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England's Batting Unit - What Now ?

Woodster

International Captain
The fact this Ashes series is already over for England after just 14 days of cricket is not solely down to the poor collective performances of the batsmen but it has gone a long way to ending this series as a contest far too prematurely than it should have been. It would also be remiss to focus purely on the incompetence of the batting unit without paying sufficient credit to an excellent, aggressive, and disciplined Australian attack.

But the batsmen have to be accountable for what has been a woeful effort on some very good batting pitches. First innings totals of 136, 172 and 251 were clearly way off what was considered good totals especially in response to scores of 295, 570-9 dec, and 385 that Australia registered in the opening innings of each Test when at times finding themselves in a less than positive position. Ben Stokes has been the only Englishman to reach three figures in response to seven centuries scored by the Aussies by five different players.

So is it drastic changes that need to be made or is it no time for panic and a little perspective required ? I generally favour the latter of these options, although I have been majorly worried by some of the situations that have developed on this tour. At times the shambolic fielding and lack of fight has been a real cause for concern, even the very tame dismissals throughout the order makes me think a more serious course of action would not be an overreaction.

So to look at the top seven from the Perth line-up, what changes, if any, should be made, going forward.

1. Cook - A very tough series so far for Cook, averaging just 25.66 on the back of another poor Ashes series at home means the pressure on Cook will intensify. But this is an England batsmen that will likely join the list of greats ever to represent England. His captaincy is a work in progress and I don't think he has been particularly bad in this regard in this series, he does clearly need to improve in areas such as attacking the opposition when the opportunity arises, but he does need time. His batting will come back, he has showed glimpses in this series, his batting makes him a certainty to retain his position at the top of the order but his captaincy will need to develop or further scrutiny will ensue. He remains the best option for leading this team.
2. Carberry - Has showed he can mix it at the highest level, plays the ball late and looks to have an abundance of time even when playing Johnson. Can be more proactive when he looks to use his feet against the slower bowlers but has at times got stuck with pace off the ball. His catching has not lived up to the lofty standards he has set himself in the field and the big score he so desperately needs in Test cricket has so far eluded him. With two Tests to go he needs a big hundred to earn another go in Test cricket and at 33 he's not a long-term option and needs success to come quickly.
3. Root - Not been ideal for him to have been shuffled around in the batting order but he has shown his versatility. I hoped they would stick with him at the top of the order before this series started but due to Carberry's excellent tour game form and the vacancy at number six, I can understand why he was dropped down. Ian Bell should be batting at three and despite some tame dismissals for Root he has again shown enough to suggest he's going to be around for a very long time. What position long-term is still up for debate, but at this moment in time I don't think it should be at number three.
4. Pietersen Can generate incredible excitement and frustrate in similar amounts. KP has been nowhere near at the level he would have wanted to have been at so far this series. He's a matchwinner and this remains his biggest asset and why England will continue with him providing his knee is fully fit and he maintains the hunger required. He loves delivering when in the spotlight but that has dwindled on this tour and he must cash in big style in the lesser series. 2013 average - 33.57, so far below the mark of what is expected of him.
5. Bell - For me the standout batsman in this England side and time he was given the responsibility of batting at three and building a batting unit around him. Simple as. Only batsman averaging over 40 in Test cricket in 2013 for England (taking into account those that have played more than a couple of Tests)
6. Stokes - Stunning effort at Perth for a man in just his second Test and has shown real potential with both bat and ball. Still probably a spot too high for me at six, but Prior's form has meant he has been thrown in there, and how he delivered. Certainly a player to stick with going forward.
7. Prior - Poor form with the bat has spilled over into his keeping and will be under serious pressure to deliver in Melbourne and Sydney if given the chance. As VC I'd expect they stick with him and probably has enough credit to persist with him, but an average of 31.26 in 2013 not good enough for a man that has set standards so much higher than that.

Of course then there's Jon Trott, the cool, focused, composed Trott is what we have missed so massively. Unfortunately I expect he'll be missing for some time, but hopefully he is recovering.

