England in West Indies

[King Pietersen]

He went home last night

 

[RoboRocks]

5fer for Amjad, but he did go at 5.26 an over, so I don't think he's done enough to be considered for call-up. It's Bopara or Bell for me, personally I'd go Bopara. If he can score 124* with jet lag then image what he'll do after sleeping! His bowling's a useful option if need be as well. I'd go Ravi.

Amjad seemingly has a problem with no-balls since he bowled 14 of them, which would probably be the reason for him being expensive. He's put his name in the hat perhaps for Harmison's spot but I'm sure England will keep the same attack with enough changes being made.

With Prior absent it seems certain that Bopara will play and bat at 6 with Ambrose coming in at 7. Surely England can't trust five bowlers with Ambrose in the team.

If Swann can't recover from his injury then that will be trouble since England have to pick from an out of form Monty Panesar and Adil Rashid hasn't really covered himself in glory in the two matches he's played. If Swann is fit you would have to go for Panesar with England having enough inexperience as it is.

 

[Kev]

5fer for Amjad, but he did go at 5.26 an over, so I don't think he's done enough to be considered for call-up.

Not that I'm biased at all But I'd rather a bowler was a bit expensive and take 5 wickets than be cheap and only take 2 (or less). Yes Amjad has a problem with no-balls, was hoping that the England setup might work on that (as Kent seem to be unable to address it, he is not he only offender in the Kent team). But I don't see many other options as backup on the county scene and the selectors seem to agree with me. Amjad came back from a massive injury problem last season and his progress in coming back from that injury was not exactly stunning, but he certainly has wicket taking ability, even if it does mean he goes for a few runs. But if England are struggling to take those wickets (which I think we are) can we afford to overlook a bowler who is a bit expensive? Not sure, who is penguins?

 

[RoboRocks]

Not that I'm biased at all But I'd rather a bowler was a bit expensive and take 5 wickets than be cheap and only take 2 (or less). Yes Amjad has a problem with no-balls, was hoping that the England setup might work on that (as Kent seem to be unable to address it, he is not he only offender in the Kent team). But I don't see many other options as backup on the county scene and the selectors seem to agree with me. Amjad came back from a massive injury problem last season and his progress in coming back from that injury was not exactly stunning, but he certainly has wicket taking ability, even if it does mean he goes for a few runs. But if England are struggling to take those wickets (which I think we are) can we afford to overlook a bowler who is a bit expensive? Not sure, who is penguins?

The problem is the inexperience factor. We have Bopara and Ambrose coming back in and Panesar in if Swann can't recover. I don't think we can spare another change TBH.

 

[Kev]

Not experienced at test level I grant you that, but he's not exactly a youngster propelled into the limelight, he's been a servant of Kent cricket for a few years and is certainly more experienced at first class cricket than several England regulars. Anyhow if you only ever selected on the basis of experience nobody would ever make the team. Apart from one species, who is that? maybe penguins?

 

[RoboRocks]

But we have made enough changes to the side as it is. If Swann is still fit I would perhaps select Amjad but if Swann isn't fit I wouldn't. 4 changes is too many between tests.

 

[Kev]

Not wishing to disagree with you, but personally I'd select the best squad possible, regardless of how many changes I was making. If you take changes into consideration you are carrying players who shouldn't be there and lets face it they have lost one and drawn one, so it's not exactly a record to be proud of. Unless you are selecting players on the basis of the chocolate bars they eat. Anyone for penguins?

 

[Cricketman]

Totally off topic, but I want to be in your sig of shame

 

[.Mob]

lol at Ambrose getting another opportunity, him and Powell are made for each other, so he must be hoping that he plays. Doubt it though.

Also, shut up Rohit, that sig is only for the cool kids.

 

[evertonfan]

Ambrose is blatantly gonna smash a hundred.

And i'm all for giving Khan a go as well. The fact is that we've only bowled the Windies out twice so far and that's not good enough really.

 

[Cricketman]

I'm in it now! YERSSSSSSS! IM KOOL!

On topic - yay for bopara!

 

[Dare]

hoping that Shiv steps up and scores some big runs. He only has one 50 so far and its a good sing that the team is winning without him but his runs are really needed.

Also Bopara might be a better bating option that Flintoff but he cant replace his bowling, nobody in England can so its a big break for WI.

 

[Owzat]

re the bowling attack, the "tried and tested" haven't exactly delivered the goods, Swann was less experienced by some way going into the previous Test and who now thinks that was the wrong option? I wouldn't pick Rashid, he doesn't seem to pose enough wicket threat and is expensive. But Khan has taken five wickets and I think neither Anderson nor Harmison have done enough to convince me they'll win the next Test.

Bopara doesn't have much Test experience either, I don't think that's a valid reason for not picking someone as we'd run out of Test players. One of the biggest problems we have is not chopping and changing so much as sticking with the same 14 or 15 names - to such an extent that eight of the XI that were bowled out for 81 in Sri Lanka were bowled out for 51 around 14 months later. Had Bell done enough to keep Shah out in all that time? It took a long period of poor results to get Vaughan out, it took a long run of poor scores to get Bell out, and nothing seems to shift some of the players. I thought Harmison had been exposed for being a poor tourist and inconsistent performer, yet he was recalled on what basis maybe we'll never know. He may have destroyed the West Indies last tour, but this isn't the last tour and he has done nothing. Anderson has yet to become the consistent bowler we were to believe he would when he got old or went back to county cricket or whatever the premise was that he would improve. Same faces, same old story. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. But if THAT ain't broke then what is it?

 

[King Pietersen]

Nice to see Belly's put his name back in the frame with a nice 72. Also hilarious to notice that Alastair Cook got out in the fifties AGAIN. Is he ever going to score a Hundred again?

My team for the next Test:

Cook
Strauss
Shah
Pietersen
Collingwood
Bopara/Bell
Ambrose (although I'd rather see Davies play, Ambrose is crap)
Broad
Swann/Rashid (if Swann's injured)
Anderson
Amjad

Might as well give Amjad a go, he's taken a 5fer in his tour match chance, and considering Harmison's lack of form we need a wicket taker. Still not a particularly strong attack, and it's not one that's going to win us the Ashes. We need Flintoff, Broad, Swann, Anderson and Jones for the Ashes, that's currently our strongest possible attack, but it's uncertain whether Jones will be fit or not.

 

[RoboRocks]

Nice to see Belly's put his name back in the frame with a nice 72. Also hilarious to notice that Alastair Cook got out in the fifties AGAIN. Is he ever going to score a Hundred again?

My team for the next Test:

Cook
Strauss
Shah
Pietersen
Collingwood
Bopara/Bell
Ambrose (although I'd rather see Davies play, Ambrose is crap)
Broad
Swann/Rashid (if Swann's injured)
Anderson
Amjad

Might as well give Amjad a go, he's taken a 5fer in his tour match chance, and considering Harmison's lack of form we need a wicket taker. Still not a particularly strong attack, and it's not one that's going to win us the Ashes. We need Flintoff, Broad, Swann, Anderson and Jones for the Ashes, that's currently our strongest possible attack, but it's uncertain whether Jones will be fit or not.

Should we be playing Rashid though? He hasn't performed as we would have hoped he would but having said that Panesar hasn't looked the part in any of the tests. We just have to hope that Swann is fit but it's a tough choice if he isn't.

I would like to see Amjad in and prove that if you take wickets you can play and Harmison hasn't got near his top speed and hasn't looked like taking wickets.

My Team:

Cook
Strauss
Shah
Pietersen
Collingwood
Bopara
Ambrose
Broad
Swann/Panesar/Rashid
Amjad
Anderson