Mascharenhas is a good bowler. Showed today why he'll be benefical for us. He's a reliable bowler, just what we need. Somebody to bowl 10 overs every game for around 30-40 runs without every really getting slapped about. Whether he takes wickets is a neccesity after that. Broad, Plunkett and Andersen are all wicket taking bowlers and so they should work well with him and his tight spells.
However Dimi is far from an all-rounder. He is a bowler who can bat decently at County level, but batting at International is a large set-up and so I'd reckon he wouldn't be able to be anything more than a useful number 8. Which means we really should have included Ravi in our squad, even if he was to miss the 20/20's and the first ODI, I feel his selection would have held more of a purpose than that of Yardy.
Ideally the ODI atm would be;
Cook
Prior
Bell
Pietersen
Shah
Collingwood
Bopara
Mascherenhas.
Plunkett.
Andersen.
Panesar.
Collingwood seems happy to bowl himself and so he can share 10 overs with Ravi or even Bell or KP, if it's a turning pitch. When Flintoff gets fit and in form it makes the outfit look a whole lot better balanced.
Broad in for Plunkett.
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On the game. I saw bits and bobs of it as I was looking after my nephews today, of what I saw though.....
Mascarenhas and Broad were the pick of the bowlers whilst Anderson really struggled to pitch the ball at the end. That pitch was never a 278 pitch maybe 240 at most. The batting struggled but then like I say that wasn't a 278 pitch. Prior did well but got out to a poor shot. Shah could arguably go up the order. How about Bell and Prior open, Shah at 3 and Bopara in for Cook?
Yardy did look out of his depth, it's odd though as his batting is normally reliable for us, he looks nervous. Probably should be dropped, as Ravi is fit he should come in for Saturday, doubt he will though.
I am slightly worried about KP atm, he seems to have dipped in form a little of late. The WIndies did well but we didn't do ourselves any favours. Also, jerling made a shocker on Bells dismissal, never looked out, never was out. I could have put a stump at the crease and the ball would still have gone over it.
Makes Saturday interesting, hopefully we can win the series.