England's Openers for the ODI's

[Bob Bamber]

Read this article on The Guardian's website by Vic Marks , mainly concerning the opening partnership. And given the personnel even choosing the (Peter Moores) logical choices still brings up an issue , as Cook/Bell/Wright/Prior have all opened.

I would suggest its going to be Prior and Cook. With Bell 3 , Pietersen 4 and so on.

Just wondering whether you think they'll line up any different. This is more aimed at the ODI's , as I'd expect it'd be Prior + Bell/Wright in the Twenty20 game.

 

[GIMH]

Might as well have KP open as if you have Prior, Wright etc, then he's usually in in the first few overs anyway, and if you open with Bell & Cook there is always the chance he won't come in until the 15th over but that we'll be something like 35-1

 

[Jungle Jumbo]

Prior will do his usual miscue to midwicket for 15 or so. We've been there before, no reason to see it happen again. Shah appears likely to open after his role in the Lions games, so I'd go with Shah and Bell or Shah and Cook, should Bell bat three.

 

[GIMH]

You get deja vu with the ODI side don't you? It's all well and good doing things in four-year cycles, but this side is already looking fairly different to the one that played V India last summer, and things will undoubtedly change again over the winter and next summer. Pick a couple of openers and back the ****s.

 

[tooextracool]

If the England selectors and management were capable of making a move that would suggest some serious thought and real positive intent, they would open with Flintoff and Bell.

Flintoff
Bell
Bopara
Pietersen
Shah
Patel
Prior
Swann
Sidebottom
Broad
Anderson?

 

[tooextracool]

Prior will do his usual miscue to midwicket for 15 or so. We've been there before, no reason to see it happen again. Shah appears likely to open after his role in the Lions games, so I'd go with Shah and Bell or Shah and Cook, should Bell bat three.

Shah does not have the technique to open.

 

[TheEpic]

Shah does not have the technique to open.

Neither does Flintoff.

 

[tooextracool]

Thats arguable. Flintoff is a very poor player of spin, even part time spin when he first comes in. He is most likely to be facing this type of bowling if he comes into bat at number 5 or 6. Personally, the only flaw I see in Flintoff's technique is that he often plays with hard hands, which sometimes sees him edging to slip and also results in his problems against spin. However, I firmly believe that Flintoff has the ability to offer more at the top of the order than anyone since Trescothick. Its worth a punt, definetly over someone like Shah whos always been characterised as a rather nervous starter.

 

[Zinzan]

If the England selectors and management were capable of making a move that would suggest some serious thought and real positive intent, they would open with Flintoff and Bell.

Flintoff
Bell
Bopara
Pietersen
Shah
Patel
Prior
Swann
Sidebottom
Broad
Anderson?

Would be very surprised if Flintoff made a success of opening in ODIs.

 

[Arjun]

No more of bits-and-pieces players, please! It's time England got back to opening with genuine openers, however 'Test-class' they may be.

 

[Goughy]

Its an interresting article as he makes a good point with the key issue about the lack of openers. However, it is framed by some pretty rose tinted stuff. England and SA closely matched player for player in ODIs? C'mon, that is not right. Prior and Shah shuccessful ODI players? Nah.

England are a poor OD team. The opening issue is part of it and has been for a long time, but it goes deeper than just that.

 

[wpdavid]

A keeper averaging 20 at the top of the order may well be the least bad option right now, probably partnered by Bell. Fred wouldn't last 10 minutes against Steyn & Morkel with the new ball, and neither, I suspect would Shah. Given the players in the squad & Sidebottom's current level of fitness, that leaves us with something like:
Prior
Bell
KP
Bopara
Shah
Patel
Flintoff
Wright or Mascarenhas
Swann
Broad
Anderson

 

[Goughy]

A keeper averaging 20 at the top of the order may well be the least bad option right now, probably partnered by Bell. Fred wouldn't last 10 minutes against Steyn & Morkel with the new ball, and neither, I suspect would Shah. Given the players in the squad & Sidebottom's current level of fitness, that leaves us with something like:
Prior
Bell
KP
Bopara
Shah
Patel
Flintoff
Wright or Mascarenhas
Swann
Broad
Anderson

Given that line-up above, Id take Mascarenhas over Wright.

