tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7232480790564460856.post1676610647739705075..comments2020-02-23T15:00:26.663+00:00Comments on Silly Point(s): Have England learnt to play limited overs cricket?Andy Bloxhamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05421040858983209777noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7232480790564460856.post-62548100759679650482012-03-15T15:38:18.254+00:002012-03-15T15:38:18.254+00:00Hi Aditi, thanks very much for the comment.
A gre...Hi Aditi, thanks very much for the comment.<br /><br />A great appraisal of the state of English ODI cricket, too. I think you're spot on with the suggestion that we need the Raina's and Dhoni's, i.e. power hitters, to sit in that middle order behind Cook, Pietersen and Trott. Morgan is a very good ODI player, and I expect he will come good again soon, so certainly worth persevering with.<br /><br />As you say, Sri Lanka is about to provide their real test against spin. We should certainly find out what they have learnt from the disastrous tour of the UAE against Pakistan, even if Sri Lanka's spin bowling perhaps isn't quite as good.<br /><br />Cheers<br /><br />AndyAndy Bloxhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05421040858983209777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7232480790564460856.post-42476284757299248792012-03-15T15:08:08.009+00:002012-03-15T15:08:08.009+00:00Having followed the England vs Pak series really c...Having followed the England vs Pak series really closely and having supported England (my 3rd fav team after SA and India), I have the following observation to make. 4-0 is indeed a remarkable turn around. However Eng relied heavily on the openers ie Cook or/and Pietersen (not to forget the fantastic bowling unit) to see them through all the matches. Bopara also contributed with useful 50's but I think they managed to hide a pretty weak middle order with Morgan and Trott not being in any kind of form. Obviously, am not suggesting sacking them because they are class players no doubt and its just one series but I do think for a cricket team to become world class beaters in the limited overs format you need people like Dhoni and Raina in the middle. Probably Bairstow would be a good option given the promise he's shown. <br />But i guess most importantly this ODI series does not wipe away the fact that English batsmen need to play spin better. Their real test will come in SL and India this year.<br />I was happy to see Alastair Cook (its refreshing to see a non flamboyant player and personality become the poster boy of English cricket for a change!)leading from the front and call me biased, but I think he should have been given a chance at the T20's with him being in such good touch and Buttler not delivering. I only hope that he doesn't get carried away by the fickle English media which knocks sportsmen off a super-high pedestal as quickly as it puts them up there and that AC becomes a cricketing great by the end of his career.Aditi Zachariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07132938860439113583noreply@blogger.com