18 Feb - England vs Pakistan - Warmup

[aussie1st]

I am slightly curious as to whether this counts as an ODI?

None of these friendlies count because of the rules accepted before hand.

 

[Sureshot]

Good for Swann, sure would have sucked to do Jail time for saving a kitty.

He wouldn't have got time even if he was found guilty, he was barely over the limit on the unusable sample.

Owzat, agreed on the Number 7 problem, oh, Freddie, why did you have to get injured so much?

Anyway, I think the long term solution will be Adil Rashid, but for this tournament what's the best solution? I'm not convinced with Yardy, but would you use KP as an optional 2nd spinner who could come in for 4 overs or so, I think these pitches will need a 2nd spinner.

Maybe a mix of Colly and Bopara, I think Colly will do well on these wickets. So that gives us something like:

Strauss
KP
Trott
Bell
Prior
Bopara (who also gives us power down the order)
Collingwood
Broad
Swann
Shahzad or Bresnan, with Bresnan at 8
Anderson

That doesn't give us a wicket takign 5th bowler (it's not a luxury we have in any of the options), so I think we should focus more on the batting aspect and I think Colly's bowling style will suit in these conditions.

Bopara, KP and Trott are all capable of bowling, the former being a decent option. Very good fielding side too.

If you take out Bopara for Yardy, so going in with three spin options, we will really damage our boundary ability at the end of an innings.

 

[Rehan_24]

Hmm Afridi Razzaq didnt play, plus a changed Opening Pair Cost them. But anyhow, It was a warm up game. Lets c in real Matches

 

[Haarithan]

Lineup looks fine but still i would swap the batting positions of Colly & Prior . Prior looks a good pinch hitter down the order . And on the other hand , fingers crossed over Colly , he's just put on a score with the bat .

 

[Owzat]

Owzat, agreed on the Number 7 problem, oh, Freddie, why did you have to get injured so much?

I would have tried to persuade him for one final "hoorah" in the World Cup, invited him to play a few ODIs down under and then go to the World Cup. If he had needed selling on the idea then I'd have said "what better way to end your career than at a World Cup, maybe even lifting the trophy.........................?"

I fear Collingwood will be seen as the solution, I like him as a part-time bowler but would not really want to pencil him in for 10 overs every ODI. That said I think the problem is we have too many bowlers who are not enough of a threat so we end up "muddling" through rather than posing a wicket threat. If Collingwood were the weakest link in our bowling then I could make a case for him being the fifth bowler, sadly he is as effective as too many others (without naming names and going over that again)

Maybe with Swann, Broad, Anderson and Shahzad (? can't remember who is in the squad now!) then it might work as those 3-4 do pose a threat if not 'world class' bowlers

 

[Sureshot]

Bresnan would be the other choice, his ability to reverse it may prove useful, but I'd still go with Shahzad, don't think England will, though.

 

[Papa_Smurf]

This should be England's best line-up:

Strauss
KP
Trott
Collingwood
Bell
Prior
Bopara
Broad
Swann
Shahzad
Anderson

 

[Haarithan]

Strauss
KP
Trott
Collingwood
Bell
Prior
Bopara
Broad
Swann
Shahzad
Anderson

While this might be a good bowling attack overall , this surely won't work in the SC conditions in India with Jimmy Anderson. That lad has ben woeful in all of his last 3 visits to the SC including this . So i would prefer Bresnan & Yardy in place of Shahzad & Anderson . My altered lineup for the WC would be something like this :

Strauss
KP
Trott
Bell
Collingwood (5 overs)
Bopara (5 overs)
Prior
Bresnan
Yardy
Broad
Swann

 

[Papa_Smurf]

Bresnan over Anderson, maybe if Jimmy fails again the next match. But Yardy over Shehzad? Hmm, non-threatning spin or reverse-swinging pace? You tell me.

 

[Sureshot]

People wrote off Anderson in Australia, what happened in the Ashes?

Shahzad should definitely be in the side, much more of a threat than Bresnan, and if Bresnan isn't the fifth bowler batting at 7, then we don't need his batting at 8.

 

[Haarithan]

Hmm, non-threatning spin or reverse-swinging pace? You tell me.

The thing is England need 2 specialist spinners in their XI when they play here in the SC . After today's performance , the need for Yardy is sure to be raised by many a supporter of England . He isn't the best of spinners , but nevertheless can be economical on his day . Shahzad is talented , no doubt about that , but his reverse swing exploits aren't going to work here in the SC pitches am afraid . And by having Swann at 11 , its only good for the team's batting depth .

P.S : Shall we move this topic over to the thread created solely for England ??

 

[Papa_Smurf]

Yardy is a part-timer. Swann, backed-up by KP and Bopara should be enough. Reverse-swing defintley plays a big part in the SC, after all, it's where it originated.

Conatining isn't the way to go in these pitches - if wickets are in hand, good batting sides can easily make 100+ runs in the last 10 overs on these pitches. Should be aiming for wickets. Shahzad is a wicket-taker, Yardy is not.

 

[Gaurav_7]

People wrote off Anderson in Australia, what happened in the Ashes?

Yes, and I consider him a big threat against India. He's a much better bowler than people make him to be after today's performance.

 

[Haarithan]

After that outing I don't think he is a certainty in the playing xi especially given the next match is against India In a spinner friendly pitch at Bengaluru .

 

[Gaurav_7]

Bengaluru is also one of the fastest and bounciest tracks in India. There will be swing early on and if he gets it right, Indians can be in trouble. I'll play him for sure.