prior, Steven Davies or James Foster will get the gloves. Nixon, reminiscent of Geraint Jones with his constant verbals and tendency to average fifteen, is not the gloveman that Chris Read undoubtedly is, but his experience makes him a better option with the bat and England are now in need of quick fixes. Many though would still prefer to give one of the above trio the gloves.
One further point which is worthy of consideration is where Kevin Pietersen bats. When you look around the greatest sides in the world the best player often bats at three, just ask Rahul Dravid and Ricky Ponting. Pietersen, undoubtedly England’s best batsman, needs to bat at three in most situations. Flexibility is though a key string to a sides bow in one day cricket and Pietersen and the number four should of course be interchangeable in certain situations. With Pietersen batting at three though, England will look a far more threatening side during the power plays and it also gives him the chance to bat for the optimum amount of time. With Flintoff lurking down the order at five/six (interchangeable of course!) England would still have a power player to attack the final ten to fifteen overs. Surely it makes sense!
Earlier it was stated that England could learn from Australia and they can and should. For if England were to line up as so, their side would bear striking similarities to that of Australia and surely that is no bad thing:
Trescothick/Loye - Gilchrist (wk)
Strauss/Vaughan (c) - Hayden/Katich
Pietersen - Ponting (c)
Bell/Strauss - Clarke
Flintoff - Symonds
Collingwood/Bopara - Hussey
Dalrymple - White
Prior/Davies (wk) - Watson/Hogg/Johnson/Clark
Tremlett - Lee
Panesar/Broad - Bracken
Anderson - McGrath
Chris Pallett
It may just be that England emerge from this tour in a better position to challenge for the World Cup. Even suggesting that their could be a challenge may sound laughable at present, but slowly England are realising what makes a successful One Day International side. Perhaps they are learning from the masters, Australia.
Prior to Michael Vaughan’s latest injury David Graveney stated that he was happy with a top three of Strauss, Vaughan and Bell. Distressed does not come close to describing how this made me feel. Fortunately though, Vaughan’s misfortune has been England’s fortune. Forced to give Mal Loye a shot in at least three games now, England’s selectors have found an answer to part of the puzzle. Marcus Trescothick has been England’s dominant one day top order batsman since the retirement of Nick Knight. Rather than replacing Trescothick with a belligerent like for like though, the selectors chose to open with Ian Bell and promoted Andrew Flintoff to three, which encouraged slow starts and prevented Freddie from doing what he does best, finish games.
Having realised that they were wasting Flintoff at three, England then failed to answer the problem by opening with Michael Vaughan, who one suspects would not even be in the side if it were not for the absence of Trescothick, the recent demoralising sequence of defeats and the current lack of inspired and intelligent leadership. Now, we must not get carried away. Loye scored just 36. But it was a speedy and aggressive 36, scored at a run a ball rate.
When Pietersen is restored to the side for the World Cup, with Flintoff lurking below, England will have three attacking players spread throughout their order, who sides around the world will fear.
Currently lacking Pietersen though, England are still desperately short of fire power. Ed Joyce is a classy player, full of talent, but his mental state on this tour appears frail and if one is brutally honest he is not the type of player England currently need to replace a power player like Pietersen. Joyce is a nudger and nurdler, not a player who will take a game by the scruff of its neck. Joyce’s Middlesex colleague Owais Shah would have been the closest England have to a replacement for Pietersen, but he is seemingly out of Fletcher’s good books. Joyce is more in the mould of a Strauss, a Bell, a Collingwood. England already have too many of those unfortunately.
Ravi Bopara will now surely get a chance in the rest of this series to stake his claim for a middle order slot in England’s one day team. However, ultimately there will not be room for more than three of Vaughan, Strauss, Bell, Joyce, Bopara and Collingwood in England’s one day side. Long term, the likely occupants are Strauss, Bell and Bopara. For now though, few will place Bopara above Collingwood, who has though shown a worrying deterioration in form at precisely the wrong time. It is also likely that Michael Vaughan’s leadership skills will get him the nod at the World Cup if fit, although as I have stated before I believe he should be concentrating on Test cricket afterwards, in order to prolong his career.
This could leave Strauss and Bell fighting it out for the number three/four position in England’s middle order. Strauss has occupied the role before, whilst Bell has shown that he can be a success in that middle order position, especially against spin.
Long term, many believe that Strauss should be the captain and no disagreements will be found here. He has shown time and again that he raises his game when captain and England have made a mistake in returning to Andrew Flintoff, rather than turning to his namesake, Strauss. Flintoff, in contrast to Strauss seems to wilt somewhat under the burden of captaincy and freed of responsibility he gave his best performance by far on tour so far against New Zealand.
In the wicket keeping department it appears as though the management are going to stick with Paul Nixon through until the summer, when one hopes that one of Matt Prior, Steven Davies or James Foster will get the gloves. Nixon, reminiscent of Geraint Jones with his constant verbals and tendency to average fifteen, is not the gloveman that Chris Read undoubtedly is, but his experience makes him a better option with the bat and England are now in need of quick fixes. Many though would still prefer to give one of the above trio the gloves.
One further point which is worthy of consideration is where Kevin Pietersen bats. When you look around the greatest sides in the world the best player often bats at three, just ask Rahul Dravid and Ricky Ponting. Pietersen, undoubtedly England’s best batsman, needs to bat at three in most situations. Flexibility is though a key string to a sides bow in one day cricket and Pietersen and the number four should of course be interchangeable in certain situations. With Pietersen batting at three though, England will look a far more threatening side during the power plays and it also gives him the chance to bat for the optimum amount of time. With Flintoff lurking down the order at five/six (interchangeable of course!) England would still have a power player to attack the final ten to fifteen overs. Surely it makes sense!
