Showing posts tagged england

Shush Mitchell, Jimmy is bowling.

(Source: wisdencricketer.com)

England’s World Cup Plan (Version 25b, WIP)

At the end of the English summer we thought Andy Flower and a plan™. England would build on their World Cup campaign on a similar basis to their Twenty20 success story, 5 bowlers, 5 batsman (including a wicket keeper) and 1 Luke Wright. Time has however made fools of us all, it’s quite clear that England have many plans for this World Cup and can’t quite make up their minds what which one is their favourite.

Wicket Keeper Opener?

Instead of working out who the best one day opening partner for Andrew Strauss is England have recently stuck the keeper in and hoped for the best. This seems to have rapidly backfired just in time for the the World Cup, having selected Matt Prior on the basis that he’s the better all round cricketer and keeper they forgot he’s not really an opening bat. Prior is not a power hitter and he’s certainly not the stay around type, more of a finesse player Prior excels when the fields are spread exploiting the gaps and running hard.

In the absence of a specialist opener or pinch hitter, England have shoved Kevin Pietersen up the order. At first this seemed almost desperate but I’m beginning to think it will be seen as one of the more intelligent selection moves made during this World Cup. Pietersen has been steadily going stale in the one day middle order, he hasn’t hit a one day international hundred since 2008 and as of late his contributions seem to be more fleeting than substantial. The move up the order will focus his mind on a new task, no longer will he be ‘protected’ or treated like a prima donna during this World Cup Pietersen will have to take responsibility. Something that I think he’s craved since he lost the captainancy.

Bit ‘n’ Pieces

England’s batting line-up just seems to get longer and longer, since the selectors have now worked out that Luke Wright seems to serve no useful purpose in England’s batting or bowling line-up we’ve had a steady string of weird and wonderful solutions to maintaining the balance of the team. Collingwood selected as a bowler or even weirder actually playing Tredwell. The decision however seems to be a simple one; Bopara or Yardy?

  • Can Collingwood be used for a full ten overs? Will the big hitters go after him?
  • How good are the bit n pieces bowlers (Trott, Bopara, Pietersen)? Can they cover for Collingwood or an injury?
  • Who is the better batsman Yardy or Bopara?

On the basis that we’re playing on flat sub continent wickets which we will often yield run no matter who is bowling it would seem to me to come down to that final question as England will need to maximise their batting. Bopara might have the edge in class; test match batting pedigree with hundreds to his name, I don’t believe he has the guile of Yardy who is very much capable of playing a match winning innings.

Andy Flower it’s your call, not one I’d wish to make.

effyeahcricket: Stuart Broad marked his return from injury and illness with a 5-wicket haul to save England from an embarrasing loss to Canada in their warm-up match in Fatullah. Broad is well rested and has a boat load to prove since his Ashes replacement Chris Tremlett out performed him, he should be performing well let’s hope he can take this form into the competition proper. As per England’s performance against Australia, the batting let England down they should be scoring 300+ against  teams like Canada. View high resolution

effyeahcricket:

Stuart Broad marked his return from injury and illness with a 5-wicket haul to save England from an embarrasing loss to Canada in their warm-up match in Fatullah.

Broad is well rested and has a boat load to prove since his Ashes replacement Chris Tremlett out performed him, he should be performing well let’s hope he can take this form into the competition proper. As per England’s performance against Australia, the batting let England down they should be scoring 300+ against  teams like Canada.

(Source: )

(Reblogged from )

While James Tredwell and Michael Yardy floundered in the ODI against Australia and made excuses about their bowling not being suited to Australian conditions, one English bowler was ripping it up. Adil Rashid spear headed a three pronged spin attack for South Australia as they bamboozled their way to winning the Big Bash. Rashid really was at the centre of it all, often opening the bowling and putting together an impressive selection of variations.

This does come some what of a surprise, Rashid’s figures for Yorkshire point to greater success in the longer form of the game and his performances for England in ODI and T20 were lacklustre to say the least. It appears however with the right tactics and coaching that Rashid has exceeded all expectations with South Australia. It will be interesting to see if Yorkshire make use of their extensive spin options to “surprise” English counties in Twenty20 cricket this summer, let’s face it they haven’t got a great deal to lose Yorkshire’s Twenty20 record leaves a lot to be desired. Rashid though is starting to realise some of his promise, poorly managed by the England set-up in 2009 he is starting to regain some of his confidence, next summer promises to be a big one for him.

(Video via Last of the Summer Whine)

fuckyeahenglishcricketers: The Ashes have returned home… View high resolution

fuckyeahenglishcricketers:

The Ashes have returned home…

(Source: )

(Reblogged from )

Too much cricket?

English World Cup Squad Injuries:

Eoin Morgan: Fractured middle finger on left hand in fourth ODI against Australia

Tim Bresnan: Picked up calf injury during second ODI

Graeme Swann: Back strain kept him out of ODI series

Paul Collingwood: Back spasms sent him home after the sixth ODI

Ajmal Shahzad: Limped off pitch with hamstring injury during fifth ODI

Stuart Broad: Tore his abdominal muscle during second Ashes Test and didn’t feature in ODI series

(via Cricinfo)

Not forgetting Chris Tremlett who picked up a side strain during the one day series with Australia.

Australian World Cup Squad injuries

Ricky Ponting: broke his finger during the third test

Mike Hussey:  pulled a hamstring running during the second ODI

Nathan Hauritz: dislocated his shoulder while fielding in the second ODI

Shaun Marsh and Xavier Doherty are also injured but not included in the World Cup squad.

No other cricket teams have played so much cricket over the last three months and with very little time to recover until the World Cup, the intensive schedule of 5 tests, 2 T20, and 7 ODI are looking increasingly foolish. The teams have used the full rotation of their squads during the bilateral series and now face an important tournament with fatigued players recovering from niggles and some more difficult injuries. With very little time until the teams must travel to the subcontinent this is going to make their preparations very difficult. England’s one day plans looked in tatters during the last series and Australia may well now need to quickly rethink with their key players on the sidelines.

Perhaps it’s time the administrators, took in some sporting considerations when they draw up their timetables instead of focusing on their financial bottom lines. Even putting that aside both sets of administrators need to consider the advantage of their teams being World Champions.