***Official*** First Semi-Final: Australia vs. England

[Sanz]

I have feeling that England will win this one.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Me too. Just the sort of thing to happen after we beat them so convincingly in the 7 match series.

 

[aussie]

Wright offers far more than Bopara at this point IMO. Bopara has turned into a self-parody of late.

Boprara regardless of his horrific poor for still is more solid batting option than Wright - which is key reason for retaining him againts that AUS bowling attack. Wright is garbage & too hit & miss.

 

[aussie]

I don't know whether you know this, but Paine opens in OD cricket for Tasmania, so he is not a makeshift opener like Haddin, and given the fact he struggles to find gaps even with the field up in the first 15 overs, it would disastrous to push him into the middle order, because he would struggle even more to maintain a decent strike-rate, so whenever he plays, he just has to open.

Yea i did, but given i never saw him bat until the ENG ODI series, i couldn't say for sure if opening or batting @ 7 was his best role. But yea i guess he would struggle if he batted down there.

 

[pup11]

Me too. Just the sort of thing to happen after we beat them so convincingly in the 7 match series.

That's my worst fear as well, but I'm just hoping we would be clinical enough to win the game tomorrow

 

[Scaly piscine]

Boprara regardless of his horrific poor for still is more solid batting option than Wright - which is key reason for retaining him againts that AUS bowling attack. Wright is garbage & too hit & miss.

Bopara isn't too garbage and too hit & miss? In fact Bopara fails miserably on the 'hit' part of that phrase. Also he basically nods off when he's in the field, so even though he's supposedly a good fielder he performs as bad as anyone.

 

[aussie]

Bopara isn't too garbage and too hit & miss? In fact Bopara fails miserably on the 'hit' part of that phrase. Also he basically nods off when he's in the field, so even though he's supposedly a good fielder he performs as bad as anyone.

Yea Bopara overall hasn't really stepped up in ODIs, he has been very hit & miss. In a perfect world he wouldn't be in the CT squad & Trott should have been picked. But given the options we have i'd much rather Bopara @ 6, Prior @ 7 - instead of Wright.

 

[Faisal1985]

I guess......................it will be 7-1 for Aussies .............

 

[Uppercut]

Wright's a good number seven. If you want someone who can play the death-slogging role and be all hit and no miss you're asking for waaay too much. Average 20, S/R 103 is round about what you want. He's your man.

Dunno about his bowling though.

 

[GIMH]

Boprara regardless of his horrific poor for still is more solid batting option than Wright - which is key reason for retaining him againts that AUS bowling attack. Wright is garbage & too hit & miss.

Would you stake any money on Bopara scoring more than Wright? I wouldn't.

If we need quick runs, Wright is waaaaaay better than Bopara.

I rate Wright's bowling just about better than Bopara's.

Wright is better in the field.

Luke Wright is basically our luxury player. Bopara needs to go back to county cricket. I think he may have an international future, but his summer has been a disaster.

 

[Woodster]

Would you stake any money on Bopara scoring more than Wright? I wouldn't.

If we need quick runs, Wright is waaaaaay better than Bopara.

I rate Wright's bowling just about better than Bopara's.

Wright is better in the field.

Luke Wright is basically our luxury player. Bopara needs to go back to county cricket. I think he may have an international future, but his summer has been a disaster.

Although I am a Bopara fan, I would have difficulty in making a convincing case for him against Wright. I agree that batting at number 7 with the ability to clear the boundary, Wright probably edges it. There are batsman that can build an innings in Morgan, Shah, and Collingwood, who at one time or another have all performed very well in this tournament so far. If Bopara is to play in the one-day side, I see him as more a number 4 or 5. I like the idea of power hitters in around number 7, although I am yet to be convinced that Wright carries the ability to savage a decent bowling attack.

I do think Luke Wright has improved as a bowler, but again am not sold on the fact he carries enough threat to be a valid wicket-taking option, or is disciplined enough to bowl an economical spell against a top side.

Whoever they go with, I hope we remain positive and attack the weaker options in Australia's attack.