Earlier it was stated that England could learn from Australia and they can and should. For if England were to line up as so, their side would bear striking similarities to that of Australia and surely that is no bad thing:
Trescothick/Loye - Gilchrist (wk)
Strauss/Vaughan (c) - Hayden/Katich
Pietersen - Ponting (c)
Bell/Strauss - Clarke
Flintoff - Symonds
Collingwood/Bopara - Hussey
Dalrymple - White
Prior/Davies (wk) - Watson/Hogg/Johnson/Clark
Tremlett - Lee
Panesar/Broad - Bracken
Anderson - McGrath
Chris Pallett
Monday, 8 January 2007
Can Vaughan help England avoid total humiliation?
England notoriously fare far worse in one-day cricket than in the Test arena. So, after their ignominious whitewash, what can we expect in the VB Series? England play eight games, plus a Twenty20 encounter with Australia. Their most pressing task is to avoid becoming the first English touring side in history not to win a single game. While they should certainly win at least one of their four matches with New Zealand, there is a palpable chance that they will not win even once against Australian opposition.
Michael Vaughan has been reappointed the skipper. While some have criticised the decision for bearing resemblance to the loyalty so prevalent in England’s negative team selection for the Ashes, Vaughan is an excellent skipper who England will need in the VB Series and World Cup. His record in ODI cricket is admittedly mediocre, but, with Marcus Trescothick absent, England are in need of an experienced opener. As with Andrew Flintoff, we are far from certain about his fitness but, from afar, it is hard to argue with the reinstatement of Vaughan to the role of captaincy.
England’s top six will remain the same as in the Ashes, apart from Vaughan replacing Alastair Cook, but their bottom five will be very different. Jamie Dalrymple, a feisty cricketer who has done well to date in ODIs, should offer some lower-order stability at number seven.
Chris Read kept superbly in the last two Tests but, given that he has only once passed four in his last eight international innings, I would advocate the selection of 36-year-old Paul Nixon. Nixon is an idiosyncratic and highly effective lower order batsman in ODIs, particularly adept at playing the reverse sweep, and appears a good interim option.
The departures of Messrs Harmison and Hoggard mean England’s seam bowling will have a completely different look to it. They will surely not risk Sajid Mahmood, whose lack of control is even more significant in the shorter format, while Liam Plunkett, whose one-day economy rate is almost 6, is not yet good enough. The selectors must regret selecting both ahead of Stuart Broad.
James Anderson, who is a better bowler in ODIs, deserves to keep his place in the side as the opening bowler. Jon Lewis has hardly put a foot wrong in recent months and can now prove his effectiveness on foreign shores. The uncharacteristic slow tracks expected in the Caribbean should also suit him.
The final spot, then, looks to be between Monty Panesar and Chris Tremlett. Panesar could be very effective in the West Indies, while Tremlett is an exciting prospect who generates copious amounts of bounce with his height and pace.
The expectations of England’s performances have seldom been lower. If Vaughan is indeed fully fit, they may just cause the odd surprise, though reaching the VB Series final is probably beyond them, unless Pietersen and Flintoff hit top form simultaneously.
Michael Vaughan has been reappointed the skipper. While some have criticised the decision for bearing resemblance to the loyalty so prevalent in England’s negative team selection for the Ashes, Vaughan is an excellent skipper who England will need in the VB Series and World Cup. His record in ODI cricket is admittedly mediocre, but, with Marcus Trescothick absent, England are in need of an experienced opener. As with Andrew Flintoff, we are far from certain about his fitness but, from afar, it is hard to argue with the reinstatement of Vaughan to the role of captaincy.
England’s top six will remain the same as in the Ashes, apart from Vaughan replacing Alastair Cook, but their bottom five will be very different. Jamie Dalrymple, a feisty cricketer who has done well to date in ODIs, should offer some lower-order stability at number seven.
Chris Read kept superbly in the last two Tests but, given that he has only once passed four in his last eight international innings, I would advocate the selection of 36-year-old Paul Nixon. Nixon is an idiosyncratic and highly effective lower order batsman in ODIs, particularly adept at playing the reverse sweep, and appears a good interim option.
The departures of Messrs Harmison and Hoggard mean England’s seam bowling will have a completely different look to it. They will surely not risk Sajid Mahmood, whose lack of control is even more significant in the shorter format, while Liam Plunkett, whose one-day economy rate is almost 6, is not yet good enough. The selectors must regret selecting both ahead of Stuart Broad.
James Anderson, who is a better bowler in ODIs, deserves to keep his place in the side as the opening bowler. Jon Lewis has hardly put a foot wrong in recent months and can now prove his effectiveness on foreign shores. The uncharacteristic slow tracks expected in the Caribbean should also suit him.
The final spot, then, looks to be between Monty Panesar and Chris Tremlett. Panesar could be very effective in the West Indies, while Tremlett is an exciting prospect who generates copious amounts of bounce with his height and pace.
The expectations of England’s performances have seldom been lower. If Vaughan is indeed fully fit, they may just cause the odd surprise, though reaching the VB Series final is probably beyond them, unless Pietersen and Flintoff hit top form simultaneously.
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