England World Cup Squad Review

[eddyfinn]

Batsmen
Strauss - Runs 334 Ave 47.71 SR 93.55

A poor ODI captain very negative and lacks ideas. His batting average suggests he had a good tournament with the bat and overall he did. However had major struggles against spinners and when teams bowled straight to him. Very much a one dimensional ODI batsmen relying on cutting and pulling to score the majority of his runs. Too old to make the next world cup and should retire from the ODI format.

Pietersen - Runs 131 Ave 32.75 SR 96.32

Made starts but didn’t go on. His opening was still one of the positives of the tournament but needs to produce bigger scores. Strike rate was good bar one innings and is one of the few England players that can take a game away from the opposition.


Bell - Runs 245 Ave 35.00 SR 79.80

How many chances does this guy need bats slowly, gets to 30-35 then gets out. Batting the way he does he has to make big scores but never produces. Him and Trott simply can’t play in the same side as each other and with only 1 hundred and 18 fifties in 97 ODI games its time for Ian Bell to exit the ODI stage.

Trott - Runs 422 Ave 60.28 SR 80.84

Had a very good tournament did score slowly in a couple of games but produced big scores. Needs to work on hitting more boundaries but if we can get quick runs scores around him we will win more games then we lose.

Morgan - Runs 120 Ave 40.00 SR 85.84

Batted well in two of the three games, even with his bit of luck. Too much is put on him in terms of scoring at a fast rate due to the slowness of others which can cause him to play the odd silly shot. He is however a class player who we need to build a team round, doubt we would have been in as much trouble during the group stage had he been available for all of it.


Wicketkeeper
Matt Prior - Runs 78 Ave 15.60 SR 84.00 catches 7 stumpings 3
Why in the blue hell was he picked? Poor average poor strike rate (mainly coming in at the end of the innings) and had far too many chances. 3 ODI fifties from 68 matches is nothing short of woeful. Isn’t an ODI batsmen nor is he a great ODI keeper when standing up to the wicket. Get Davies back in ASAP!



AllroundersCollingwood – Runs 61 Ave 20.33 SR 117.30 Wkts 1 Ave 116 RR 5.04

Looks passed it, a real shame as a year ago he would have been a major player for us still a bit unlucky to lose his place however. Won’t be around for the next world cup and doesn’t have the form to come back in anyway so 20/20’s may be his only hope with England now.

Bopara - Runs 141 Ave 35.25 SR 66.51 Wkts 2 Ave 31.50 RR 3.81

Seen as a big hitter by some but who rarely hits anything. His Strike rate isn’t good enough in fact it’s appalling and seems to think by getting a leisurely 30/40 his job is done. His bowling did look dangerous and would be useful as a 5/6th bowler but needs to improve in both areas to be considered a first choice.

Yardy - Runs 19 Ave 6.33 SR 57.57 Wkts 2 Ave 79.50 RR 6.11

Not good enough with the bat or ball. His bowling is suited to 20/20 stopping runs being scored but just doesn’t take enough wickets in the ODI format. His batting is poor and doubt we will see much more of him

Wright - Runs 45 Ave 45 SR 75.00 Wkts0 Ave – RR 4.37

Why he wasn’t brought in instead of Swann in the SL game is beyond me. Has some ability with bat and ball but doesn’t often deliver. Don’t think Strauss rates him nor am I sure England know how to use him. They should either play him in the next 10 ODI’s or just get rid of him.


Bowlers
Anderson –Wkts 4 Ave 70.75 RR 6.58

Awful world cup just didn’t know where to bowl it. Still think he offers us something and his bowling with suit the next world cup in Aus/NZ. Not a first choice pick but will be in and around the squad.

Bresnan – Wkts 9 Ave 34.33 RR 4.90
Needs to offer more than back of the length bowling. Does have his good days and could become a decent all-rounder in time, another who needs to take more wickets.

Swann – Wkts 12 Ave 25.75 RR 4.54
World class bowler who had little back-up from the rest of his team mates. A certain pick in any ODI game.

Tredwell – Wkts 4 Ave 21.50 RR 5.37
Had a good game Vs WI but doesn’t look up to it overall and offers little in variation.


