England v Australia, 4th ODI, The Oval, June 30, 2010

Ah cheesey ... there you are ....

Are you looking to bait the losers Aussies with that emoticon, or was it just a random pick?

i thought England were playing NSW

Ugh. Mercifully, this appears to be a Day-Nighter, meaning I won't have to torture myself by watching any of it other than perhaps the closing overs.

Bresnan needs to warm the bench (even though he hit the winning runs). Bring in Sibo or at least Shahzad. Even Bell could be considered to enhance the batting. As it is I feel the team is unnecessarily bowler-heavy. But will they change a winning combination?

They'll give Shahzad a run instead of Bresnan. They may also bring in Bell and give KP a rest.

We can expect Oz to hit back like a wonded roo at this stage.

2-3 might not quite be a win, but it will show un-unAustralian attitudes, and wipe the grins off those complacent Pom faces.

jim rich wrote: Bring in Sibo or at least Shahzad. Even Bell could be considered to enhance the batting. As it is I feel the team is unnecessarily bowler-heavy. But will they change a winning combination?

please ... not Bell ... England have an aggressive team going forward now ... why dilute it with a softcock.
Never change a winning team ...

Au contraire mon confrere.

ALWAYS change a winning team, whenever that has a clear purpose.

PeterCS wrote:Au contraire mon confrere.

ALWAYS change a winning team, whenever that has a clear purpose.

And the "clear" purpose is what?

Losing - by experimenting with a left arm crock and a ball-less pretty boy??

Merlin wrote:

jim rich wrote: Bring in Sibo or at least Shahzad. Even Bell could be considered to enhance the batting. As it is I feel the team is unnecessarily bowler-heavy. But will they change a winning combination?

please ... not Bell ... England have an aggressive team going forward now ... why dilute it with a softcock.
Never change a winning team ...

Look at it this way, Merls. Bresnan hasn't contributed anything to this series. Actually zilch.
Anything Bell contributes will be a plus for the team and he won't give away 150 or so runs like Bres has so far. Like I said, the team is a tad bowler-heavy anyway.

Better one bowler too many than one to few.

Perfect opportunity for England to try "new" blood. If they win, they look like geniuses, if they lose, it's "Meh, worth a try after we'd already won the series."

Wot B@z said.

Also, Bressers has twice contributed to England victories with the bat.

he's a far sharper bowler than Sibo ever will be ... and as far as his batting's concerned, I'd rather see him punch an aggressive 20+ than see Bell collect the same amount prettily at a considerably lesser strike rate.

skully wrote:Perfect opportunity for England to try "new" blood. If they win, they look like geniuses, if they lose, it's "Meh, worth a try after we'd already won the series."

Never take your spiked boots off your opponents throat once he's down, skulls ...
You guys, more than anyone else, ought to know that !

Well, that'd always be my approach, Merls, but perhaps the Eng NSP may have other thoughts.

Basil wrote:Better one bowler too many than one to few.

Presuming there is one too few. When you have six options the seventh, IMO, is ballast.

Anderson, Broad, Swannie, Yardie, Colly (part time) ...Bresnan.

That makes 5 and a part timer ... did I miss someone out?

Oh yes I forgot .... Luke Sussex ... but he's only just turned up to the party this series.
I still wouldn't depend on him to bowl his full 10 overs ... far too hittable.

They'll keep the same side and go for the kill hopefuly.

I like the bowling options we have. If Wright goes for a few then you can turn to someone else. We have Collingwood to bowl cutters on pitches that grip a bit.

We're perhaps a genuine batsman light with Wright at 6...

Merlin wrote:

PeterCS wrote:Au contraire mon confrere.

ALWAYS change a winning team, whenever that has a clear purpose.

And the "clear" purpose is what?

Losing - by experimenting with a left arm crock and a ball-less pretty boy??

I was speaking of general principles.

In this case, I don't know if Owais and Finn are available ... to give Kev and Jimmy a nice little rest.

Take your point Petey - but with those two you mentioned - Ace is very hit and miss right now, and Finn, it seems, is being beefed up in the gym (as Broad was)ahead of the tests this summer.

As Lever points out - just go for the kill with the same 11 before handing out knighthoods on July 3rd !!

From what I saw in the 2nd ODI, Luke Wright bowled pretty well. Didn't he take 1 for 38 off 9 and 2 for 34 off 7 in the 1st ODI?

Unique ... even by Lukie's standards!
He ain't the Messiah though (nor is he a Botham!)

Merlin wrote:Unique ... even by Lukie's standards!
He ain't the Messiah though (nor is he a Botham!)

Didn't say he was, yet as a sixth option- or even as fifth - he'll do.

Aye, for sure he'll do !.
But he isn't frontline like Bresnan is ... ie., not a like for like bowler ... just an in-fill who could go for lots.

I'd be very surprised if they changed the team - unless it were purely for experimenting or else resting players ... but then ... resting from what?
The 'ardours' of possibly sticking a 5 - 0 whitewash up the Aussies?
I'm pretty sure that whoever is dropped (if that does happen) won't be too pleased!