Whatever changes Peter Moores makes ahead of our game against Bangladesh, the phrase ‘rearranging the deckchairs on the Titantic’ will inevitably spring up.
The consensus seems to be that England are doomed whatever they do. We don’t seem to have either the confidence and / or the talent to make it past the quarterfinals even if we do win the next two games – which isn’t exactly guaranteed.
However, this would be a pretty boring blog if we just raised the white flag and said ‘oh well’ (tempting though it is). Instead, I’d like to consider things that might actually improve the team before it’s too late.
I know some of you will suggest call ups for Jason Roy, James Vince, or that Pietersen bloke, but I’m only interested in realistic things; therefore please only consider players who are currently in the squad. Tactics are also something to think about.
Firstly I’m afraid the Gary Ballance experiment must come to and end. It’s a shame, as I rate Ballance highly as a player, but we can’t afford to carry an out of sorts batsman at this stage of proceedings. Instead, I’d like to see Taylor restored to number three and Bopara brought back into the middle-order.
There is obviously a case for including Alex Hales – perhaps as an opener with Moeen moving down to six – but Hales simply hasn’t played enough cricket for me. He could well suffer the same fate as Ballance.
Bringing Bopara back therefore makes a little more sense: although he’s a bit out of form with the bat, his bowling would give Morgan another option. Ravi has been criminally under-bowled in recent times. I can only guess that Peter Moores, in his infinite wisdom, simply doesn’t rate the bloke.
After watching England’s four right-arm medium-fast bowlers get taken to the cleaners by Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, I think Ravi’s all-sorts could prove rather valuable: he’s quite skiddy (so he’s a contrast) and at least he takes the pace off the ball somewhat.
It’s also time to give up on Steve Finn. It’s a shame, as his record against the lesser nations is quite good, but the better teams have flogged him everywhere. If Finn can’t win us a quarterfinal against a major nation, then it’s probably best to move on and bed someone else into the side.
Finn simply isn’t the bowler he once was: his action is now jerky, unnatural and painful to watch. I have absolutely no idea what David Saker and Co have been telling him. Whatever strategy they’ve adopted has backfired spectacularly, although Finn’s apparent mental frailties don’t help.
In terms of replacements only two names are realistically in the frame: Chris Jordan and James Tredwell. As I’m not really a Jordan fan – I don’t think he’s quite quick enough, accurate enough, nor does enough with the ball – I would give Tredwell a go.
At least Tredders has a reasonable record and would take pace off the ball. It’s not ideal that he’s another off-spinner, but at least he’s a different kind of off-spinner to Moeen. I expect Tredwell to bowl a little slower and with a bit more loop.
Finally I’d like to see some tactical changes. Most of all I want us to stop bowling too bloody short. I’ve been saying this for about two years now, so I don’t expect anything to change, but it’s worth repeating nevertheless.
If we persist with the boneheaded ploy of bowling slower ball bouncers as stock deliveries, while mixing in the usual diet of length balls ripe for destruction, I will fly down under and berate Saker myself.
I’ll also make sure that Moores’ laptop either gets coffee poured all over it, or accidentally gets hurled from the top of the pavilion roof – whereupon I’ll smash it into even smaller pieces with the nearest available sledgehammer.
I’d also like our batting order to become more flexible. We need to give Jos Buttler time to make more of any impact. Ideally, he should enter the fray with at least twenty overs left.
I would promote him to number six (with Ravi at seven) at the very least. Indeed, if the team is doing well at the halfway stage, why not promote Jos higher if the situation arises? Once we get on top, we need to go for the jugular.
I realise that none of these changes will turn us into world-beaters, but picking another unchanged side and sticking to rigid plans simply won’t cut it anymore.
Yes the Titantic is probably going to sink whatever we do, but rearranging deckchairs is better than skulking around the captain’s cabin while our rudderless vessel lists lamentably.
James Morgan
@DoctorCopy
I really don’t know if I can really add much different to what you have written as on a message board I frequent I’ve said something not a great deal dissimilar except not in quite so many words or as lucidly as yourself. Here was my putative team although I appreciate that it is not likely to happen.
Bell
Hales
Taylor (back to no.3 where he might do well v Bangla spin)
Root
Ali
Buttler
Bopara (not much different from you but I’ve gone with dropping Morgan who looks dreadful and without a clue other than to follow the failed laptop plans. I had another suggestion as to where put the laptop but this is before the watershed).
Woakes
Jordan
Tredwell
Anderson
Even more of a departure for the norm and I can’t see them ditching Morgan but I really would. As much as Cook was a failure for nigh on 2 years, Morgan has been wretched for not far short of that. Therefore more pace off the ball, a more flexible batting line-up in terms of positions and yep, without the extra height amongst the bowlers they might be better off pitching up.
