England - re-building for the future (PART 1)
Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2014 7:14 pm
Over the course of a few different posts here, i shall be looking at the transitional stage now for england in many different positions...
Part 1: Batting
The top 7 in australia failed and failed badly, and have done so for a while now..There are only 4 players i expect to line up in 2015 against the aussies:
Cook,Bell,Root,Stokes
Carberry - A talented batsman, maybe 2 years too late this trip for him. Hasn't looked the usual free-flowing batsman he is for Hampshire, and has been found out with bowlers going round the wicket to him and cramping him for room. However at least he stood up and played Johnson's short ball better than some of his counter parts : Verdict: Will see him around the one day sides but maybe no more test cricket for him
Trott: Very tough to say. However it's difficult to see him returning to the side and if he does it may not be for long, England's best no3 for a long time and sadly we may have seen the last of him
KP: I can't see him playing another test match. He and Flower contiously seem to be at loggerheads and it's clear that's about his invovlcement in IPL. He hasn't been the same since he lost the captaincy which is a real shame for England. I can see him going off to the IPL.
Prior/Bairstow: Prior at the age of 31 has plenty of time on his side and is a magnificent keeper-batsman, but he has been out of nick for well over 12 months, which isn't just a blip, and could be a terminal decline in his batting, needs early runs for Sussex to have any chance of playing against sri lanka in the summer. Bairstow, simply isnt' good enough. Has multiple flaws in his technique, struggles against short, fast pitched bowling, and also struggles with the ball pitched up and on the stumps, and is a walking wicket.
The contenders
Nick Compton: Compton could well be in for a suprise re-call with his replacements struggling. Obviously his early test record is poor, averaging a mere 31 from 9 tests. However he did make back to back centuries against a decent NZ attack. He does much more than the numbers suggest though, he blunts the bowling, takes the shine off the new ball and allows the middle order to come in against an older ball and acclerate the scoring..Compton back could work now that Trott isn't at 3 and the top 3 won't be all doing this role....
James Taylor- Taylor, perhaps one of the most unluckiest batsman in england. His talent and class are unquestionable. He needed to move to a div 1 side to prove his worth after scoring runs for fun in div 2 which he did. He moved to a tricky trent bridge wicket, struggled in his 1st season, but was back to his best last season. He struggled in his 2 tests against SA but impressed with his composure and temparement and is clearly a fantastic batsman. He has a very good f/c record, scoring nearly 6500 runs at an average of 47 with 16 centuries, and surely time for him to get a re-call.
San Robson- Another suprise contender, an opening batsman who has burst on the scene over the past 2-3 seasons. Our aussie friends will know a lot about him as well. Having comitted himself to england he will surely be looking for a call-up to the full side having impressed over the winter in OZ. He has a modest f/c record just averaging 39, however his composure if something which impresses the selectors and he dosen't get flustered under pressure.
Jos Buttler - Someone who i hope will take the gloves against sri lanka in the summer. This guy has the potential to be the Adam Gilchrist for england at no7. He has shots all round the ground and reign himself in for the longer form of the game. Is a fantastic keeper and the only reason he didn't keep for somerset was because he was better than Kieswetter in the outfield as well, which he has proved time and time again. He has moved to lancashire in search of regualr glovework in the longer form of the game and will certainly get it now
Joe Root - needs a settled spot in the england side and needs a long run there...his off spin will also prove vital esepcially if KP does go off into the IPL sunset..
my top 7 for the sri lanka series
Cook
Root
Bell
Taylor
Ballance
Stokes
Buttler (wk)
Part 1: Batting
The top 7 in australia failed and failed badly, and have done so for a while now..There are only 4 players i expect to line up in 2015 against the aussies:
Cook,Bell,Root,Stokes
Carberry - A talented batsman, maybe 2 years too late this trip for him. Hasn't looked the usual free-flowing batsman he is for Hampshire, and has been found out with bowlers going round the wicket to him and cramping him for room. However at least he stood up and played Johnson's short ball better than some of his counter parts : Verdict: Will see him around the one day sides but maybe no more test cricket for him
Trott: Very tough to say. However it's difficult to see him returning to the side and if he does it may not be for long, England's best no3 for a long time and sadly we may have seen the last of him
KP: I can't see him playing another test match. He and Flower contiously seem to be at loggerheads and it's clear that's about his invovlcement in IPL. He hasn't been the same since he lost the captaincy which is a real shame for England. I can see him going off to the IPL.
Prior/Bairstow: Prior at the age of 31 has plenty of time on his side and is a magnificent keeper-batsman, but he has been out of nick for well over 12 months, which isn't just a blip, and could be a terminal decline in his batting, needs early runs for Sussex to have any chance of playing against sri lanka in the summer. Bairstow, simply isnt' good enough. Has multiple flaws in his technique, struggles against short, fast pitched bowling, and also struggles with the ball pitched up and on the stumps, and is a walking wicket.
The contenders
Nick Compton: Compton could well be in for a suprise re-call with his replacements struggling. Obviously his early test record is poor, averaging a mere 31 from 9 tests. However he did make back to back centuries against a decent NZ attack. He does much more than the numbers suggest though, he blunts the bowling, takes the shine off the new ball and allows the middle order to come in against an older ball and acclerate the scoring..Compton back could work now that Trott isn't at 3 and the top 3 won't be all doing this role....
James Taylor- Taylor, perhaps one of the most unluckiest batsman in england. His talent and class are unquestionable. He needed to move to a div 1 side to prove his worth after scoring runs for fun in div 2 which he did. He moved to a tricky trent bridge wicket, struggled in his 1st season, but was back to his best last season. He struggled in his 2 tests against SA but impressed with his composure and temparement and is clearly a fantastic batsman. He has a very good f/c record, scoring nearly 6500 runs at an average of 47 with 16 centuries, and surely time for him to get a re-call.
San Robson- Another suprise contender, an opening batsman who has burst on the scene over the past 2-3 seasons. Our aussie friends will know a lot about him as well. Having comitted himself to england he will surely be looking for a call-up to the full side having impressed over the winter in OZ. He has a modest f/c record just averaging 39, however his composure if something which impresses the selectors and he dosen't get flustered under pressure.
Jos Buttler - Someone who i hope will take the gloves against sri lanka in the summer. This guy has the potential to be the Adam Gilchrist for england at no7. He has shots all round the ground and reign himself in for the longer form of the game. Is a fantastic keeper and the only reason he didn't keep for somerset was because he was better than Kieswetter in the outfield as well, which he has proved time and time again. He has moved to lancashire in search of regualr glovework in the longer form of the game and will certainly get it now
Joe Root - needs a settled spot in the england side and needs a long run there...his off spin will also prove vital esepcially if KP does go off into the IPL sunset..
my top 7 for the sri lanka series
Cook
Root
Bell
Taylor
Ballance
Stokes
Buttler (wk)