*Official* Fourth Test at the MCG

[Woodster]

Originally Posted by Marcuss

Hey, it's far far far more than anything Morgan's managed in the FC game. The same Division 2 runs where he averaged 22(?) last season?
Also the small matter than until 2009 really, Hildreth never scored away from Taunton.

All have their limitations but Taylor's likely to have the best career of them.

Taylor will also inevitably suffer a slump at some point in his CC career, one that he may have to go through before he reaches Test cricket.

Morgan was not selected for England on the strength of an outstanding domestic first-class career though. They clearly saw something in him and expect him to step up his game when he plays Test cricket, but I'm sure they won't follow that process for all selections.

Hildreth is now a more complete performer than he was when he used to cash in at Taunton solely.

Taylor may have the best career, we won't know that for some time yet though, that doesn't mean to say they just throw him in. How he's handled and when he's picked will contribute to how successful he can be.

[grecian]

Not displeased really, good news it's reversing.

Oh and Marcuss, Burgey is right about you.

Hildreth made big changes to his technique last year. I don't really get the "talent", bit of Taylor, horrible to watch, and looks fairly limited. He's plenty young enough, why do we need to rush him into the team?

[Woodster]

Originally Posted by pskov

Hildreth averages 41.12 away from Taunton over the last two seasons.

Averaged 57.70 away from Taunton in 2010.

[Marcuss]

Originally Posted by Woodster

Taylor will also inevitably suffer a slump at some point in his CC career, one that he may have to go through before he reaches Test cricket.

Morgan was not selected for England on the strength of an outstanding domestic first-class career though. They clearly saw something in him and expect him to step up his game when he plays Test cricket, but I'm sure they won't follow that process for all selections.

Hildreth is now a more complete performer than he was when he used to cash in at Taunton solely.

Taylor may have the best career, we won't know that for some time yet though, that doesn't mean to say they just throw him in. How he's handled and when he's picked will contribute to how successful he can be.

Originally Posted by grecian

Not displeased really, good news it's reversing.

Oh and Marcuss, Burgey is right about you.

Hildreth made big changes to his technique last year. I don't really get the "talent", bit of Taylor, horrible to watch, and looks fairly limited. He's plenty young enough, why do we need to rush him into the team?

Look, I'm a big Hildreth fan.
But people criticise Taylor for only scoring runs in 2 seasons and for scoring in Division 2.
Well Hildreth has only scored away from home in 1 season and Morgan can't buy a run in Division 2.
I get why Morgan was picked (though I disagree with the reasoning) and I get why people might prefer Hildreth.
I'm not saying play Taylor and don't drop him for 10 years, I'm saying give the guy a chance.
If Hildreth starts the season in crash hot form and Taylor doesn't then the pendulum should swing that way.

However, if Morgan doesn't play and FC cricket in the early season and is then picked for the SL series I'll be ropeable,

[grecian]

Originally Posted by Marcuss

Look, I'm a big Hildreth fan.
But people criticise Taylor for only scoring runs in 2 seasons and for scoring in Division 2.
Well Hildreth has only scored away from home in 1 season and Morgan can't buy a run in Division 2.
I get why Morgan was picked (though I disagree with the reasoning) and I get why people might prefer Hildreth.
I'm not saying play Taylor and don't drop him for 10 years, I'm saying give the guy a chance.
If Hildreth starts the season in crash hot form and Taylor doesn't then the pendulum should swing that way.

However, if Morgan doesn't play and FC cricket in the early season and is then picked for the SL series I'll be ropeable,

Well you can equally say give Hildreth a chance, not sure why Taylor is as ahead in the pecking order as you say. I think a lot of us are agreed that Morgan shouldn't be anywhere near though.

[Woodster]

Originally Posted by Marcuss

Look, I'm a big Hildreth fan.
But people criticise Taylor for only scoring runs in 2 seasons and for scoring in Division 2.
Well Hildreth has only scored away from home in 1 season and Morgan can't buy a run in Division 2.
I get why Morgan was picked (though I disagree with the reasoning) and I get why people might prefer Hildreth.
I'm not saying play Taylor and don't drop him for 10 years, I'm saying give the guy a chance.
If Hildreth starts the season in crash hot form and Taylor doesn't then the pendulum should swing that way.

However, if Morgan doesn't play and FC cricket in the early season and is then picked for the SL series I'll be ropeable,

Hildreth is a much more complete batsman now with the requisite experience to deal with the things he'll face in Test cricket. If we were low on options or Taylor really was an unbelievable talent he simply could not be ignored, then maybe give him a go in the Test side, but as Grecian says, we don't need to rush him to hinder his development by having him compete at a standard he probably would not be ready for just yet.

Of course we don't know how Taylor would do if he was thrown in, but if he is going to be a top player, it's a risk that is not worth taking just yet for me.

Hildreth was also eulogised about in a similar way to Taylor and had they thrown him in a few years ago, it's likely he'd have failed. They will get a much better Hildreth if he gets selected in the future. Sometimes patience is key with young batsmen.

