Ravi Bopara

[Jono]

I've personally always found him an interesting case. He can often look fantastic. Has at various times on CW, by English fans and neutrals, been highly praised and highly criticised for his selection and performances in both ODIs and test cricket.

Sticking strictly to ODI cricket since we're in the middle of a World Cup, following his selection and important innings for England in their recent win over SA, what can he offer the England team? Will it significantly change the perception/reality that once you get 4 wickets England's batting is brittle?

Also finally, what are your thoughts as to whether he can scale the heights of ODI batting. Can he achieve significant improvement like Amla has?

[Xuhaib]

going by this forum it seems England is the only team participating in the wc.

[Howe_zat]

Good. Too good to be kept in county cricket. The selectors seem unconvinced as to what to do with him in the order, but so long as he bats in the top six and bowls a bit when he's suitable that's fine by me.

A lot of the negative opinion about him in England is mostly from people who only watch the Ashes, or let it be the sole reference for judging cricketers. I thank him for it in a weird way, he still has a route back into the test side if he's up for it, and if he'd never failed we wouldn't have got the Scratchifier 3000 in.

He's never been a continued disappointment in the ODI side, even when they've been wondering what to do with him he's delivered. More often than people tend to think.

[Dhoni_fan]

Not an England fan but from what I have seen he seems to get a rough deal. in the ODI side.

He is a quality player on his day helped England over the line v Holland with a quick 30 yet gets dropped in the next game for Yardy, when actually Bopara came in the squad for Morgan, who I am certain would not have been dropped for Yardy.

So I do feel that he has been handed the short straw a few times, have seen him on form for England and in the IPL and he is a very talented player can build an innings but also hit out.

Hopefully yesterdays innings plus KP being ruled out means he has to play in the last Englands remaining games and he can show the world what we know he is capable of.

[GIMH]

Originally Posted by Howe_zat

Good. Too good to be kept in county cricket. The selectors seem unconvinced as to what to do with him in the order, but so long as he bats in the top six and bowls a bit when he's suitable that's fine by me.

A lot of the negative opinion about him in England is mostly from people who only watch the Ashes, or let it be the sole reference for judging cricketers. I thank him for it in a weird way, he still has a route back into the test side if he's up for it, and if he'd never failed we wouldn't have got the Scratchifier 3000 in.

He's never been a continued disappointment in the ODI side, even when they've been wondering what to do with him he's delivered. More often than people tend to think.

I think, like Bell in Tests pre-2010, he has suffered from not having a defined role. I think it was you who posted yesterday that he'd batted everywhere from 1-8. I think with Colly's flame flickering, we need to give him a run in a consistent spot and let him know his role. Throw Morgan in the line-up somewhere as well and you've got a bloody good batting line-up.

[flibbertyjibber]

Happy enough for him to be in the one day side as long as he gets nowhere near the test side that'll do me, he is too loose to be a test player and was exposed, only got runs against poor sides.

[Spark]

Some of his shots during 09 were ewwwwwwwwwww. A metaphor over-abused but he did really look at times as if he had forgotten he was playing a cricket match and not hanging the laundry to dry.

Played a similar looking shot at the top of his (admittedly very good) knock yesterday so not totally sold yet.

[Dhoni_fan]

Before I get hammered by England fans here I just want to ask a question.

Bopara scored 3 hundred in a row, yes against the West Indies but by my understanding he was the first England player to do that since Gooch which means it isnt something that you can just rock up at the ground and achieve.

Sure he had a terrible Ashes in 09 but are you for real? after one poor series having previously made 3 hundred in a row you deserved to be dropped?

Ian Bell has gone through bad spells and has been persisted with so to Collingwood, so to Strauss, so why is Bopara dropped after one bad series having done what no other England batsman has done for 20 odd years?

[Spark]

It was more the way he kept getting out IMO. He just didn't look technically equipped to deal with a decent pace attack.

[marc71178]

Because he did it on flat wickets against crap opposition and was exposed as soon as he faced good bowlers.

[benchmark00]

Originally Posted by marc71178

Because he did it on flat wickets against crap opposition and was exposed as soon as he faced good bowlers.

ftr, how is calling the Windies crap and denouncing their value to international cricket any different to Doni_fan inferring Ireland are an easy beat?

[Dhoni_fan]

Originally Posted by marc71178

Because he did it on flat wickets against crap opposition and was exposed as soon as he faced good bowlers.

So England have only played on 3 flat decks in 20 years? get real mate if it was that easy to score 3 hundred in a row everyone would go out and start doing it!

[Howe_zat]

Originally Posted by marc71178

Because he did it on flat wickets against crap opposition and was exposed as soon as he faced good bowlers.

Taylor flattened them for 51 in Kingston. Be fair.

[Nnanden]

Don't rate Bopara against the moving ball, but looks very useful when there is little on offer for the bowlers. A more technically efficient Cameron White, if you will.

[TumTum]

Will always remember him for the sad puppy expressions during '09 Ashes.