Cant see Wright impacting too many games at 8 and Mascarenhas is the far more reliable bowler. If Wright was selected then that team would have 4 bowlers and a group of guys to fill in as the 5th or to replace a front line bowler that is bowling poorly.

That would be a worry for me.

Though if I was taking the above line up then I would drop a batsman, add a specialist bowler and play Wright ahead of Mascarenhas.

Id be happy with Swann at 8 and Broad at 9 and there would be plenty of bowling options.

 

[NZTailender]

If you're going to have a mediocre batsman who is a keeper opening the batting, may as well pick the least mediocre in Mustard (who is better than Prior in both batting and keeping stakes, imo).

 

[_Ed_]

If you're going to have a mediocre batsman who is a keeper opening the batting, may as well pick the least mediocre in Mustard (who is better than Prior in both batting and keeping stakes, imo).

AWTA. Looked decent at times in the NZ tour.

 

[wpdavid]

If you're going to have a mediocre batsman who is a keeper opening the batting, may as well pick the least mediocre in Mustard (who is better than Prior in both batting and keeping stakes, imo).

Agreed, but I was only using players in the current squad.

 

[Goughy]

If you're going to have a mediocre batsman who is a keeper opening the batting, may as well pick the least mediocre in Mustard (who is better than Prior in both batting and keeping stakes, imo).

AWTA. Looked decent at times in the NZ tour.

Agreed, but I was only using players in the current squad.

Wow Mustard love.

I wouldnt have him close to the squad but thats just me.

 

[wpdavid]

Given that line-up above, Id take Mascarenhas over Wright.

Cant see Wright impacting too many games at 8 and Mascarenhas is the far more reliable bowler. If Wright was selected then that team would have 4 bowlers and a group of guys to fill in as the 5th or to replace a front line bowler that is bowling poorly.

That would be a worry for me.

Though if I was taking the above line up then I would drop a batsman, add a specialist bowler and play Wright ahead of Mascarenhas.

Id be happy with Swann at 8 and Broad at 9 and there would be plenty of bowling options.

You've got more faith in the batters than I have. My lineup would have more bowling cover when Collingwood returns: as it stands, we're relying on Bopara as a 6th option. That's not perfect, but a batsman less would worry me even more. I'm trying to remember which other bowlers are in the squad apart from Tremlett, who I don't rate.

 

[Goughy]

You've got more faith in the batters than I have. My lineup would have more bowling cover when Collingwood returns: as it stands, we're relying on Bopara as a 6th option. That's not perfect, but a batsman less would worry me even more. I'm trying to remember which other bowlers are in the squad apart from Tremlett, who I don't rate.

If Wright plays who is your 5th option? Wright? The guy that averages 3 overs a game?

In ODI cricket I believe in batting depth as much, if not more than, the next man. However it isnt important after 8. The just isnt enough time for a batsman below 8 to get any batting time over a career.

Swann at 8 and Broad at 9 is plenty as long as the top 7 can all bat. Now we are not the most blessed with talent but 7 bats plus Swann and Broad should be enough to post something reasonable in 50 overs fairly consistently.

 

[wpdavid]

If Wright plays who is your 5th option? Wright? The guy that averages 3 overs a game?

In ODI cricket I believe in batting depth as much, if not more than, the next man. However it isnt important after 8. The just isnt enough time for a batsman below 8 to get any batting time over a career.

Swann at 8 and Broad at 9 is plenty as long as the top 7 can all bat. Now we are not the most blessed with talent but 7 bats plus Swann and Broad should be enough to post something reasonable in 50 overs fairly consistently.

tbh I was persuaded by your comments about playing Mascarenhas instead of Wright

Going back to the bowlers, I gather that Bresnan is our other option. Any thoughts on the lad lately?