With the Ashes now just over 6 months away, writers around the world are dipping their toes into the unruly world of Ashes starting line ups, praying that a star player remain in form and injury free, and that no upstart wildcard ruins their predictions. To act as a bridge into a greater Australian focus for this blog, in this first of a 2 part article I'll be examining England's likely lineup.
Andrew Strauss: Has flourished with the bat since being given the added responsibility of captaincy and will be well rested after not touring Bangladesh and not being involved in England's short term plans. If anything a lack of cricket may be a concern compared to others but expect him to lead from the front in Australia.
Alistair Cook: Has rediscovered form with good performances in South Africa and now as captain in Bangladesh. Shows a startling amount of maturity for one so young and this may be the year that makes him. With so much experience already behind him including a miserable tour over here 4 years ago, England will be hoping that he and Strauss can regularly produce 3 figure opening partnerships against the Aussies.
Jonathan Trott: Wouldn't make the cut if England were to go with a 5 bowlers but I expect them to try and scrape through with only 4 and 7 frontline batters. After exploding into international cricket with a century in the final Ashes Test, has failed to impress with a mixture of starts and odd dismissals which have failed to distract from his poor fielding, including dropping a sitter in the last Test. However, England will persevere with him for several reasons, not least the lack of an obvious alternative at the moment. Will be hoping the openers can take the pressure off him.
Kevin Pieterson: Rediscovered some form with the bat in Bangladesh but needs both regular cricket and to stay fit in order to pose the same threat to Australia as he did in 2005. Along with Strauss and Collingwood he will still be seen as a vital wicket, but will be looking to make match winning contributions more frequently. Much of England's chances rest on his shoulders.
Paul Collingwood: The grafter is one of the first names on the team sheet, boasting as he does the mental grit which many of his peers are criticised for lacking. One of the few players to emerge from the last tour with any credit and can be relied on to perform under pressure. Gives his captain an option with the ball which will be needed more than ever if England are to persist with 4 front line bowlers.
Ian Bell: Has appeared to be a changed man since his return to the England lineup in South Africa. Clearly enjoys batting at 6 far more than he did at 3 and appears to have used his time on the sidelines to address mental weaknesses. The criticism of being unable to bat under pressure seems to be increasingly null and void, with good performances as England teetered in South Africa and in Bangladesh. If he can maintain his current form he could contribute to the large totals England will need with only 4 frontline bowlers.
Matt Prior: Although he has come under increasing pressure from Craig Kieswetter in the shorter forms of the game, I expect him to hold on to gloves for at least another year. He has undoubtedly improved behind the stumps since coming into the England setup, but will be disappointed with his glovework in Bangladesh and will no doubt be aware that it will be this area of his game that will be under most scrutiny in the upcoming months as his batting remains easily strong enough for a Test no.7, and he has strong batting to follow him in Broad and Swann.
Stuart Broad: Although aspects of his temperament continue to frustrate, Broad shows flickers of brilliance and can produce the sort of match winning spells that England will need if they are to win matches with only 4 bowlers. His batting is hit or miss, but the combination of him and Swann at 8 and 9 mean England have a very short tail. For a bit man he is a gifted fielder and his safe hands in the deep are vital for all the bowlers.
Graeme Swann: England's star man of the last 18 months, Swann's mastery of finger spin make him a threat on even the most docile of surfaces. Despite the talents of Anderson and Broad, for most he is the key bowler for England, and without him claiming 7 or more wickets in a Test it is difficult to see how England possess the firepower to take the 20 required to win a Test match in Australia.
James Anderson: Without Flintoff he is the spearhead of the attack and must make inroads with the new ball. Will want to be more effective when the ball isn't swinging and will flourish on some wickets here and struggle on others unless he develops something other than swing. That said, when the conditions are right he is nigh on unplayable and if he can get it right on the those pitches conducive to aerial movement then he may be able to give England a position in the series that they can hold on to.
Liam Plunkett: Every selection has a wildcard and this is mine. Onions is struggling with a back injury and, although it hardly seems fair that he should be omitted because of it, he seems to be an unlucky bowler at international level. While Swann has the knack of taking a wicket in his first over, Onions seems to have the knack of bowling great deliveries that don't take wickets. Bresnan is a workhorse but will not win Test matches with the ball and Sidebottom is also a fitness worry, and you can't afford a question mark over fitness when the captain already has so few people to throw the ball too. As a result, Plunkett gets my nod. He is a proven performer who has improved beyond measure since he last played for England. He adds depth to both the batting and fielding lineups. The only thing that counts against him is the strength in depth at Durham, who boast such seam bowling riches that nobody up there is guaranteed to start.
So there you have it. In my mind certainly 2, and possibly 3 are up for debate. Trott needs to return to no.3 and impress there and the fourth bowler is there to be claimed. The other question mark hangs over Prior, who will be hoping that his glove work returns to the levels shown in South Africa.
No comments:
Post a Comment