Shah to bat at 3 in ODIs

According to the BBC - KP thinks he was wasted down the order. Hmmm not so sure about it - at least Shah is a decent finisher, which was a good reason to have him at 5 or 6.

Bell and Prior to open then...

Wonder if we'll keep the same side from today.

He is wasted down the order. Good decision. Let him prove or disprove his merits where it matters now.

Bops to bat 6/7 again...

Hiding. To. Nothing.

JKLever wrote:Bops to bat 6/7 again...

Hiding. To. Nothing.

5 surely. Samit 6, Flintoff 7.

Wasn't sure about Pietersen's appointment as captain, but the early signs are quite encouraging - he went out of his way to back Harmison and give him his full support and has now thrown his weight behind Shah, handing him a plum role in the batting line-up.

He at least seems to recognise talent when he sees it - and is all for giving it a chance to succeed.

I wonder if that will have positive implications for Ace when the touring Test squad is announced. Obviously not if he sucks balls at three in the ODIs...

Bell
Prior +
Shah
Pietersen
Bopara
Patel/Collingwood
Flintoff
Swann
Broad
Sidebottom/Bresnan
Anderson

Looks a pretty decent side to me - one of the more balanced England ODI sides of the last few years.

By pushing himself down the order by one, I think KP is trying to get a message across to the other frontline batsmen "deliver, or else". That can only be a good thing.

I think Shah at 3 would be a good, common sense move.

Hopefully the troublesome opener slots can be looked at too. Can't say i'm too enthusiastic about the Prior / Bell combination. We all know Bell's failings, while it is asking a lot of Prior to go out and smash international bowling attacks. Last time round he seemed a bit overawed by it and didn't want to play his shots.

I would like to see us go down a different route. I think Alistair Cook has shown a wider range of strokes and more power on both sides of the wicket this season. He made a decent fist of opening last year (average 31, s / r 68 ) when he was effectively more of a blocker at Test level - so I think we should invest in him for a run of games. Someone to look to build an innings and allow the strokemakers to play around him.

At the other end, I wouldn't mind seeing Phil Mustard given another chance. After a faltering start he showed signs of establishing himself in international cricket. His penultimate innings being 83 off 74 balls at Napier. He is a better keeper than Prior and with Mustard you know he isn't going to die wondering. I like his approach of hitting length balls in an arc over mid on, rather than Prior who I think can be severe on short of a length deliveries but is better suited to the middle order. It would be a gamble, but given the strength of England's middle order I think its better to have someone like Mustard, who will come off once in a while rather than another batsman who will get 30 off 50 balls when he fails, and add to the pressure on the middle order to raise the tempo. If we were to have Cook (or for that matter Bell) going steady at one end you need a hitter at the other.

So my batting line-up would be:

Cook
Mustard+
Shah
Pietersen
Flintoff
Collingwood

Cook won't be playing I don't think.

It's a decent bowling attack - would look a bit toothless without Freddie though.

If Bresnan gets a gig I want to see him ramp up the pace rather than those little plodding outswingers he was throwing down 2 years ago.

Bresnan is not an out and out fast bowler. More of a fast medium, hits the deck hard and swings it away. I fear he may suffer a similar fate to Hoggard at times - a little to predictable and possible to slog off his length on a bad day. But other bowlers who aren't express like Pollock, Bracken, Vaas, etc have been successful at ODI's, and Bresnan is quicker than all of those (except for Pollock's first couple of years).

Is Reza Pahlavi being exhumed to save England?

Basil wrote:By pushing himself down the order by one, I think KP is trying to get a message across to the other frontline batsmen "deliver, or else". That can only be a good thing.

Or, he's worried sick about failing as England captain so has decided to take the easier option facing the change bowlers and older ball.

KP seems to be having a very positive effect upon the team. Add that to his stellar batting and he has the potential to become one of England's greatest ever skippers.

red comes up with a quote to haunt it through the ages.

Ravi should bat at 3.

A good move this. Only Shah, Bell and KP have ODI 100's and they need to be given the best chance of batting as many overs.

Bell shouldn't be there mind you!

Bopara has done nothing bar a couple of 50's and doesn't deserve a spot in the top 4 on his past performances. 6 or 7 will do him good for the time being.

Fingers crossed this means Shah gets a go in the Test side as well if he performs!

How will 6 or 7 do him good?

It'll be the same old 5 or 6 overs max to bat or coming in at 80-5

Hiding.To.Nothing.

Wrong thread, heheheheh....

Bops?

Aye...

JKLever wrote:How will 6 or 7 do him good?

It'll be the same old 5 or 6 overs max to bat or coming in at 80-5

Hiding.To.Nothing.

Maybe npt good, but he certainly hasn't looked like a number 4. And he'll have more of a licence in that situation.

Hiding to nothing my backside. Shah has done it for 3 seasons or so and done it well, and deserves his promotion. Bopara has done SFA in my opinion, and if he puts in performances at 6 or 7 can go up the order.

Meh

bops>shah

JKLever wrote:Meh

bops>shah

Meh

JKL<Miller<Graveney

JKL biased >Miller>Graveney for sure

JKLever wrote:JKL biased >Miller>Graveney for sure

Much of a muchness after your last comment!!!