Posted by Not unless he’s down the order.
Some have suggested resting Alastair Cook because he made a hundred in the first warm-up match and so presumably doesn’t need the practice. Being as Nick Compton made a duck, it is felt that England might now want to see how Joe Root fares in order to give themselves an alternative.
This is wrong. For one thing, looking at other options this early on undermines a new player (Compton) when he should be supported. Also, Alastair Cook may have made a hundred, but England’s probable first Test opening partnership has made just two runs together. Ever.
You don’t decide a bloke can’t bat after he’s made a duck. If he makes a few ducks, okay, there’s a certain weight of evidence, but a single innings of nought offers virtually no information on its own.
A three-ball duck is curt and bland. A truly flawed batsman aspires to more than this. He hangs around for a few overs, plays himself in and then continues playing and missing and choosing the wrong shots even once his feet are moving and he’s familiar with the bowlers. That’s how you catch the eye and mark yourself out as a real top drawer incompetent.
But this is England in Subcontinental Tour Mode. Without an early and decisive selectorial panic, how will we be able tell that they’re making a proper effort to remove the wheels from the moving bus?
Too late.
http://www.espncricinfo.com/india-v-england-2012/content/current/story/589454.html
What price the first wicket being a run-out in the first Test?
And how will Patel’s spin ‘compliment’ Swann’s? Are they saying that Swann’s bowling will be flattered by Patel’s? Suppose that makes sense.
Is it possible this is because the England management does have a sense of humor? Having Cook, Root, and Onions on Indian soil does lend itself to a lot of cheap jokes.
What price Samit Patel pulling a Hick ’92/93 and topping the batting and bowling figures (most catches too?)
Excellent and wholly justified Hick reference. Have 12 points.
This is going to turn out like those old arcade prize tokens, isn’t it? 12 will get me what, a pencil sharpener? I bet the giant stuffed penguin is like 1000000 points or something.
It gets you 12 points.
What’s the matter? Are points not good enough for you? You want to trade them in for exotic luxuries like pencil sharpeners?
Listen, son. There are people round here who’d be happy to have even three points, so think yourself lucky.
Worst episode of Play Your Cards Right ever, Bruce.
What do points mean? Points mean prizes!
Points mean points.
Why are you all so greedy?
I’m not greedy. I don’t want prizes. I don’t even want points.
I like the Hick reference though.
Surely the squad rotation thing is simply the “everyone should get a game just in case they are needed for a real match” thing, with Mumbai A being, on paper, the weakest of the three warm ups.
Whoops a daisy, England 66/4 at lunch on Day One.
Don’t points mean a disturbingly phallic mace from the ICC?
A refreshing attitude, Ged. Have four points.
Wonderful – four whole points.
I’ve always wanted a pencil sharpener too.
Well, I will not totally agree with you as without giving someone a chance how can you decide that he is not gonna perform in the real match and I think the English team management is doing the right thing this time Alaistair Cook is very used to the Indian conditions and he doesn’t need any more practice so why not use Joe Root, give this youngster his chance may be he can perform well.