Once again the cricket Gods have cleared their throats and gobbed over England’s preparations for a World Cup. It has just been confirmed that every Englishman’s favourite Irishman (with the possible exception of Terry Wogan) has been ruled out of the competition with his injured middle finger. It’s a massive blow.
Earlier today we asked you who you thought should replace Morgan – with Bopara, Kieswetter and Davies possible alternatives. However the selectors have already made up their minds. Ravi Bopara is the man chosen.
In many ways Bopara is the logical choice. He should slot into that middle order comfortably. He isn’t as good as Eoin Morgan (who is?) but he’s had success in ODIs before, and he can bowl a few overs of slow medium pace – which we all know can be quite useful on slow, low, some might say turgid / lifeless, subcontinent wickets.
However, I can’t help feeling that we might have missed a trick. England are yet to find the right blend at the top of the order. Matt Prior has a desperately poor record as an opener, and he looked far more comfortable batting in the midde-order in the seventh ODI.
Maybe Kieswetter should have been the man to replace Bopara? His aggressive batting would have been tailor made to exploit the early powerplays, and he could have forged an effective opening partnership with the skipper. Prior could then have slipped into Morgan’s position at number six.
Furthermore, Kieswetter can keep wicket. Let’s not forget that Morgan was our reserve stumper in the original fifteen man squad. Who’s going to keep wicket if Prior goes down with Delhi belly on the morning of a match? It could happen.
The prospect of Swann, Trott, or some other poor sod donning the gloves in a World Cup semi final is about as appetising as eating doner kebab when sober. Let’s pray Prior stays fit.
James Morgan
Losing Morgan is a real blow, but I’m going to be really un-english here and be positive. Didn’t Ravi score 40 odd off 20 odd and take a five-fer in his last ODI? This is a guy who can bat and bowl well and has a point to prove. On dog slow Indian pitches he is not going to get caught out by express pace or nasty lifters.
India who have been so successful in this format recently use 7 or 8 bowlers every game, they
switch them round every 2 or 3 overs and never
let anyone settle. We need players who can give us 5 or 6 overs in rotation and can finish an innings. We need a batsman who can turn 220 into 270-300 in the last 10 overs and give us a total to bowl at. I was very down on bopara during the 09 ashes but I think since then he has done a lot of work and seems to understand that technique and good looking shots will only get you so far. I think he is one to watch in this tournament and I’m not disappointed that he’s going.
Thanks for your comments Mark. I think you make some great points. Bopara may have looked flakey in the 09 Ashes, but the conditions will be completely different in India/Sri Lanka/Bangladesh. Andy Flower has earmarked him to replace Collingwood in the test team because he can bowl at bit, so it will be interesting to see how he goes. I wonder how Morgan will feel if Bopara does well and then replaces Colly in the first test of the summer?
I am a little disappointed that we still don’t have anyone capable of blasting the ball at the top of the order (unless Bell is promoted and disects the field with precision hitting / timing) but Bopara was certainly the best of the like-for-like middle order replacements.
If bopara comes good in the world cup we will have a very formidable one day side going forward when Morgan comes back in. Your right about the top of the order though, we do have a real problem there. Prior seems out of his depth and really uncomfortable opening. We could really use someone who could find the ropes and keep the scoreboard moving whilst Strauss bats through 30 overs. Kieswetter seems the best fit but he seems to suffer from poor shot selection too often for my liking. When it goes right for him he is devastating but it just doesn’t seem to go right often enough. We need our top three to all make good numbers regularly but when two of them only get starts and get out it’s leaving an awful lot for trott to do on his own.
I suppose the backup keeper angle is a good arguement for the Somerset stopper and in the long term I think that’s probably the way forward. For this tournament, providing he’s fit, colly is more than capable of standing if needed.
I tend to think this is the best choice. Especially with Colly’s form with the bat. As I’ve said before I like the though of Bell opening too. I think that the side below is very strong and provides lots of bowling options esp with the slower wickets.
Bell
Strauss
Trott
KP
Bopara
Prior
Colly
Yardy
Swann
Broad
Anderson
L
I quite like that side. I’d be tempted to go with Bresnan over Yardy though. Colly’s off-cutters are probably more effective than Yardy’s darts, and I think Bressie is a little underrated.
Take your point, I guess it’s getting the balance right with the bowling. I think England will want two spinners though.