I like that.
The only thing I might add is to sack Moores and Saker (allowing them to take their laptops with them), make Morgan an honorary coach (without power) pro tem, and tell the team they have to make all their own decisions on the field.
Finally, I’d give Anderson and Broad a place each in one of the two remaining qualifying games, and tell them they’re in a bowl-off for a place in the next round, should we make it.
Root to captain one game, and Moeen the other, on the same basis.
Here is who be playing in the world cup.
Get rid of Moores. He was poor the first time he was in charge.
Hales
Ali
Wright
Pietersen
Taylor
Root
Buttler
Jordon
Woakes
Tredwell
Dernbach
With this team we might win something.
“I’d also like our batting order to become more flexible”.
Absolutely agree – notice how Australia changed their batting order against Afghanistan (with Clarke dropped down the order although some relatively easy runs would have been personally helpful to him).
I hope we look at the pitch and conditions before deciding the team and strategy rather than looking at what the laptop says worked three years ago. Adelaide is normally a very good batting wicket – but the wickets at the Gabba, for example, have been quite unlike a usual wicket there so let’s see what we get on the day.
Off at a tangent, Gideon Haigh delivered a beautiful lecture on Victor Trumper earlier this year which has just been posted on Youtube:
Sorry about this James:
But I would like to give Moores a Pearl-Handled Revolver and tell him to go to the nearest darkened room and “Do The Decent Thing” for almost the first time in his sorry career.
That’s the only sensible thing I can think of at this moment.
Sorry again Guys.
I think many people would agree with your sentiment :-)
Suspect you’d have to tighten up the instructions somewhat or Moores would take 6 players in there with him, never to be seen again, and emerge 5 minutes later for a press conference where he would announce that his latest training regime had raised team spirits.
There is a good case for tinkering with the batting line up and in particular moving someone with some form up to three. The problem with Hales and Bopara is their lack of match practise though the Bangladesh bowling should be good fodder for any self respecting International batsman. However the problem with England at present is not so much the batting but the woeful bowling. I would play Tredwell for Finn and try Jordan for Broad and hope Anderson returns to form….and keep my fingers crossed.
Rearranging the deck chairs to get a better view of the iceberg!
Yay, Ian. Absolutely right. Actually I think they hit the iceberg sometime ago but still keep login on to their computers to see how long it will be before they sink! Sad to say. Maybe had they given Hales, for instance, a chance maybe things might have been different. Whatever this ECB shower has done to the players, it hasn’t worked. It is almost as though Finn has completely lost all his ability. Now this was one of the most talented fast bowlers just a few years ago. Broad and Anderson do not seem to be able to bowl anymore. What the hell has happened to them all?
Given news today that Downton is a tax avoider will have a great many fingers pointed at him for a change. Great piece by Tremlett completely undermining the crap from the ECB. As I see it, the only hope for England Cricket and their future will be if all these useless ECB managers (I am a lady and I don’t usually use such language but I can’t help myself I am so angry with these morons: more a case of Foxtrot Uniforms!) is to get rid of the lot.
Moores and Saker will kill any chance England has in getting to a stage of being positive in their thinking and play. Whittaker has showed himself and the rest of the selectors as a dozy lot of idiots. Anyone who chooses test players for 50 overs – unless they have the sort of talent KP had – needs to be shown the door. Downton? Well he really needs to be put in the stocks for the mess up he has made of England Cricket from top to bottom. Clarke? Someone please do something with this sneering incompetent power and money grabber. He’s ruined England Cricket and now he is further ruining International Cricket.
England winning their games? I cannot see them beating Bangladesh to be honest. Not unless they play their nature game and get out there and make it happen. I just do not think the current set up allows for playing cricket, just number crunching.
The first thing? Give Woakes the new ball back! Firstly, why take it off him after bowling so well with it in the warm ups? Secondly, Broad is out of form so…why? Thirdly, Broad often bowls cross seam making it harder to swing for both Anderson and later, Woakes. I see no sense at all as to why England gave Broad the new ball.
As others have said I would make the batting order more flexible Taylor however must come in before Morgan unless we’re into the last 10-15 overs. Again I see no logic in what England have chosen to do. I’d like to see Hales come in, but I don’t think it would make too much of a difference.
Lastly, give Woakes the new ball!
Anderson bowls with a different ball at the start, so Broad bowling cross seam makes no difference in that regard.
It’s an interesting metaphor, that one. If I were on the Titanic, I’d have grabbed a deckchair and tried to use it as a life raft.
But anyway, it’s nice to comment on a blog and not have to wait in pre-moderation. That’s all I have to say really.
