Strauss and Cook as openers.

[Aleem Dar]

Should they open the batting in the next Test, it will be the 100th time they've batted together in England Test colours. The first being Nagpur in 2006. Since then they've:

1. Scored 4,163 runs as an opening partnership
2. Average 42.91 as an opening partnership
3. Secured 11 century partnerships
4. Secured a further 14 half-century partnerships
5. Scored 4,651 when they've batted together at all times
   

However, 9 of their last 11 partnerships have failed to reach 25.

 

[pattisoni]

Id leave it as it is for this series anyway.

 

[Aleem Dar]

I'm not advocating a change, but found the last statistic interesting. Didn't realise it had been so long since Strauss got a score. Guess we're just used to him scoring loads.

 

[essex boy]

I'm not advocating a change, but found the last statistic interesting. Didn't realise it had been so long since Strauss got a score. Guess we're just used to him scoring loads.

I think because the team has done well against some pretty mediocre attacks, his lack of runs has fallen under the radar of most.

 

[Dexter]

I think because the team has done well against some pretty mediocre attacks, his lack of runs has fallen under the radar of most.

Agreed.

I didn't even realise his average was as low as 41 until you pointed it out in an earlier thread. It may well be time to give someone else a chance in the next year or so seeing as Strauss isn't scoring any runs and is approaching the wrong side of 35 as well.

 

[rentaghost]

I think because the team has done well against some pretty mediocre attacks, his lack of runs has fallen under the radar of most.

i might be wrong but I seem to recall you being Michael Vaughan's biggest fan. In the second half of his test career vaughan averaged around 34 and scored one hundred in 2 calender years. Not many questioned his place in the team though.

I think raising questions about strauss is fair enough but whats the difference in your eyes?

 

[chelt_mackem]

I think we should leave them as they are for now. Yes Strauss hasn't been on his best form recently, but you know what they say about form being temporary, his class is there for all to see. Strauss's influence as captain is, imho, more important than having him contribute a ton every game.

 

[essex boy]

i might be wrong but I seem to recall you being Michael Vaughan's biggest fan. In the second half of his test career vaughan averaged around 34 and scored one hundred in 2 calender years. Not many questioned his place in the team though.

I think raising questions about strauss is fair enough but whats the difference in your eyes?

Vaughan was a cripple, skippering a side to second in the world when 20/20 was barely played and a series win over the best team to have ever played the game.

Strauss is struggling against some woeful bowling attacks in an era when test cricket has fallen down the pecking order of many nations due to the advent of 20/20

I also believe Vaughan to be a far superior player in terms of technical ability whereas Strauss has made a career out of feasting on 80-85mph seamers bowling short at him (a slight generalisation but the principle is there)

That isnt the same in my opinion.

Its also interesting that until I pointed out about Strauss on the other thread, everybody else on here seemed oblivious to his continuing failings

 

[Aleem Dar]

Vaughan was a cripple, skippering a side to second in the world when 20/20 was barely played and a series win over the best team to have ever played the game.

Strauss is struggling against some woeful bowling attacks in an era when test cricket has fallen down the pecking order of many nations due to the advent of 20/20

I also believe Vaughan to be a far superior player in terms of technical ability whereas Strauss has made a career out of feasting on 80-85mph seamers bowling short at him (a slight generalisation but the principle is there)

That isnt the same in my opinion.

Its also interesting that until I pointed out about Strauss on the other thread, everybody else on here seemed oblivious to his continuing failings

No-one ever said that he wasn't failing, the general consensus was that we shouldn't be tinkering with the side just yet as we have no-one ready to step into the fold yet.

 

[essex boy]

No-one ever said that he wasn't failing, the general consensus was that we shouldn't be tinkering with the side just yet as we have no-one ready to step into the fold yet.

We wont tinker with the side because the standard of opposition sides mean his failings at the top of the order will continue to be overlooked until there is a vast improvement in the quality of test cricket being played.

What may catch Strauss out is thee tours to the major asian sides in the same year and a home series against the joint best bowling attack in world cricket (SA and Pakistan).

Im sorry but a team with no out and out quick and no spin options out of the ordinary does not have the worlds best bowling attack. (England). Its just very good in the right conditiions to which they have had an abundance of these in a short space of time

A relatively easy schedule last year will be turned upside down this year in Pakistan (Emirates), India and Sri Lanka and a home series against the saffers.

 

[Aleem Dar]

We wont tinker with the side because the standard of opposition sides mean his failings at the top of the order will continue to be overlooked until there is a vast improvement in the quality of test cricket being played.

What may catch Strauss out is thee tours to the major asian sides in the same year and a home series against the joint best bowling attack in world cricket (SA and Pakistan).

