England face bowling dilemma
England are steadfastly refusing to give any hints about the final make-up of their team for this vital second Test in Colombo, other than to and the possibility of playing a second spinner.
The first option open to them is to drop James Anderson, who was expensive at Kandy, and bring in both Steve Harmison and Stuart Broad.
Many people feel that this is the time Harmison really has to stand up and deliver - he is, after all, supposedly the leading strike bowler, and England badly need his pace and bounce. But there is an element of risk in playing a man who is struggling for form and confidence and giving Broad his debut in a four-man attack.
This could earn Anderson a reprieve, leaving a straight choice between Harmison and Broad, who has done little more than bowl in the nets on this tour.
Morale in both camps appears to be high. Sri Lanka are very confident, despite having to work hard for their , and have replaced the now retired Sanath Jayasuriya with another left-hander, Upal Tharanga.
There is no question, however, that Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene apart, there is an air of fallibility about their batting, especially when the ball is swinging, and that is why losing Hoggard is such a cruel blow to England's chances.
The players ran around chirpily in practice, and keeper from their second innings at Kandy.
He claimed that the Sri Lankans were becoming increasingly rattled the longer his partnership with Ian Bell continued, and that the pair has shown their team mates that surviving against is possible with absolute concentration and discipline.
But England are one down in a three-match series, and talk is cheap.
Over the next five days we will see if the top order is able to post a match-winning first innings total and what the future holds for Harmison – whether he plays or not.
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I am not surprised Sri Lanka have high morale, and im not surprised that England are talking a good game again, we are world number one at that!
I think the selectors need to show faith in Anderson, by all accounts he bowled some very good spells and caused a lot of problems to the batsmen. I doubt it would have much impact - or be the end of - Harmison if he plays and has a stinker, he would soon be taking wickets for Durham and we would all soon be pushing for his inclusion. England have an powerful and dangerous quickie who is scared of his own shadow! This will always be the case, no point in pretending otherwise.
There are 2 things we desperately need right now as a side, a mentally and physically fit Trescothick and Simon Jones, or the emergence of someone to fill thier shoes - we lack players who can put their stamp on the game - Pietersen? England expects...
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It would seem a litle unfair if at least one of either Swann or Broad did not play. If they don't get a chance now, then why bring them on tour?
Harmison is strugling with form, and fitness, as is Anderson; Broad and Swann have performed well recently.
Do touring teams never play five bowlers in the heat of Sri Lanka when trying to pull level in a series?!?
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I honestly think that Steve Harmison is past his sell by date. He might deliver some excellent overs; but he is just as likely to spray the ball about with no sense of the location of the stumps.
Its surely time to think of the future and give Broad a chance to prove that he is part of it.
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For me Broad is talked about having huge potential. Personnally i don't read much into the hype. He seems decent enough but people seem to read alot into newspapers and then the bandwagons roll into town. Let him take a 5fer first and not get smacked for 6 sixes in one over which i admit is pretty special.
As for Harmisson i believe aggers is right and its time to produce. 2 indifferent years is a long time so the time is nigh.
For me Harmisson, Swann, Panasar, anderson, sidebotton
or drop anderson and use bopora, colly and vaughan, piertson as change bowlers
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I think our biggest problem is not having batsmen at the top of the order who are capable of batting with determination and concentration. At least 3 of the top 5 must post a score of 70 plus with some regularity with 1 going on to make 100+ and that is just not happening. Pieterson has proved on occassion that if he knuckles down to it and stops trying to hit everything out of the park he is a truely gifted player. If the batsmen perform then the bowlers can bowl their natural way with something to defend. Perhaps a hefty fine if a batsmen is out in a careless way i.e. reverse sweeping it would help concentrate the mind a little!
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I think its terrible that a bowler who has played 1st class and test cricket still finds it hard to bowl straight. Most club players are atleast able to bowl wicket to wicked. It angers me to see international bowlers, like Harmison and the Pakistani attack on the 1st day this morning, being unable to bowl on off stump. I would bring in Broad who has done nothing but impress.
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I think our biggest problem is not having the batsmen at the top of the order who are capable of batting with determination and concentration. At least two and of the top 5 must post a score of 50 plus and 1 making 100+ some regularity and that is just not happening.
Pieterson has proved on occassion that if he knuckles down to it and stops trying to hit everything out of the park he is a truely gifted batsman.If the batsmen perform, then the bowlers can almost relax and bowl without the pressure of having nothing to defend.
Perhaps there should be a hefty fine if a batsman is out in a careless way i.e. reverse sweeping it might help to concentrate the mind!
Ken Wood
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I think England should go for Sidebottom,Harmison,Anderson & Panesar.
Anderson was expensive in the 2nd innings but was economical in the 1st innings & played well in the test.I think the selectors know that and know what he can do.So they are not going drop him.Broad had a good one day series but Anderson is more useful. So England should trust him.
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I cannot understand the inclusion of Bopara in this test set-up.
For him to play, the selectors must feel he is more use as a bowler than Collingwood, and a better test batsman than Shah. Both unproven.
Surely he's a promising young guy who's just in the squad as a cover for a Collingwood injury?
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When is England going to realise that these 'wonder bowlers', in typical English conditions, that are then made to look like trundlers in the conditions that the majority of test cricket is played in, simply are not going to win them test matches away from home.
Playing Anderson, Hoggard & Sidebottom in the same team away from Lords, Headingly etc is a waste of time. England has a bigger advantage than every other test side when playing home but need to wake up & smell the roses when away.
I say give Broad & Harmison their head in the next game & tell them to bowl quick & aggressive. (I don't mean pantomime aggression as displayed by Sidebottom after the delivery has been played).
