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The balance of the England team

International Tests England

by Jamie L - BBC Sport (U1647523) 24 February 2009

Andrew Flintoff's absence from the England team for the fourth Test in Barbados underlines how big a role he plays.

The tourists, already without their first-choice wicketkeeper, are now without Flintoff, so are thus deprived of their best bowler and a top-order batsman.

Essex batsman Ravi Bopara and Kent seamer Amjad Khan have been drafted in, but England are not allowed to field 12 players so how should the team shape up for Barbados?

Bearing in mind the need to take 20 wickets and level the series at 1-1 with one match to play, who should form the bowling attack?

Steve Harmison has been passed fit, but did not look at his lethal best having been reprieved in Antigua. Would you give him another chance, and hope he can regain the form he showed in the Caribbean on the previous tour, or is his inconsistency too much of a risk in a must-win match?

Should Ryan Sidebottom return to give some balance with his left-arm seamers or has he lost that crucial bit of zip that made him so dangerous against the Windies in the home series of 2007?

Perhaps Khan should be given a chance, having taken five wickets in the tour match preceding this Test, or is it too much of a risk to give him his debut?

There have been fitness doubts over spinner Graeme Swann so who should deputise if he does not make it? Monty Panesar or is it time to give 21-year-old Adil Rashid his debut, particularly in view of his highly-rated batting capabilities?

No discussion about England would be complete without some debate about the batting order, and sure enough the absence of Matt Prior and Flintoff has created some uncertainty.

With Tim Ambrose not likely to be risked above number seven, who comes in at six? Bopara, aged 23, is a hugely talented strokeplayer who could not have done much more than make an unbeaten 124 from 125 balls in the recent tour match.

He also bowls useful medium pacers so should he be first choice to improve a fledgling Test career that has comprised only three Tests, all of which were on a difficult tour of Sri Lanka, when he was dismissed for a duck on four occasions.

There were suggestions that Ian Bell would be handed a recall but would that be a backward step? and would he then have to bat at three, causing further disruption to Owais Shah's hopes of cementing the number three spot? Can Bopara bat at three or is his style of play more suited to the number six slot?

Should Kevin Pietersen move up to three? There are many issues to resolve so please send in your thoughts on the best England line-up for this important Test.

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comment by kaiserbilhelm33 (U13820291)

posted Feb 26, 2009

pityakka, I was unaware that County cricket performance had any bearing on England team selection! I thought it was something to do with popularity...

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comment by sportyWakeyWakey (U13836986)

posted Feb 26, 2009

We must play 5 bowlers not 4 as the old saying goes, 'batters set up Test Matches and bowlers win Test Matches'. We must win this Test Match and take 20 wickets to win so more bowlers is the positive move but knowing 'conservative' England we will think of not loosing first and then winning after that!Their mind set is all wrong!

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comment by eggyeggyeggyoioioi (U13715931)

posted Feb 26, 2009

Strauss
Cook
Shah
KP
COlly
Flintoff
Prior
Broad
Rashid
Sidebottom
Anderson

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comment by von_wibblethorpe (U13848455)

posted Feb 26, 2009

Why oh why can't people get KP's name right?

PietersEn. There is no O.

Barbados = bounce. Got to have Harmison if we want to win...last chance saloon.

Strauss
Cook - he's got to be looked at
Shah
PietersEn
Collingwood
Bopara
Ambrose
Broad
Swann
Harmison
Anderson

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comment by Get up n Play! (U7108694)

posted Feb 26, 2009

I dont see why risking Ambrose at 6 is seen so bad when we put flintoff there an he is no better than ambrose. I think that swan should bat above broad as he has 4 fist-class 100's to his name and broad doesn't, yet. Also would like to see rashid have a match as he has shown potential and would it really hurt us to try him now then wait too long. No other countries seem to have a probelem playing young players, look at the aus and NZ's they do it, so why cant we!!

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comment by teassoc (U9487795)

posted Feb 26, 2009

Looking ahead to the ashes don't foget Simon Jones if he's back to his ashes form.

I'd only include Vaughn if his batting warranted it.

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comment by geminiCaddy (U13848473)

posted Feb 26, 2009

Denly, Keeper? Are you sure?
Also his form for Kent last summer wasn't great and he's just got pair for the Lions. I think his time will come but it might 2 or 3 years away.

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comment by jonkwan (U7706023)

posted Feb 26, 2009

Although I think Bell will be back for England in the summer, I think it is right to pick Bopara at 6 for this one. Then I think it will be a big fight between Bell, Bopara, Collingwood and Shah for the number 3 and 5 slots in the Ashes (assuming Flintoff is fit).

Bowling-wise, I like the look of Khan, but I'd go with Harmison IF we think he's going to bowl fast and aggressively. Tell him to give it everything and see how he reacts. For the spinner, stick with Swann IF we genuinely think he is fit enough to bowl for 2-3 days. That sounds unlikely to be honest, so I'd give Rashid a go. I love Monty but he's obviously not in form and would further weaken our batting.

My team for today:
Strauss
Cook
Shah
Pietersen
Collingwood
Bopara
Ambrose
Rashid
Broad
Harmison
Anderson

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comment by baz_201 (U4371660)

posted Feb 26, 2009

1 Strauss
2 Cook
3 Shah
4 KP
5 Colly
6 Rashid
7 Ambrose
8 Broad
9 Swann
10 Harmy
11 Anderson

lots of batting and variety in the bowling

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comment by bails84 (U13848540)

posted Feb 26, 2009

Watch a bunch of idiots we have here!! denly as a wicketkeeper??? he doesnt have a first class stumping to his name you fool. Richard Dawson back in squad? He averages nearly 50 bowling!!!

Stuart Broad is a far better bat than Rashid. He would have better statistics if he had played County Cricket more. He averages 30 in Test with 3 50's! All Rashid's done is milk average county bowlers!

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