England prospects

[Tom Halsey]

I am beginning to think that England will be up there with the best in a few years, as we have some seriously good prospects. Anderson, Kabir, Bell, Jeffo, Pettini, Bopara, Troughton, Peitersen, etc.

I wonder what is your take on them?

 

[marc71178]

Anderson - v good potential
Kabir - 5 wickets but not that impressive
Bell - needs a good 2004
Troughton - selected for wrong format, but didn't suffer 2nd Season syndrome.
Pieterson - will wait till he plays for England before commenting.

The rest are all mediocre.

 

[Pratters]

England always has prospective players but they never get into the team do they? Will be interesting to see how their Academy side plays in the Duleep Trophy.

 

[Richard]

I am beginning to think that England will be up there with the best in a few years, as we have some seriously good prospects. Anderson, Kabir, Bell, Jeffo, Pettini, Bopara, Troughton, Peitersen, etc.

I wonder what is your take on them?

Don't rate any of Jefferson, Pettini or Bopara, I'm afraid.
And by the way, marc, "second season syndrome" is a product of fiction. "First-season syndrome" is the problem - people look at one season and deduce that talent is present when it isn't.
There are many classic cases.
People are too quick to praise and too reluctant to criticise.

 

[Rik]

Kabir - Bowls wicket taking balls, killer in English conditions though what happens when he plays out of England?

Anderson - Already shown what he can do, just needs a break and careful handling (yeah, just like they said they would)

Troughton - A bit loose, like Ed Smith, but with a lot of talent. Just needs a bit of tightening up, which won't take long.

Shafayat - Very compact young batsman who's started scoring for Notts with good consistancy. A product of promoting the game with English Asians and he forced Afzaal to move on.

Kyle Hogg - Could be anything, has shown form with both bat and ball at various times, still not sure which is his best discipline.

 

[Richard]

I would rate Hogg as a good one-day bowler and not much else yet.

 

[marc71178]

Don't rate any of Jefferson, Pettini or Bopara, I'm afraid.

The county they play for had more to do with why he listed them!

And by the way, marc, "second season syndrome" is a product of fiction. "First-season syndrome" is the problem - people look at one season and deduce that talent is present when it isn't.

That's the same thing - the player gets worked out in the 2nd season more, hence he performs worse.

 

[Tom Halsey]

The county they play for had more to do with why he listed them!

Actually, I'll have you know they are all fair talents. True, I am maybe a tad biased, but they all do have potential.

 

[Rik]

I would rate Hogg as a good one-day bowler and not much else yet.

Hasn't had a chance to prove anything if you look at Lancashire's settled bowling attack in FC cricket...

 

[Rik]

Actually, I'll have you know they are all fair talents. True, I am maybe a tad biased, but they all do have potential.

Every player has potential, though mentioning them as prospects is maybe a little too early at this stage! Jefferson certianly started well last season. Let's hope he can continue through the full season this time! Because I for one would love seeing him dwarfing Glenn McGrath!

 

[Shane Warne]

I am beginning to think that England will be up there with the best in a few years, as we have some seriously good prospects.

not necessarily coz
1/ some good players will have gone by then, so its balanced out
2/ other teams also have good prospects, which can enable them to stay above england

 

[Richard]

Hasn't had a chance to prove anything if you look at Lancashire's settled bowling attack in FC cricket...

Martin, Chapple, Anderson, Flintoff, Hooper, Schofield.
Nice.
Still not as good as Gough, Silverwood, Hoggard, White though. Shame we got rid of Hamilton.

 

[Rik]

Martin, Chapple, Anderson, Flintoff, Hooper, Schofield.
Nice.
Still not as good as Gough, Silverwood, Hoggard, White though. Shame we got rid of Hamilton.

Hehe, you missed out a certian Stephen Kirby from that Yorks lineup, firey one he is.

I'd say 1st choice Lancashire side minus England players would be:

Martin, Chapple, Wood, Hooper, Keedy. John Wood is a decent seamer, much more experianced than Hogg, although Afridi really took a liking to him when playing for Leicestershire, damn I still kick myself for loosing the highlights of that match on a dodgy video!

