Sedition
Panel of Selectors
No point bowling Swann with two right-handers at the crease. I expect him to come on when Herath is in.
England in Sri Lanka March-April 2011/12
- Thread starter lancashire666
- Start date
If the scores were going to be low I'd agree, hell I agree now that the Montster should probably have played even if he doesn't play in the summer. Patel would be a good choice IF he were capable of averaging 35+ then I'd go with him, if he could average under 30 with the ball and 25+ with the bat then there'd be a place for him in the side, but we're just retrying vain efforts to make an all-rounder out of someone.
As has been the pattern this winter though, the batsmen remain unchanged in the series despite doing FA on the whole. (exception being Patel in for Morgan at the end of the UAE tour) Batting is the key, England have proven that all winter as they've constantly failed to score enough runs. You accept they're not going to bat England to wins and draws all the time, that you most likely will lose one game to a bad performance but we've lost four to bad batting performances.
England have made a big gamble, possibly mistake, playing three seamers. If the pitch doesn't help them then they'll just toil and toil away and the Sri Lankans will score runs. There's no saying Panesar would have taken five wickets, but where there's little help for bowlers I'd take a spinner, then a seamer, then a bit-part "all-rounder" like Patel.
And what odds the same old same old produces 2-3 dropped catches? Probably more costly in low(er) scoring matches, but doesn't help on flat tracks if you are trying to keep your opponents down to as near 400 as possible.
I doubt he'll be in the side in the summer, unless he somehow scores a big score of 80+ A decent performance might see England pick him for India, I have doubts about England's forward planning as well as Patel's suitability to play a role in India. IF England are forward planning then you may be right and he'll be in the side through to next winter, however I think that might have been the plan with Morgan or it might just be pick whoever on reputation until that reputation is exposed and then pick someone else.
puddleduck
Chairman of Selectors
Yeah just like last time, and people need to actually watch Patel's spell in the last game and Montys as well. They pretty much bowled identically, and Patel has pretty much done exactly what I'd have expected Monty to do so far.
Monty is a better bowler of course, but I just don't think he'd have offered much in this game, much like he didn't in the last. He barely bowled a ball that even looked like taking a wicket in the first innings, and we all know what he ended up costing England in the field.
All very well saying that if Patel averaged under 30 with the ball, or over 35 with the bat... but so far this tour he's averaging less with the ball than Monty and he hasn't dropped their best batsman with two of the worst drops I've ever seen in international cricket (seriously, Devon Malcolm and Tuffers would have shown better technique). So unless Monty was going to average under 30, you may as well have not gone with the guy who might actually contribute in the other two disciplines considering Swann (despite apparently being outbowled by Monty in the UAE) has a better S/R over the last 4 tests...
Also, Strauss, for christ sake, do you want to give new batsman under pressure any more easy singles?
Monty is a better bowler of course, but I just don't think he'd have offered much in this game, much like he didn't in the last. He barely bowled a ball that even looked like taking a wicket in the first innings, and we all know what he ended up costing England in the field.
All very well saying that if Patel averaged under 30 with the ball, or over 35 with the bat... but so far this tour he's averaging less with the ball than Monty and he hasn't dropped their best batsman with two of the worst drops I've ever seen in international cricket (seriously, Devon Malcolm and Tuffers would have shown better technique). So unless Monty was going to average under 30, you may as well have not gone with the guy who might actually contribute in the other two disciplines considering Swann (despite apparently being outbowled by Monty in the UAE) has a better S/R over the last 4 tests...
Also, Strauss, for christ sake, do you want to give new batsman under pressure any more easy singles?
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StinkyBoHoon
National Board President
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2009
- Location
- Glasgow, Scotland
well, this was an ok toss to lose, I had a look at the ground records and the team fielding first has won the majority of matches, only when one team far out classes the other has that trend been reversed (like when playing bangladesh)
this is the wrong team selection from england though. the final session will be carnage.
although a closer looks reveals sri lanka's team selection is a bit rubbish too, i'd have kept chandimal and prasad is a bit cack.
this is the wrong team selection from england though. the final session will be carnage.
although a closer looks reveals sri lanka's team selection is a bit rubbish too, i'd have kept chandimal and prasad is a bit cack.
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swacker
Chairman of Selectors
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2011
Samit Patel looks more threatening and likely to take a wicket than Monty in these Tests.
puddleduck
Chairman of Selectors
swacker
Chairman of Selectors
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2011
puddleduck
Chairman of Selectors
Yeah I really do agree Barmy. The amount of umpires calls where just over half the ball isn't hitting or vice-versa has been getting ridiculous. Still, it just goes to show that hitting the top of off is no longer the aim. Try and hit the inside of the middle of off-stump 
Yeah, certainly felt with 2 noises there was glove, but nothing conclusive so it has to stay with onfield umpire.
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No need for Flower to be in the 3rd umpires box...
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If and when they eventually break this partnership and the new batsman gets to start with mid-off and mid-on back far enough for an easy single. I'll cry.
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Ouch! That's why Finn should is the future of this England bowling attack. He can still rush batsman up on a pitch like this!
Yeah, certainly felt with 2 noises there was glove, but nothing conclusive so it has to stay with onfield umpire.
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No need for Flower to be in the 3rd umpires box...
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If and when they eventually break this partnership and the new batsman gets to start with mid-off and mid-on back far enough for an easy single. I'll cry.
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Ouch! That's why Finn should is the future of this England bowling attack. He can still rush batsman up on a pitch like this!
puddleduck
Chairman of Selectors
Good work Bressers. England need to put the pressure on Matthews early and try and nip through him and Prassana as quick as possible.
Then hopefully with Jaya still there we can restrict them to 350
Then hopefully with Jaya still there we can restrict them to 350
swacker
Chairman of Selectors
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2011
I see that the lack of Hotspot has reared it's ugly head again...
puddleduck
Chairman of Selectors
I do love how Botham pretty much every time he's in the commentary box will go off on one about needing to have set DRS protocols in place for each game.
I'm pretty sure Flower went to talk to the 3rd umpire because Cook got a decision in the last test overturned without really any more proof than the double noise that was there against Sama. Still, no need, and it just highlights that the system needs to be implemented across the board with umpires getting respectively trained in how to utilise it consistently.
I'm pretty sure Flower went to talk to the 3rd umpire because Cook got a decision in the last test overturned without really any more proof than the double noise that was there against Sama. Still, no need, and it just highlights that the system needs to be implemented across the board with umpires getting respectively trained in how to utilise it consistently.
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