SPinners, keeps and the idia sub cont tour.

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

Giles, even when he was crap always did well on trhe indian sub contintent. Freddie should be OK out there, Jones (if he can stay fit should do well (could turn out to be the best bowler in the world if used right) but agree about harmison. I dont know whether I wouldnt leave him at home and bring in a spinner. But not batty !

[Seamer]

Originally Posted by flanflinger

OK name them... are any of them really in the same league as the guys theywil replace

McGrath, Warne and Gilchrist... doubt there is anyone ofthat quality waiting in the wings

I think we have been over this before FF. To late at night for me to find the thread - will do it in the morning. But i will say that barring injury, Warne will be there. Haddin is a bloody good batsman and a superior wicket-keeper to Gilchrist. McGrath - well the balance of our attack and how we approach tests will be different. Probably have left arm Bracken who has developed into an excellent bowler. A guy by the name of Johnson is an exiting new pace prospect who has come along in Queensland and will be challenging Lee for his spot by then. Then there are others like Tait and Clarke. We will have no lack of talent but will be deficient in experience though.
Will come up with a team outside the current one tomorrow that can beat England actually, but it is time for me to hit the hay now.

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by Seamer

Will come up with a team outside the current one tomorrow that can beat England actually,

That will be fun.. I shall look forward to seeing what names you can pick out...

Have seen Bracken and he will have to have improved a lot.

Haddin may be a better keeper - but bear in mind that Gilchrist is your all-rounder. Brad is not even in the same league with the bat.

Not heard of Johnson.

There is no doubting Clarke's talent, but he will the only batsmen under 30 again in 8 months. As for Tait, he looked better than I expected, but he is a long way off really taking apart a good batting line up...

[Cricket Girl]

Originally Posted by Seamer

After ten overs, those two will be cramped up from dehydration and England will be having to employ their 13th, 14th and 15th men. Harmison will be sobbing from homesickness before he gets off the tarmac apon arrival. Likely be too sad to bowl in a test. Giles will be up against the best players of spin in the world. Hoggy, well good luck with that swing mate.
I'm telling you FF, India is the hardest test of any team. The Aussies did it last year - can England do it? Look forward to seeing them try.

Well as I keep saying and you keep ignoring, the last time we toured there we went with a rubbish side and did surprisingly well. Just because Aus found it so difficult there in 2001 and that series where Dean Jones nearly died, don't assume every side have the same problems.

Vaughan and Tres have both toured India before - they were nowhere near as good as they are today but they both came away with more than respectable records - averaging 53 and 48. Bowling-wise, that was the tour where both Hoggard and Flintoff very certainly did not 'cramp up from dehydration' - they kept running in again and again and again and both proved what tireless, big-hearted bowlers they are. I think Nasser Hussain said of that tour that Hoggard was willing to run through a brick wall for him. Hoggard and Flintoff carried the pace attack and bowled 100 overs apiece in a three match series against some of the world's best batsman.
Since that tour Flintoff has improved immeasurably as a bowler and has added reverse-swing to his repertoire, which wil suit those dry crumbling pitches and sandpaper-like ball brilliantly. Giles too had a decent series - only bowler to get Tendulkar stumped? Well it ain't Warne, who as we know has a terrible record in India.

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by Seamer

Harmison will be sobbing from homesickness before he gets off the tarmac apon arrival.

IMO Harmison with his reliance on bounce will be best left at home. Better to use Flintoff and Jones for reverse swing and Hoggard as a stock bowler.. then find a half-decent second spinner to fill the gap. Perhaps Swann

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by flanflinger

IMO Harmison with his reliance on bounce will be best left at home. Better to use Flintoff and Jones for reverse swing and Hoggard as a stock bowler.. then find a half-decent second spinner to fill the gap. Perhaps Swann

I have said the same to friends about GBH being left at home. Batty and Swann will go as additional spinners in all liklihood, hopefully Swann - who turns the ball more - will get the nod.

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

I see a consensu approaching here chaps ! So do we think that a: Swan will go ? B: Batty will go C: Harmison will go ?

I'd love to see a, but fancy it will be b or more likely c. Fletch wont change a winning team. Although he did drop thorpe.

[Notts Exile]

It would be more fine tuning the team to suit the conditions. Swapping Harmison for either Batty or Swann shouldn't harm team morale too much. I wouldn't expect Giles and Batty/Swann to get many stumpings though!!

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

Originally Posted by Notts Exile

It would be more fine tuning the team to suit the conditions. Swapping Harmison for either Batty or Swann shouldn't harm team morale too much. I wouldn't expect Giles and Batty/Swann to get many stumpings though!!

NE, I'd have been disappointed if you hadnt brought that up ! i see Mr Prior did OK at the weekend........

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by Richie Benauds Love Child

NE, I'd have been disappointed if you hadnt brought that up ! i see Mr Prior did OK at the weekend........

He he he! Have to state the facts though! We've got a few keepers who could do a decent job I'm sure. Prior is one of them. Is Pothas at Hampshire England qualified yet? He averages 50+ this season in first class cricket - only one to be doing better than Read.