Pietersen gets the nod

[FaaipDeOiad]

Could draw a similar comparison with McGrath, GIllespie, Kaspa and Warne!

Except in that case, there is a good reason to change it, being that Lee is in tremendous form and is troubling England's top order, and has performed consistently at each opportunity for a year without getting a chance, and that Gillespie and Kasprowicz are well below their best, and haven't performed since the tests at home during the summer.

 

[tooextracool]

Thorpe has scored 168 runs in 9 innings for Surrey this season..Peitersen hasnt been brilliant and yet has scored 2 hundreds in FC cricket and has shown that he can be damned good vs Australia already this year ..and he is scoring his FC runs at one hell of a rate

marcus trescothick has scores of 21,20,4,18,11 & 22 for somerset this season. hes continually been rubbish against australia this summer & for his entire career and yet his place is beyond dispute. where is the sense in that?

 

[marc71178]

The only thing that could make this selection correct IMO is if Thorpe is injured.

I'd actually go as far as to suggest he's not now our first choice reserve.

 

[BoyBrumby]

FWIW I'd have KP & Thorpe in my XI. Bell would be the unlucky man.

However, I think it's a brave call made for the right reasons. Completely different sport I know, but Sir Clive Woodward put his faith in the old guard in the first test v The All Blacks & we all know how that worked out for him.

I do agree with TEC that a 5, 6, 7 & 8 of Pietersen, Flintoff, Jones (G) & Giles looks a bit worrying tho. Big Dunc & co have made a pro-active decision, but let's hope they aren't making a reactive one later in the series.

 

[tooextracool]

and yet both Trescothick and Strauss have shown hints of great form in the one dayers vs Australia..

im sorry what?
strauss had scores of 16,3, 25,2, 41, 11, 36 in 7 ODIs this summer
tresco likewise failed in all bar 1 inning where he got 2 lives.
both of them have had technical flaws exposed.
how in the world is that showing hints of great form?

 

[aussie]

Could draw a similar comparison with McGrath, GIllespie, Kaspa and Warne!

but in Australia's case their is a pretty darn good reason to change it.

 

[Barney Rubble]

ahh the whos who of cricket. throw in tresco and strauss and could it be possible to have a more unproven side?

On the plus side, all of them have a point to prove - extra motivation, as if any was needed. I'm ever the optimist, as you may have guessed from that comment.

All together now - "....open up my eager eyes, 'cause I'm Mr Brightside".

 

[PY]

im sorry what?
strauss had scores of 16,3, 25,2, 41, 11, 36 in 7 ODIs this summer
tresco likewise failed in all bar 1 inning where he got 2 lives.
both of them have had technical flaws exposed.
how in the world is that showing hints of great form?

I think he includes Bangles (whereas you obviously don't) where Strauss scored 82*, 152 and 98.

I don't think Strauss has become a bad player with big flaws just yet. He just needs some form and I'm confident because he doesn't have to play his shots in Tests where he has been dragging on a couple of times trying to play the cut too close to his body to score at a rate ODI require..

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I think he includes Bangles (whereas you obviously don't) where Strauss scored 82*, 152 and 98.

I don't think Strauss has become a bad player with big flaws just yet. He just needs some form and I'm confident because he doesn't have to play his shots in Tests where he has been dragging on a couple of times trying to play the cut too close to his body to score at a rate ODI require..

Strauss certainly isn't a bad player, he just has one massive and easily exploitable technical flaw. If he overcomes that he will be a quality test opener.

 

[kendall]

Yea that's the way I see it, England have gone into previous Ashes series with guys who are injury doubts and been burnt badly with them then pulling out and destabilizing the team. I don't think it's worth it to play Thorpe for 1-2 Tests than have to replace him.

I realise Thorpe has been strugiling but just as pieterson has been he has been declared fit and came through his last county match. The fact is England simply cant afford not too have Thorpe in the side

 

[PY]

Strauss certainly isn't a bad player, he just has one massive and easily exploitable technical flaw. If he overcomes that he will be a quality test opener.

The reason I said what I said was because I didn't see this flaw in South Africa or on any of the previous series. Granted, McGrath et al are probably a fair bit better than any of the other attacks but still, I don't think it's as big a problem as people are making out.

I'm willing to be corrected though if he is majorly caught out all series.

 

[Langeveldt]

Almost on cue when he was on the news, mum shouted "Speak English!" and dad shouted "Get a hair cut!"

Now I am in the dilemma of who to support, while I obviously want England to do well this summer, how can I support a team with him in?

 

[kendall]

The fact that Thorpe is fit too play in the c and g quater final and piterson is not shows that fitness is not the reason.

 

[sledger]

giles is not a proper spinner he is a second rate bowler
england need to raise and nuture a yoiung leggie

and then who would be the spinner for the side? A KP and Vaughn spin attack would be completely innefective and that would be even more of a selection blunder than picking pietersen over thorpe. Personally i think giles potentially will play a big role this summer.

 

[Arrow]

Bad move. England need a stabilizing player in their middle order to counter the inevitable collapses that will occur. Pietersen is not that type of player and neither is Flintoff. They can both be cleaned up for single figues quite easily. They should of kept their rock.
The aussie bowlers will be licking their lips no doubt
Im sure Pietersen will fire once or twice and loook great but he will fail the rest of the time.

 

[sledger]

i have to say that i rather fear that what arrow has said will come true.

 

[greg]

Predicting that on occasion england will be 20-3 is not a negative, pessimistic attitude. It is an inevitable consequence of the attacking attitude that England's upper order have taken for the last few years with such success. (as on occasion have Australia). Knowing that you have the players to recover from such situations gives them a freedom to play their shots that they might not otherwise have.

 

[greg]

I meant Australia have occasionally found themselves 3 (or more!) down for not much, not they have occasionally taken an attacking attitude

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Predicting that on occasion england will be 20-3 is not a negative, pessimistic attitude. It is an inevitable consequence of the attacking attitude that England's upper order have taken for the last few years with such success. (as on occasion have Australia). Knowing that you have the players to recover from such situations gives them a freedom to play their shots that they might not otherwise have.

I'm not sure they will have that to rely on now. Bell, Pietersen, Flintoff, Jones?

 

[Swervy]

If the middle order of Pietersen,Flintoff,Bell and Jones fire, you may well be looking at one of the most destructive middle orders in world cricket of the last 20 years.

You cant keep relying on the old guard. I think the selectors have made a positive statement by selecting both KP and bell