- Jan 7, 2009
- 17,094
- 22,286
I don't think there are any easy solutions. I think there are faults with selection and what the coaches/selectors have done, but they've given a lot of people a lot of chances which haven't been taken. At some point you then have to look at what the counties/system is doing in producing quality players for the red ball game.
There are problems with bat and ball. With the bat we are just getting a succession of technically and mentally weak players. We're in the position where a declining Cook is still the only one who can bat, and bat, and bat - taking the game away from the opposition. The rest, and I'm afraid led by Captain Roooooot, might be good for a session, two if we're lucky, but are a bit soft and don't have the ruthless streak and rarely tough it out. Malan to be fair has at least shown some guts since he came in the team and looks up for the battle and can dig in, but its slim pickings.
With the ball we just don't have enough weapons. Just a lottery of right arm fast-medium seam bowlers. No variety such as a left arm, or a genuinely quick hostile bowler. No real spinner, so they've asked a part-timer to try his best (with mixed results) and then with no one else persisted with him, even when he's clearly having problems and now destroyed his confidence with bat and ball. This is probably all a reflection of the fact of how the county championship is scheduled at the start and end of the season, and tipping it even more in certain bowlers favour and means you don't need to be anything more than medium pace to start getting results.
What are the solutions? I don't know. As I say repeatedly I think you definitely need more separation between red and white ball cricket and to have more specialists for both, but that's never going to happen. I think the schedule needs looking at, although in England we are always going to be at a certain mercy to weather/conditions. Above all else though I think the ECB/Counties/whoever need to have some higher standards and be a bit more critical of what is being done.
It's a mediocre era of test cricket, and we're a good reflection of that.
I agree with all this apart from the separation, a discussion we've had before. We are missing out on some serious talents by pigeon holing them as white ball specialists. Interesting to think that when the ODI's start, we will fuck about with our bowling line up by bringing in players who are white ball specialists, and the Aussies (fitness permitting) will have the same opening attack and first change bowler that they have on show in the test series. I'd rather take Jos Buttler as a specialist batting option on a test tour than Gary fucking Ballance.