After 20 years you tend to pick up a bit of knowledge although I suppose I could be a ****** like the other guy said.
Yes a bit harsh, he has shots and likes to slog. If England had to bat days 4 and 5 to save a test I'd sooner have Cook, Strauss, Trott, Bell, Collingwood. Same if the ask was to build a steady innings. If they needed to score 200 in 20 overs on the 5th day then KP and Morgan would be most likely.
Collingwood is amongst my favourite players. It's a shame that his test career ended as it did, but he is so valuable for all facets of his game. I think that Morgan will develop into a test player, it's just he has found himself in situations where he has played a more aggressive game. He will come good. It is a shame for Bopara too.
Looks like I looked in here just as you did, I'm not stalking you... Bopara has the potential to have a great test career, competition for places can't be bad. Looks like we might be poaching your young spinner before long, name escapes me at the moment. Personally, I'd rather have 11 English players win or lose, not poach yours and as for the South Africans - it makes us the laughing stock. We win things but as "South Africa B", "United Nations". I was quite happy following one defeat after another before KP came along. Made the occasional victory so much sweeter.
George Dockerell. This ****ty rule has meant that there is no way we can keep hold of him. Its basically going to kill the game here, there was one game recently where the only English born batsman was collingwood.
You just counting batsmen not bowlers? Strauss has been in England since 5 years old, Prior similar so no problem there. Trott, Morgan, KP, Kieswetter - not English.
Well it just happened that all the bowlers being English didn't suit my argument, so I conveniently left them out. same with Strauss and Prior.
Morgan is a great one day player but still lacking test experience. Bopara will get chance hopefully, having gone away and worked out his overthinking of the game.
He's had a lot of chances. Morgan hasn't. You couldn't play them both and Bell is absolutely nailed on down the order now.
Very poor decision. Ireland deserved to be in the next WC. And the other teams can only develop if they get to play on the big stage. There weren't too many games. Teams that played an ODI series just before the WC only have themselves to blame if their players were tired.
ICC have been forced to have a look at this again. the associate nations have forced this. They'll surely reverse this decision now?!
If they change their mind it's likely imo that all the teams other than Bangladesh and Zimbabwe get auto qualification (8 teams). With Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Canada etc playing a tournament to decide the 9th and 10th teams.
I would hope that Zimbabwe and Bangladesh would have to go in the qualifying tournament with the rest of the associate nations, like you say. bangladesh would likely qualify, but spot 10 would be between 4 competitive sides.
