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Big decisions before the summer

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chunkyshanhawk53

chunkyshanhawk53

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I have written off Sydney, we look clueless. But we do need to start putting together a coherent strategy for the future. We have Sri Lanka and India next, and whilst good sides we should be able to turn them over in English conditions (India especially are also rebuilding)

Lots of questions for me, fewer answers

Captaincy
Unfortunately I don't see an obvious candidate. Cook is a solid bloke, if hardly inspirational, and his batting seems to be struggling. I do think he is pragmatic enough that his nose won't be put out if they go elsewhere. Prior?

Batting
Assuming they decide Root is the future, and the jury is out for me, they need to decide now where he bats. If it's as opener, then we need to find a 3 (which for me has to be Bell). If it's 3, then we need an opener. Any opener needs to be strategic and long term. As much as I didn't mind the Compton/Carberry choices, there will be transition in the rest of the order in the next few years so we need to make changes. Ali? Chopra? Frankly I ain't got a clue.
If it's Root at 2, and Bell at 3....the selectors need to decide if they fancy James Taylor at 5 or not
Stokes is a no brainer at 6 and KP should be retained

Keeper
Matt Prior is the best keeper/bat we have had in decades. Is this just a blip? If so, he stays and potentially skippers. If not, who else is there? I'm not at all convinced by Bairstow or Buttler in the test arena, either as batsmen (both have serious limitations) or keepers (neither have kept enough)

Spinner
Do we have one? In my view it's not Monty. He doesn't offer enough with the ball to justify a rabbit and a liability in the field. Is Kerrigan worth another shot? If not, there is no one. If it's a spinning all rounder, the Borthwick at 8 strengthens the side

Seamers
Broad is a no brainer
Has Jimmy lost his nip? In my view, we stick with him but allow sufficient rest whilst at the same time blooding the younger players.
The third seamer is hard. As much as I like Bresnan as a cricketer, we don't need his batting if Borthwick is at 8. Rankin is not the answer long term. Finn obviously has something but needs cricket and needs to start taking wickets for Middlesex. Is Overton ready? Onions obviously, but hardly one for the future

The worry is we need to start blooding players, and very few make a compelling case. Apologies for the long ramble, feel free to disagree
 

Not much wrong with that, tbh...a good post. Gary Ballance come into your thoughts at all ?
 
chunkylover53 said:
Good point. I haven't seen much of him at all but selectors clearly like him.
If it's Root at 2 and Bell at 3, he is the logical choice at 5
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Yes, he seems to have a good reputation, but, like you, I haven't seen a lot of him. If he is as good as they are making out, then your batting order makes sense.
 
If the whole point of test cricket is to win the new championship (which it will be in time) we can't just start from scratch, we need to beat Sri Lanka and India. India, lest we forget, are playing very well in SA so will be a massive test. The teams on this thread look good for that.

I'd still be wary of playing both Anderson and Onions though as there has to be an eye on the future.

I'd be concerned about Borthwick as he may get smashed Schofield-style. As for the alternative, God knows!
 
NorthCountryBoy said:
If the whole point of test cricket is to win the new championship (which it will be in time) we can't just start from scratch, we need to beat Sri Lanka and India. India, lest we forget, are playing very well in SA so will be a massive test. The teams on this thread look good for that.

I'd still be wary of playing both Anderson and Onions though as there has to be an eye on the future.

I'd be concerned about Borthwick as he may get smashed Schofield-style. As for the alternative, God knows!
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Don't disagree. Issue is that in the next 2 years some/all of the following will need replacing - KP, Bell, Prior, Anderson. With Trott and Swann already gone, that's virtually an entire team.

Agree on Borthwick. I guess depending on the pitch we play 6 batsman. Plus prior and stokes. And then 3 seamers
 
K
NorthCountryBoy said:
If the whole point of test cricket is to win the new championship (which it will be in time) we can't just start from scratch, we need to beat Sri Lanka and India. India, lest we forget, are playing very well in SA so will be a massive test. The teams on this thread look good for that.

I'd still be wary of playing both Anderson and Onions though as there has to be an eye on the future.

I'd be concerned about Borthwick as he may get smashed Schofield-style. As for the alternative, God knows!
Click to expand...
Know what your saying regarding future but Anderson and onions both 30 so still have good 2 to 3 year left in them.Can look at the next gen in 50 over cricket first and against ya bangladeshes and dead rubbers. Now the perfect time to look at borthwick.Not sure he the answer but only way to find out is throw him in because Monty needs putting out to grass!
 
Mrjardine said:
Cook (capt)
Robson
Bell
Pieterson
Balance/Root
Stokes
Prior/Buttler
Borthwick/Tredwell
Broad
Overton/Finn
Anderson

That for me 1st test of summer.How onions was overlooked for this tour is laughable.
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Would love for Trott to get back from his illness, we are desperately short of a spinner, Kerrigan will need at least a year to get over his debut before getting another shot.
 
Mrjardine said:
K

Know what your saying regarding future but Anderson and onions both 30 so still have good 2 to 3 year left in them.Can look at the next gen in 50 over cricket first and against ya bangladeshes and dead rubbers. Now the perfect time to look at borthwick.Not sure he the answer but only way to find out is throw him in because Monty needs putting out to grass!
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I think we need to start looking now. We don't play shit teams often enough.