 

[aussie]

Wright's a good number seven. If you want someone who can play the death-slogging role and be all hit and no miss you're asking for waaay too much. Average 20, S/R 103 is round about what you want. He's your man.

Dunno about his bowling though.

But how would this make him a "good number 7" death slogger?. He may be capable of hitting it, but its wayyyy to hit & miss to be consistent option in that role.

Once Flintoff is out, ENG are better of picking 6 batsmen & a keeper in the top 7. Wright really shouldn't be near the ODI team.

 

[Woodster]

But how would this make him a "good number 7" death slogger?. He may be capable of hitting it, but its wayyyy to hit & miss to be consistent option in that role.

Once Flintoff is out, ENG are better of picking 6 batsmen & a keeper in the top 7. Wright really shouldn't be near the ODI team.

I agree in that we don't have an actual all-rounder capable of offering the same balance to the side that Freddie does. We have bowlers who are capable of giving it a whack, but are probably more suited to the number 8 position, I'm talking about the likes of Bresnan, Mascarenhas, Broad (a bit more cltured that a whacker mind), and a man I would have loved to have seen England give a go to is Graham Napier.

 

[Uppercut]

But how would this make him a "good number 7" death slogger?. He may be capable of hitting it, but its wayyyy to hit & miss to be consistent option in that role.

Once Flintoff is out, ENG are better of picking 6 batsmen & a keeper in the top 7. Wright really shouldn't be near the ODI team.

Who should bat at 7?

 

[aussie]

Would you stake any money on Bopara scoring more than Wright? I wouldn't.

I dont have confidence in either scoring runs vs AUS 2moro. But Bopara remains the better batsman regardless & playing him gives the top 7 more solidity 2moro.

If we need quick runs, Wright is waaaaaay better than Bopara.

The quick Wright would indeed score is irrelevant TBH, since its not a sure - solid - consistent presence @ 7 like a Flintoff, Klusener or Cairns.

We just got accept again without Flintoff down the order & even Mascarenhas we dont have a quality finisher, thus we need to take the safe option of 6 pure batsmen & Prior.

I rate Wright's bowling just about better than Bopara's.

Wright is better in the field.

Luke Wright is basically our luxury player. Bopara needs to go back to county cricket. I think he may have an international future, but his summer has been a disaster.

Wright aint an luxury, he more an achillies heel. Since he doesn't have the quality to be considered a ODI quality # 7. He shouldn't be near the ODI team.

Wright bowling may be better than Bopara yea, but at the end of the day without Flintoff - the bowling likethe batting loses the luxury of picking 5-bowlers. So need to pick Wright to try to patch it up. Again we just got to depend on Anderson/Sids/Broad/Swann/Colliy to do the job.

 

[aussie]

Who should bat at 7?

In general once Flintoff is out - Prior.

 

[Uppercut]

facepalm

 

[aussie]

facepalm

Well if the top 6 remains for the near future (without Flintoff) remains:

Strauss
Denly
KP
Shah
Colly
Morgan

Prior as i've argued before, if he allowed to bat down the order like he does in tests can do fair job in that role.

But if one of Kieswetter/Davies (Kieswetter preferably) is chosen to open in a Flintoff less ODI side. Maybe Patel can bat @ 7 in a XI of:

Strauss
Kieswetter/Davies
KP
Colly
Shah
Morgan
Patel

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

I don't know whether you know this, but Paine opens in OD cricket for Tasmania, so he is not a makeshift opener like Haddin, and given the fact he struggles to find gaps even with the field up in the first 15 overs, it would disastrous to push him into the middle order, because he would struggle even more to maintain a decent strike-rate, so whenever he plays, he just has to open.

I'm pretty sure Paine was only really a makeshift opener for Tasmania and batted most of the season at 6 or 7 last year (could be my memory failing me, though). From what I saw of him, he was more than OK down the order.

Opening for Australia is more of a case of not being able to fit him anywhere else as opposed to him needing to open due to his own style.

 

[Days of Grace]

Broad in doubt 'ere.

What will England do without their bowler who bowls crap yet somehow manages to luck into bags of wickets?