But not in 2007......................
But then I guess if you are losing your QF or SF the crowd won't get the game abandoned either, they do love a good upset England will no doubt blame fixtures, fatigue, injuries, bad luck, blah, blah, blah when they do go out. Problem is their preparation and selections have been poor, they're STILL picking players as theoretical role fillers ie Yardy as a spinner, Prior as an opener etc, and persisting with players who they claim are quality but yet don't perform consistently enough to deserve that tag eg Anderson and Pietersen.
Fair enough Broad's injury is a big loss, but England weren't good enough even with him in the side. As for fatigue, noone forced them to pick Strauss, Trott, Bell, Pietersen, Collingwood, Prior, Broad, Swann AND Anderson for every single Test they were available for the last 2,3,4 years
So it is the selectors lack of planning and proper use of the large pool of players from which they have to pick which adds to the problem of improper use of players.IF England pick the team below, I think they may just have a chance. Trouble is England will think their master tactics work and it's just fate, bad luck or "the way it goes" instead of realising they aren't maximising even the assets in hand. If Anderson plays that will be a sham, hoping he will repeat a trick when his bowling is a big factor in why we haven't qualified.
Strauss
Trott
Bell
Morgan
Bopara
Prior (wk)
Swann
Bresnan
Tredwell
Shahzad
Tremlett
Two spinners and not a spinner plus Yardy, Tredwell was a huge gamble that England aren't even taking so why include him? Might as well take that gamble than take three spinners of whom one is doing the business, one is not and the other isn't even in the business.
Might be a bit shaky in the batting department, but the options are so limited and hoping Yardy or Collingwood can either take wickets or control a game is not a good option, picking a better bat for seven would simply weaken a bowling line-up that has not backed the batsmen up - letting Ireland win a game and Bangladesh too, both from good positions for England.
It exposes the lack of a number seven, but Yardy isn't good enough above and beyond T20s and county cricket. Shight shouldn't be anywhere near the squad, and Bresnan has his moments but is an eight or nine at best. Swann is capable, fairly sure he's opened for Notts in one dayers and has batted high enough as I recall back in his Northants days. Beyond that it is just to hoping, I wonder if the "stomach upsets" are because England were unwise enough to trust local cuisine.
Luke Wright playing as well, with Shazad out.
