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***Official*** England in Sri Lanka 2012
- Thread starter Cabinet96
- Start date
FBU
International Debutant
Broad in for Swann then for the 1st Test.
Cabinet96
Hall of Fame Member
Not sure. I assume he wasn't fit enough to play.
OhhhhMattyMatty
Cricket Spectator
I wouldn't be shocked if Swann gets dropped for Monty before next Winter. His batting is abysmal these days, barely worthy of a mention! Hasn't reached 40 in his last 31 Test innings! Averaging under 17 in that time!
The home West Indies series may give him a chance to redeem himself as a bowler as they are laughable against spin. However, he's been outbowled all Winter by Monty and the plethora of lefties around the world are diminishing by the second as the likes of Duminy, Raina and co get mugged off by off spinners like Swann and Ajmal.
South Africa will start with Amla, Kallis, Petersen, de Villiers, Boucher, Steyn, Tahir and Philander in their batting line-up. 8 righties for Monty to bowl at, with DRS available.
Would be brave to ignore that!
The home West Indies series may give him a chance to redeem himself as a bowler as they are laughable against spin. However, he's been outbowled all Winter by Monty and the plethora of lefties around the world are diminishing by the second as the likes of Duminy, Raina and co get mugged off by off spinners like Swann and Ajmal.
South Africa will start with Amla, Kallis, Petersen, de Villiers, Boucher, Steyn, Tahir and Philander in their batting line-up. 8 righties for Monty to bowl at, with DRS available.
Would be brave to ignore that!
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Jacknife
International Captain
Wouldn't say his batting is abysmal at all especially when you take into consideration where he comes in, in the first test in the UAE he had a couple of decent knocks and that's what he does, you can rely on his most times in a series to get 3 or 4 decent scores. At the end of the day he is what he is, a very good No.9 or a decent No.8.
Monty bowled well coming back into the side but that sometimes happens when you have been away from international cricket. If he can manage to out bowl Swanny again, he will be putting huge pressure on him come this summer but in no way shape or form would I say Swann bowled poor though averaging 25, just that Monty bowled a bit better. We'll see what this tour brings and how Strauss uses him because I thought in the UAE he got underused and he bowled Monty a bit too much.
Monty bowled well coming back into the side but that sometimes happens when you have been away from international cricket. If he can manage to out bowl Swanny again, he will be putting huge pressure on him come this summer but in no way shape or form would I say Swann bowled poor though averaging 25, just that Monty bowled a bit better. We'll see what this tour brings and how Strauss uses him because I thought in the UAE he got underused and he bowled Monty a bit too much.
marc71178
Eyes not spreadsheets
Which still puts it several levels above Monty's.
OhhhhMattyMatty
Cricket Spectator
Simple fact is Swann can't play top quality spin and if he faces anyone over 80mph, they just bowl short at him and he gets himself out. He's become a liability at even 9!
I'd bat Anderson ahead of him now, like England used to use Hoggard at 9 to form a partnership with Freddie, Geraint and Gilo. With Prior, Broad and possibly Bresnan around, it would make sense.
I'd bat Anderson ahead of him now, like England used to use Hoggard at 9 to form a partnership with Freddie, Geraint and Gilo. With Prior, Broad and possibly Bresnan around, it would make sense.
theegyptian
International Vice-Captain
Bopara starting the tour as he means to go on. 6* of 46. I can't wait until one of the younger players steps up to take the no.6 test postion.
Would be impressive even by Bopara standards to work his way out of the test team before the first match. A dismissal here to go with his 4 no balls in 5 overs when he bowled and he'd be half way there.
Would be impressive even by Bopara standards to work his way out of the test team before the first match. A dismissal here to go with his 4 no balls in 5 overs when he bowled and he'd be half way there.
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Scaly piscine
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Yea, lots of batsmen out lbw/bowled again.
If Pietersen, Bell and Bopara are selected at 4, 5 and 6 England will probably lose this series.
Bell and Bopara, certainly, shouldn't be anywhere near the first team. But they will both play (and fail) and people will call for Bopara to be dropped (probably for good) because "he was always f**king s**t" but give Bell a pass as usual because "he oozes class" and because "form is temporary, but class is permanent". (I'm sure those spouting those cliches would be willing to bet their life savings on Bell setting the record straight the next time he encounters Ajmal and Gul outside England).
The main problem England has going forward is to find a way of playing their best bowling attack which surely revolves around the names Broad, Anderson, Finn, Panesar and Swann without compromising what is actually a very frail Test match batting lineup.
Bell, KP and others who cannot be relied on in all conditions and against all kinds of bowling have to be ditched and new men blooded so that in due course someone like Broad can grow into a genuine 7 which he has the talent to become.
