"A shambles, a farce, and Fletcher's right in the thick of it" - World A-Team Cricket Forum

Rachael · #1 (**permalink**) 26-11-2006, 10:56 AM

The thread title comes from Rod Marsh's excellent column in today's Observer.

Marsh kicks off with a pointed observation that the role of coach and selector cannot be unproblematically reconcilled becaasue "If the player knew the coach was also a selector, that player would reason that any admission of weakness was likely to affect his chances of being selected, so he would keep quiet".

Most of the advice is perhaps predictable: Collingwood should certainly not be playing at 4 (if at all) as he "is not capable of that role in Australia where the extra bounce can expose his technical limitations". Read should obvously be 'keeping as "just about everyone agrees that he is the superior wicketkeeper in the party". Furthermore, Panesar should have been in ahead of Giles as "you have to take 20 wickets to get anywhere in a Test series [and] Panesar is more likely to take wickets".

Most interesting of all is his view on Harmison:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rod Marsh

And I cannot work out why Steve Harmison is playing in this match. If he was not ready to turn out in the final warm-up game in Adelaide, he should not have played in the Test. England would have been better off playing Sajid Mahmood. If, as a selector, you know someone is in need of more bowling and that he is not going to perform well, how can you pick him for a Test match? It defies all logic.

And Fletcher must have known. He consults his former captains, Mike Atherton and Nasser Hussain, and I know this pair were aware that Harmison needed more bowling.

In Brisbane, Harmison has been trying to bowl himself back into rhythm. It is no good concentrating on that in the middle of the biggest Test for ages. He should have played in that match in Adelaide and if he had to be withdrawn through injury, so be it.

At least he would have had the chance to find his rhythm. For that you need a proper cricket match rather than more nets.

He ends with thoughts on the Adelaide Test, noting that "the wicket is deader than in Brisbane" and that "two spinners and their three best quicks will be England's best balance".... but on who should play alongside Flintoff and Hoggard he notes that "it is by no means clear-cut that Harmison is the man".

There's plenty more, including a suggestion that those NOT involved next week be sent out to play some club cricket in Adelaide. Read more here.

Occasional Fan · 26-11-2006, 11:45 AM in reply to Rachael's post ""A shambles, a farce, and..."

At least partially, Collingwood has answered Marsh in the England second innings by making 96 runs, and presently he is England's top scorer, though I sincerely hope Pietersen will dislodge him from that spot early tomorrow. (Having seen a couple of Pietersen's ill-advised heaves and misses after tea on the fourth day, however, that's not something I would guarantee).

Everything else in Rod Marsh's column I completely agree with, and the comments on Harmison are bang on the money. He'll have two days to prove in the nets that he can do something (one will be lost to travelling from Brisbane to Adelaide), and if he's not looking like superman at the end of Thursday's net sessions he should not be the third quick at Adelaide. Club cricket for him while the rest of the England team are playing a test? Well, it's better than carrying the drinks. I'd still say it's a fine line between some club cricket in Adelaide and an early return to Old Durham Town though.

Mr Hutt

http://content-pak.cricinfo.com/ausv...ry/269883.html

more great soul baring by england players....

why did you fail sir?

Err i got nervous... so i couldnt bowl at all..

but sir you are the team that won last time?

Err yeah but i let the enormity of the situation get to me

Puhleeeze!!! he had a bad test match... why doesnt he just say that... every bowler does and he did also!!!

Occasional Fan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Occasional Fan

At least partially, Collingwood has answered Marsh in the England second innings by making 96 runs, and presently he is England's top scorer, though I sincerely hope Pietersen will dislodge him from that spot early tomorrow. (Having seen a couple of Pietersen's ill-advised heaves and misses after tea on the fourth day, however, that's not something I would guarantee).

Remember where you read it first!

Collyisamackem

OF, if you're assuming the role of oracle here, care to cast aspersions on the outcome of the four remaining tests and the ultimate destination of that little urn?

TopperHarley

Rod Marsh comes on to defend his boy from big bad dunc again. Seen it all before.

Bottom line. england bottom of test rankings when fletch took over. Enlgand second in rankings with series wins against Pakistan, NZ, WI, South africa and austrailia over recent years under Fletch.

Also, his picking of "character over technique" has unearthed Trescothick, Vaughan, S Jones, harmison, Strauss, KP and Collingwood amongst others.

Sure he has made mistakes, but it is far harder to take a team from bottom to second, than to either take over the best team in the world, and watch them carry on their winning ways while you spout Sun Tzu, or indeed to coach the academy boys and trumpet how great they are on every occasion, then getting on your high horse in a newspaper.

Occasional Fan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Collyisamackem

OF, if you're assuming the role of oracle here, care to cast aspersions on the outcome of the four remaining tests and the ultimate destination of that little urn?

England to win at Perth and Melbourne, Australia at Sydney, draw at Adelaide, urn coming back home as soon as the Aussies have stopped looking at it.

Maranello

Quote:

Originally Posted by Occasional Fan

urn coming back home as soon as the Aussies have stopped looking at it.

I don't think anyone can argue with that one OF.

How's Adelaide by the way?

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