:)
We’re here to please. Just please don’t write anything racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic etc ;-)
Having to moderate comments is actually one of my biggest fears. I have absolutely no appetite (or the time for that matter!) to do much moderation. Thank heavens we have such a trustworthy, intelligent, tolerant, sensitive readership …. ahem!
Oops! Sorry James, what was that you were saying!!!!!
Republican scum!
How can one comment on the opposition during an Ashes series without a touch of xenophobia? Although, I suppose it doesn’t really count as proper xenophobia when one talks about those lovely folks from that big island in the southern oceans……
That Ian Jones for instance. A stand up guy. Except for that blind spot he has when it comes to choosing cricket teams to support . . .
We all have them (blind spots) and my biggest is my true enjoyment of and friendship for those poor benighted people who have through an accident of birth found themselves with only one option when it comes to who they support in cricket.
:-)
I am also pre-modded by that sorry excuse for a journo, Selvey. My comments are posted on other threads apart from his, that tells me that he is responsible, what an ignorant prat!. I don’t read any of his posts because I know that they won’t be truthful if concerning the ECB. The only way to get rid of the OINK is if people stop commenting on his articles, he is helping that along nicely by his mass deletions.
I have been blocked from his twitter feed, but strangely I am still allowed to comment on the vitriol he calls opinion.
Yes that is my worth to the Guardian Sports pages. All my posts were removed altogether. I think they have our number and the name gets flagged up and that’s it we’re gone. Comment is not free after all. Well who’d have thunk it. I did get one in under the wire and they haven’t realised and it is still there!!! I really do think that Mr Selvey and Co will be shown up for what they all are eventually. We may have to wait for that to happen. It’s already started as people are losing respect for his stuff. Well If you take down a large amount of comments then people just do not bother anymore. On the last Selvey piece about KP there were far more critical comments than supportive ones. So there must be a good number who think he has gone gar gar. Sad really. Sometimes what goes around does eventually come around.
Yes Northern, pre-mod. pisses me off too.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. I would drop Bell, Ballance, Finn and either Anderson or Broad. Both of them are bowling a load of rubbish at the moment so toss a coin. Perhaps favour giving Jimmy another go of the two of them. So that leaves:
Moeen
Hales
Taylor
Root
Morgan
Buttler
Bopara
Woakes
Jordan
Tredwell
Anderson
Might as well give it a go, what they are doing at the moment certainly is not working.
On a side note I really hope the shambolic way they’ve treated Ballance recently doesn’t affect his form in the test arena.
I can’t agree with your reasons for continuing to ignore Hales. Denying him a starting berth because Moores has chosen not to give him any game time is a self-fulfilling argument.
The poor guy has been mucked around with. In, out, this position, that position. He should have been given a 10-15 game guaranteed run in the build up to the CWC to adapt his natural game to the 50-over format. I sometimes wonder if his minor-county provenance is counting against him in the elitist, narrow-thinking world of England’s decision makers.
England have only just started thinking about 300 runs as a par score batting first, while the rest of the world have already moved on to 350 or even 400 as the go-to score.
Safe and more of the same is not the answer, and it is hardly throwing the team into turmoil by bringing Hales in. But it does provide opportunity for him and the team to compete in the quarters and possibly beyond.
It makes more sense to bring him in now against Bangladesh and Afghanistan, unless England’s only ambition is to avoid the ignominy of getting knocked out in the group stage.
I can see where you’re coming from, but we’ve seen with Ballance what happens when a rusty player is thrown into the deep end. I don’t agree with the way Moores has handled Hales at all, but I think it could be too late to include him now.
On the flip side, I take your point that games against Bangladesh and Afghanistan actually give Hales a couple of warm-ups before the QFs. My worry, however, is that these games won’t be the straightforward wins they should be.
I won’t be disappointed at all if Hales does indeed play. It would be a brave move. However, as I’m quite a cautious buggar, it’s probably not the move I’d make personally.
James, would anyone and I do mean anyone really want to accept the poisoned chalice of selection at this point?
I would feign illness to avoid selection and wait to see if things unravel in a consequential manner which would lead to an inquiry upon return to Blighty. Just like it did with the Ashes…oops.
You’re always a better player when not in the team!
I’m clearly the spin bowling all-rounder that England have lacked for the last 30 odd years then . . .
Ain’t that the rub. I bet he’s already up to eyes in gobbledegook and poor training and that is only for bringing out the tea tray!!!
Ian, are you aware that April Fools Day is not for another 3 and a Half Weeks?
Or is this some sick Antipodean “Joke” designed to make the English supporters’ Weekend just that little bit less brilliant LOL!
Sorry Ian – wrong Link oops!
I meant to tie that in to your mention of the Cookie Monster!
Cheers
No worries Andrew I like the link to April1 st on any of the posts although I must admit I feel an immense amount of empathy for my British friends.