This series has served up many more questions for the future Tests than it has answered of any of the concerns prior to the Brisbane Test. For me Cook and Bell have to be the only absolute certainties in which to build this batting unit around.

Thoughts ?
 

Burgey

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You need another middle order player with a few gears and who can rotate the strike regularly.

And on KP, to whom I'm biased because I love the way he plays, Kerry O'Keeffe summed it up pretty well - that's the price you buy him at. You've got he and Bell who IMO should be locks in that middle order, but maybe KP's spot should be six these days. Bell to four and someone like Ballance in at five.

I've not seen much of Ballance tbh but he seems to have big wraps on him.

Stokes has sudden to become important hasn't he? In the medium to long term, if he could develop into a proper third seamer he could bat seven with Prior or another keeper (if you're thinking that way) at eight, then Broad.

It would be some line up IMO.
 
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fredfertang

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Nothing wrong with the batting unit really - KP needs an Alex Ferguson figure to give the hair dryer treatment, Bell needs a tad more luck and the rest just need to face some pie throwers
 

Woodster

International Captain
Nothing wrong with the batting unit really - KP needs an Alex Ferguson figure to give the hair dryer treatment, Bell needs a tad more luck and the rest just need to face some pie throwers
So you're happy to brush these recent performances off along with much of what happened in 2013 as simply a blip ? That's fair enough I'm not necessarily suggesting changes in personnel must happen but imo some things have to change.
 
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flibbertyjibber

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I've said elsewhere KP needs his knee sorting, when he is carrying an injury he always bats in a frenzy and more often than not gives it away stupidly so he either gets it sorted or goes.

Carberry is only a short term measure and Root may have to return to open to make room for Ballance with Bell going to 3 (if KP is fit of course) as we wouldn't want a 4-5-6 of Ballance, Bairstow/Taylor and Stokes.
 

fredfertang

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
So you're happy to brush these recent performances off along with much of what happened in 2013 as simply a blip ? That's fair enough I'm not necessarily suggesting changes in personnel must happen but imo some things have to change.
Not so much a blip as they've been found wanting under pressure, so they need to work out how to handle that - KP has a different lesson to learn
 

Woodster

International Captain
I've said elsewhere KP needs his knee sorting, when he is carrying an injury he always bats in a frenzy and more often than not gives it away stupidly so he either gets it sorted or goes.

Carberry is only a short term measure and Root may have to return to open to make room for Ballance with Bell going to 3 (if KP is fit of course) as we wouldn't want a 4-5-6 of Ballance, Bairstow/Taylor and Stokes.
Yes not knowing the extent of KP's knee issues I'm not sure how much it has genuinely hindered him. I think there are other factors with KP that should also be addressed, e.g. if his desire to play and succeed in Test cricket still exists. I cannot imagine his work ethic can be questioned though.

I think it depends where the selectors see our stronger options, do we have better middle order players available than openers ? If so we can push Root up top and fill in with the likes of Balance or Taylor, etc, or do we stick Root in the middle order and maybe use Compton or Chopra at the top if Carberry doesn't convince. If Root is seen as the long-term opener then should we be sticking him in there and ensuring his game develops as an opener.

Also would like to see Prior up to six once he finds his form with Stokes down a spot at seven.
 

Woodster

International Captain
Not so much a blip as they've been found wanting under pressure, so they need to work out how to handle that - KP has a different lesson to learn
So it's more a temperament issues ? Which could be cause for more concern cos the two lads that have handled that as well as anyone is Root and Stokes, the juniors of the side.
 

jonbrooks

International Debutant
The experienced English batsmen all appear to be horribly out of form. Cook, Bell, KP and Prior, you'd have expected at least one of them to have fired in the 6 innings played to date.

I'm going to make a bold prediction here. Expect to see a different English team in the last two Ashes matches.
 

steds

Hall of Fame Member
The experienced English batsmen all appear to be horribly out of form. Cook, Bell, KP and Prior, you'd have expected at least one of them to have fired in the 6 innings played to date.
Ummm... first innings at Adelaide. Played decently in both innings of this Test and all.
 

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