[KiWiNiNjA]

I would've liked to see Strauss declare when Swann got out.

[Howe_zat]

Originally Posted by Marcuss

However, if Morgan doesn't play and FC cricket in the early season and is then picked for the SL series I'll be ropeable,

<click>

Hello Eoin...Yes, it's your agent... Listen, you need to pick your priorities for the early season. Either you can go to India, all expenses paid, get a fat wad of cash and spend six weeks sitting on the bench watching some T20, or you can stay in the 2nd division, play all day for 25 days or so and potentially embarass yourself and lose your England place. So, er... Eoin...? Hello...?

<click>

[Marcuss]

Originally Posted by grecian

Well you can equally say give Hildreth a chance, not sure why Taylor is as ahead in the pecking order as you say. I think a lot of us are agreed that Morgan shouldn't be anywhere near though.

Originally Posted by Marcuss

Look, I'm a big Hildreth fan.
But people criticise Taylor for only scoring runs in 2 seasons and for scoring in Division 2.
Well Hildreth has only scored away from home in 1 season and Morgan can't buy a run in Division 2.
I get why Morgan was picked (though I disagree with the reasoning) and I get why people might prefer Hildreth.
I'm not saying play Taylor and don't drop him for 10 years, I'm saying give the guy a chance.
If Hildreth starts the season in crash hot form and Taylor doesn't then the pendulum should swing that way.

However, if Morgan doesn't play and FC cricket in the early season and is then picked for the SL series I'll be ropeable,

tbh

[GingerFurball]

Originally Posted by grecian

Hildreth made big changes to his technique last year. I don't really get the "talent", bit of Taylor, horrible to watch, and looks fairly limited. He's plenty young enough, why do we need to rush him into the team?

Because a slot in the batting line up should open up with Collingwood's woeful form, and with your top 5 in good form a home series in Sri Lanka should be an ideal time to blood a young player who you might ear-mark for England honours in the future, whether that's Taylor, Hildreth, Morgan or AN Other.

There's a dearth of English batsmen with any sort of Test experience outwith the current incumbents in the top 6. If you look at Steve Finn, you would imagine that once Broad returns, injury permitting our seam attack will be Anderson-Tremlett-Broad. Finn can go away with the Lions to the West Indies and go back to county cricket and work on the issues that have arisen on this tour, and become a better player for it - but not only would he potentially come back a better player, he'd come into the side as a player with a bit of Test experience and also close to 50 wickets already under his belt.

[Woodster]

Originally Posted by Howe_zat

<click>

Hello Eoin...Yes, it's your agent... Listen, you need to pick your priorities for the early season. Either you can go to India, all expenses paid, get a fat wad of cash and spend six weeks sitting on the bench watching some T20, or you can stay in the 2nd division, play all day for 25 days or so and potentially embarass yourself and lose your England place. So, er... Eoin...? Hello...?

<click>

When you put it like that, the early season spicy pitches in -10 degree temperatures sounds pretty appealing doesn't it ??

[grecian]

Originally Posted by Marcuss

tbh

Yep, but you've failed to explain why that course of events is needed, before Hildreth gets ahead

[Ausage]

Warne is still so awesome.

[Marcuss]

Originally Posted by Woodster

Hildreth is a much more complete batsman now with the requisite experience to deal with the things he'll face in Test cricket. If we were low on options or Taylor really was an unbelievable talent he simply could not be ignored, then maybe give him a go in the Test side, but as Grecian says, we don't need to rush him to hinder his development by having him compete at a standard he probably would not be ready for just yet.

Of course we don't know how Taylor would do if he was thrown in, but if he is going to be a top player, it's a risk that is not worth taking just yet for me.

Hildreth was also eulogised about in a similar way to Taylor and had they thrown him in a few years ago, it's likely he'd have failed. They will get a much better Hildreth if he gets selected in the future. Sometimes patience is key with young batsmen.

And sometimes it isn't. Neither Hildreth or Taylor have played any Test cricket and their County records aren't too dissimilar. There's nothing clear cut to suggest that Hildreth will fare better other than the idea that he's played a few more games. There's nothing to lose from picking Taylor IMO.
If it doesn't work, it doesn't work and he's got a load of time on his side to go back to County cricket and earn his way back into the side. I just feel he's got more potential than Hildreth and giving him a chance won't hurt.

Yeah, sometimes patience can work and other times it means you miss out on 3 or 4 years of a quality batsman.

[Marcuss]

Originally Posted by Howe_zat

<click>

Hello Eoin...Yes, it's your agent... Listen, you need to pick your priorities for the early season. Either you can go to India, all expenses paid, get a fat wad of cash and spend six weeks sitting on the bench watching some T20, or you can stay in the 2nd division, play all day for 25 days or so and potentially embarass yourself and lose your England place. So, er... Eoin...? Hello...?

<click>

I didn't say I'd be ropeable with Morgan. I'd do the same thing.
I don't think I could honestly expect to be picked in the Test side if Hildreth went and blitzed 600 runs in the early part of the season though.