Broad – Wkts 6 Ave 25.50 RR 6.00
Huge miss and one of England few world Class ODI players. Still needs to grow up though and look at his options better when the pressure is on.

Shahzad – Wkts 2 Ave 32.00 RR 5.33
Still think he is worth sticking with sprays the ball around too much but can swing the ball both ways with the old ball.

Tremlett - Wkts 0 Ave - RR 6.80
Never has been or will be a one day bowler. Short and wide bowling for most of his overs. Hopefully we won’t see him in an ODI shirt again.



Players Out - Strauss, Bell, Prior, Tremlett, Tredwell, Yardy, Collingwood and Wright?

 

[harmy]

get phil mustard back in the team and give him a good run of games.

best wicket keeper batsman in england. just ask sharne warne.

 

[The Breen Machine]

Very fair review. Nothing personal against Prior but his selection for the tournement really irked me, Davies had played 7 ODI's averaged mid-30's with a strike rate of 104 and was quickly swept aside for someone who had already had numerous chances in the ODI team. Another poor show in the world cup must be used as the time to exclude him again from the ODI setup, this time for good. Davies never put a foot wrong when picked and has age on his side, Kieswetter as back-up is more than adequate as both will look to hit over the top and score quickly in the early overs.

Bell and Bopara are supposed to be our 2 best players of spin. If that's true I'd like to know why they never come down the pitch to the spinners, Bopara in particular yesterday never left his crease once and scratched around for a pretty ugly 31. Both have had plenty of chances in different positions, and their strike rates are still crap. In Bell, Prior and Bopara we have approx. 210 ODI's 1 hundred between them and about 25 half centuries, it's poor, they are all too similar and don't have the ability to make a bowler think.

Trott's scoring rate is questionable but unlike Bell, Bopara etc. he does actually go on and make a score, which is perfectly fine aslong as others around him can score quickly and also contribute more than a brisk 20 or 30.

I think Strauss will retire from ODI's. He had an awful match yesterday but in truth has been pretty good in tight situations and his form has been as good as anyone over the last year. Still struggles to move his feet to spin though and by the next world cup he will be 38 so I think he will move on, Cook will replace him as captain and take his opening spot as the selectors will see it as a good chance to groom him for the test role.

Bowling wise we are too similar and have an adversity to bowling straight and full, look at how difficult it was yesterday to get Malinga away. Tremlett bowls too short all the time and gets punished for it, Bresnan too although he's had a decent tournement overall. We missed Broad a lot IMO as he has that wicket taking ability while being able to mix it up aswell.

Wright should be sent back to county cricket to work on both batting and bowling so at least 1 can hopefully end up international class. He's got a very limited technique and does nothing with the ball except bowl straight up and down, which is very easy for a half decent batsman to play after a few sighters. He is simply not international class at the moment.

Overall big changes needed IMO, we won't see Collingwood, Strauss and Yardy in ODI colours again.

I think come the summer we will see (or should see) a starting XI something like:

Cook
Davies
Trott
Pietersen
Morgan
Stokes/Hildreth
Bresnan
Swann
Rashid/Woakes
Broad
Anderson/Shahzad

Still not much variety in the bowling attack but simply, while we have plenty decent test bowlers, we don't have anything outstanding except Swann in the ODI form. Batting line up has a couple of "anchors" in Cook and Trott and then strokemakers in Davies, Kp, Morgan and Hildreth/Stokes, only concern would be a bit of a long tail although they can all hold a bat, but you should back your top 6 to score the bulk of your runs and be relied upon.

Having said that, watch us go into the first ODI of the summer with Bell and Prior opening

 

[mikemanc]

I'd drop a bowler from your team for Bopara and have Pietersen at 3.

Not convinced on having Cook and Trott in the top 3 as I think they'd both want to drop anchor and have everyone else play around them.

If you play Pietersen he has to be number 3 so he can get his eye in. He can play long innings and accelerate unlike Cook and Trott.

I take your point about Bopara but I think he's played quite well when he comes in at 6/7/8 to finish the innings off and his bowling's not bad for the 5th/6th bowler.

