• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

Ian Bells Test Debut

Aylott

Cricket Spectator
I thought Ian Bell looked quite handy at no 5, perfect replacement for when Thorpe retires and very Atherton esque.
 

Piper

International Captain
Yeh i thought he did well on his debut, lets just hope he continues the same.
 

Barney Rubble

International Coach
Atherton-esque indeed - can't understand why he wasn't in the Champions Trophy squad, he bowls some useful outswingers and is a sharp fielder as he showed at the Oval - I'd take him over Anthony McGrath any day!
 

BoyBrumby

Englishman
Barney Rubble said:
Atherton-esque indeed - can't understand why he wasn't in the Champions Trophy squad, he bowls some useful outswingers and is a sharp fielder as he showed at the Oval - I'd take him over Anthony McGrath any day!
Totally agree. Inifinitely better batter & fielder than Ant McGrath & his bowling is as least as good.

He should be on the plane to SA too. Short of a century on debut he couldn't have done much more. :(
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Barney Rubble said:
Atherton-esque indeed - can't understand why he wasn't in the Champions Trophy squad, he bowls some useful outswingers and is a sharp fielder as he showed at the Oval - I'd take him over Anthony McGrath any day!
Probably had something to do with his seasonal-one-day-average of 29.
Compared to McGrath's of 40.
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Aylott said:
Im so diasappointed that Bell didnt make the SA tour
I agree with this, though - IMO he's no worse a bowler than Collingwood, and Collingwood's bowling has apparently been a factor in his selection.
Anyone who thinks Collingwood's anywhere near as good a batsman as Bell needs their head examined.
 

steds

Hall of Fame Member
Richard said:
I agree with this, though - IMO he's no worse a bowler than Collingwood, and Collingwood's bowling has apparently been a factor in his selection.
Anyone who thinks Collingwood's anywhere near as good a batsman as Bell needs their head examined.
If I wanted a batsman who's bowling regularly gets tonked, I'd go for Chris Schofield
 

tricky

Cricket Spectator
I never see Schofield bowl any more. I thought he was in the team for his batting. Many times I have seen him play some fantastic innings. What actually happened to his bowling? Also he is a good fielder but only if he could bowl?

Besides coming from Yorkshire, I do think McGrath is a better choice over Bell.
 

steds

Hall of Fame Member
tricky said:
What actually happened to his bowling?
It's still there, but he bowls at least one full toss/half tracker every over. In the past it was probably put down to inexperience, but now Lancashire are sick of his inconsistency and just play him as a batsman.
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
It's good to see Schofield playing for Lancs as a batsman, I've always liked the look of him, even if he is rather unorthodox.
But to even suggest he's an international-class batsman is rather streatching it.
 

steds

Hall of Fame Member
Richard said:
It's good to see Schofield playing for Lancs as a batsman, I've always liked the look of him, even if he is rather unorthodox.
But to even suggest he's an international-class batsman is rather streatching it.
yeah, I know...that's just my bias suggesting that.
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
steds said:
It's still there, but he bowls at least one full toss/half tracker every over. In the past it was probably put down to inexperience, but now Lancashire are sick of his inconsistency and just play him as a batsman.
Personally I'd put it down to the fact that it's very, very hard to bowl wristspin with the neccessary accuracy, that hardly anyone has ever bowled wristspin well, and that Schofield is simply one of many of us mere mortals who aren't special like Warne, Murali, Mushtaq and a few others.
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Chris Schofield in First-Class-cricket this season: 52.50
Chris Schofield in one-day-cricket this season: 32.83
All right, the one-day record isn't exceptional but Schofield is another of these players like Shoaib Malik, who has always seemed to me like a very good batsman who's trapped in a bowler's profile.
Although I don't think Schofield's anywhere near as good as Malik with the bat.
 

Top