England v South Africa

[Ian Sea]

Smith was in the South African team before he was captain, not for long, but he was. Anyway, his appointment was exceptional.

 

Similar to Key then, who's played about 16 Tests. I do agree he isn't proven though, I think his average is about 30, although he has scored a double ton. I'd pick him if we want a fresh start, in the absence of an outstanding candidate.

 

I wouldn't be against KP getting the job, at least he can lead both teams. I just hope there are a few other changes to the team, and Vaughan isn't made a scapegoat. I'd leave a few players out for the Oval, including Strauss, Collingwood and Ambrose.

[longballs]

Bobby Key won't walk in to the side and instantly become captain but I do hope that he is picked for the final test. Vaughan is 'taking a break' so we do need someone to come in.

 

Key has come on leaps since his first call up; he has all the shots and would offer excitement for his running between the wickets alone. I wonder if Ramps is in with a shout of making the team now? The pressure of his 100th 100 is now over and maybe he can come in under less pressure at this stage of his career. He has upset a few of the selectors in the past though with his comments.

 

For me the biggest issue is the wicket keeper, Ambrose needs to be dropped and I hope the selectors have to balls to do it. They won't want to as they have chopped and changed that position so many times and want to give him a chance, but he has been poor with the gloves and poor with the bat.

[Spy Bee]

I wouldn't drop Colly on the back of a century. I know he's not been in good form, but now that he has found some it wouldn't make any sense to drop him. I like Anderson, but I think he should be dropped for Simon Jones. Strauss is a funny one, while not looking very comfortable he has scored a few runs.

 

It's a nothing game in some ways, so maybe we could have a look at a few players. Is Adil Rashid ready?

[Ian Sea]

I wouldn't drop Colly on the back of a century. I know he's not been in good form, but now that he has found some it wouldn't make any sense to drop him. I like Anderson, but I think he should be dropped for Simon Jones. Strauss is a funny one, while not looking very comfortable he has scored a few runs.

 

It's a nothing game in some ways, so maybe we could have a look at a few players. Is Adil Rashid ready?

 

Rashid could be an interesting pick, if ready, as he'd balance the side out with him batting at 8. We've got a tour to India coming up too, and we'll need another spinner for that. I haven't seen much of him though to be honest so I wouldn't like to say if he's ready or not.

 

The team I'd pick would be;

 

Key

Cook

Shah

Pietersen

Bell

Prior

Flintoff

Sidebottom

Anderson

Jones

Monty

 

If Sidebottom isn't fit then it might be worth seeing Harmison in the side again? Or Broad could come back in as there wouldn't be as much pressure on him in a 5 man attack and he'd add depth to our batting.

[hamstrung]

Shame Trescothick went mental.

[Spy Bee]

Key gets a mention here

BBC - 606 - - A39077355 - KP favourite as England hunt one skipper

 

Atherton is also tipping KP

BBC SPORT | Cricket | England | Atherton tips Pietersen as leader

[Brownie]

I wouldn't pick KP as captain. It would potentially disrupt his batting and give him too much to think about.

 

I accept that there doesn't seem to be too many options though...

[dudek#1]

There is nobody who would automatically get the job. Pietersen is not captain material. He's too flash in the pan, sees himself as a celebrity, doesn't have any humility and he is generally not a very likeable person. The same goes for Flintoff.

 

Bell would be my choice out of the current crop.

[Brownie]

There is nobody who would automatically get the job. Pietersen is not captain material. He's too flash in the pan, sees himself as a celebrity, doesn't have any humility and he is generally not a very likeable person. The same goes for Flintoff.

 

Bell would be my choice out of the current crop.

 

I was thinking possibly Strauss? I know he doesn't play for the one-day team at the moment, but he could do I think.

[Guest The Chimp]

For me the biggest issue is the wicket keeper, Ambrose needs to be dropped and I hope the selectors have to balls to do it. They won't want to as they have chopped and changed that position so many times and want to give him a chance, but he has been poor with the gloves and poor with the bat.

