There's no way Strauss should give up the ODI captaincy. The man is one of a few batsman that can cut it in ALL forms of the game. I'd even have him as 20/20 captain. He works the ball well, has a great relationship with Flower and has the respect of the players. Englands average performance at the world cup was due to a number of factors, but not down to captaincy. We had a horrific list of injuries. Our best 2 batsmen: Pietersen and Morgan, were never available together and Broad was available for 1 game. Can you imagine any of the other major sides without these players? Another factor was our persistance with Collingwood for a number of games when, clearly, he is no longer performing at international level. Don't get me wrong, I love Colly, but when your eyes are gone, they're gone. Finally, we need a settled opening partnership. I don't know who that is but would like to see Cook and Strauss at the top of the order.
Agree with everything you say, would also drop Prior for ODIs. Our bowling was shocking most of the time, our bowlers can't or won't change their deliveries to suit the situation. Bresnan did well, Broad was missed, we need a new Flintoff/Gough.
BRoad is our Flintoff/Gough. I honestly believe he can be an absolute world beater. Bresnan bowls well in the sub-continent and offers a little batting as well. Our major problem was, other than catastrophic injuries, that Anderson kept pie-chucking.
I agree that Alistair Cook should be in the ODI side. England have tinkered with their ODI opening partnership far too much. Strauss and Cook open in tests and know each other very well at the crease. Putting Prior/Pieterson/Bell/Trott in an unfamiliar batting position is not going to win England any accolades. As for dropping Prior; I'm not 100% sure. He can score quick runs toward the end of the innings. If he was put in a constant position of No.7 in the batting order, I reckon he would settle in the groove of a good innings finisher. Shifting him up and down the order at the World Cup did nothing to help the man as his required approach to each game had too many variables.
I don't see a better option than Prior. I don't think he's part of the problem. Let's face it, he'd get in the ODI side as a batsman! THe selectors obviously don't fancy Davis (no pun intended) and Kieswetter was dropped faster than a hot potato.
I'd like to see Patel in the side and would also like to see Cook opening. The batting powerplay has again put an emphasis on having explosive batsmen down the order, so Id like to see Pietersen put at 5, Morgan at 6 and patel at 7. Pietersen did well when he started his ODI career at 5 and with his temprement and concentration in question I'd like to see him at 5. Cook plays as he's in the best form and we must pick our best players. His strike rate is ever improving and he has an array of shots now. Trott has to play due to form, so I'd have in the side to bat through the middle overs. Patel is another spin option and a genuine all rounder (in more ways that one). Impressed before, needs to come back in. Final bowling place worries me. Anderson's form is worrying, but Im hoping it was down to exhaustion! Bresnan's all round capabilities make him a must and Broad and Swann pick themself too. Keeper situation is tricky as I like to see continuity by having the same keeper in ODI's and tests, but he was really poor in the world cup.
Isn't Patel carrying too much lumber? You need to be an athelete nowadays. I'm failry certain he's been earmarked as a potential player but can't keep his weight under control.
Now that Strauss is being ousted I think it's farcical. Whilst I am a big fan of Cook he wasn't considered good enough for the ODI world cup. I can totally understand getting rid of Colly for T/20 but I don't understand the Strauss issue.
Cook is the new captain having not made the squad for the last year: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/13288262.stm That makes sense not.
wow such an excellent decision to make Cook the captain of the ODI team. How many games did he play in the World Cup?
Strauss wasn't in the one team when Pietersen and Collingwood were captaining them, so he might prove his worth, still don't agree with the change.
3 captains is an interesting choice, especially making a player as young as Broad captain for T20, will be an interesting test to see if he has really matured. As for the decision of Cook I dare say it's just a chance to groom him for his future captaincy of the test side!
Agree with grooming. Can't imagine many of us give a monkeys whether we win or lose the ODIs, the tests are for more important so I'd be in favour of dropping most of the test players and using ODIs to groom youngsters.
