Hoggard To Replace Out Of Sorts Plunkett For Fourth Test.

[Ernest]

Yep Hoggy is back, he it seems will take over from Plunkett click here .

Originally Posted by BBC

The Yorkshire paceman has been missing from the team since suffering a groin injury in the first Test at Lord's. He will play at the Riverside on Friday if he can prove his fitness in his county's FP Trophy match on Wednesday.

Hmm that will leave the nightmare scenario of Hoggard and Sidebottom in the same team, doomed to failure as the summer goes onwards, and the ball swings less.

[Gremlin]

So we should stick with Plunkett then, despite the skipper not daring to bowl him on Monday? I appriciate Hoggard and Sidebottom are not speedsters but at least they know where the ball will end up. Having a left arm seamer adds variation too.

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by Gremlin

I appriciate Hoggard and Sidebottom are not speedsters but at least they know where the ball will end up. Having a left arm seamer adds variation too.

Quite right Gremlin, I doubt anyone would feel this is the best option, but the fact remains that Plunkett was the only man who deserved to miss out when Hoggard proved his fitness.

Plunkett was not even trusted with the ball on the last day - he had to go - so who would come in - Mahmood, Broad or Anderson? If you had a fit Flintoff or Jones then the choice would be obvious? But you don't.

Hoggard and Sidebottom are of a similar pace, but because they are left and right handers, they do offer something different.

[darksideofthemoon]

Does this mean that Plunkett will also miss out in the ODIs?

[Collyisamackem]

I don't think so, his bowling has been excellent in ODIs at times recently (especially in the CB Series) and his batting average is rising all the time. I doubt that Sidebottom will be called up for those games.

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by Collyisamackem

I doubt that Sidebottom will be called up for those games.

Economy wise Sidebottom is one of the best One Day bowlers in the country. David Hussey, at Notts, likens him to Nathan Bracken. He's a better option than many of thos etried in the past few years!

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by Notts Exile

David Hussey, at Notts, likens him to Nathan Bracken.

But that is only in terms of having stupidly long floppy hair!!

[Collyisamackem]

Problem is though Notts, lower order batting has become pretty important in ODIs for many sides, but especially when you have a top order as fragile as ours has been for so long. Thus, Plunkett's batting average will weigh in heavily in the minds of the selectors for the ODIs. It's not his fault, either, that he was left out during the World Cup and suddenly expected to bowl brilliantly in the last game having barely bowled for weeks. Sidebottom clearly isn't a batsman at all (and one diving stop aside is a mediocre fielder to me on Sunday's evidence), and although I think he could do a good Jon Lewis-style job in ODIs in the short term I don't see him being picked.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Gremlin

So we should stick with Plunkett then,

Well yes - but the next test will be his last chance, I am sure England could find a bowler better than Sidebottom to partner Hoggard - England will have one of the tamest attacks in World cricket.

[flanflinger]

Blimey Ern, have you been taking negative pills??

Would you have really preferred the wayward Plunkett (who I like but needs to find some form in County Cricket) to the more consistent and wicket taking Sidebottom?

Pace isn't everything, as McGrath and Clarke proved this winter, for me it's about variety, if the attack was Kirtley, Hoggard and Lewis, I would be very worried. But as it is you do have variety in pace with Harmison in the attack, and in method with a left-armer in the mix.

Do we have anyone else - Flintoff and Jones who are injured, Broad, Plunkett, Anderson and Mahmood who are all on the inexperienced side and all can be wayward.

Lets see how they bowl before judging. They managed to take twenty wickets in the last two Test with just two and half bowlers!!