Bell is probably are worse player of spin than Trott & definately has a strike rate that isn't better as well. Trott>>>>>Bell as a ODI batsmen in any position - especially oepning @ international level. Bell's days as a ODI player is finished to be frank., im fairly confident ENG won't be selecting him in that format ever again. Strictly a test player.
Plus now that you mentioned watching cricket in India this last decade, i dont necessarily feel we are going to have alot of turning pitches even in the WC next year. We are likely to have alot of batting beauties in India. Although the games in SRI & BANG might have a few slow turners.
Sorry, Trott's a better player of spin than Ian Bell? Are you having a laugh?
Bell also has a good record in ODi's, averaging over 35 with an ok strike rate. He's also played magnificently for Warwickshire in the last 2 years, and was striking at over 100 this season in 40 over cricket (just dipped below 100, down to 99). Bell's a hugely under-rated OD player, and is out-playing Trott this season for Warwickshire. Trott looked terrible against the turn of Herath against Hampshire, whereas Bell was just skipping down the track and lofting him over cover with ease. There is no way on earth Trott is a better player of spin than Bell.
Pitches might not turn big, but they're still going to be slow. Trott is not good at rotating the strike against spin. He doesn't appear to have a go-to boundary option either. He seems to just sit on spin and block. That simply won't work in a WC held in the subcontinent. It's baffling to me how you can say that Trott is a better player of spin than a guy who is England's 2nd best player of spin at Test level. Bell is very good against spin. Good at rotating the strike, tends to read spin well, and is excellent at using his feet down the pitch. Bell is so far ahead of Trott as a player of spin it's not even funny.
I dont think we should be so quick to get Strauss out of the ODI team just yet. He has a fairly good 2009 in ODIs (probably his best year). His batting in that ODI series in the windies was excellent. So if he improves further in 2010 - i can see Strauss playing a Nick Knight type role opening - while Kieswetter stays as the aggressor during the power-play overs.
Fair enough on Davies i guess. Kieswetter definately has some work to do on his glovework in international cricket. I have noticed those issues watching him a few times for Somerset over the last 2 years - plus i think Boycott talked about it as well. But i dont think its that big an issue ATM, that we need to relieve him of the gloves yet so as to let Davies play.
- ATM it should be Strauss continue opening for the remainder of 2010 until he flops.
- Then the men on his heals depending on domestic form are Lumb & Trott
Daveis of course should be direct replacement for Kieswetter in case of injury in both the ODI & T20 sides. Davies definately should be in the 2011 WC squad.
Strauss doesn't play spin too well in ODi cricket, and I see him getting stuck and not advancing the scoring rate too quickly. He's excellent at getting pace away, but on slow tracks I think he could struggle. Davies has done the hard work in County Cricket, and has been the best County wicket-keeper batsman on the circuit in the last 3 years in OD cricket. I'm a huge Michael Lumb fan, but there is no way he should be ahead of Steven Davies, nor should Trott, or Strauss.
As for waiting for Strauss to flop. How long are we going to give him? He played well against the West Indies in 1 series, but he's done very little in the last year. 16 matches, 443 runs at 27.68, top score of 63 and a strike rate of 74. Time for him to move aside, give Collingwood the captaincy in ODi's and T20i's, and time for the selectors to give Steven Davies a chance. How can you argue against these statistics:
Code:
Season Runs Avg S.R
2007 457 38.08
2008 689 49.21 112.39
2009 658 50.61 117.50
2010 140 70.00 142.85
They're exceptional statistics, and he really should be given a go in the ODi side. He's a better batsman than Strauss, and a better keeper than Kieswetter. Give Davies the gloves and allow Kieswetter to focus on his batting, and work on his keeping ahead of future T20's. Davies is also a better player of spin/slow bowling than Lumb and Trott too. It's a no-brainer of a selection for me.
have you been watching the same games? Bell is pretty well known as one of England's best players of spin.
