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Loading ...I hope adil can make it. According to me debut against Aussie will make a big difference to his confidence, if he play well.
No Vaughan, no Harmy, but Monty makes it
By Will last year, at the end of June Add your comment below
All rather predictable, I felt – England’s squad announcement, that is. But one man’s name did surprise me: Monty Panesar. He’s been flayed all around Division 2 of the Championship like a particularly forlorn-looking rag doll, and with his batting as sadly inept as it is, will England really risk him at Cardiff? Given Adil Rashid’s impressive pluck shown in the World Twenty20, he could well get a game alongside Graeme Swann for the first Test. Though as a colleague said today, plonking such a young bloke in to make his debut against the Aussies is a quickfire way to kill his confidence and ruin him for years. It’ll make or break him, but I’d rather see his name than Monty and his 70mph rockets, and hapless fielding, and putting it in the right (or wrong) areas (singular – there is only one area)… etc.
Ian Bell, meanwhile, has been told to grow up with his elevation to captaincy of the England Lions – a good decision. It’ll be absolutely fascinating to see how he reacts to it, how he manages the likes of Harmison (selected for the Lions, but not for the main pre-Ashes squad).
Your thoughts?
Tags: adil-rashid, ashes, england, ian-bell, monty-panesar, steve-harmison, the-ashes |
5 Responses to “No Vaughan, no Harmy, but Monty makes it”
June 23rd, 2009 at 11.10 am
June 23rd, 2009 at 1.23 pm
I know you’ve got some funny colleagues Will, but among the young blokes who’ve had their confidence killed ‘quickfire’ having made debuts against decent Australian sides of the last 20 years are Messrs Pietersen, Butcher, Headley, Thorpe, Caddick, Tufnell, Malcolm, Atherton and Fraser.
The colleague might respond that others include Messrs Afzaal, Ormond, AM Smith, A Hollioake, B Hollioake, Lathwell, McCague, Ilott, Tudor, Igglesdon and JP Stephenson, but most of them were either stop-gaps or just plain awful selections.
If Rashid is good enough and tough enough he will be fine regardless of an earful of Tasmanian bile. If he really is more mentally fragile than Monty he should stay in bed of a morning.
Going back a bit, Ramadhin and Valentine were quite handy young spinners on debut. Talk to a different colleague.
June 23rd, 2009 at 6.27 pm
I agree with Ernie, if he’s good enough, he’s old enough. If Cardiff looks like it’ll turn play him if not, Onions will do very well IMO.
I think the Warwickshire game could be Monty’s last stand.
June 23rd, 2009 at 9.33 pm
Interesting ,England have an abundance of riches in spinners and Australia has a cupboard as bare as the proverbial. Good leg spinners dont grow on trees and Rashid should play. Its not Rashid’s temperament that is in question. It is the selectors. Do they have the temperament to select him?
Amit Mishra wasn’t too scarred last year by the Aussies.The bowl-off between Lee,Clark and Hilfenhaus will be interesting. Siddle and Johnson are certainties and Hauritz will play. With all the sunshine you lot are having heres hoping your players dont get sunstroke.
Australia to win 3-1 with England jagging a consolation in the dead rubber.
June 24th, 2009 at 12.22 pm
Would teams like India, Pakistan or Sri Lanka shy away from fielding talented players because of their youth? I don’t think so.
Get young Rashid in there and let him show the world that he has what it takes. If all the talk of a turning pitch at Cardiff is true, he will never have a better opportunity to make a memorable first impression.
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