Australia/England/India Tri Series Jan/Feb 2015

[bigfluffylemon]

England's bowling remains a worry. Although the pitch was clearly an absolute belter, there's no way we should have let this side get over 300 (even if Maxwell did get half of them). On paper Anderson coming in makes it stronger, but he hasn't played many ODIs of late, and his record in Australia in general isn't wonderful. He should be a shoe-in for the NZ games, though.

We'll have a much better idea of where England stand after the tri series. Australia must be favourites for the WC on home soil, and India are always going to be right up there. If England can put up a decent showing there may be hope. I expect them to get trounced, but I suppose we'll see.

[Aidan11]

As we're starting proper on Friday I'd best make sure I've got all my equipment for watching England....


Axe - Check
Outrage Bus - Check
Moores Out Hand Grenades - Check.

Only one axe?

Good point. Best have one for each occasion.

[shankycricket]

England are playing India at Brisbane and Perth in the tri series. Surely they ought to be optimistic about winning those? And in the WC, they'll be facing Pak, WI, SA or India in the quarters. Surely England are a better side than WI or Pak and they have a good recent ODI record vs SA, add to it their choking ability. Even India is far from unbeatable, particularly considering one of the quarters is at the Gabba. Really don't think England reaching the semis is that far fetched. I think they have a very good chance, actually.

[battingforbell]

No one wants to go overboard about a couple of warm up games. Quite right. But some things are clear. Bell can bat an explosive innings with the best of them if he reaches the inviting overs beyond 40 when the fields are more batsman friendly. His century came off 102 balls, but his 87 came off 43 balls which is a SR of over 200. Tougher opposition awaits, but boundary hitting is not the problem. If Bell sets the platform and gets out then we have others capable of explosive innings towards the end. Ali is the unknown factor. He sets off like an express train but he has been getting out early as well - a lot. My theory is that Bell was selected to partner Ali to keep him on track, to get him to take a look before hitting his first ball. If the partnerships works it could work for both. Bell also has a weak tendency to go too soon and he's a poor starter. Keeping tabs on Ali might actually make Bell think twice.

[braveneutral]

Hales should open instead of Bell.

[rich1uk]

I still have a slight problem with bell replacing cook as all we appear to be doing is sticking to the same strategy as we have been doing but just having a "like for like" replacement , so we are basically saying the strategy is fine, it was just the form of cook that was the problem

of course we need to have people capable of batting through the innings and complementing the "big hitters" but in taylor at #3 and root at #4 we have 2 players both capable of doing that

bell is incredibly lucky to be given all these "second" chances and its surreal to be still sitting here going on about what he is potentially capable of after 150+ actual appearances, we have had these false dawns before with bell making big scores in warmups, I believe someone earlier in the thread mentioned him making a 100 in the same PM's XI fixture a few years ago, lets hope that it isn't just the same old story once the matches start for real

[KipperJohn]

Bell has clearly acknowledged his failure not to convert lots of scores of 50+ into centuries - it's been mine and others biggest criticism of him in ODIs. However it's pretty nonsensical to class him as a like for like replacement for Cook who has nowhere near the variety/range of shots or ability to rotate the strike.

Yes Hales should have been blooded earlier, although his county form went off for quite a while which didn't help.

However, there will be some rotation of payers due to failure or injury so I wouldn't discount him by any means - we have a squad for a reason.

[rich1uk]

However it's pretty nonsensical to class him as a like for like replacement for Cook who has nowhere near the variety/range of shots or ability to rotate the strike.

as I have always said if I had a straight choice between cook and bell I would pick bell every time , I do not agree its nonsensical to describe him as a like for like replacement for cook in the context of my comment where he has clearly been given the nod on the basis of fulfilling the same role in terms of strategy of having one opener who is a "proper" batsman and would look to bat through 40+ overs

I wasn't, and would never attempt to, compare the two in terms of ability or style

[The Waugh Twins]

Hmm. so the England team are playing without a cook in their side. What's the point of a buttler if there's only finns and roots to serve. They say they have ballance in the team but if you look at the broad picture even the Taylor of panama spending hours working out on the tredwell couldn't be a woakes by the bell.

[The Waugh Twins]

Hmm. so the England team are playing without a cook in their side. What's the point of a buttler if there's only finns and roots to serve. They say they have ballance in the team but if you look at the broad picture even the Taylor of panama spending hours working out on the tredwell couldn't be a woakes by the bell.

Oh Mark, go back to bed.

[The Waugh Twins]

Red and green and brown and blue, they're the really useful crew.

[KipperJohn]

However it's pretty nonsensical to class him as a like for like replacement for Cook who has nowhere near the variety/range of shots or ability to rotate the strike.

as I have always said if I had a straight choice between cook and bell I would pick bell every time , I do not agree its nonsensical to describe him as a like for like replacement for cook in the context of my comment where he has clearly been given the nod on the basis of fulfilling the same role in terms of strategy of having one opener who is a "proper" batsman and would look to bat through 40+ overs

I wasn't, and would never attempt to, compare the two in terms of ability or style

[Aidan11]

When I wake up tomorrow morning I expect us to have surrendered meekly put on a masterly display and suffered a huge defeat won this game convincingly.

[Arthur Crabtree]

03.20am is a crazy time to start a game of cricket.

[Aidan11]

Wouldn't work here even at the height of summer.

Darkness and transportation problems are a couple of issues that spring to mind.