Looking forward to seeing Jimmy vs Swanny on May 2nd - 5th. Let the battle commence..
As England prepare to take on Pakistan on neutral but Pakistan-esque soil, they contemplate their line-up in the bowling department, trying to get the right blend of skills that will be assisted most by the conditions.
The problem Strauss and Flower face is two-fold. Firstly, they have a depth of quality to choose from, and secondly the difference in conditions suggests a different tact from their usual approach may be required.
Anderson, Swann and Broad (if he’s fit) are shoe-ins for the first Test given their seniority in the squad and their positions in the Test bowling rankings. Realistically, that leaves one bowling spot available for Finn, Tremlett, Onions and Panesar to fight over. I say one spot because it appears a blue moon over Dubai will be more likely than an English five-pronged attack these days.
A look at the statistics would suggest a fight between Tremlett and Onions, but given the length of Onions’s injury and the consistent strength of Tremlett’s recent performances, Tremlett would be the favourite. An eye infection complicates the matter for the Terminator though, which leaves the door ajar for the return of England’s TOWIE expert Steve Finn. Aside from all the Essex shenanigans, in the ODI series against India he was supremely hostile and majestically quick, and much improved from the more than adequate Finn we saw last Winter against the Aussies.
But Mr. Panesar may have something to say about all this. Surely with Graeme Swann having a bit of a dodgy thigh, and the fact they are playing on ‘Bunsen burners’ and the small matter of the 8 wickets he picked up in the last warm up match, he must feel he has a look in. Besides, if you pick two spinners to play in Cardiff, then you must be morally obliged to play two when you play in the Middle East.
All in all then, it’s a right pickle. Despite bringing me to tears, I’m ruling out Onions. Then it’s a matter of taking your pick really. They have no reason not to pick Tremlett, and on these pitches it seems logical to play two spinners. But somehow I find myself erring toward Steve Finn, merely because there ain’t nought more exciting than real pace bowling
Where be it Blackbird to? Possibly the weirdest team song around, and one of the many reasons I love Somerset CCC.
I know where he be,
He be up yon Wurzel tree,
And I be after he!
Now I sees he, And he sees I,
Bugger’d if I don’t get ‘en
Wit a girt big stick I’ll knock ‘im down
Blackbird, I’ll ‘ave thee!
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
‘Ow’s ‘E Father?
Alright!
I’m not going to deny that I have long demanded the inclusion of Kieswetter in any limited overs England based on a none well too hidden Somerset CCC bias. So far in his international career he has had some serious highs to give my unwavering support some credence, but he’s displayed some pretty shabby performances as well.
A Man of the Match innings in the t20 World Cup Final in the Caribbean was followed by a slow decline as his technical failings were exposed against fast bowlers in English conditions.
Those technical failings have been reduced thanks to the work of Graham Thorpe, but some of his power has been lost as well. Kieswetter is the product of South Africa and then Taunton. It naturally follows therefore that he is most comfortable playing through the line on bouncy and even pitches.
English conditions have exposed him. But unlike many England players he will thrive abroad, both on the bouncy pitches of Australia and South Africa, but also on the low decks of the sub-continent as he is an excellent player of spin who uses his feet cleverly.
Too many England players have been picked on home form but then cannot translate that form on different pitches abroad. Only England’s best ODI players Bell and Morgan feel equally comfortable on all pitches and in overhead conditions. Elsewhere in the side there is plenty of room for those like Trott who thrive on English pudding pitches and those like Kieswetter and Pietersen who like conditions to be a little drier and firmer.
Selection policy should either be based on selecting the typical English players for home series and the big hitters for travels abroad, or we as fans can persist with a settled but not perfect line-up in the hope it serves us pretty well, if not magnificently, all over the globe.
A limited overs series in India follows this one, I hope Kieswetter survives the axe until the end of the summer as we’ll need players like him over there. But unlike with previous regimes, I am confident this England management structure is all too wise to avoid that myopian trap.
Three consecutive defeats in t20 finals has really gotten me down. As a Somerset fan it really pains me to see a side this good go home without any silverware.
Congratulations to Leicestershire and Paul Nixon in particular, but I’m still feeling aggrieved by that Sub being allowed on (Twisted knee my arse).
I hate to use the word choke but when you lose three times in a row to frankly inferior teams you do have to wonder.
Somerset have got to Finals Day for the 3rd consecutive year. My home team is a match for any international side. Pollard and Buttler were explosive to clinch the match against a very good Notts side that would have won had Swann and Broad been released.
I’m very tempted to go to Edgbaston on the 27th, but £60 is a lot of money I don’t have. Maybe I’ll blag an under 16’s ticket for £20 instead. Not easy as a 6 feet plus bearded 19 year old though. Come on the Cider Drinkers, go one better this year!
I do not care about all this ‘Was it out or wasn’t it out’ nonsense surrounding Ian Bell. You see Batsmen do what he did all the time during matches, but most of the time fielders just don’t think fast enough. Too be given out would have been ‘technically’ the correct decision but it would have created animosity superseding ‘JellyBeangate’ of 2007. MS Dhoni is not a saint for changing his mind, he was a damn fool for making the wrong choice first time round, I suspect the real credit goes to Duncan Fletcher.
BUT I REITERATE I DO NOT CARE. Why? Because its a freak incident, its not worth analysing because it will probably never happen again. It also detracts from a classic Ian Bell innings that sounded majestic from the way Aggers and Blowers were describing it on TMS.
By the way, if you ever care for a completely uninformed opinion about anything that is happening on the field, ask Geoff Boycott.
What are the odds Tendulkar comes in at number seven to score a century to finally get on the honours board and rescue the Test for India tomorrow, because I can almost guarantee it will happen.
Sky Commentators said “Praveen Kumar bowls like Graham Gooch”!
Biased Sky Commentary is so much better than ESPN Star Sports for the World Cup