 

Have been watching a bit of the series on Fox over here and my first thought was that he didn't look particularly strong in either department. The more I saw, the more I thought my initial appraisal wasn't too far off the mark, and worse theta he was a bit of a weak link. I'm not looking for a scapegoat by any means, as I think the better side won fair and square, but is this the general consenus on Ambrose - not good enough or am I being unduly critical and have just caught him a bit out of form? (Again, I'm not going to ask any of my mates as I'd get the usual "Course, he's shit, he's a Pom")

[Ian Sea]

Have been watching a bit of the series on Fox over here and my first thought was that he didn't look particularly strong in either department. The more I saw, the more I thought my initial appraisal wasn't too far off the mark, and worse theta he was a bit of a weak link. I'm not looking for a scapegoat by any means, as I think the better side won fair and square, but is this the general consenus on Ambrose - not good enough or am I being unduly critical and have just caught him a bit out of form? (Again, I'm not going to ask any of my mates as I'd get the usual "Course, he's shit, he's a Pom")

 

You're right mate, I haven't been convinced by Ambrose at all. For me he's not good enough as a wicket keeper or a batsman and it's beyond me why he's in the team. Fingers crossed that he's dropped today.

 

In a perfect world Chris Read would be the keeper but he's not the best wicket keeper/batsman and we need a strong batter for the balance of the side at the minute. The best all rounder (in a keeping sense) may be James Foster from Essex but I think Prior may come back in because of his strong batting and good form this year. Hopefully he's been working on his keeping since last time he played though!

[wiiksie]

So press conference today at 1pm, its going to be Pietersen isn't it. He, alongside Cook, are the only players pretty much gauranteed a place for the next 4/5 years, nobody else is.

 

So it has to be KP really (and I think he is far from skipper material). If you look at the current squad:

 

Strauss: I think he will survive the current cull, but not long term. We need a new opening partner for Cook.

 

Cook: eventual captain, but he isn't ready yet.

 

Bell: Very gifted, and probably will keep his place longer term, but no way is he captain material. Just hasn't got the personality for the job, and I can't see him commanding a team.

 

KP: the only choice at the moment. Not ideal, and might stifle his aggression.

 

Collingwood: stepped down as 1 day skipper, he might keep his place short term but I see his place being taken by Bopara or Shah eventually.

 

Flintoff: His fitness is still questionable (although he does look his most solid since 05), but I'd say he was an equal candidate to KP. Loves the shirt.

 

Ambrose: dead man walkin'. Prior or Foster to replace him.

 

As for the pace bowlers, none of them stand out as candidates for being dropped or promoted to the team I dont think. Sidebottom, Anderson, Jones, Harminson, Broad, all at a similar level (I'd add Mahmood to that list too). But I'd like to see Jones given the nod for the next test, just to see what sort of form he is in before the ashes.

 

Monty will probably keep his place indefintely, maybe Rashid will become good enough, maybe not.

 

And Im not feeling the love for Key either, I think he's had his chance and we should look to younger players now.

 

And longer term, who do we have that's got the a test temperament who could open with Cooky?

[A_S]

You're right mate, I haven't been convinced by Ambrose at all. For me he's not good enough as a wicket keeper or a batsman and it's beyond me why he's in the team. Fingers crossed that he's dropped today.

 

In a perfect world Chris Read would be the keeper but he's not the best wicket keeper/batsman and we need a strong batter for the balance of the side at the minute. The best all rounder (in a keeping sense) may be James Foster from Essex but I think Prior may come back in because of his strong batting and good form this year. Hopefully he's been working on his keeping since last time he played though!

 

Yep, I reckon Gilchrist and Sangakarra should be both negged for the almost impossible standards that they have set for keepers from here on, as they have to really now be keeper/batsmen, not just a good keeper.

 

As for the captaincy thing, you can't really give the Test captaincy to a bloke who just stodd down from the One-Day team, can you? Pietersen could make it once he gets used to the role, Cook would be the medium-long term replacement but will need backing from the board, as he's still a young lad, while Flintoff has all the natural tools for a leader, but injuries and maybe age could hold him back in the eyes of the selectors.

[wiiksie]

Had to be didn't it:

 

Pietersen named England captain

 

Kevin Pietersen has succeeded Michael Vaughan as England cricket captain.

 

Following Vaughan's shock resignation on Sunday, the 28-year-old's appointment was confirmed by national selector Geoff Miller at Lord's.

