I really need help in ODIs

[gio]

I used to play ICC quite a lot a few years ago, and I've just bought the new one today. It's good, the problem I've always had with ICC is continuing in this version: I can't win ODIs at all. To give you an idea of how serious the problem is, I'm currently getting gubbed by Zimbabwe (I'm England).

I've tried setting my own fields, but nothing seems to work. So the point of this topic is to ask if any of you have any advice for me... both bowling and batting, as I'm woeful at both. Bowling is probably my main issue however.

My usual ODI line-up is:

1. Benning
2. Tres
3. Pietersen
4. Bell
5. Collingwood
6. Flintoff
7. Prior
8. Swann
9.Broad
10. Sidebottom
11. Hoggard

I decided to take a punt on James Benning as I wanted a pinch hitter. He's doing ok, averaging 30 with 2 centurys and 3 50's. Pretty good for a pinch hitter really. Flintoff has been really expensive, and my batsman get out at crucial moments all the time. I tend to put most batsman on 4 bars of aggression when they first come in, and altering it accordingly. I've found that if I don't do this, they score painfully slow at the start their innings...

Bowling wise, I leave it on 3 bars of aggression at the start, and drop it from there as the situation dictates. I generally use all of my power plays at the start unless I'm getting shanked around the park.

 

[Shaggy Alfresco]

Players who did well for me (2008/9) but aren't in your XI:

Shah made 941 @ 72.38 with 4 centuries in the 16 games he played. I'd definately get him in, maybe ahead of Collingwood as he was dire for me.

Panesar took 24 @ 21.29 in 13 ODIs, Swann bowled decently enough when I needed him but Panesar's been better.

Adam Shantry took 22 @ 27.27 in 13, so I'd have a look at him, Broad was average for me.

I use Mascarenhas as my 5th bowler but he's not that great to be honest, though he was much better than Flintoff who I also found to be far too expensive. I think it's to do with Flintoff being RF, and sometimes you need to take pace off the ball.

On the Zimbabwe front, don't worry! I squeaked 2-1 wins home and away against them and I think I've got quite a decent ODI team. Bowling is my main problem too, if you don't get it right you go for runs. 4 bars for new batsmen is OK in the powerplays on a good wicket I think, but outside them you'll just end up losing quick wickets. Depends a lot on the pitch though, if it's plumb you can go more aggressive but if it's bouncy and overcast I sometimes start on normal.

 

[Graham]

Keep your bowlers on three aggression bars.
Bowl to the batsmens' weaknesses.
Field settings on 3 until the batsman reaches 20, down to 2 until they reach 40, then down to 1.

Batting - try 5 aggression bars moving up to 6 once the batsman is settled.
If you lose too many wickets, move down a notch.

Using these tactics. NZ has a 4-0 lead over England so far in my international game.


As for successful bowling tactics at test level, that's a much bigger challenge that I'm still working on.