He was questionable as captain for the one dayers though. He is a classy batsman for sure(reminds me a bit of Mark Waugh) but i'm not sure how he will fair as captain
England V India ***Clash of the Heavyweights*** Test, T20 and ODI Series
- Thread starter TheCenturion
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He was questionable as captain for the one dayers though. He is a classy batsman for sure(reminds me a bit of Mark Waugh) but i'm not sure how he will fair as captain
Soldato
My test 11 is Sehwag, Gambhir/Jayawardene, Sangakarra Tendulkar, Kallis, De Villiers, Dilshan, Swann, Zaheer, Anderson, Steyn
Sure, on a flat wicket
<3 Out of interest, how about ODI team (based on 12 month performance) ?
Sehwag, Watson, Amla, Tendulkar,M. Hussey, AB De Villiers, Afridi, Vettori, Steyn, Swann, Malinga (Maybe .. impressed at the WC and works well as a strike bowler especially with a reversing ball, otherwise plenty of other options)
Although maybe the tail's a bit long there, plenty of bowling options though, 3 world class spin options for the (inevitable) flat wicket ODI's played on.
Soldato
Basically agreeing with each other saying that Bell was dozy (that word was used a lot)
Just because the English crowd was so angry, the right decision was made I think. In any other country, I doubt Dhoni would have retracted.
.Whilst i can't say he's my favourite player, you can't argue with his performance for England so far. The one England player that would be guaranteed a place in a world XI, imo would be Cook
Also, Prior is top keeper atm for me by a mile.
Soldato
The title is a bit cringeworthy now "clash of the heavyweights" since India have played like featherweights so far.
I would get the op to change it but he is awol lol
Soldato
Nah, Sanga's still the best wicketkeeper-batsmen out there, he's just doesn't keep wicket for SL these days.
EDIT: Also, how come there's no cricket on today guys?
India needed the day off trololol.
Nah, Sanga's still the best wicketkeeper-batsmen out there, he's just doesn't keep wicket for SL these days.
EDIT: Also, how come there's no cricket on today guys?
Prior was ranked 3rd all time for batting as a wicket keeper behind Flowers and Gilchrist, Sangakara was 5th if I recall correctly. I'm not taking anything away from Sangakara but I think Prior keeps wicket better than him, certainly in the last 12 months anyway.
Soldato
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On the form of the past 6 months or so, could you overlook any of Cook, Trott and Bell?
Cook's form has dipped in the recent tests, but was quite exceptional before that.
Trott has 2nd highest batting average of all time, and Bell has the 2nd best average of all time at number 5.
I know we need to be careful not to be overly biased to our own players, but purely on recent performances/averages, I don't think there are three better batsmen for their positions.
Soldato
If they played for longer then more people would consider them. Based on recent form, it would be kinda stupid to overlook them though I guess. But averages tend to be higher with fewer Test/ODI's players, lots of England's players don't have very long careers.
Soldato
Soldato
He did before the last test - his average was 61 going into Trent Bridge. The average has been spoiled obviously by the lack of scoring runs there!
Caporegime
Everytime I see stats like these I'm struck by how extraordinarily, freakily better than everyone else Bradman's stats are.
Soldato
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This is true, and I wouldn't like to get too carried away (still up with the euphoria of the result!). Yes, with a smaller number of tests than some of their competitors you have to allow for the effects of regression to the mean. However their averages are hardly over a small enough number of innings to argue they're unrepresentative.
I mean Cook and Bell have both played well over 60 matches now. Of course Bell didn't have the most auspicious of starts and seemed to play in and out of form for a few years, but all the signs now (I mean the way he plays and well as his average scores) are of him really growing into his batting rather than anything else. Now has a better average than Boycs even with a wobbly beginning. Personally, I think he has one of the most pleasing styles of batting to watch of almost anyone right now, as well.
Damn! Ok... well he did before this series! Or at some point recently, anyway!
Still a phenomenal average over 23 matches, though.
Soldato
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Yeah! Is there any other sport where a single player has so completely overshadowed the field like this?