It stops at the boundary of course although I will naturally commiserate after the loss.
I look forward to lots of commiseration after the Ashes.
:-)
I note your cautious tendencies, James and recognise the stance you make. But I feel that we have moved beyond the point of being wholly risk averse, and if games against Bangladesh and Afghanistan are seen as so problematic that change is inconceivable, then England do not deserve to progress beyond the group.
The team appears trapped in stasis, indecision and failure. Bold is not the same as reckless and I’d give proven game changers an opportunity and free them to take responsibility for on-field decision-making based on their instincts and the game position.
That’s fair enough.
Look, if I were a player thinking about it, knowing that if I am on the team one extra year I can pay off my house, send the kids through school and altogether proceed post cricket in a lot more dignity and comfort, I would sure think twice about doing anything other than what I thought wouldn’t get me blamed.
The example of KP has repercussions beyond the man himself in that Many Many actors in the ECB and the media will have to build trust with the players before they will play with freedom. Because they trashed that trust, probably even with Cook himself.
proven game changers? You’ll be lucky Tregaskis with the management at the moment!!!
I would change things somewhat as if we don’t beat Bangladesh we are out.
Bell
Hales
Taylor
Root
Ali
Buttler
Morgan
Bopara
Woakes
Jordan
Tredwell
Sorry Mr Anderson, your form is wretched, your history in World Cups isn’t much better and you won’t be playing in the next World Cup. Same with Broad, your batting just isn’t worth it any more and your slower ball bouncers were great 4 years ago, but like Mr Dernbach you have forgotten your stock ball. It is batsman heavy I admit, but Bopara should be bowling 10 of his skiddy overs, and the triple spin threat may just force the batsman to try and score instead of them being fed a diet of military medium half trackers. It is radical, but hey 4 right arm seamers hasn’t looked dangerous
Spot on!
I agree that Finn should not be there. He should have been sent on the lions tour to continue the work he has done on his action and get some match practice without so much pressure on him. He’s not a bad bowler, he’s a good bowler who is bowling badly. There is a difference.
My team would be:
Hales – we need a batsman who can score at 12 an over. Bell cannot.
Ali – he stays as an anchor man and a scoreboard ticker.
Taylor – his best position, no brainer.
For me positions 4,5,6, 7, 8 and 9 should be flexible depending on the match circumstances.
Root – not doing a lot wrong so should bat 4 unless plans change.
Buttler – I want him to play the Maxwell role, shock and awe but with time to score big.
Morgan – I wouldn’t keep him in but he’s captain and they won’t drop him. He needs to drop down on form.
Bopara – he HAS to bowl, can’t play him if he doesn’t. Must be told to score at least 6 an over.
Tredwell – we need another bowling option, he can bat too.
Jordan – because Anderson has to go and because he can bat a bit too.
Woakes – hasn’t done a lot wrong, could do with scoring more runs than he does.
Broad – strictly on the understanding that he bowls no slow bouncers. Yorkers, cutters and real bouncers only!
Broad only makes the cut because we have nobody in the squad who can replace him. If there were a better option I would put him on the plane too.
I would also insist that Moores does every press conference and keeps the players out of the media spotlight. For me, Saker should pack his bags and go home now. We need a new bowling coach and I think there is only one guy for the job. Troy Cooley. He taught our bowlers how to bowl fast and swing the ball in ’05 and it’s no coincidence that now he’s working for Australia they have a glut of quick, accurate bowlers. We should never have let him go and we should offer him whatever it takes to get him back. I also think England should bring Ian Pont into the performance program. His coaching methods can be challenging but his research is sound. He coaches speed into bowlers and would have Finn firing in no time.
“Hales – we need a batsman who can score at 12 an over. Bell cannot.
Ali – he stays as an anchor man and a scoreboard ticker.”
Er… Bell is the anchor man and a scoreboard ticker. Ali is the pinch hitter.
I agree that’s what Bells role is supposed to be. The problem is that he isn’t fulfilling the role at all. In the modern game someone ticking the scoreboard over needs to score at a run a ball and Bell just Isnt doing that. His career strike rate in ODI’s is 77, to be fair to him it’s better in the last 3 months but still only 89 and look how many ODI’s he has played in the last year to get himself into the form that can score at 89. Ali has been put up the order to pinch hit. He hasn’t been in the side for that long but his strike rate is 103, little more than a run a ball, in other words a scoreboard ticker. For me a pinch hitter needs to be striking at 120 or better. You look at all the people who succeed at that role and that’s the minimum rate they score at.
I’m not saying Ali should have a different role. I want him to carry on scoring at a run a ball, something he is obviously more than capable of doing, I just want the person batting next to him to be scoring an awful lot quicker than him.
