CW Draft League

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To be honest, Alec Stewart is good enough to be an opener at the highest level. I'd have another keeper so Alec can do what he does best - stick it to the bowlers.

I agree he's good enough to be an opener at this level.
I also agree he's good enough to be a wicket-keeper at this level.
I disagree he's capable of both at once, at this level.

[marc71178]

I definitely disagree that he's good enough to be a wicket-keeper at this level.

[watson]

I thought watson would pick Jardine

Jardine crossed my mind Andy, but he would upset the balance of the team because with Mushtaq being an allrounder the team needed a top class batsman at No.6 to carry the tail with Alan Knott. I don't rate Jardine as a batsman although he is in the upper echelons as a captain. His average of 48 is an illusion if you step back and look at his scores from a distance. There is simply nothing of note against Australia.

However, in the context of Jager's team he seems to fit very well.

[Jager]

Wilfred Rhodes opened the innings few times not a bad option though I'd give Alec Stewart benefit of doubt

Got Wilfred as a backup waiting. Stewart easily good enough to handle both - I don't know why him keeping is going to add so much pressure. He's a wicketkeeper batsman, batted best while opening and was at home facing pace bowlers

[AndyZaltzHair]

Yeah watson Jardine fits more into Jager's team

I knew Wilfred Rhodes made some contribution opening the innings but just found out he surpassed the expectations. Wilfred Rhodes made 5 half centuries and 2 centuries opening the innings. His two centuries- 179 against Australia and 152 against South Africa

[watson]

Excellent team Watson. Stole my number six though.

I didn't do it on purpose kyear, honest

[watson]

Yeah watson Jardine fits more into Jager's team

I knew Wilfred Rhodes made some contribution opening the innings but just found out he surpassed the expectations. Wilfred Rhodes made 5 half centuries and 2 centuries opening the innings. His two centuries- 179 against Australia and 152 against South Africa

Statsguru tells me that Wilfred averaged 36.72 runs when opening the innings. This isn't bad, but it isn't good either.

Trouble is, if you play Wilfred as an opener then you lose a spinner because he hardly ever bowled when he partnered Jack Hobbs.

I even think that No.8 or 9 is probably too high in the order. All his genius resides in his bowling skills prior to WWI. Back then, he was only vaguely competent with the bat. But what a bowler!

[Jager]

Jardine crossed my mind Andy, but he would upset the balance of the team because with Mushtaq being an allrounder the team needed a top class batsman at No.6 to carry the tail with Alan Knott. I don't rate Jardine as a batsman although he is in the upper echelons as a captain. His average of 48 is an illusion if you step back and look at his scores from a distance. There is simply nothing of note against Australia.

However, in the context of Jager's team he seems to fit very well.

Baffled you don't rate his batting. Average of about 47 in FC cricket with 35 centuries is surely worthy of note

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Just checked and he only opened and kept in the same innings 11 times out of 235, ftr.

Couple of strategies from here for Jager, IMO:

- Find another spinner, use Rhodes as part-time, and open the innings with Rhodes. Move Stewart to 7 and drop Jardine, or weakest middle order.
- Find an opener, keep Rhodes where he is as a bowler, drop Stewart to 7 and drop Jardine, or weakest middle order.
- Keep Stewart opening, recruit another WK to play instead of Jardine, or weakest middle order.
- Drop someone, and replace them with a keeper that kept and opened together.
- Swap the batting positions of Stewart and Jardine.

[Himannv]

To be honest, Alec Stewart is good enough to be an opener at the highest level. I'd have another keeper so Alec can do what he does best - stick it to the bowlers.

If it were up to me I would play him as a wicketkeeper batsman at no. 7 and push Jardine up the order to open. He's done it on a few occasions and started off his career as an opener iirc.

[watson]

Baffled you don't rate his batting. Average of about 47 in FC cricket with 35 centuries is surely worthy of note

It is note worthy, but there is a world of difference between playing Kent at Tumbridge Wells, and fronting up to 4-5 angry Australian bowlers at the MCG on boxing day. At least in the 1930s there was. These days I think I'd rather have the Kent attack.

[Jager]

or I could just choose an opener next round and move him to 7

[Jager]

(and pick two other players that give me maximum versatility)

[watson]

I definitely disagree that he's good enough to be a wicket-keeper at this level.

And I definitely disagree with you definitely disagreeing with someone agreeing with someone else about Stewart being a top notch keeper.

Agreed that he started out as Mr Fumbles, but toward the end of his career he was pretty sharp in my opinion.

[AndyZaltzHair]