: Wed Jul 22, 2009 4:39 pm  

JWP wrote:

You lose a wicket now, you're three down in no time, that's the fear. I'd consider batting Colly at four, split up Bell & Bopara and have somebody in beween who can bat long, gives himself time to get in etc.

Well said.

: Wed Jul 22, 2009 5:01 pm  

Don't care about his minimal contribution so far, KP is a huge loss because of the psychological effect his absence will have on both sides.

: Wed Jul 22, 2009 5:21 pm  

agree Pieterson will be a big loss. We cant pick Bell he gets too intimatadated and is like a cat in the eadlights against the aussies. We need somebody with good mental strength and i would pick 1 of Denly/Key

: Wed Jul 22, 2009 5:24 pm  

oggy123 wrote:

agree Pieterson will be a big loss. We cant pick Bell he gets too intimatadated and is like a cat in the eadlights against the aussies. We need somebody with good mental strength and i would pick 1 of Denly/Key

It doesn't matter who "we" pick, Ian Bell will be in the team for the next Test.

At Edgbaston as well, I might lob a fiver on him to get a Century.

: Wed Jul 22, 2009 5:26 pm  

Would be a bad choice and he wont get nowhere near 100 in both innings i rate him against lesser teams but he cant handle the pressure against the auussies. Look quite fragile now with Bell at 3 Bopara at 4 and Collingwood at 5.

: Wed Jul 22, 2009 6:36 pm  

I'm not sure Bell can't handle the pressure of the Aussies full stop, Warne and McGrath used to psych him out and they're obviously not there anymore.

: Wed Jul 22, 2009 6:42 pm  

This is where the lack of options is striking. Ian Bell becomes a walk in really, by virtue of the lack of serious competition & also to be fair for doing what he was told, go back to county cricket and make hundreds, which he hase. (Ironically, had Vaughan have gone, even probably okay at Yorkshire, he'd be in now, the chance he craved. Isn't that just the case.)

I'd play Rob Key personally. The Aussies have a fair amount of respect for him from his tour down under. He might not be the most agile bloke, but he has great knowledge of the game, and I think would cope with the mental side of it well, but as said Bell is a walk in.

After these two, Denly has been out of nick for 12 mths or so, I think he got a hundred last week, but for England A in the winter, he couldn't get a run.

Shah looks to have been & gone in Test terms it seems.

Maybe the fella at Worcestershire, Moore. He scored 100 in the warm up against Ausstralia, should he get a gig ? He's always looked decent in the limited times that I've seen him. So too has Johnathon Trott at Warwickshire, I've alot of time for him as a cricketer.

: Wed Jul 22, 2009 6:55 pm  

JWP wrote:

This is where the lack of options is striking. Ian Bell becomes a walk in really, by virtue of the lack of serious competition & also to be fair for doing what he was told, go back to county cricket and make hundreds, which he hase. (Ironically, had Vaughan have gone, even probably okay at Yorkshire, he'd be in now, the chance he craved. Isn't that just the case.)

I'd play Rob Key personally. The Aussies have a fair amount of respect for him from his tour down under. He might not be the most agile bloke, but he has great knowledge of the game, and I think would cope with the mental side of it well, but as said Bell is a walk in.

After these two, Denly has been out of nick for 12 mths or so, I think he got a hundred last week, but for England A in the winter, he couldn't get a run.

Shah looks to have been & gone in Test terms it seems.

Maybe the fella at Worcestershire, Moore. He scored 100 in the warm up against Ausstralia, should he get a gig ? He's always looked decent in the limited times that I've seen him. So too has Johnathon Trott at Warwickshire, I've alot of time for him as a cricketer.

you'd hope key's 270 the other day hasn't gone un noticed, but i agree, it'll be Bell, heard Ramps's name thrown in as a wild card somewhere.

: Wed Jul 22, 2009 6:58 pm  

Loop wrote:

I'm not sure Bell can't handle the pressure of the Aussies full stop, Warne and McGrath used to psych him out and they're obviously not there anymore.

He did seem to make some improvement against them between 05 and 07, I think he got 3 or 4 half-centuries in a row down under, but he still doesn't inspire that much confidence.

Still, he will be on home turf on what has been a very good batting surface in recent times so he has every opportunity to cement a place.

: Wed Jul 22, 2009 7:01 pm  

Asim wrote:

He did seem to make some improvement against them between 05 and 07, I think he got 3 or 4 half-centuries in a row down under, but he still doesn't inspire that much confidence.

Still, he will be on home turf on what has been a very good batting surface in recent times so he has every opportunity to cement a place.

There was a period when he looked like a god, batting at six. Get him at six I say, proper mess with the order.

Sod it, bat Jimmy at three & play an extra bowler.