Why do England struggle to produce undisputedly great players?

[Shri]

try harder

Or not.

 

[BoyBrumby]

It may just be that I notice it more because I see a lot more of England's tests than other nations, but we do seem to have a habit of coaxing worldy performances from otherwise unremarkable players who then shrug their shoulders and shuffle off back to the footnotes of posterity.

Off the top of my head I can think of Dicky Ellison's series winning cameo in 85, Chris Broad's hat trick of tons in the 86/87 Ashes, Tremlett & Bresnan running through the Aussies in Melbourne and Sydney in 10/11 and Moeen's best Jim Laker impression in 2014.

Whether it's a problem of sustaining excellence or players rising to the occasion is another question, but it is food for thought.

 

[GIMH]

It may just be that I notice it more because I see a lot more of England's tests than other nations, but we do seem to have a habit of coaxing worldy performances from otherwise unremarkable players who then shrug their shoulders and shuffle off back to the footnotes of posterity.

Off the top of my head I can think of Dicky Ellison's series winning cameo in 85, Chris Broad's hat trick of tons in the 86/87 Ashes, Tremlett & Bresnan running through the Aussies in Melbourne and Sydney in 10/11 and Moeen's best Jim Laker impression in 2014.

Whether it's a problem of sustaining excellence or players rising to the occasion is another question, but it is food for thought.

Good post, but what does your favourite breakfast consist of?

 

[listento_me]

It may just be that I notice it more because I see a lot more of England's tests than other nations, but we do seem to have a habit of coaxing worldy performances from otherwise unremarkable players who then shrug their shoulders and shuffle off back to the footnotes of posterity.

Off the top of my head I can think of Dicky Ellison's series winning cameo in 85, Chris Broad's hat trick of tons in the 86/87 Ashes, Tremlett & Bresnan running through the Aussies in Melbourne and Sydney in 10/11 and Moeen's best Jim Laker impression in 2014.

Whether it's a problem of sustaining excellence or players rising to the occasion is another question, but it is food for thought.

Definitely something to think about.

With regards to Ali, he just isn't a front line spinner. This is a guy who is a good, even very good batsman who should be played as such, with a part time take on bowling. In the majority of tests and ODIs, he has been treated as the reverse.

This also reminds me of Boparas hat trick of centuries against the Windies and how poorly he was used thereafter, dropped, selected, repeat and then with familial issues he wasn't around for a while. I feel England have poorly handled decent players at times, who could have gone on to become better. They made a habit of it while I grew up in the 90s and early 00s. It's a lot better now.

 

[marc71178]

Bopara was a spud and has never been anything but that. The only bad way about how he was treated was in selecting him in the first place.