ODI wicketkeeper position Mustard or Ambrose?

So, given that we look like we have a wicketkeeper who can bat AND catch the ball - where does that leave Phil Mustard?

Different types of players obviously but do we continue to fudge the issue and have seperate keepers for both forms of the game?

Yes.

Too early to say JK.

Yes, Ambrose has looked impressive so far, but I'd reserve judgement for a while yet.

I'm not sure having separate keepers for ODIs & Tests is fudging the issue. For the longer term, I'd keep Mustard as ODI keeper to get international experience, in case Ambrose becomes unavailable for tests for any reason.

They're of a similar age & experience - Ambroes having somewhat better FC figures with the bat, but - we shouldn't pin all our hopes on one keeper. We did that with G jones, and came badly unstuck didn't we? That's why I'm not inclined to send Phil Mustard back to Durham just yet.

I'd probably go with that. Pressure will be on for him to score more consistently than he has in his 10 matches so far though...

eowyn wrote:Yes.

Uh-huh...

To early, and they look different players completely. Also Mustard allows us more flexibility with our selections.

Plus its only been 1 and 1/2 tests for Ambrose, and Mustard hasn't done too much wrong in the grand scheme of things, and seems to be finding his feet slowly IMO.

Chas - 2nd Test thread - top of Pg 11 - I re-worked the ststa for Strauss Bell & Colly minus WI last summer & Hamilton Test.

If anything they re-inforce what I'd said in the original post.

It's a no brainer - if Ambrose locks down the Test position (which he's on his way towards doing), then he should be the ODI keeper too.

There's no justification for not selecting him. The player who topped the one-day batting averages in English FC cricket last year: Tim Ambrose @ 70 s/r 104.

No brainer.

Luke Wright looks a far more accomplished talent in the slogging stakes than Mustard, and then there's Flintoff to return and he's surely due a try opening the innings.

Dello wrote:The player who topped the one-day batting averages in English FC cricket last year: Tim Ambrose @ 70 s/r 104.

No brainer

Didn't realise he had performed that well in one day cricket tbh. Just think we need a dasher opening and not convinced Wright is the guy either...

JKLever wrote:

Dello wrote:The player who topped the one-day batting averages in English FC cricket last year: Tim Ambrose @ 70 s/r 104.

No brainer

Didn't realise he had performed that well in one day cricket tbh. Just think we need a dasher opening and not convinced Wright is the guy either...

Mustard's not a dasher - he's a slogger. The only difference between him and, say, Ian Blackwell is that Blackwell actually scores consistent runs with his slogging.

And I don't see too many calling for the Somerset Sumo to open for England...

I'd like to stick with Mustard for the time being, personally. We made the mistake with Mal Loye that a hit or miss bloke is going fail at times and that you should allow him the opportunity to adjust to international cricket if you've picked him. Not indefinite, obviously, but at least we've seen a modicon of what he could possibly do.

Brass Monkey wrote:I'd like to stick with Mustard for the time being, personally. We made the mistake with Mal Loye that a hit or miss bloke is going fail at times and that you should allow him the opportunity to adjust to international cricket if you've picked him. Not indefinite, obviously, but at least we've seen a modicon of what he could possibly do.

Agree with this.

obviously Mustard can't go on getting 1 good knock in 10, but he deserves more than 10 games. Don't really think he's a slogger either - at least not what i've seen of him.

JKLever wrote:Don't really think he's a slogger either - at least not what i've seen of him.

Good hands. Really good hand IMO.

Ambrosia for me.
Not afraid to have a tonk .. a decent keeper ...
Doesn't boast owning a Porsche....
He'll do.....

Merlin wrote:Ambrosia for me.
Not afraid to have a tonk .. a decent keeper ...
Doesn't boast owning a Porsche....
He'll do.....

Who did? Prior? No. He hasn't even got a porsche. Get this, you won't believe me, but some journalist made it up.

If Ambrose scores another 50 or something in the test series, and catches most of the ones he's expected to, I can't see Mustard stopping him from getting selected.

I don't even buy into this supposed urgent desire for a "dasher" at the top of the innings - it patently isn't a tactic that England are fully embracing, or they wouldn't be going in with two crabs (Cook and Bell) in the top three. Talk about hedging your bets.

If they ever decided to properly commit to the need to get some life into the innings during the initial power-plays, they could go:

Flintoff
Wright
Pietersen
Shah
Collingwood
A number six who can hit a bit and may or may not be a leftie.
Ambrose +
Swanny
Broad
Sidebottom
A bowler who isn't James Anderson

I dare say that's not a bad side - plenty of batting, five front-line bowlers and two fill-in medium pacers.

Yup, Pietersen absolutely needs to be in at 3 in ODIs. It seriously doesn't make sense otherwise.

Brass Monkey wrote:

Merlin wrote:Ambrosia for me.
Not afraid to have a tonk .. a decent keeper ...
Doesn't boast owning a Porsche....
He'll do.....

Who did? Prior? No. He hasn't even got a porsche. Get this, you won't believe me, but some journalist made it up.

Bugger .... so the rumour is true then ...

The journo was from the Mail ... and Prior's really drives a Robin Reliant ...

We don't play another ODI until after the tests against NZ in the UK. If Ambrose continues to impress, I can't think of one single reason why he shouldn't keep in ODIs as well.