Which rather suggests Collingwood isn't a batsman? An average of 40.99 after 37 Test Matches rather suggests that he is a Test Class batsman, averaging only a few runs less than the 'supposed' real batsmen in the side. He also has a double hundred (209) scored against Australia (Oliver take note) and an average bang on his career average against Australia (Oliver also take note).

I would always expect Collingwoods Test average to be in the low 40's late 30's due to his batting position of No 5 and because he 'could' be considered a batting allrounder. Not in the semantic sense however, unless he gets his bowling average under his batting average, but in the real sense his medium pacers are a very useful addition to Englands bowling resources and he 'adds value' in the fielding department as well being considered one of the best point/backward point/cover point fielders in the world.

You want to sacrifice all that for a few extra runs in a specialist batsman?

Which is understandable when you consider that he was asked to go away and perform in CC, and he's done just that. Add in that this England attack badly needs some 'bite' to it to blow the cobwebs out of the SA batsmen 'comfort' zones. Englands attack is too 'samey' and when they don't get swing, they really struggle because they can't build pressure. Adding Flintoff in helped that, but you must sustain pressure at both ends to take wickets and they desperately need a second 'shock' bowler to partner Flintoff.

I still have big doubts about Harmisons ability to deal with the pressure that comes with International Cricket, but until its known what causes his inconsistency and waywardness it's hard to know whether he should be recalled or not. What you can't deny, is that England desperately need someone of his pace and bounce.

Great article on Hoggard at Cricinfo -

Cricinfo - Central plank to rank outsider

Rob Key's captaincy does get some good press. It's a shame he's not been scoring many runs recently.

The two spinners idea has just been mooted by Gerard Brophy on Radio Leeds (whilst commentating on Notts-Yorks). He reckons that's England's best chance, set up a bunsen burner at both venues and see how the Saffers fare.

I can't and won't. We do need something different. It's just a shame it comes down to Harmison again.

Collingwood's overall average is good but his form for a while now has been poor. He does offer good fielding, his bowling offers little in Tests (as his record suggests). Is there no-one better? If not then we really are in a poor situation, I can't believe Collingwood would get into many of the Top Five sides in Test cricket.

I don't disagree, but you can only call on the resources you have at your disposal.

Agreed. But we've already established that he is a Test Class batsmen going through a lean trot. As are Vaughan, Cook and Bell, although he's turned it around recently. It's the old form v class argument and there's no guarantee that anyone coming in will do any better. That's not to say others shouldn't be given opportunities.

His bowling reflects what he is - a part time medium pacer and not a front line specialist bowler. It's important to consider what he adds as a 'package'; it isn't just what wickets he takes but how he builds pressure for bowlers at the other end as well as being able to 'take the pace off' on slowish wickets.

Well I think that's a little unkind but you're entitled to your opinion. Collingwood is a grafter, a hard worker, a gritty middle lower order batsman. He's not stylish or flamboyant, he doesn't take centre stage, he just knuckles down and gets on with the work.

Successful sides need a mixture of talents in them.

It seems as though it may not be a Harmison recall, as Simon Jones has declared himself fit for the next Test. If he's fit, he needs to play.

BBC SPORT | Cricket | England | Jones 'ready' for England recall

This would be my bowling lineup -

7 Flintoff
8 Broad
9 Jones
10 Anderson
11 Panesar

Well JP Duminy has just scored a hundred in the warm up game. I would really like to see him get a game. We should drop Boucher and bring in Duminy. We are leading the series so we can afford to play the extra batsman. Also, our 5 man attack remains the same. I am slightly disappointed that Smith chose to bat first. The batting is sorted, I would have liked to see the bowlers having 2 innings's to make a claim for selection. The bowlers will be competing with each other directly. There is Ntini, Nel and Zondeki all competing for 1 place (2 if SA decide to go into the match without a spinner) and Peterson and Harris competing directly for the spinners place. I hope that they all get a decent number of overs in.

As for the Collingwood comments, I cannot see why he needs to come back into the team. Why not give Bopara a chance. I believe that he was scoring plenty of runs this season. He is as good a bowler as Collingwood and he is a more than useful fielder as well. Collingwood is off form and should earn hi place by scoring runs, something that Bopara has been doing. I have only seen Bopara a few times but I like the lad. He looks a classy player. Time to give him a chance.

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434, world record for the shortest period. Whos choking now?

Because he's already been tried and failed, he's not Test ready. The last thing England want to do is start recalling recent failures, they have enough problems to sort out and Bopara isn't a 'specialist batsman', but another 'supposed allrounder'.

That's swopping one 'potential' allrounder who's already failed for an establised one with a successful track record, does that make any sense to you at all?

Then I'd suggest you haven't seen an awful lot of Bopara's bowling.

He's a decent fielder for sure, but not as good as Collingwood.

It's true Collingwood has struggled for runs recently, but then so have a number of others and as Collingwood came in for Flintoff, it's logical he drops out for him. It's not logical that Bopara should replace him however.

He's got a lot of potential, but more so in the short format game than Test Cricket, there he has to wait his turn just like everyone else and allrounders isn't an area where England are currently lacking.

The question is, do England switch back to a 4 bowler formation and bring Collingwood back in or do they persist with a 5 bowler formation but try and include more potent bowlers.

Dale Styen is out due to a broken thumb. I suppose its a striaght replacement for Nel. Personally I would like Nel for Styen and Zondeki for Harris.

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"Checkout the big brain on Brett" Pulp Fiction

From the guy himself rhythm and confidence.


Any reason to have Broad as a bowler. He's no where near being an international bowler and I cant see the point in picking him for any runs he may score.

Same as Broad the bowler.


Good question but i would imagine that as they are chasing the series and have had significant trouble bowling the Saffers out they would plump for the 5 bowler option.

One thing about Harmison, who may get a recall (its looking like a toss-up between him and Jones, personally I'd take both) is that he's only gone for 5.odd per over in the 20/20 this year and only bowled 1 wide, not bad for someone who has no control

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Mark.

Don't forget about Sidebottom. Some people have said that he hasn't proven himself against top-quality opposition, however that's no reason not to give him a chance. Added to that is that as a left-armer he provides variation to the attack, and at the moment he's the most economical bowler in the side. I'd go in with Flintoff, Sidebottom, Anderson, Jones and Panesar. It's a bit tough on Broad, but he really hasn't done enough in the Tests with the ball. He needs to be at least 3 or 4 miles faster, otherwise he's not going to be a real threat to the batsmen. Flintoff, Sidebottom and Anderson should all make up the runs you'd miss out on by dropping him.