Persisting with someone like Bell for me is representative of England’s problem in a nutshell. His style of play is outdated and sadly has no place in the modern game. I love watching him bat when in form but he can’t fulfill the role he’s being asked to perform. Keeping him in the side is why our players are patting themselves on the back getting 300 against Scotland when they should be asking why it wasn’t 400.
On the bowling side it’s the same with Anderson. In 2007 he was an impressive ODI bowler but he hasn’t evolved enough to stay in the side. He still bowls an English length, has no useable Yorker and doesn’t bowl anywhere near quick enough to rattle anyone with a bouncer.
Stylish play and a lovely cover drive won’t win games anymore. ODI cricket has become an extension of T20 cricket and it’s only going to go further that way. Power hitting wins matches, fearless bowlers take wickets. We don’t seem to have either in abundance
Obviously in a 15 man squad there isn’t much room for manoeuvre but I’d be quite radical.
I’m not a big Hales fan but he has to play.
1. Bell
2. Hales
Now for the first radical step, Morgan has gone at the game and his captaincy so far as been shocking, Moores will get the blame, but Morgan is captain and should think a bit more left field not follow pre determined plans.
So new captain
3. Taylor (C)
4. Root
Next change. Move Ali down to 5 to play the Morgan role
5. Ali
6. Buttler
Now we are being accused of not being flexible. So the next spot depends on the wicket, Tredwell if it shows signs of spin otherwise Ravi
7. Bopara
8. Woakes (with the new ball)
9. Broad (not to be bowled until after the power play)
10 Finn
11 Anderson
That’s my comment, phone playing up.
What about recalling Cook?
I’ll bet the dressing room is totally fucked at the moment. If nothing else he could provide them with the necessary for a lekker lamb braai.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Oh yeh I can go with that Ian. Dressing room will be even more “nice” than it is now. He will send them all to sleep and the match won’t happen and we won’t have to watch our national team getting slaughtered by minnows – I hate that term, but I am sure you know what I mean.
Waitrose don’t do braais. Outdoor-smoked venison is more their kind of thing. Ali could shoot the deer for them, after all. :)
He probably has a stand in shooter.
Pretty obvious what they need to do with the squad they have:
Hales
Moeen
Taylor
Root
Buttler
Morgan
Bopara
Woakes
Jordan
Tredwell
Finn
Potential future bowling prospects:
Plunkett (rf)
Mills (lf)
Stokes (rfm)
Wood (rfm)
Gurney (lfm)
Willey (lfm)
Footitt (lfm)
Fletcher (rmf)
Clarke (rmf)
Riley (ob)
Rashid (lb)
Borthwick (lb)
Patel (sla)
Monty (sla)
Parry (sla)
Cupboard is not bare!
Sorry to back on about one player, but how can Will Gidman not be on your list?
Good call. Forgot about him.
[add Gidman (rm)]
Gidman’s bloody agent’s here as well!!!!
100 out of 10 Anonymous for switching your brain on, which our selectors seem loathe to do. I would have said last year, this is a new era, let’s try out some new ideas and see where we go. Don’t care about Sl or India results but build for the future.
I think that works quite well! Of course depends on whether their confidence has been shot to pieces by the management. Looks okay to moi.
To be honest, the bowling is hardly going to be weakened by having Tredders and Ravi, and Ravi can’t bat any worse than Ballance, so those are the obvious changes. Whether you replace Finn or Broad, it doesn’t really matter. Part of me wants Broad dropped because he needs a rocket up his arse.
Tough on Hales, suppose you could play him at 3 instead of Ravi and keep Taylor at 6.
I still think they stymied themselves by having Hales and Ballance as their ‘back-up’ batsmen, both of whom bat top 3. Left them with few options.
The other tactical change, apart from not bowling pies, would be to make sure that Buttler comes in if a wicket falls after 30 overs (assuming he’s not already there!)
Here here Hamish! Agreed
“Part of me wants Broad dropped because he needs a rocket up his arse.”
I think they’ve always treated him the wrong way. He coasts for long periods and it’s only when serious talk about him being dropped starts circulating that he suddenly turns in to Glen McGrath. Dropping him occasionally would do him and England a lot of good.
As a side point, I’ve always suspected that his injury in the 2010/11 Ashes won England the series. His bowling was innocuous crap, but they would never have dropped him for Tremlett if he weren’t injured.
Spot on there, THA.
It’s often forgotten that Tremlett made a huge difference to the series, but wasn’t in the frame until Broad got done in.
Further, it’s often forgotten how much it helped on Aussie pitches to have a bowler who could intimidate batsmen.
Broad needs something up there but perhaps a crate of his own wine to pop his something or another!!! LOL
Okay, I think I got this…
Firstly, I’m dropping Stuart Broad. He’s been averaging 40 with the ball over the last three years and he’s batting like a lollipop lady on a motorway.