Unfortunately what is happening is that selections in the SC have become so ludicrous - with England showing themselves foolish (or arrogant) enough to to go into successive series with three top order bats who are really tail enders under the conditions - that Broad isn't getting that stability and that opportunity to develop. Much more of this Bell/Bopara stuff - which pretty much guarantees 95/6 on a regular basis - and Broad's batting development will go into reverse. I already saw signs of that in the latter part of the Pakistan series where he started throwing his wicket away in a way that was not representative of the way he has been batting for the last 18 months or so in which he has averaged 40 odd.
Even if it means bringing in a couple of youngsters who play the Misbah way for a couple of years as they bed in to Tests it would be worth it in terms of long-term benefits. Bell and KP are pretty much done at this level and will be found out time and again against accurate spin bowling in this DRS-era, particularly when it is backed up with decent seam bowling. Bopara should have been kicked into touch long ago.
Bell and Bopara, certainly, shouldn't be anywhere near the first team. But they will both play (and fail) and people will call for Bopara to be dropped (probably for good) because "he was always f**king s**t" but give Bell a pass as usual because "he oozes class" and because "form is temporary, but class is permanent". (I'm sure those spouting those cliches would be willing to bet their life savings on Bell setting the record straight the next time he encounters Ajmal and Gul outside England).
The main problem England has going forward is to find a way of playing their best bowling attack which surely revolves around the names Broad, Anderson, Finn, Panesar and Swann without compromising what is actually a very frail Test match batting lineup.
Bell, KP and others who cannot be relied on in all conditions and against all kinds of bowling have to be ditched and new men blooded so that in due course someone like Broad can grow into a genuine 7 which he has the talent to become.
Unfortunately what is happening is that selections in the SC have become so ludicrous - with England showing themselves foolish (or arrogant) enough to to go into successive series with three top order bats who are really tail enders under the conditions - that Broad isn't getting that stability and that opportunity to develop. Much more of this Bell/Bopara stuff - which pretty much guarantees 95/6 on a regular basis - and Broad's batting development will go into reverse. I already saw signs of that in the latter part of the Pakistan series where he started throwing his wicket away in a way that was not representative of the way he has been batting for the last 18 months or so in which he has averaged 40 odd.
Even if it means bringing in a couple of youngsters who play the Misbah way for a couple of years as they bed in to Tests it would be worth it in terms of long-term benefits. Bell and KP are pretty much done at this level and will be found out time and again against accurate spin bowling in this DRS-era, particularly when it is backed up with decent seam bowling. Bopara should have been kicked into touch long ago.
Jacknife
International Captain
Cook again continues to roll, Strauss got some runs which is important and KP spent some time at the crease but could do with a bit more I suspect.
We need Trott to get some runs these warm up games, he's gone a bit quiet the past year or so.
Bell just needs to start t get some confidence back from the sounds of it, he needs to get some runs behind him before the Tests start for sure, it's alright working on things in the nets but until he scores out in the middle, it all won't matter. Prior got a duck but he'll be alright. Obviously without seeing the wickets it's dangerous to condemn each person but you could of almost predicted that innings from Ravi and if he fails second dig, will they start looking in Patel's direction or even Bres for that matter.
I'm putting KP down for a big series down in SL, reckon he'll do well, especially with how he finished the UAE tour. He was playing much straighter, his feet were moving correctly and not getting tangled up like they do when he's out of form and most importantly he was full of confidence, different form granted but as far as KP goes it's all key.
In the second warm up game, I wonder if they'll consider leaving Cook out and maybe get Bell or Trott to open, it will also be a way of getting one of the other players, Patel or Bres game time.
We need Trott to get some runs these warm up games, he's gone a bit quiet the past year or so.
Bell just needs to start t get some confidence back from the sounds of it, he needs to get some runs behind him before the Tests start for sure, it's alright working on things in the nets but until he scores out in the middle, it all won't matter. Prior got a duck but he'll be alright. Obviously without seeing the wickets it's dangerous to condemn each person but you could of almost predicted that innings from Ravi and if he fails second dig, will they start looking in Patel's direction or even Bres for that matter.
I'm putting KP down for a big series down in SL, reckon he'll do well, especially with how he finished the UAE tour. He was playing much straighter, his feet were moving correctly and not getting tangled up like they do when he's out of form and most importantly he was full of confidence, different form granted but as far as KP goes it's all key.
In the second warm up game, I wonder if they'll consider leaving Cook out and maybe get Bell or Trott to open, it will also be a way of getting one of the other players, Patel or Bres game time.
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BoyBrumby
Englishman
Becoming a cause for concern, to my way of thinking. With (whoever plays there) an inexperienced #6 to follow him the middle order doesn't inspire confidence.