Firstly, well done to South Africa. Both they and Pakistan have deserved their recent successes against England.
What next for our 3 Lions?
Well, looking at the bowling the only weakness I see is Bresnan. I just do not rate him at international level compared to other County bowlers. He is a good County bowler - I am a Yorkshire fan, but Anderson, Finn and Broad pick themselves. Over the past 2 or 3 years, the best CC bowlers are Onions and Woakes. Woakes is a genuine international all-rounder. Breznan is decent cover.
Prior picks himself, with Kieswetter impressing as back up.
Swann hasn't been himself, but is still our man. Panasar as back up, with Borthwick and Kerrigan in reserve.
Now to the batting. Our weakness! I hate to say it but sadly Strauss is a walking wicket. He can get away with it against lesser teams, but the best find him out. He has, however earnt the right to walk away when he wants. Worringly, Root aside, we have no obvious replacement.
I would promote Bell to open, a roll he has done before.
The key to all this is the KP situation. Should this be resolved, this would be my team.
For the record, this isn't an over-reaction to todays result. You cannot win them all and we lost to the best. I feel we are a bit stale and feel a slight tweak would help.
Cook c
Bell
Trott
Pieterson
Taylor
Bairstow
Prior wk
Broad
Swann
Anderson
Finn
Squad back up: Hales, Root, Bopara, Stokes, Wells, Thakor, Kieswetter wk, Woakes, Bresnan, Onions, Panasar.
Where next for England?
posted on 21/8/12
woakes has got to be the future flintoff. i remember 3/4 years back when everyone was saying 3 years down the line broad will be a genuine all rounder and the new flintoff etc. No he isn't and he never will be a genuine all rounder. just a very good bowler who has a decent day every now and again with the bat.
the new flintoff is woakes but i can't see him coming in this side unless for bairstow or taylor and i doubt that will happen.
posted on 21/8/12
bairstow ???
bairstow's inked in for the winter and pencilled in for the next 12 years
posted on 21/8/12
so when bairstow barely gets any runs in the four tests against india ..... we will talk then. he has played one good match and a lot poor ones against the windies. he deserves a run yes but you can't say he's here to stay. we'll see.
posted on 21/8/12
cant remember an england rookie batsman showed up like that.
he needs to stop playing across the line, but he faced a very ster test here and came through it with flying colours. even played a cover drive today !
i reckon he's a shoe in for the india and new zealand tests, and i have every confidence that he will fo more than enough in those games to make him an automatic selection next summer.
very exciting to see a young talent like that emerging into the team
posted on 21/8/12
good luck to him is all i can say.
posted on 21/8/12
Problem for England is that in the next series they meet an old friend called spin bowling on sub cont pitches and its hard to forget how you made Rehman and Herath look world class.
KP is your best player of spin of late but i cant see him playing in India. Does anyone know what happened to Bopara?
posted on 21/8/12
I have been a big fan and backer of KP, but if what has been reported is true, then he cannot play for this team again.
It's clear he has been a disruptive force in the England dressing room over the last year or so, and he has previous for this sort of thing at 1st class level as well.
I would rather we looked forward as opposed to back.
posted on 21/8/12
KP if proven has sent these txt messages then agree I don't see a way back for him, but lets not put all this on KP, I think there is a few players in the dressing room that have the green eyed monster against KP, Broad Strauss Bresnan, I think don't like the fact that KP is Englands best batsman by a mile.
Now without him England I am sure will survive but will they be as strong as they were, after watching the way SA took apart the opening batsman, and with no one as good as KP coming through its going to be a massive loss, yes Bairstow did well but I will see if he can continue his impressive form as he did against SA.
Well done SA they for me proved why they should be number 1 in the world in test cricket, and Smith for me was more agressive captain than strauss
posted on 21/8/12
I see no lasting issues with KP calling Strauss a doos...if they had an argument or something then it was ill judged but it isn't something that can't be worked through.
The idea of sending tactical advice against his own team, if true, should be the end of his career in my opinion. I would never want to see him in an England shirt again.
Though if the text was about around the wicket and was sent in the 2nd test it is almost irrelevant. SA had been coming around the wicket to both openers since ball 1 of first test if my memory serves
posted on 21/8/12
Sorry, was just picking up on what Murdoch said
As for the series. SA rightful winners. I think the 637-2 in the first test won the series for SA...If our catches had been taken it could have been a very different story but that massive wicketless total would have had a serious psychological impact. Jimmy dropping a dolly at mid wicket?? Reeks of not expecting chances/being switched off and that was day4 of the final test