That means I can bring in Hales to add a bit of extra batting welly.
The bowling will be covered by a combination of Joe Root and Ian Bell, who has List A bowling average of 34.48 (33 wickets) plus 6 ODI wickets at 14.66!
Now to sort out the batting order.
The idea here is to make sure our fastest scoring players face as many balls as possible, and the players who can be relied upon to not get out easily (Woakes, Ballance and Bell) are ready down the order to either bat out the remainder of overs should England find themselves 8 down with 10-20 overs to go, or if in real trouble early on, to be promoted up the order to add a bit more solidity.
Hales
Moeen
Buttler
Taylor
Morgan
Jordan
Woakes
Ballance
Bell
Tredwell
It’s not the usual strategy, but it makes a lot more sense, plus has the advantage of messing up the opposition’s bowling plans (so might keep this tactic in back pocket until the quarter finals).
Ah…you may have spotted that I’ve also slipped Tredwell and Jordan in there. I don’t rate Jordan’s erratic bowling that highly, but he can bat and catch and then again, being hard to predict is probably not such a bad thing in this World Cup.
Lastly, as with the batting, I want to use my best bowlers first (never know, they might bowl the opposition out) and keep my slower pie chuckers (Root and Bell) mainly for the death. Woakes will open with one of Moeen or Tredwell. Jordan will bowl middle overs. I will probably swap them around from match to match, though, so the batters don’t know who to prepare for.
Finally, I will take a leaf out of the Brian Clough school of management and buy them all a pint the day before the quarter final. Proper British beer, too. Not Carlton bloody Cold.
Could happily go for Ravi in place of Jordan, actually. Either, really.
Bell hadn’t bowled in years. A back problem I believe.
I know he hasn’t. :-) Saw one of the cricinfo guys ask him about it not long back. He just said ‘I’ve not practiced in years’ but didn’t say why. Pity as he has really good bowling stats. 47 first class wickets about about 33/34!
I’m not sure how our bowling becomes more potent with Bopara. Doubt he’ll score any more runs than the other duffers either. But… go on then. Hales probably won’t do much at this unpractised stage but what the hell. Ballance needs taking out of the firing line for sure. I’d drop Anderson and Broad – really sick of both of them. Bell? Can’t bear to see him walking off shaking his head again, like he’s never seen an umpire’s finger before. Finn? He has taken some wickets, after all. Just bowl fast, son. It might be your last chance in an England top. Never mind the coaches. Woakes? Just bowl fast, mate. Be a bloody hero. Mooresy? Go sack yourself if you can’t win more than one game against Scotland.
Moeen
Hales
Taylor
Root
Buttler
Morgan
Bopara
Woakes
Jordan
Tredwell
Finn
But I still think we are going out before we face the Afghans.
Too difficult to answer within the constraints. That is not the squad I would have chosen.
I would have happily had Lumb and Hales doing what they do so well at Notts. There’s also a damn fine opener at Yorks. I’d have had the superb Chris Read as captain instead of Morgan and, on current form likely to bat better, as well as performing far better than Buttler behind the stumps but he can play as a batsman anyway. Pick a proper spinner – I still have faith in Monty. But, hey, What can I do? I just have to sit and watch these highly paid bozos mess up our national team
So let me get this straight–
Hales comes in despite only having faced one ball v SL to prepare because he had to make way for Cook, and must now suddenly learn how to play ODI’s in the middle of a WC
Morgan to be dropped because he’s out of form and is under-prepared as captain because the job had to be kept open for Cook, and he suddenly had to learn how to captain the team in the middle of a WC
Ballance to be dropped because he’s playing crap because he wasn’t included in the preparations and is now trying to learn how to play ODIs in the middle of a WC
Bopara to be brought back in, having been dropped after using up the entire preparation time for the coach & selectors to establish he’s not playing well enough… but only if he bowls, even though he hardly bowled in the preparation games because Cook didn’t rate him, which reduced his value as a player and probably led to him getting dropped, and was also a sign that Cook should have been dropped earlier
Finn to be dropped because his nerves are shot, and he can’t bowl anymore
Tredwell to come in, despite lack of preparation because he had to make way for Finn
Either Broad or Anderson (or both) to be dropped because you can’t have both strike bowlers averaging over 80 — this isn’t because of lack of preparation or needing to learn. It’s probably because their nerves are shot after the last Ashes, which was brought forward in order to make way for preparations for the WC
I can’t help but notice a pattern here…
I know what you mean about lack of preparation but you know that could be good. I mean both Tredwell and Hales would not have been trained out of their natural play into their unnatural play. It could work. Can’t be worse that what we have been doing. Got out with a bang instead of a whimper.
