Craig Kieswetter qualifies for England

[treva]

Well he's official English! He is probably the hottest young player on the domestic circuit right now and will no doubt be playing for England in the next few years. He's been excellent for us (Somerset) and he's played well for the England Lions as well.

Andy Flower's already said that he is watching him closely and that he will be pushing for a place in the England squad very soon. Great news for us English, although the South African fans must be gutted to see yet another quality player, one who would have been a perfect replacement for Boucher, play for England. What is up with your domestic structure? Seems every talented player wants to leave and play for England.

 

[KBC]

Okay. So he's qualified today?

Good for England, Another loss for SA. Smith wanted him to stay so in SA. Best of luck for him.

 

[King Pietersen]

Get him in the side. He's been excellent for the England Lions side in the past few games, easily been our best batsman. Looks good with the gloves and a real talent with the bat. Can't be any worse than Matt Prior in ODi's either. A batting line-up of:

Strauss *
Kieswetter +
Pietersen
Trott
Collingwood
Morgan
Wright/Flintoff
Swann
Rashid (I'd pick Napier in his place in England)
Broad
Anderson

Looks really good I think. Not got a weak link in the batting line-up that way. Would love to see Kieswetter given a go.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Bowling looks crap though. Really need such a long tail? Rashid/Napier can be replaced for a proper bowler, like Sidebottom or someone.

 

[KBC]

Get him in the side. He's been excellent for the England Lions side in the past few games, easily been our best batsman. Looks good with the gloves and a real talent with the bat. Can't be any worse than Matt Prior in ODi's either. A batting line-up of:

Strauss *
Kieswetter +
Pietersen
Trott
Collingwood
Morgan
Wright/Flintoff
Swann
Rashid (I'd pick Napier in his place in England)
Broad
Anderson

Looks really good I think. Not got a weak link in the batting line-up that way. Would love to see Kieswetter given a go.

Flintoff wouldn't be playing anytime now i think.

 

[King Pietersen]

Bowling looks crap though. Really need such a long tail? Rashid/Napier can be replaced for a proper bowler, like Sidebottom or someone.

Sidebottom's looked terrible of late, especially in One Day cricket. Rashid should play in the subcontinent, as he's a very talented young spinner. He shouldn't be binned just because he was spanked in a T20 by Smith and Bosman. Napier is also an excellent OD bowler. Me and Howsie were discussing him the other day. He bowls at 90mph, has good accuracy, swings the ball, has a good bouncer and a very good yorker. Much better option than Sidebottom, Onions or Bresnan AFAIC. People seem to mistake him for a batting all-round though.

 

[treva]

I agree, Sidebottom has been poor of late. He needs to get playing for Notts before he returns to the England side. Napier deserves his chance in an England shirt, in my opinion.

 

[Highlander999]

Get him in the side. He's been excellent for the England Lions side in the past few games, easily been our best batsman. Looks good with the gloves and a real talent with the bat. Can't be any worse than Matt Prior in ODi's either. A batting line-up of:

Strauss *
Kieswetter +
Pietersen
Trott
Collingwood
Morgan
Wright/Flintoff
Swann
Rashid (I'd pick Napier in his place in England)
Broad
Anderson

Looks really good I think. Not got a weak link in the batting line-up that way. Would love to see Kieswetter given a go.

I love that side, we should never really be bowled out and still have 6 people who can bowl

 

[Sureshot]

Napier is not good enough for England. Way too expensive.

 

[King Pietersen]

He takes wickets though, which is not something that Sidebottom offers. He was abysmal against Australia, and the figures proved it. Napier's earned his place in OD cricket AFAIC, certainly more so than Mahmood, Plunkett or Shahzad. His record in the last 4 seasons reads:

2008 in England: 19 wickets at 24.15. Economy: 4.77
2008/9 in NZ: 25 wickets at 22.28. Economy: 5.02
2009 in England: 22 wickets at 27.50. Economy: 5.40
2009/10 in NZ: 13 wickets at 28.30. Economy: 4.86

Sure he went at over 5 an over last season in England, but 5.40 isn't ridiculously expensive. Sidebottom went at 4.94 in England last year, but only took 6 wickets at 61. I know which bowler I'd prefer. Napier deserves a chance, but unfortunately people mistake him for a batsman that bowls a bit, despite the fact that he's far more of a bowling all-rounder, and a very good one. Would offer far more to the side than Luke Wright or Tim Bresnan that's for sure.

 

[King Pietersen]

Just noticed that Kieswetter made more runs today, and outplayed Davies again (has outscored him in every match so far). That takes his run of scores for the Lions to a very impressive 31, 77*, 40* and 50. Can't argue with a batting average of 99 with a strike rate of 132 in 4 T20 games played, get him in the side!

 

[Mercules]

Sidebottom's looked terrible of late, especially in One Day cricket. Rashid should play in the subcontinent, as he's a very talented young spinner. He shouldn't be binned just because he was spanked in a T20 by Smith and Bosman.

Rashid's list A stats are awful, much rather see Tredwell.

 

[KBC]

I doubt the selection panel was once influenced too much by Adil rashid in ICC 3. He's the Piyush Chawla of England.

 

[rahuldravidfan]

Good news for England. South Africa's gotta be gutted.

Best of luck to Craig. Hope he does well for his adopted Three Lions

 

[IanG]

Seems to be plenty of this happening. How much of it has to do with the "Quota" system in South Africa? Not just England either there's a few South Africans popping up in New Zealand as well.