Vaughan Carried Off On Stretcher..

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

Which means ashly bloody giles in again, for a few "plucky" late order runs and the ability to tie an end down for only 4 an over. Great.

When will we ditch this guy !?????!?!

[Scott-Wozniak]

Originally Posted by Richie Benauds Love Child

Which means ashly bloody giles in again, for a few "plucky" late order runs and the ability to tie an end down for only 4 an over. Great. When will we ditch this guy !?????!?!

RBLC

Calm down, its only my take on it! The problem is, without Vaughan there's no-one who can send down any spinners - I'm not sure they will take that kind of risk, so I reckon Giles will play.

Scott

[sostenurter]

Originally Posted by Richie Benauds Love Child

Which means ashly bloody giles in again, for a few "plucky" late order runs and the ability to tie an end down for only 4 an over. Great.

When will we ditch this guy !?????!?!

I dunno...I'm not a fan of Giles, but now that Vaughan is out of it, there would be absolutely no-one to offer a bit of variation. And what with the weather being good etc., the pitch could possibly offer something for Giles. I think it's a tough call, and it's not a decision I'd like to have to make. If we had a halfway competent part-time spinner, I'd ditch Giles. In a funny sort of way, I think he might be more successful against NZ than WI, because West Indians seem to be exceptionally good at playing spin, and are especially good at not paying the spinner any respect - they will just hit him out of the attack, which means he will get taken out of the attack. I feel that the Kiwis will not take that approach - they may pay him a bit more respect, which means he will have a better chance of getting a wicket, or at least being slightly economical.

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

This is where, oddly Hick might play a part and bat at 6 !!! I'm not advocating that by any means, but if the selectors do it I can at least see the sense in it, and it makes more sense than giles to me.

Didnt hussain use to throw down some leggies ?

[sostenurter]

Originally Posted by Richie Benauds Love Child

This is where, oddly Hick might play a part and bat at 6 !!! I'm not advocating that by any means, but if the selectors do it I can at least see the sense in it, and it makes more sense than giles to me.

Didnt hussain use to throw down some leggies ?

I know, I've thought about Hick as regards that as well - his off-spin was underused by England, especially in ODIs. In fact, I still think he's worth a spot in the one-day side on merit - although now that we are meant to be playing for the next WC etc., probably not.

Hussain threw down some leggies when he was about 12! Of the England side that played in WI, Hussain, Thorpe and Jones are the only three without Test match wickets. Hussain has bowled five overs in tests - ask him to bowl and I think we might get a Chanderpaul situation - when he tossed up some of those head height wides agaisnt England in the ODIs!

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

Pietersen cant come quick enough !

[sostenurter]

Originally Posted by Richie Benauds Love Child

Pietersen cant come quick enough !

You're right there. Especially as Vaughan probably shouldn't be bowling very much even when in the side because of his dodgy knee/back.

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

Might have been a case for swann perhaps ? Even blackwell (not fit ). I can see the point of having an occaisional spinner who can bat like hick. Thing is, giles isnt any better than an occaisional bowler, certainly on pitches like lords in may even though it has been hot and dry for a week or so.

[sostenurter]

Originally Posted by Richie Benauds Love Child

Might have been a case for swann perhaps ? Even blackwell (not fit ). I can see the point of having an occaisional spinner who can bat like hick. Thing is, giles isnt any better than an occaisional bowler, certainly on pitches like lords in may even though it has been hot and dry for a week or so.

Giles may only be as good as an occasional bowler, but right now, he's the only occasional bower I'd want to trust! The big fear with new spinners is that they'll get hit out of the attack, and you can guarantee if we did bring a new spinner in, that's exactly what Fleming would be telling NZ to do. Hick might be worth it, but with all the baggage he carries, the England management are never gonna pick him again. Imagine the press reaction if he was recalled - I know the press shouldn't have an influence, but they do. No selector would risk it.

At the moment, I think if we play a spinner, it's got to be Giles. Still not convinced that we HAVE to play a spinner, though. like I said, it's a tough call!

[Kirsty Harris]

Originally Posted by sostenurter

At the moment, I think if we play a spinner, it's got to be Giles. Still not convinced that we HAVE to play a spinner, though. like I said, it's a tough call!

Yep, I agree - we don't always need to pick a spinner, but on a week of warm, dry weather, we should be really. And I maintain Giles, while not fantastic, is the best option available to us at the moment. I can't go along with the idea of bringing Hick back in the side because of a couple of cracking innings and because he can bowl a few overs of spin - it would be a total backwards step for England.