Craig Kieswetter qualifies for England

[aussie1st]

Looks like a good talent going by his stats, question is will the English selectors have the balls to drop Prior?

 

[War]

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.

Would have Mascarenhas here instead.

 

[drainpipe32]

Even if he's not keeping, get him in there as a batsman! Then get rid of Prior

 

[King Pietersen]

Would have Mascarenhas here instead.

Why? What has he done to deserve a place in the England side? He has a terrible record with the ball in ODi's and has only fired with the bat on very few occasions. He didn't even have a good season last year with the ball. Napier's a much better bowler, which is the important point in the position he'd bat. Think Dimi's hugely over-rated tbh.

 

[drainpipe32]

People still need to get over his Yuvraj blitz.

 

[Cricketdude]

I already made a thread about it ages back... if you want to keep using this thread that's fine...

 

[King Pietersen]

Yes. Especially Sir Ian Botham. Seems constantly amazed that Mascarenhas isn't in the side, despite the fact that Dimi's done nothing for England in the large majority of games he's played. I like the guy, he's good to watch in County Cricket, but he's not an International cricketer.

 

[Amiya]

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.

Just one year more and Jacque Rudolop too will qualify for England.

 

[King Pietersen]

More runs for Kieswetter, this time against England. England Lions are currently 86/0 with Michael Lumb on 40* with Kieswetter 41*. Kieswetter was striking at 50 last time I checked the scorecard, but he's now striking at 110. Gun player, the England selectors surely have to be impressed with his performances on this Lions tour.

 

[treva]

60* currently from Kieswetter. He's making this England bowling attack look like Zimbabwe. Kieswetter opening will certainly silence everyone who says England need to make use of the opening powerplays in limited overs cricket.

 

[King Pietersen]

He won't get added to the squad though, they're going to be happy sticking with Joe Denly to open. Kieswetter's been nothing but class for the Lions on this short tour. May not prove much as far as him being International quality, but he's been easily the best player for the Lions, completely outclassed Steven Davies in every match, so much so that Davies was dropped for this game.

 

[treva]

He took a couple of catches too. Not many will have seen him keep but I can assure you he is up there with the best on the county circuit. He is sharp behind the stumps and rarely drops anything. I realise the selectors won't include him yet but I think it's only a matter of time before he is.

 

[King Pietersen]

Yeah, I've seen him keep a few times and he looked very good. He had a bit of a rep in South Africa for not being a great keeper, but he's looked very solid whenever I've seen him, must have improved quite a bit since he came over to England. I'd love to see him moved up to the senior squad for these T20's, no harm in giving him a go, he's in magnificent form.

 

[Owzat]

Why? What has he done to deserve a place in the England side? He has a terrible record with the ball in ODi's and has only fired with the bat on very few occasions. He didn't even have a good season last year with the ball. Napier's a much better bowler, which is the important point in the position he'd bat. Think Dimi's hugely over-rated tbh.

Says it all about England, that people like Mascarenhas (not good enough with ball) and Nappy get mentions.

I see that we never learn, putting a keeper as a pinch-hitter (original team sheet listed) The strength of our keepers is late order hitting, very few excel at opening when the ball is new, the bowlers fresher and generally the best two, and they are inexperienced at facing the new ball as they only ever bat their in one dayers

 

[King Pietersen]

What's wrong with Napier getting a mention?

Kieswetter's strength in One Day cricket is opening the batting. He bats there for Somerset alongside Trescothick, so putting him in down the order would make very little sense at all. Prior's better off down the order, but only marginally, he's just a pretty terrible all-round One Day cricketer.

The Lions pulled off the win in the end, with Lumb hitting the final ball of the game to the boundary to win the match. Lumb finished 58* with Kieswetter top scoring with 81 off 66 balls. Takes his run of scores on the Lions tour to 31, 77*, 40*, 50 and 81. Quality stuff.