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Tim Mann,
Couldn't agree more about Bopara. Shah was claimed to be the best player of spin in the squad. Bopara is a good allrounder, (one day may be very good), and yet facing the greatest spinner, arguably, there has ever been, we pick a bits an\d peices player over Shah. Quite bizarre, but then again it is England.
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One of Englands biggest problems is that they do not seem to know what is their best starting eleven.Unless you hav a sound base to start off with you surely cant expect the likes of broad Swann etc to keep coming in and out of the side and keep playing well. The aussies make one or two changes at most to their squad/team and seem to bring out the best in their newcomers to the team.
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Ken Wood - "Pietersen has shown that when he knuckles down and doesn't try to hit everything out of the park". I agree but your unfair implied criticism is that this was his fault in the last match.
As we know, quite the opposite - he was out lbw (in my view suspect) and then bowled to a beauty (and incidentally had a broken finger).
I don't feel there is any blame that can be attached to him last test. Pietersen has time and again delivered for England in the last 2 years and will continue to do so. It's ironic that the man who said this Vaughan has frequently failed - maybe he should be less hypocritical and accept responsibility himself.
My view is that bowling is the key - you will never win unless you can bowl the other side out twice. If your bowling is struggling, you put pressure on the batsmen and will always be on the back foot. Let's hope Harmison can at last perform - this must be his very final chance to deliver. No more comebacks for this overrated player who has almost always failed for England over the years when it mattered.
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It really is time to bring Stuart Broad in to the test squad full time.
Andrew Strauss obviously should never have been dropped, all he needs is confidence, and time in the middle. Michael Vaughn should really be given the chance to influence the teams make up from within. I think the Bopara "experiment" has run its course and the management should bring i a specialist "all rounder" (Shah for example) until Freddie is either back or ruled out. Off soapbox now !.
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England's bowlers and batsmen can never seem to gel at the same time. In the first innings, we bowled superbly, but batted poorly, and visa versa in the second innings.
Above all, though, it's the lack of firepower in the bowling department that bothers me the most. Hoggard is excellent when the ball swings, and Monty is a stat, but apart from that we lack pace and above all else, consistency.
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Agnew,
i believe you try to be a fair person but pray tell me, you are concerned about a wrong decision hurting Sidebottom. I do not recall you getting agitated when Sachin was railroaded 6 times out of 12 at bat(including ODIs) in the recent England India series.
Why so?
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You have got to pick Harmy,if not send him home now,likewise Broad, put the guys in the team, it is a squad situation they are all accountable,we need to bowl them out twice, can you see Anderson taking 5 wickets in a innings , of course you can't, so put the quick lads in and let's ruffle some feathers.
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You have got to pick Harmy,if not send him home now,likewise Broad, put the guys in the team, it is a squad situation they are all accountable,we need to bowl them out twice, can you see Anderson taking 5 wickets in a innings , of course you can't, so put the quick lads in and let's ruffle some feathers.
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Hey Jonathan,
Why do you so much worry about England's bowling department.Even without Hoggard England has a pretty good bowling attack.Moreover, the one and only batsman in good form for Sri Lanka is Kuma Sangakkara.Other than that, I don't see any one in form.So, according to my opinion,England has a good bowling side but very poor batting lineup. Therefore, I suggest to change your heading of this article as ENGLAND FACE BATTING DELIMMA.
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hi,father and son combo,miandad.(pak).cheers.
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first cortez now the pieterson decision !
then look at english sport for the last 40 years!
i am a chessplayer and my analysis is that there are greater forces at work
, hindering english sporting success.
It is beyond coincidence that english sport suffers so.
Because england is such an ultimate power in world affairs with their central banking control, that it is in their interests that english sport should suffer,
See it as a trade off, money for sporting success.
Any ±«Óãtv journalists willing to pursue this line of investigation will be abundantly rewarded, i assure you.
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A few unlucky decisions against Cooke and Pietersen. Thats cricket!
Wasn't Vaughan class, skippering, opening, building the innings by example, from the front? Freak dismissal preventing the ton. Those dodgy knees were holding up well.
He has a canny knack of going for a bit without a big innings, then gets one just before the critics swoop, proves everyone wrong. He needs to cash in on his good form and up his consistency and average on this tour now, same Cooke and Bell.
Good man!
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I suspect that England selected Broad because he performed well in the ODI's against India. Against Tendulkar and Co. he bowled with control and aggression. But he often tired in his second or third spell. That is probably why they have waited so long to give him his international debut.
As regards Harmison - surely it is daft to select him when he has NOT been in form recently. In any case, I would definitely not have dropped Anderson for Harmison. If you select Anderson, then he should play the three match series. The same logic, it would appear, has been applied to Bopara.
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who killed woolmer?
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Name any fast bowler up to 20 years ago,and they bowled over after over
for country and county.
Now, god only knows what kind of ahletes we are producing.
All we read about is strained backs
pulled muscles, stress, and any other bodily malfunction.I am so sick
of hearing all this c**p, and now they have finally managed to destroy
what little intrest i had. after cricket was my main pastime/hobby
whatever. Thank you British so called
sportsmen, the women too,
GPlimbley
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There is nothing more depressing when you are feeling unwell than listening to reports of consistent short, wide negative bowling, which seems to be so common among front line english bowlers.
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Ravi Bopara is the worst selection the useless board have made.
We are desperately short of quality bowlers and why has Owais Shah not been picked. Against the best spinner in the world, a man who struggles against it should surely not be picked. Also Bopara's military medium leaves a lot to be desired.
Shah is a better bowler than Bopara and will be more able to cope with Murali. Therefore for the series deciding last test Shah hast to picked.
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