 

Pietersen will captain both the Test and one-day sides and will lead England in the final Test against South Africa at The Oval on Thursday.

 

He said: "I'm very thrilled and excited to have been given the opportunity to captain England."

 

The South Africa-born batsman had been widely tipped to take over from Vaughan and one-day captain Paul Collingwood, who also stood down on Sunday following England's Test series defeat to South Africa.

 

Pietersen added: "It's a huge honour and a terrific challenge for me at this stage of my international career.

 

"I have learned a great deal about leadership from playing under both Michael and Paul and fully appreciate the level of responsibility that comes with the job of captaining your country.

 

"My immediate priority will be this week's fourth npower Test and I will be devoting all my energies to ensuring that the team are properly prepared and play to their full potential, starting on Thursday."

BBC SPORT | Cricket | England | Pietersen named England captain

[Owen]

Going by my passing knowledge of what's happening, isn't that a really bad idea?

[wiiksie]

Going by my passing knowledge of what's happening, isn't that a really bad idea?

There really isn't anyone else Owen. Its KP or others who aren't guaranteed a place in the team, let alone as captain.

[longballs]

I thought he handled himself pretty well in that press conference. Bopara has been called up to the squad as a replacement for Vaughan.

[Ian Sea]

Ambrose dropped from the One Day squad, not the Test one though;

 

England have drafted in Essex batsman Ravi Bopara to replace former captain Michael Vaughan for the fourth Test against South Africa at The Oval.

 

Vaughan resigned the captaincy on Sunday and ruled himself out of selection for Thursday's Test match.

 

Stuart Broad and Steve Harmison keep their places in the 13-man squad for Kevin Pietersen's debut as captain.

 

England also named their squad for the Twenty20 and one-day games, with Samit Patel the only uncapped player.

 

Bopara, 23, has played three Tests before and is a regular in England's one day international outfit.

 

He has been in fine form for Essex this season, averaging 63 with the bat in the County Championship and taking 20 wickets at 25.5.

 

He made his England Test debut in Sri Lanka in December 2007 and scored 8, 34, 0, 0 and 0 as Michael Vaughan's men slipped to a series defeat.

 

More to follow.

 

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

England squad for fourth Test against South Africa at The Oval, starting on Thursday 7 August:

 

Kevin Pietersen (captain), Tim Ambrose, James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison, Monty Panesar, Ryan Sidebottom, Andrew Strauss.

 

England squad for Twenty20 and one-day internationals against South Africa:

 

Kevin Pietersen (captain), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Samit Patel, Matt Prior, Owais Shah, Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swann, Chris Tremlett, Luke Wright.

[wiiksie]

Happy with Bopara replacing Vaughan, he's been on fire this season.

[Ian Sea]

Happy with Bopara replacing Vaughan, he's been on fire this season.

 

Yeah, me too mate. Shah was the other outstanding candidate but more than happy with Bopara.

[wiiksie]

Yeah, me too mate. Shah was the other outstanding candidate but more than happy with Bopara.

Yep, I can see both of them being in the test team before the end of the year.

[Ian Sea]

Does anyone else reckon that KP looks like Sam Dingle off Emmerdale by the way?

[Stu Monty]

You know in Star Wars when Vader is killing all the kids and Yoda gets that "disturbance in the force" feeling he sometimes gets.

 

I'm getting that.

[A_S]

So what do people think of Pietersen's comments regarding how he will captain? Fairly predictable, I suppose, saying he'll go on instinct, gut feeling etc. It's the same thing that both brings out his best and worst batting. Anyone know how many Tests England are scheduled to play before the Ashes next year? Also, will captaining the One-Day team fast-track his captaincy skills even where Tests are concerned, despite the varied differences in both forms of the game?

 

Well, at least it won't be boring.

[longballs]

KP will need to grow up a bit to captain England but I think he can do it. He recently moaned about not having much time to himself, well during the next ashes everyone will want a piece of his time. I also wonder if he will bowl himself more now, Colly seemed to when he was 1-day captain.

 

Strauss's comments came across as a little bitter (at least in text as I haven't seen the footage yet). Cheeky too when you consider that he is only just holding on to his own test place.

 

I don't understand how Ambrose has held on to his test place.