India in England/Ireland/Scotland

[Sureshot]

Sureshot, you wouldn't happen to have the surname of Fletcher would you?

A bowler's job is to bowl. To be frank, if a top 7 can't score the runs themselves then they shouldn't be relying on the bowlers to get them out of trouble. You pick a bowler on his ability to bowl; If it turns out he can churn out a 30 and a 40 here and there then that's a bonus, but I couldn't care less if he averaged 2 with the bat as long as he took wickets.

If Anderson plays on Thursday then here's how we should bat below 7;

Sidebottom
Hoggard
Anderson
Panesar

Sidebottom is decent enough, Hoggard can hold an end and Panesar and Anderson are good for a few boundaries every now and then.

I was merely putting that point forward. Now we know it'll be one of Anderson, Broad and Harmison. Harmy is unlikely to play. Anderson has been bowling quite well as has Broad. Anderson is too inconsistent though, for my liking anyway. People seem to thnk "He's still a young bowler", yet he's played in 2 WCs he is and should be a leading head of our attack, but he isn't. I'd go for Broad tbh.

 

[Will_NA]

Gotta be Anderson for me.

 

[evertonfan]

He is still young though. Only 24. The fact that he's as experienced as he is makes people forget that he is still learning his game. We won't see the very best of Anderson that we saw glimpses 3 or 4 years ago until he's about 26/27, but in order for us to see him develop into the quality player he can be then he needs to be in the Test side.

I have no doubt Broad will be playing on Thursday as he wouldn't have been picked if he wasn't. Anderson seems to always be there just to make up numbers these days.

 

[Skater]

Bliss. Bliss. Bliss.

Thursday is my last day of school for 47 days. Finish at 12.30, come home, watch the test and feel very smug. :cool:

 

[sohum]

Dhoni went on a mini-rampage as he was running out of partners but Broad otherwise cleaned up the tail.

 

[Adarsh]

I can near on guarantee now that Broad will play...

 

[evertonfan]

Lol, do all Indian batsmen use that Reebok bat?

 

[Deleted member 11215]

Strauss is still in . I knew broad was getting a call up last night if you watched the interview on SSN he had a smug look on his face and you could tell he was trying to hide something. I think he should play, Anderson just hasnt done much for me.

 

[Animator!]

He should play. He also solves the tailend problem. As much as you lot like to deny it, Broad can bat. Till two years ago, he was going to be Darren Robinson's replacement as Leicestershire opening batsman. Then his bowling came on. Yes his batting has dwindled, be ause of more work on his bowling, but he knows what to do. Already got one fifty aginst the Indians. Or does that count as nothing?

 

[BigCrickNan]

Looks like the lions are going for declaration runs 55/0 off 9 overs...oh dear India.

 

[Deleted member 11215]

He was going to be an opening batsman?

 

[BigCrickNan]

He should play. He also solves the tailend problem. As much as you lot like to deny it, Broad can bat. Till two years ago, he was going to be Darren Robinson's replacement as Leicestershire opening batsman. Then his bowling came on. Yes his batting has dwindled, be ause of more work on his bowling, but he knows what to do. Already got one fifty aginst the Indians. Or does that count as nothing?

He got one against Pakistan last year so he must be ok...

 

[Animator!]

Don't score runs every game. Strauss scored one in the Lions game two days ago. Should he take up bowling?

And yes, duded. He went through the Leicestershire academy age groups as an opening batsman, just like his father. But in the under 17's age group they were short of a bowler and they persuaded Stuart to train on his bowling to provide another option. They found out he took to it like a duck to water and he was allowed to bowl regularly for his club side and for the Leicestershire representative sides.

 

[Adarsh]

Lol, do all Indian batsmen use that Reebok bat?

It's just a sponsor sticker.

 

[Sureshot]

He is still young though. Only 24. The fact that he's as experienced as he is makes people forget that he is still learning his game. We won't see the very best of Anderson that we saw glimpses 3 or 4 years ago until he's about 26/27, but in order for us to see him develop into the quality player he can be then he needs to be in the Test side.

So we have to give him 6/7 years of international cricket until he's actually good enough to be picked on a regular basis? We can't carry bowlers against the likes of India.