Commonwealth Bank Series

[evertonfan]

Jones has had enough chances and Nixon isn't good enough.

 

[MUFC1987]

There's little point in comparing Plunkett to Mahmood at the moment, as quite simply, Plunkett is going to play in the finals. The question is a returning Lewis against Mahmood. In these conditions it has to be Mahmood. When we play Lewis it affects the rest of the team, as he needs to bowl his overs before the end, as he hasn't got the pace to cause problems. Sure Mahmood had a reasonably bad game today, yet he came back and bowled pretty well in the last overs in my view, something which Lewis is not going to offer. Then you factor in that Mahmood has taken wickets in the CT and on this tour against Australia. Mahmood may well go for a few, but as he's proved before he can take wickets, that's vital for us. It's no good restricting Gilchrist and Ponting to 4 an over in the first 20 if they're still there after that. Mahmood gives us the chance to take wickets.

Before anyone says, I know Lewis took wickets but I would put that more down bad batting in the opening games or two.

On the WK front, I don't really understand it either. In this current lineup, there is less pressure on him to score runs, so to me it doesn't really matter. At the moment Plunkett looks a better option with the bat in the last couple of overs than either of our WK's in this squad.

 

[Leicester Fox]

Jones has had enough chances and Nixon isn't good enough.

with the bat he isn't but he was very good with the gloves togay. quality catch off Fleming. He can't play pace though. Maybe Plunkett should come out against pace and him against spin

 

[evertonfan]

So what if he'd very good gloves; It's what you're supposed to be good at as a keeper!

Read is next to flawless with the gloves and I think he's a better batsman than Nixon.

 

[Mars Maximus]

I hate it when Nixon stands up to the stumps to batsmen who rarely leave their crease. Remember that catching chance of Flemming? If he was back he'd have taken it. It's just not worth it I think, to stand up to the stumps as often as he does.

 

[evertonfan]

Although I am banking on Fleming to fire so that we can shut up Evertonfan and the other bloke, I forgot his name.

Eh? What have I done wrong?

This CB Series and the World Cup are in the bag now...


...Australia's bag.

 

[Leicester Fox]

tbh if he came into the side now i wouldn't expect him to do any better than Nixon
look at his last few scores in ODI's during 2006- 4,0,2,4,21*,30,0
no better than nixons really

 

[MUFC1987]

As someone else had probably said, in this England team, the WK is not important at the moment. Nixon, Read and Jones are all more than capable with the gloves and batting at 8 it shouldn't be an issue batting wise unless we collapse and need a rescue mission.

 

[Leicester Fox]

Plunkett is ok and Mahmood can hold a bat.Monty was top class in the field today. If all our players worked as hard as he did on improving then we would be a lot better side.

i just read on cric info KP might be back for the finals. If so then i reckon we've got a slight chance of winning one.this is where i read it:
http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/278974.html

 

[evertonfan]

As someone else had probably said, in this England team, the WK is not important at the moment. Nixon, Read and Jones are all more than capable with the gloves and batting at 8 it shouldn't be an issue batting wise unless we collapse and need a rescue mission.

You said that.

I suppose you are right though. I hope they try out Prior or Davies in the summer though.

 

[Leicester Fox]

after the world cup i think they should get rid of Nixon bu theres no point before.I'd like to Davies

 

[MUFC1987]

You said that.

I suppose you are right though. I hope they try out Prior or Davies in the summer though.

I was thinking Sureshot or puddleduck said it at one point as well.

On the KP thing, the only way he could slot in would be at Number three, but then the selectors seem to like Bell there so it would result in Collingwood being pushed down the order. I think Collingwood should be no lower than 5, to get the best out of him. Flintoff coming in slightly later may not be such a bad thing though.

 

[Leicester Fox]

KP has to bat where he likes at 4 imo because he is our best player and thats where he likes to bat

 

[MUFC1987]

Strauss and Collingwood are the ideal guys to nudge the ball around in the middle overs though. When our batting is on form, we can afford to risk KP up the order to take on the Power Plays, with Flintoff at the other end to finish it off. If Strauss and Collingwood had failed with the bat again, I'd probably say yes, but if KP is told to be aggressive, but sensible, he can set us on the way to a huge total.

 

[Sureshot]

I was thinking Sureshot or puddleduck said it at one point as well.

On the KP thing, the only way he could slot in would be at Number three, but then the selectors seem to like Bell there so it would result in Collingwood being pushed down the order. I think Collingwood should be no lower than 5, to get the best out of him. Flintoff coming in slightly later may not be such a bad thing though.

I don't like Freddie coming in when we have 30 overs to bat and about 90-3, it just doesn't feel right and often he has far too much to do.

Let's say KP comes back (though he'd have to leave pretty quick to get to Sydney in time for Friday and Vaughans hammys gone again/probably wasn't right in the first place.

Who opens with Joyce? As Strauss I think is better at 4 as he is good at finding the gaps imo.

Bell? Pretty good against the new ball and has opened before but not done anything of real note in this series.