Unfortunately, all they’ve been doing for 3 months is training Annie! No time in the middle to get away from the coaches!
this reminds me of Football Manager – pointless
Think OscarDaBosca is spot on. Anderson, Broad are totally out of it, useless with both bat and ball! I can only think its Moores strategy to bowl consistently short though. Lets shake it up and change the 11 to:-
Bell
Hales
Taylor
Root
Ali
Buttler
Morgan
Bopara
Woakes
Jordan
Tredwell
Nothing to lose as we will definitely lose if we pick the same 11 as before…oh and Mores needs to change his thinking if thats possible!
If a player becomes a better player by not playing, blimey he doesn’t half become a better bowler by not bowling!
While I agree they probably should have used Bopara more and fiddled a few more overs out of him we are talking about a bowler with a bowling average of 39 here. He has taken just nine wickets at 55 the last twenty times he has bowled (and that includes 2/26 against Scotland).
He is most effective on ‘grabby’ wickets with the ball nibbling and not coming on to the bat – hardly the sorts of wickets we are seeing in the WC. Old-style NZ wickets would have suited him but not the current drop-in pitches. There was also a novelty factor when teams hadn’t seen his variations but they have now.
dvyk,
I love your pattern and it seems a very accurate analysis. But that pattern has been generated by one over-arching failure: our “management” inability to make brave decisions and then stick to them.
We are going down. No-one can doubt that (even though it shouldn’t actually be said out loud in the dressing room.) What the team needs therefore is to be freed up to just give it their best shot with dignity and respect. Sure, Hales would have been good, Taylor should be in at three, Finn has lost the plot, Broad has understandably lost some confidence, Tredwell should have been given a shout. But it’s all too little too late. For Heaven’s sake: leave the squad as it is and give them the self-confidence that “management” will back them as they stand.
Then sack the “management” when they get home.
Yep, and the sooner they sack the management the better for English cricket. Moores is simply way out of his depth and has already started to turn on the players and the other coaching staff. The only question is how long will his demise be drawn out and how many people will he drag down with him.
I’m hoping Mr Graves will bring in a few changes.
Four years in the planning!
The 15 man squad isn’t good enough to get past the QF’s, but we all knew that anyway. I would keep Finn in actually, he’s our leading wicket taker, despite his jerky action he’s still bowling better than Broad and Anderson.
Bopara was made to look a bit silly by Starc in the Tri series, but I do like his dobbers in the middle overs, and along with the guile of Tredwell I think that could save quite a few runs.
But yeah, not looking good, I hope Jimmy packs ODI cricket in after this WC, we’ll need him for all the Tests this year.
I think we’ll win the next two games, but then be humiliated again by a proper team in the QF, most likely India.
For anyone not watching the India vs. West Indies match, Tim Abraham’s report from the England camp in-between innings mentioned that Bell and Ali had been practicing batting together so that suggests the opening partnership isn’t going to be changed. Hales could possibly come in batting in a different position but Bopara looks the more likely option (Nick Hoult – by far the best connected of the press pack at the moment – was also leaning that way yesterday).
I like Nick Hoult, a proper journalist with some cajones, a refreshing change from the dire Pringle. He’s getting my vote when we do the annual journo awards! Selvey is firmly rooted as the very worst of the usual suspects!!
I second that.
England don’t show enough continuity! Too much chopping and changing! We don’t pick players and stick with them!
How often do we hear this sort of thing? Trouble is – it isn’t true. Ali Martin points out in the Guardian:
“England [are] actually the second most loyal team in the top six of the ICC rankings behind Sri Lanka when it comes to the ratio of players used to matches played in the four years between World Cups. The numbers are not wide-ranging either, with the following deployed during that time: India 49 players used in 99 matches, Australia 43 in 83, Sri Lanka 42 in 118, New Zealand 36 in 62, England 34 in 82, South Africa 33 in 69”.
Not convinced by playing Hales. Would be too much of a gamble bearing in mind the importance of the games and his England ODI record – played 7, average 18, SR 70.
Our batting line-up performance hasn’t been great (or even approaching great). Bell and Ali have done alrightish.The main problem has been the Ballance and Morgan show, and for the life of me I cannot fathom why they shunted Taylor down the order. But the stand out problem is that our two “super-star” bowlers have performed shockingly badly so I would drop them both
my team is:
Bell
Ali
Taylor
Root
Morgan
Buttler
Bopara
Woakes
Jordan
Tredwell
Finn
Before changing the current team around yet again we need to sort out why they aren’t playing anywhere near their potential. Why are our experienced bowlers so ineffective at the moment? Why do they bowl in the wrong places so often? Why is the batting lineup scoring so few runs compared to the other top nations?