I've not seen enough of Hildreth or Stokes to pass comment on them but we need more batsmen in the squad who are capable of clearing the ropes.

Sorry for the double post, just too late to edit my last one.

I've been impressed by Alex Hales and Jos Butler in one-dayers, maybe see them competing for that Hildreth/Stokes spot.

 

[The Breen Machine]

I'd drop a bowler from your team for Bopara and have Pietersen at 3.

Not convinced on having Cook and Trott in the top 3 as I think they'd both want to drop anchor and have everyone else play around them.

If you play Pietersen he has to be number 3 so he can get his eye in. He can play long innings and accelerate unlike Cook and Trott.

I take your point about Bopara but I think he's played quite well when he comes in at 6/7/8 to finish the innings off and his bowling's not bad for the 5th/6th bowler.

I've not seen enough of Hildreth or Stokes to pass comment on them but we need more batsmen in the squad who are capable of clearing the ropes.

You make good points, ideally you could have one of Cook or Trott but I genuinely think Strauss will retire from ODI's and Cook will be his replacement, and they won't drop Trott. If they surprisingly don't go with Cook, then I've really no idea who could take over the captaincy, no obvious candidates at all, Perhaps Swann at a stretch but he's the joker in the dressing room and it could be too big of a change in personality needed. I wouldn't be totally against giving Pietersen another chance but I don't think he will see himself as playing ODI's for too much longer, and it would probably send out the wrong message as he will be still wanting the test captaincy IMO when we already have a good replacement in Cook waiting.

Bopara has on the odd occasion shown he can come in late on and hit a few, but seems to struggle under any pressure and never builds an innings. Look at players like Hussey, Duminy, Morgan, Dhoni who come in about 5/6 and can still make a big score in a difficult situation, Bopara never looks likely and thats why I'd be inclined to bin him.

Hildreth and Stokes are both more than capable of clearing the ropes at county level, Jos Buttler aswell from Somerset is a young lad who can hit far. There are a few young county cricketers who can score quickly at that level, Alex Hales is another who comes to mind, it's making sure they can make the step up and do it and adapt because I've seen Bopara in particular take county attacks apart but then barely hit it off the square at international level. Mentalities have to change.

 

[mikemanc]

Hildreth and Stokes are both more than capable of clearing the ropes at county level, Jos Buttler aswell from Somerset is a young lad who can hit far. There are a few young county cricketers who can score quickly at that level, Alex Hales is another who comes to mind, it's making sure they can make the step up and do it and adapt because I've seen Bopara in particular take county attacks apart but then barely hit it off the square at international level. Mentalities have to change.

Think you must have been writing this as I edited my post

I take your point on Bopara, he's in the last chance saloon as far as I'm concerned.

And I only went for Trott and Cook because I think the selectors will. Personally I'd have one or the other but like you said they'll make Cook captain and the only argument you can make for Trott being dropped is his scoring rate. But I want a player in the team who plays that role. I'd pick the team then the captain but I know that isn't going to happen.

Hales, Butler, Hildreth and Stokes must have a good chance if they start the season well and there's only one way to find out if they're good enough.

I especially liked the way Butler played towards the end of last season. He wasn't phased by situations, batted aggressively but calmly, nothing like Wright's attempts yesterday.

I actually feel sorry for Wright, I think his careers been stunted in a similar way to Plunkett's. Picked too early then didn't play enough cricket as he's spent all his time carrying drinks for England.

 

[The Breen Machine]

Think you must have been writing this as I edited my post

I take your point on Bopara, he's in the last chance saloon as far as I'm concerned.

And I only went for Trott and Cook because I think the selectors will. Personally I'd have one or the other but like you said they'll make Cook captain and the only argument you can make for Trott being dropped is his scoring rate. But I want a player in the team who plays that role. I'd pick the team then the captain but I know that isn't going to happen.

Hales, Butler, Hildreth and Stokes must have a good chance if they start the season well and there's only one way to find out if they're good enough.

I especially liked the way Butler played towards the end of last season. He wasn't phased by situations, batted aggressively but calmly, nothing like Wright's attempts yesterday.

