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Ravi Bopara - another pretender?

Jarquis

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Stuart Law (I think it was) was interesting on this last night. He said that an experienced player (KP or Colly or even Bell) absolutely have to take it upon themselves to bat at three, and that it wasn't right to put a new player in there straight away.
Unless of course they are a genuine number 3?
I wouldn't mind Joyce being there tbh. Just find it interesting that everybody we try there "looks better suited to 5 or 6". Bopara shouldn't have played the shot he did today in the situation. IMO somebody with the correct approach for a Test number 3 would not have played such a shot.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
Personally, I think blaming his batting position is a bit of a cop-out. He hasn't looked like he's out of position to me; he's just looked terrible. Much as he did against Sri Lanka when he batted #6, funnily enough.
 

Jarquis

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I'm not blaming his batting position, "the looks better suited to 5 or 6" is a line banded about by the commentary team quite often tbh. I don't agree with it. I don't think he would look a Test class batsmen anywhere he bats. On the prinicple I don't believe him to be a Test quality batsman.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
I'm not blaming his batting position, "the looks better suited to 5 or 6" is a line banded about by the commentary team quite often tbh. I don't agree with it. I don't think he would look a Test class batsmen anywhere he bats. On the prinicple I don't believe him to be a Test quality batsman.
I didn't quote your post; mine wasn't directed at you specifically.
 

Scaly piscine

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Yea Bopara is just ****. End of story. Mentally feeble and has a bad technique. Oh and he likes to hit shots at head-height through the infield.

Recipe for a totally abject Test batsman.
 

NUFAN

Y no Afghanistan flag
I'm not usually one that likes taking away a players good performances, but with Bopara if you look at his combined stats against Australia and Sri Lanka he has made 147 runs @ 13.36.
 

Son Of Coco

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Unless of course they are a genuine number 3?
I wouldn't mind Joyce being there tbh. Just find it interesting that everybody we try there "looks better suited to 5 or 6". Bopara shouldn't have played the shot he did today in the situation. IMO somebody with the correct approach for a Test number 3 would not have played such a shot.
I wouldn't even call it 'a shot'. It's like he just puts his bat out there at an angle in a vain attempt to stop the ball. Looks weird, and he's done it twice this series now.
 

Uppercut

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Michael Vaughan's form over the past 4 years would suggest he wasn't a world class cricketer at all.
Not sure what that has to do with price of milk but on the point of Vaughan, he had a great tour of Australia and he built a faux reputation of a world class batsman on that.
Yeah, was going to say something like that too. Vaughan's form over the past four years would suggest that he wasn't a world class cricketer because... he wasn't a world class cricketer. Mediocre batsman, or "solid batsman" if you want to spin it that way.

Excellent captain though.
 

JBH001

International Regular
Personally, I think blaming his batting position is a bit of a cop-out. He hasn't looked like he's out of position to me; he's just looked terrible. Much as he did against Sri Lanka when he batted #6, funnily enough.
Agreed. Not there technically, not there mentally. Just ****.

Still, assuming as looks likely, that the series is all square at the Oval, who comes in at #3? Certainly not Bell, I dont think Colly is upto it. Is there a case for come back Tresco all is forgiven - at least for one test?
 

morgieb

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Agreed. Not there technically, not there mentally. Just ****.

Still, assuming as looks likely, that the series is all square at the Oval, who comes in at #3? Certainly not Bell, I dont think Colly is upto it. Is there a case for come back Tresco all is forgiven - at least for one test?
Nah. Joyce & Trott seem the favorites.
 

Jakester1288

International Regular
Is there a case for come back Tresco all is forgiven - at least for one test?
He said that is England were in dire jeopardy he would come back for a one off Test match if needed, I am pretty sure he was mainly talking about injuries.
 

Jakester1288

International Regular
On the topic of the thread, he is rubbish. A few tons against West Indies isn't that impressive. I'm surprised England persisted with him after 3 games - I'd much rather see Bopara coming in than Shah from an Australian perspective.
 

whoami

Cricket Spectator
Micheal Carberry

I think Micheal Carberry has a solid technique for Test cricket, Graham Thorpe thinks so too. He could take Cookes place or bat at 3.
Also i think Joyce is developing well, if he keeps getting big scores like the 180 odd he got this week he should get picked.
i've never rated Collingwood, ye he battles well but if he gets in early and the ball is swinging he gets out everytime. I'd replace him with Trott, i know that will never happen cos they love Colly in the dressing room.
 

Craig

World Traveller
Personally, I think blaming his batting position is a bit of a cop-out. He hasn't looked like he's out of position to me; he's just looked terrible. Much as he did against Sri Lanka when he batted #6, funnily enough.
Can you do us a favour and get on the next plane to England and tell Shane Warne that? He is almost becoming OCD on talking about how Bopara is batting out of position.
 

whoami

Cricket Spectator
Warne actually said he doesn't think Bopara has the mental attitude for Test cricket. He said he wont make an impact and he hasn't.
 

pup11

International Coach
Earnt it by being dropped and then cashing in against an abject West Indian side. Four tests against a misfiring Australian attack is ample proof that he isn't an international number 3.
He just isn't a test batsman for me atm, a lot of people think pushing him down to no.6 from no.3 would solve all his problem, but with a technique like his, he would be found out very quickly against most bowling attacks irrespective where he bats.

Won't deny that he has some potential, but he needs to develop a better defensive technique first, and therefore he needs to go back to Essex and work on his game, but the problem with England is, that his replacements probably aren't any better than him either (maybe Rob Key is the only exception).
 

whoami

Cricket Spectator
Well if he thinks he lacks it mentally, it is obvious he shouldn't be batting at 3 in the ashes.

How do u quote like that?

Sorry i'm a noob.
 

whoami

Cricket Spectator
Joyce and Carberry would do a better job, Carberry is solid defensively. I haven't seen much of Trott and Rob Key has had a miserable season, he made 270 odd a week ago but before that he couldn't score over 10 :/
 

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