Story Young Leading Light - England Win ODIs 2-1. Next Up: ICC WT20!

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Home / News / International / Last Minute Woes Don't Faze England

Last Minute Woes Don't Faze England

Coach Thorpe had a difficult selection decision made for him when James Foster dislocated his finger playing rugby in the pre-game warmup. He caught an awkward pass and immediately screamed and went down as if he had been shot. Samit Patel took his place and Paul Collingwood took the gloves as England didn't have a reserve wicketkeeper available for the game.

Andrew Strauss and Sam Notheast again started well, putting on fifty for the first wicket before Northeast was dismissed. Strauss was out for his second successive 48 soon afterwards, uniting Ravi Bopara and Ian Bell. They batted maturely and showed none of the poor form that led to quentions about their places in the team. They put on a century before both falling in the sixties. Samit Patel and Collingwood hung around for a while, before the last ten overs brought on a mad flurry of wickets. England were bowled out for a competitive score.

The West Indian run chase never really got going with wickets falling at regular intervals. Flintoff and Anderson took a wicket each without looking particularly potent. Graham Onions then got hit out of the attack. This was when the chaos began. Chris Woakes and Graeme Swann took four quick wickets before Pollard and Ramdin steadied the ship. Four more quick wickets and the innings was all over before it began, taking only 28 overs to be bowled out. Paul Collingwood did his best behind the stumps, but it was in the Kamran Akmal class, dropping two catches and missing sixteen byes.

England 275 (Bell 63, Bopara 62) beat West Indies 162 (Woakes 5/38) by 113 runs.

MoM: Chris Woakes (5/38)

England win the series 2-1 and take the NatWest Trophy.

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Home / News / International / Thorpe Selects World Twenty20 Squad

Thorpe Selects World Twenty20 Squad

Graham Thorpe's England squad for the ICC World Twenty20 has been released today. The injured James Foster misses out, as do James Hildreth and Chris Tremlett. The predominantly young squad features several young players and is orientated towards allrounders. New call ups include Jonathan Clare and Matt Prior. The full squad is:

Northeast*, Strauss, Bell, Bopara, Morgan, Prior+, Collingwood, Flintoff, Patel, Swann, Clare, Onions, Woakes, Anderson, Broad

Look Out For:
- Jonathan Clare. The young Derbyshire recruit looks the real deal, possibly the next Andrew Flintoff. The big, strapping, quick-medium bowler averages a shade over twenty with the ball and thrity-five with the bat.
- Samit Patel. After being sent back to Nottinghamshire to either lose some weight or lose his place, the Ramesh Powar-esque allrounder has gone from strength to strength, and it took a coach like Thorpe to recognise him.
- Andrew Strauss. England's premier batsman has had a dissappointing One-Day series, and now he has a point to prove. He will also be putting out a case as to why he, not his opening partner, should be captain.
- Chris Woakes. Warwickshire's most promising bowler in many years, Chris Woakes looks set to establish himself as one of the Northern Hemisphere's top seam bowlers in the years to come. He is useful with the bat, too.

Under Pressure:
- Sam Northeast. The captain is always under pressure, but when that captain is a nineteen year old of seven First Class games who isn't worth his place with bat or ball, that pressure increases tenfold.
- Andrew Flintoff. With his career seeming to nosedive, Jonathan Clare's is on the up-and-up. They are very similar cricketers, and most coaches would say that there's only room for one in a team. Can these two prove them wrong?
- Matt Prior. Having already lost his place once, an injury to James Foster has given him a second chance. Thorpe wants continuity behind the stumps is Matt Prior the man, and how much more is his batting worth to Thorpe?

Stay tuned for the World Twenty20, here in England, which should tell us more about the England setup.

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[Varun]

Some astonishing selections from Graham Thorpe. I know a bit about Clare and Woakes but never even had dreamt that they would get selected.
Impressive writing and imagination there.

 

[Dragon Fire]

Damn! Forgot all about the story! Anyway...

 

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Home / News / International / Netherlands Take Giant Sized Thrashing

Netherlands Handed Giant Sized Thrashing

It could definitely be said that England took the Dutch side less than seriousy, but they are fortunate to have a bowling attack that is good enough to defend the smallest of totals. They reduced the Dutch to a pitiful 35/9, but just couldn't finish the job. (Ian Bell and Sam Northeast bowling an over each may not have helped!) England have also found a good Twenty20 opening pair in Strauss and Flintoff.

The two Andrews put on a brisk forty for the first wicket, and when wickets began too fall, Flintoff played maturely for 36. He was the sixth man to fall, and England were heading for a dismal total. That was before a partnership of 61 between Graeme Swann and Chris Woakes. Northeast supported Woakes well for the last couple of overs as they ran in even numbers. In reply, Stuart Broad took the new ball with James Anderson. They took nine wickets between them and completely decimated the Dutch Courage. When they were bowled out, a gentlemen's agreement was reached, and Northeast allowed the Irish to pass the record lowed score before promptly terminating the innings.

With that half-hearted performance, England have almost certainly qualified for the Super Eights, but we all hope to see better from them in the future.

England 180/8 (Swann 51) beat Netherlands 69 (Anderson 5/19, Broad 4/29) by 111 runs.

MotM: James Anderson (4-0-19-5)

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[Dutchmen]

careless batting for us. 39 is ███████.

 

[Prithvi]

careless batting for us. 39 is ███████.

I guess you're even more underestimating your team. They were all out for 69.

 

[Gorro_124]

Good partnership by the No.10 and 11. though

 

[Dutchmen]

I guess you're even more underestimating your team. They were all out for 69

lol, I didn't see the scorecard. :P