So an attack of
Broad
Anderson or onions
And one prospect

May have to be used. If that prospect is Finn and he has overcome his issues then great. We may need to look further tho
 
New batting coach
New fast bowling coach
New head coach
New captain (Prior)

Team:
Cook
Compo
Trott
KP
Bell
Bairstow/Root/Ballance/Borthwick
Stokes
Prior
Broad
Anderson
Monty/Onions

The star players will come good with a bit of self belief.

We have a real problem with lack of quality spinners, it looks like we will have to rely on Monty or 'part time spin' from Borthwick and Root on seamers wickets. We need some quality coaching to bring Borthwick up to test class bowling standard. Also, sort out the mess Middlesex have made of Finn's action.
 
smoker said:
New batting coach
New fast bowling coach
New head coach
New captain (Prior)

Team:
Cook
Compo
Trott
KP
Bell
Bairstow/Root/Ballance/Borthwick
Stokes
Prior
Broad
Anderson
Monty/Onions

The star players will come good with a bit of self belief.

We have a real problem with lack of quality spinners, it looks like we will have to rely on Monty or 'part time spin' from Borthwick and Root on seamers wickets. We need some quality coaching to bring Borthwick up to test class bowling standard. Also, sort out the mess Middlesex have made of Finn's action.
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Compton is a backward step
Trott is not realistic
Stokes as a 3rd seamer is a huge risk
 
chunkylover53 said:
Compton is a backward step
Trott is not realistic
Stokes as a 3rd seamer is a huge risk
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Who you going to open with? Carberry? Or scared boy Root? Second opener is a problem position for us and until Root finds consistency the best option we have is Compton.

Trott has been one of the best batsmen in the world and will be again when he gets over his illness. He has an average knocking 50, you don't throw a player like that on the scrapheap prematurely.

Stokes will be fourth seamer in my plan, unless we are playing Monty on a spinners wicket (oval).

Try some better arguments
 
After Sydney England do not have another test match until the home series begins against Sri Lanka in June, although they have a lot of one day cricket in the next 6 months. Surely this is a fantastic opportunity for players on the fringe of the test side to force there way into the test side in June by performing for the one day side, the England Lions are touring Sri Lanka in the new year and there is half of a county championship to be played before June.
Even looking at the team with a conservative view the team need to find
1. an opening batsmen. (can't see them going back to Compton if current regime are still in charge, if they persist with Root should be in the middle order)
2. a wicket keeper/batsmen. (I hope Prior does not go to the IPL, but goes back to county cricket he will score a boat load of runs and recovers his confidence, still plenty in the tank if he has the desire to get back into England side)
3. front line spinnner. ( If they have lost faith in Monty not sure where they go, looks like Borthwick is going to get first crack at Sydney )
4. an opening bowler. ( A genuine strike bowler, to open bowling with either Anderson or Broad. God knows what has happened to Finn if he can't make the side ahead of a half fit Bresnan.)
 
smoker said:
Who you going to open with? Carberry? Or scared boy Root? Second opener is a problem position for us and until Root finds consistency the best option we have is Compton.

Trott has been one of the best batsmen in the world and will be again when he gets over his illness. He has an average knocking 50, you don't throw a player like that on the scrapheap prematurely.

Stokes will be fourth seamer in my plan, unless we are playing Monty on a spinners wicket (oval).

Try some better arguments
Click to expand...
I don't think Compton is a step forward. Either it's Root or it's another young player like Ali

Trott is a great player. Would love him to come back. I would be surprised but who knows
 
Cook, Root, Trott/Robson, Bell, Pietersen/Ballance, Stokes, Prior, Broad, Borthwick, Anderson, Finn

something like that. although a good chance durham will get relegated without stokes and borthwick :neutral:
 
I think Robson is earmarked for the opener position although it is possibly Ali may get the nod as he is a pretty decent offie.

Cook
Robson or Ali
Bell
Pietersen
Root
Stokes
Prior
Borthwick
Broad
Overton
Anderson

I acknowledge that Borthwick isn't really good enough for the sole spinner role at this stage but I don't think anyone is and I would rather go for the youthful option that has other strings to the bow than a standard offie like Tredwell or sla like Briggs.
 
Surely prior is finished. His keeping has been awful forever really with his batting justifying selection. He can barely chalk so time to move on for me. Surely there are some good keepers out there who could average 30 at number 7. For god sakes mustard could manage it!
 
Carteron said:
Surely prior is finished. His keeping has been awful forever really with his batting justifying selection. He can barely chalk so time to move on for me. Surely there are some good keepers out there who could average 30 at number 7. For god sakes mustard could manage it!
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That is simply not true. His keeping was very poor initially but has become a high quality performer with the gloves but has had a bad series with both gloves and bat this time around and a poor Ashes last summer with the bat. Personally I think he is still our best bet. I remember Alec Stewart having a horrendous time with bat and gloves and the likes of Beefy calling him to quit saying 'his eyes had gone' and he went on to have his best years. There is no reason why Prior cant do the same and there isn't an outstanding wicketkeeper batsman knocking the door down at the moment.
 
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