I actually feel sorry for Wright, I think his careers been stunted in a similar way to Plunkett's. Picked too early then didn't play enough cricket as he's spent all his time carrying drinks for England.

Yes I was

The one plus about county cricket at the moment is that there does seem to be a lot of young lads who can really strike a ball and do it well under some pressure. Of course nothing like the pressure of international cricket but you have to hope and pray that it isn't coached out of them and they can adapt. When you look at players like Davies, Hildreth, Kieswetter, Hales, Buttler and Stokes, there's raw aggression there whereas England are still playing tippy-tappy stuff with the likes of Bell and Prior. Trott does a job and I'd be worried that having him and Cook in the side would slow us down again, but I can't see where else the selectors will go unless Strauss decides to have another 12 months or so and let players develop around him as an experienced captain - his strike rate in the last 12 months has been high 90's so even despite his problems with spin I'd be happy for him to continue for a while rather than try and be too transitional.

My problem with Wright, as I've mentioned many times now, is that he doesn't seem to know if he's a batsman who bowls a bit, a bowler who slogs a few etc. and added to his technical flaws, it does not make a suitable international cricketer. Send him back to Sussex, let him play in the championship for most of the season and hopefully he, and the selectors can work out exactly what type of cricketer he is.

 

[eddyfinn]

Very fair review. Nothing personal against Prior but his selection for the tournement really irked me, Davies had played 7 ODI's averaged mid-30's with a strike rate of 104 and was quickly swept aside for someone who had already had numerous chances in the ODI team. Another poor show in the world cup must be used as the time to exclude him again from the ODI setup, this time for good. Davies never put a foot wrong when picked and has age on his side, Kieswetter as back-up is more than adequate as both will look to hit over the top and score quickly in the early overs.

Bell and Bopara are supposed to be our 2 best players of spin. If that's true I'd like to know why they never come down the pitch to the spinners, Bopara in particular yesterday never left his crease once and scratched around for a pretty ugly 31. Both have had plenty of chances in different positions, and their strike rates are still crap. In Bell, Prior and Bopara we have approx. 210 ODI's 1 hundred between them and about 25 half centuries, it's poor, they are all too similar and don't have the ability to make a bowler think.

Trott's scoring rate is questionable but unlike Bell, Bopara etc. he does actually go on and make a score, which is perfectly fine aslong as others around him can score quickly and also contribute more than a brisk 20 or 30.

I think Strauss will retire from ODI's. He had an awful match yesterday but in truth has been pretty good in tight situations and his form has been as good as anyone over the last year. Still struggles to move his feet to spin though and by the next world cup he will be 38 so I think he will move on, Cook will replace him as captain and take his opening spot as the selectors will see it as a good chance to groom him for the test role.

Bowling wise we are too similar and have an adversity to bowling straight and full, look at how difficult it was yesterday to get Malinga away. Tremlett bowls too short all the time and gets punished for it, Bresnan too although he's had a decent tournement overall. We missed Broad a lot IMO as he has that wicket taking ability while being able to mix it up aswell.

Wright should be sent back to county cricket to work on both batting and bowling so at least 1 can hopefully end up international class. He's got a very limited technique and does nothing with the ball except bowl straight up and down, which is very easy for a half decent batsman to play after a few sighters. He is simply not international class at the moment.

Overall big changes needed IMO, we won't see Collingwood, Strauss and Yardy in ODI colours again.

I think come the summer we will see (or should see) a starting XI something like:

Cook
Davies
Trott
Pietersen
Morgan
Stokes/Hildreth
Bresnan
Swann
Rashid/Woakes
Broad
Anderson/Shahzad

Still not much variety in the bowling attack but simply, while we have plenty decent test bowlers, we don't have anything outstanding except Swann in the ODI form. Batting line up has a couple of "anchors" in Cook and Trott and then strokemakers in Davies, Kp, Morgan and Hildreth/Stokes, only concern would be a bit of a long tail although they can all hold a bat, but you should back your top 6 to score the bulk of your runs and be relied upon.

