England at the 2015 World Cup.

[shankycricket]

Shanky, surely this cannot be acceptable for you? Isn't that in effect one of monty's main attributes?

The problem with Monty is that he can't do well even on helpful pitches against good sides.

[meninblue]

Monty was highest wicket taker (14 wickets) and least economy rate (2.14) in UAE series and second best average. What else he has to do In SriLanka he took just two wickets in one test at economy of 2.14. He has had a good performance since comeback.

[braveneutral]

Shanky, surely this cannot be acceptable for you? Isn't that in effect one of monty's main attributes?

The problem with Monty is that he can't do well even on helpful pitches against good sides.

I am bowing out at this stage.

[shankycricket]

Monty was highest wicket taker (14 wickets) and least economy rate (2.14) in UAE series and second best average. What else he has to do In SriLanka he took just two wickets in one test at economy of 2.14. He has had a good performance since comeback.

How many times do I have to keep repeating that I don't count Pakistan as good players of spin? He was innocuous in SL.

[meninblue]

Monty was highest wicket taker (14 wickets) and least economy rate (2.14) in UAE series and second best average. What else he has to do In SriLanka he took just two wickets in one test at economy of 2.14. He has had a good performance since comeback.

How many times do I have to keep repeating that I don't count Pakistan as good players of spin? He was innocuous in SL.

Okay, so Pakistan can't play spin. Interesting.

[ddb]

If you take out every players good performances selectively, of course they'll just have bad performances?

[shankycricket]

If you take out every players good performances selectively, of course they'll just have bad performances?

No. I am talking about performances against sides whom I consider to be good players of spin : Aus(06/07 version), SL, India and SA. Out of these, he only really has respectable figures against SA, which I acknowledge.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Didn't you say you'd settle for a second spinner who could keep it tight? Monty was very parsimonious against SL.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Not really the right thread but. Hopefully we won't have to play the 2006 Australians again. But against Ind/SA/SL these are Monty's stats compared with other English spinners since 2000.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine ... pe=bowling

If guaranteed that economy and (roughly) 11 wickets in the four match series, then I might be tempted. As part of a five man attack.

Remember these are against the very best spin playing batters. Monty played a fair number of his Tests versus these teams when he was in bad form. And arguably, India's batting won't be as strong as in the past. Against such good players of spin, this isn't really bad at all.

[shankycricket]

Didn't you say you'd settle for a second spinner who could keep it tight? Monty was very parsimonious against SL.

I never said second spinner because I don't prefer 2 spinners. I said a spinner who could keep it tight in conditions helpful to seamers would be OK. If we play 2 spinners in India, it has to be in a 5 man attack thus the spinner has to be able to bat at 7.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Unless one of the seamers bats at seven?

[Making_Splinters]

I think two spinners in an ODI side is a must personally, taking pace off the ball and restricting the batsmen is vital, luckly we have both Swann and Patel at present with a decent range of slightly younger players and much younger players coming through though England between now and the world cup need to be investing in the likes of Tredwell and Briggs rather than them just getting an odd game here and there.

[OffStumpYorker]

I think two spinners in an ODI side is a must personally, taking pace off the ball and restricting the batsmen is vital, luckly we have both Swann and Patel at present with a decent range of slightly younger players and much younger players coming through though England between now and the world cup need to be investing in the likes of Tredwell and Briggs rather than them just getting an odd game here and there.

Completely agree that they need more exposure and I think they'll start to get it over the next couple of years,as I suspect Swann will look to focus on Test cricket and drop the ODI/T20 games.

[meninblue]

The fact that England are going with two specialist spinners rather than a specialist spinner and part time spinner in some test matches in Asia show that England think tank's approach regarding spinners is changing gradually. Therefore, we might also see two specialist spinners in ODI as well.

[Making_Splinters]

The fact that England are going with two specialist spinners rather than a specialist spinner and part time spinner in some test matches in Asia show that England think tank's approach regarding spinners is changing gradually. Therefore, we might also see two specialist spinners in ODI as well.

Not really we've played two specilist spinners in Asia for quite some time, not that we've won anything with that plan and when we actually played a spinner and a part timer we won a Test!

England will only play two specialist spinners if we have a front line pace bowler who can bat in the top seven.