Hogg will get his turn no doubt, looks very promising.

 

[Richard]

Didn't forget Kirby - just think he's a little overrated. Fiery, but very wayward. Got a stack of wickets last season but more than not were down to poor batting rather than seam-movement and swing of which he is undoubtedly capable.
Michael Lumb is another whose ability is slightly overestimated.
John Wood is another good one-day bowler - most who have played against Afridi have been destroyed some time, and he was in pretty good nick in 2001.
Martin and Chapple are as good an opening pair as you'll see - just hope Chapple recaptures his 2001 and 2002 form - he was rather disappointing last season. Strange, then, that he was selected for England in 2003.:rolleyes:

 

[iamdavid]

Hehe, you missed out a certian Stephen Kirby from that Yorks lineup, firey one he is.

I'd say 1st choice Lancashire side minus England players would be:

Martin, Chapple, Wood, Hooper, Keedy. John Wood is a decent seamer, much more experianced than Hogg

:O

Cork!!

Wood IMO is solid but not spectacular , but he aint no Cork.

1.M.Chilton
2.Sutcliffe / Swann (likely the later)
3.Loye
4.Law
5.Hooper
6.Flintoff / could possibly bat Chapple or Schofeild as high as 6 when Flintoff's away to give Kyle Hogg a run , but I doubt it , that would be a bowler to many.
7.Chapple
8.Cork
9.Hegg+*
10.Martin / Anderson when available
11.Keedy / if Schofeild hits form he could get in , offer more with the bat at number 7/8.

 

[Craig]

Before I saw Rikki Clarke bat I thought he is something, but to check the batting line-up, time will tell.

 

[Richard]

:O

Cork!!

Wood IMO is solid but not spectacular , but he aint no Cork.

1.M.Chilton
2.Sutcliffe / Swann (likely the later)
3.Loye
4.Law
5.Hooper
6.Flintoff / could possibly bat Chapple or Schofeild as high as 6 when Flintoff's away to give Kyle Hogg a run , but I doubt it , that would be a bowler to many.
7.Chapple
8.Cork
9.Hegg+*
10.Martin / Anderson when available
11.Keedy / if Schofeild hits form he could get in , offer more with the bat at number 7/8.

Yeah, somehow forgot Corkie - guess he's been at Derbys for so long it's easy.
I'd also say that on last season's form Sutcliffe is by far the more likely to get the spot as Chilton's partner - indeed at times last season the absurd step of relegating Chilton - as Atherton-like as anyone at the club or indeed in the country - to five was taken.
I personally don't rate Sutcliffe - he was good enough for Leics, but not as good as Swann I don't think, though he couldn't get into Northants' first-team (mind, they did have Rollins and Hayden).
Schofield had just about established his credentials as a batsman last season and I'd be disappointed if he failed to build on his success. Being established as a batsman can only help his bowling.

 

[Richard]

Before I saw Rikki Clarke bat I thought he is something, but to check the batting line-up, time will tell.

Next season Clarke will most likely have a far more challenging time with the loss of Stewart and Ward, and the customary lack of Butcher and Thorpe.
I can't remember if Shahid's still there but I really hope he is. He's always been short of real chances and he had a very poor last season. If he's still there he'll now have the chance he's never really had - to be a member of the same team as Ramprakash, Thorpe and Butcher.
IMO ATM still a superior player to Clarke, despite the disparity in averages.

 

[Craig]

Will Azhar Mahmood be at Surrey next season?

 

[iamdavid]

Next season Clarke will most likely have a far more challenging time with the loss of Stewart and Ward, and the customary lack of Butcher and Thorpe.
I can't remember if Shahid's still there but I really hope he is. He's always been short of real chances and he had a very poor last season. If he's still there he'll now have the chance he's never really had - to be a member of the same team as Ramprakash, Thorpe and Butcher.
IMO ATM still a superior player to Clarke, despite the disparity in averages.

I agree on Nadeen Shahid , I only saw him play live once but he looked a very solid player , certainly a better one than his FC figures would suggest.