Having said that, watch us go into the first ODI of the summer with Bell and Prior opening

I can't argue with that lineup. Like you say we really need to find another ODI bowler

 

[The Breen Machine]

I can't argue with that lineup. Like you say we really need to find another ODI bowler

We have plenty of good bowlers, if you look at the options available then we can pick from:
Anderson
Shahzad
Broad
Bresnan
Tremlett
Finn
Plunkett
Woakes
Dernbach
Possibly even Onions when/if fit.

The problem is they are all so similar. That pool of bowlers at test level is very exciting and promising, at ODI level when good batsmen will come at you, bowlers need to be different, think outside the box and not bowl the same ball 60 times. Only Broad shows any good variations that also takes wickets. My worry at ODI level is that there's nobody different in the county cricket cupboards, no Malinga's, no Tait's, no Mendis', just a host of good English style bowlers who are easy to get away on unfavourable bowling wickets, and offer little variation.

 

[mickey]

The problem with the squad was that no-one excelled. Trott, Strauss, Bresnan and Shahzad were adequate, Swann delivered occasionally and the rest were out of their depth.

 

[mikemanc]

We have plenty of good bowlers, if you look at the options available then we can pick from:
Anderson
Shahzad
Broad
Bresnan
Tremlett
Finn
Plunkett
Woakes
Dernbach
Possibly even Onions when/if fit.

The problem is they are all so similar. That pool of bowlers at test level is very exciting and promising, at ODI level when good batsmen will come at you, bowlers need to be different, think outside the box and not bowl the same ball 60 times. Only Broad shows any good variations that also takes wickets. My worry at ODI level is that there's nobody different in the county cricket cupboards, no Malinga's, no Tait's, no Mendis', just a host of good English style bowlers who are easy to get away on unfavourable bowling wickets, and offer little variation.

I think Dernbach could offer something a bit different, and maybe Shahzad too. The good thing is that half of those players are young enough to learn to bowl 6 yorkers in a row, vary speeds etc. Although not bowling short and wide would be a start.

 

[eddyfinn]

We have plenty of good bowlers, if you look at the options available then we can pick from:
Anderson
Shahzad
Broad
Bresnan
Tremlett
Finn
Plunkett
Woakes
Dernbach
Possibly even Onions when/if fit.

The problem is they are all so similar. That pool of bowlers at test level is very exciting and promising, at ODI level when good batsmen will come at you, bowlers need to be different, think outside the box and not bowl the same ball 60 times. Only Broad shows any good variations that also takes wickets. My worry at ODI level is that there's nobody different in the county cricket cupboards, no Malinga's, no Tait's, no Mendis', just a host of good English style bowlers who are easy to get away on unfavourable bowling wickets, and offer little variation.

My main problem with the bowlers bar them all being similar is the fact alot aren't wicket takers in the ODI format. Broad and Swann are wicket taking bowlers in the ODI format but the others aren't a few on there are still unproven to be fair so I would like to see Dernbach, Finn and Woakes given chances. Shazad should be much better then he is but can't bowl a consistant line and length.

 

[mickey]

Would make sense to have a "probables" v "possibles" series of matches to look at 30 players over a week or so.

 

[Twisted]

Yes I was

The one plus about county cricket at the moment is that there does seem to be a lot of young lads who can really strike a ball and do it well under some pressure. Of course nothing like the pressure of international cricket but you have to hope and pray that it isn't coached out of them and they can adapt. When you look at players like Davies, Hildreth, Kieswetter, Hales, Buttler and Stokes, there's raw aggression there whereas England are still playing tippy-tappy stuff with the likes of Bell and Prior. Trott does a job and I'd be worried that having him and Cook in the side would slow us down again, but I can't see where else the selectors will go unless Strauss decides to have another 12 months or so and let players develop around him as an experienced captain - his strike rate in the last 12 months has been high 90's so even despite his problems with spin I'd be happy for him to continue for a while rather than try and be too transitional.

My problem with Wright, as I've mentioned many times now, is that he doesn't seem to know if he's a batsman who bowls a bit, a bowler who slogs a few etc. and added to his technical flaws, it does not make a suitable international cricketer. Send him back to Sussex, let him play in the championship for most of the season and hopefully he, and the selectors can work out exactly what type of cricketer he is.

you've been listening to steve bruce too much