Forget Harmison. There's every chance he might retire from ODIs again after the India series and go back to his shell. The key bowler for England is Sidebottom. I think he'll trouble Ponting: he's tall, can swing it both ways and gets good bounce at a fair pace. He's under an injury cloud at the moment. If Anderson maintains his past form for the year then England are even more lethal. Freddy is awesome but again will he be injury free till then?
As for England's batting it is centred around Pietersen especially since Collingwood has fallen out of form and Strauss is struggling against quality pace bowling. Bell's a pretty player- makes nice 40s and 50s but doesn't rise up to the challenge. I used to rate Bell highly especially after that 199 but the fact of the matter was he had KP on the other end. If KP had been gone would bell still get that 199? I don't think so and he certainly didn't do much for the remaining tests. Cook is an awesome talent but his conversions are much to be desired. Shah is unproven (how many times have i said that). I wouldn't be jumping for joy just yet. You haven't beaten India or the Windies yet. There's every chance you may lose to both. The Windies gave Australia a great run for its money in the recent test series.
Hopefully, from a pom point of view, over the next year Cook converts his starts, Shah becomes a proven number 3 or Vaughan comes fighting back, Bell stops being such a bottler and Collingwood gets his form back. Oh and Anderson and Harmison can hold themselves for the next year, Freddy and Sidebottom don't get or remain injured, etc. Simon Jones is injured again too...
As for England's batting it is centred around Pietersen especially since Collingwood has fallen out of form and Strauss is struggling against quality pace bowling. Bell's a pretty player- makes nice 40s and 50s but doesn't rise up to the challenge. I used to rate Bell highly especially after that 199 but the fact of the matter was he had KP on the other end. If KP had been gone would bell still get that 199? I don't think so and he certainly didn't do much for the remaining tests. Cook is an awesome talent but his conversions are much to be desired. Shah is unproven (how many times have i said that). I wouldn't be jumping for joy just yet. You haven't beaten India or the Windies yet. There's every chance you may lose to both. The Windies gave Australia a great run for its money in the recent test series.
Hopefully, from a pom point of view, over the next year Cook converts his starts, Shah becomes a proven number 3 or Vaughan comes fighting back, Bell stops being such a bottler and Collingwood gets his form back. Oh and Anderson and Harmison can hold themselves for the next year, Freddy and Sidebottom don't get or remain injured, etc. Simon Jones is injured again too...