Fix those problems first otherwise any new players coming in will suffer the same as the existing bunch. Maybe we aren’t as good as the Aussies or the South Africans but we are a hell of a lot better than we have been playing so far. We need a lot less management and considerably more leadership.
As Mark Butcher said the other day, they have all these statistics but they don’t even know when the slips are standing too close together. On-field knowledge has gone in favour of outdated laptop tactics.
I agree with you in every respect, James. England aren’t suddenly going to become world beaters overnight, but the changes you’ve suggested would improve the team considerably. What you’re proposing is pretty much the plan that was in place before the tournament began, before they decided to change it all for the first game. Let’s at least give Plan A a go now that Plan B has been shown to be lacking.
The only thing I’d add to your strategy is that Woakes should be given the new ball and told to pitch it up and that Root should be given a few overs just to mix it up a bit.
An alternative, radical plan (which I wouldn’t favour), would be a straight swap of Finn for Bopara and Ballance for Hales with the 5th bowler’s overs being bowled by Bopara and Root! They surely couldn’t be any more expensive than Finn and the extra batsman might just make the difference.
Plenty of good thinking from others, especially on the batting.
However, I don’t think improving the batting will win us a QF, so I’ll start with the bowling.
Tredders has to come in, for variety and for the fact that he has shown some ability to tie down an end, even under pressure in ODIs.
Next up, opening. I’ll go with George Dobell and others who argue that Woakes had been progressing as an opening bowl and should be given a go – can’t be worse than the incumbents.
Next, I’d have a challenge session in training. Whoever bowls the fastest, next opening bowl. Next I’d look for the best remaining yorker bower.
If by some miracle someone shows they can swing the white ball, that would definitely put them in contention.
Ali and Root should cover the remaining overs.
Tactics wise. Seamers to pitch it up. Slow bouncers to be a surprise, not the norm.
Batting. Taylor to come back to 3. I’d be tempted to bring Hales back, but only if he or Ali is comfortable dropping down the order, as I think you can’t open with Ali and Hales at this time. Ali is all or nothing and Hales is out of match practice. That’s a recipe for 0/2…
Very tempted to drop Morgan, but no captain is going to prosper unless I get to drop Moores first…
Ravi B won’t be getting a game this tournament, if this report of yesterday’s training session is true — from the DM
“Ravi Bopara, banished the day before England opened up against Australia, cut a forlorn figure as he faced some of the worst net bowling imaginable from the enthusiastic locals.”
Or if he does play, we’ll know why he looks out of nick.
Perhaps he was preparing for his IPL stint. :-)
Don’t understand the support for Bopara at all. 119 games for one hundred, a few wickets and precious few match winning contributions? The man has talent but he doesn’t produce when the pressure is on – either at Test or ODI level.
Hales for Ballance, Tredwell for Broad – and a rejigged batting order for me.
Hales
Bell
Taylor
Root
Moeen
Buttler
Morgan
Woakes
Tredwell
Finn
Anderson
Broad needs a kick up the arse. So does Anderson but I’m backing his hurt pride to produce a performance. Finn needs to play. His action is what it is – he needs games to groove it and become comfortable with it. No point dropping him now.
But more than new players we need a new mindset. Play with intent and aggression. Set the tone in the field by bowling to take wickets with attacking fields. Let the natural firepower in the batting have its head. We might not win – but we’ll be a lot more fun to watch.
There is an excellent analysis of why England’s bowlers can’t swing it just posted on cricinfo from George Dobell.
I’ve tried to provide a direct link but it keeps failing.
Having listened to the great match served up by Ireland and Zimbabwe, I am quite comfortable in saying England have no further chance playing whatever it is we are dishing up. Moores has nothing to offer international cricket, except his resignation. He won’t go hungry. I’m sure some crackpot county chairperson will have pity on his [ahem] skills.
We are so much less than the sum of our parts. We will always snatch a fiasco from the jaws of defeat. And – God bless us – we will always have a comical reason for it… whilst looking for the positives. Do we have a ‘positives scanner’ on that laptop?
Basically, it’s Bangladesh’s game to lose. I really fear for the Afghanistan game, whether anything rides on it or not. If we go through (and it’s an immense if) it’ll be an utterly fake dawn. We would get a proper smearing.
Does this feel similar to a recent 5 – 0?
Bangladesh have played eight ODIs in Australia in their entire history – the sort of point seldom made when all we hear when England lose is about “inexperience”.
They managed to win one of them, the recent game against Afghanistan. The others weren’t only lost but by massive margins (112 runs is the best!).
Bangladesh have won two of their last three against England though!
So basically, England v Bangladesh is 2 minnows playing each other for a spot in the quarter finals. (Apologies to Bangladesh ).