Im sorry but a team with no out and out quick and no spin options out of the ordinary does not have the worlds best bowling attack. (England). Its just very good in the right conditiions to which they have had an abundance of these in a short space of time

A relatively easy schedule last year will be turned upside down this year in Pakistan (Emirates), India and Sri Lanka and a home series against the saffers.

Again, no-one is disagreeing with what you're saying. We all know Strauss is in poor form. We know he hasn't hit a century for ages. We know his average is dipped. We also know that if there was a young opener waiting in the wings, then Strauss would be replaced, captain or not. Neither of the 2 openers in the Lions squad (Roy and Hales) look ready to step up, and there is no-one within the team who can open with confidence.

For once, people agree with you EB, just stop acting like a dog with a balloon.

 

[ProfessionalMackem]

I think we should leave them as they are for now. Yes Strauss hasn't been on his best form recently, but you know what they say about form being temporary, his class is there for all to see. Strauss's influence as captain is, imho, more important than having him contribute a ton every game.

This

 

[rentaghost]

Again, no-one is disagreeing with what you're saying. We all know Strauss is in poor form. We know he hasn't hit a century for ages. We know his average is dipped. We also know that if there was a young opener waiting in the wings, then Strauss would be replaced, captain or not. Neither of the 2 openers in the Lions squad (Roy and Hales) look ready to step up, and there is no-one within the team who can open with confidence.

For once, people agree with you EB, just stop acting like a dog with a balloon.

Its not fair people agree with me. I'll have to post something else 'controversial' now :-(

 

[essex boy]

Its not fair people agree with me. I'll have to post something else 'controversial' now :-(

People always agree with me on here, even if they dont want to admit it which doesnt really bother me

 

[The Breen Machine]

Disgusting, how dare England have a batsman out of form, he was averaging something like 47 up until this year and that includes pummelling a SA bowling attack that included Pollock, Ntini and Steyn in 2004/2005 so your comment about feasting on 80-85 mph dobbly bowlers is pants as he also was the only batsmen in the 2005 Ashes to score 2 hundreds in the series.

 

[rentaghost]

Vaughan was a cripple, skippering a side to second in the world when 20/20 was barely played and a series win over the best team to have ever played the game.

Strauss is struggling against some woeful bowling attacks in an era when test cricket has fallen down the pecking order of many nations due to the advent of 20/20

I also believe Vaughan to be a far superior player in terms of technical ability whereas Strauss has made a career out of feasting on 80-85mph seamers bowling short at him (a slight generalisation but the principle is there)

That isnt the same in my opinion.

Its also interesting that until I pointed out about Strauss on the other thread, everybody else on here seemed oblivious to his continuing failings

With Vaughan we arent taking about a short period of time. From July 2003 for the next 5 years of his test career he averaged 34. Why was he selected with those sort of stats - did anybody care? He couldnt score runs and he couldnt catch a beach ball. He faced some cracking attacks but he played a lot of cricket also against the likes of Zim, Bangladesh etc and did pretty poorly against them. Vaughan played because his captaincy was crucial and he was a great leader.

Strauss has had a poor run and I agree with you but I think its right that England dont turn on their skipper too early - compared to Vaughan Strausses poor run isnt that bad.

 

[chunkyshanhawk53]

Strauss is on the way out, it happens

But once again, who replaces him?

No one stands out yet

 

[essex boy]

Disgusting, how dare England have a batsman out of form, he was averaging something like 47 up until this year and that includes pummelling a SA bowling attack that included Pollock, Ntini and Steyn in 2004/2005 so your comment about feasting on 80-85 mph dobbly bowlers is pants as he also was the only batsmen in the 2005 Ashes to score 2 hundreds in the series.

Can you elaborate on what in gods name his form in 2004/05 as to do with his lack of runs over the last couple of years

 

[chelt_mackem]

Can you elaborate on what in gods name his form in 2004/05 as to do with his lack of runs over the last couple of years

I would imagine he's pointing out that in 2004/5 Strauss scored a bucket load of runs against quality bowlers, namely Steyn, Ntini, Pollock, McGrath, Lee and Warne. So the fact that he's not scoring as many now in "an awful era of test cricket with no decent bowlers" is merely down to poor form than lack of ability. Simples.

 

[essex boy]

I would imagine he's pointing out that in 2004/5 Strauss scored a bucket load of runs against quality bowlers, namely Steyn, Ntini, Pollock, McGrath, Lee and Warne. So the fact that he's not scoring as many now in "an awful era of test cricket with no decent bowlers" is merely down to poor form than lack of ability. Simples.

Form or the fact he is now a few days away from his 35th Birthday and like many players before of far superior ability who reach 35, find their powers on the wane

Can a side with aspirations of maintaining their number one spot with another two tough tours to Asia to come this calendar year be 'carrying' their opening batsman who has posted one test hundred in 2.5 years and counting....