Could this man have helped as the rest of England’s bowlers toiled for the last two days of the 1st Test against South Africa at Lords?
He would have brought that out and out pace that is lacking from the England side at the moment, but on a docile wicket like that found at Lords over the weekend, I reckon the result would have been the same. In the past few seasons he has never taken more than 3 wickets in an innings in Test matches at ‘HQ’.
So should he come back? He is in the squad for the 2nd Test at Headingley and although he is not yet the batsman he was in the past I think he is worth his place as a bowler alone. Also at his best he has the ability to inspire the rest of the team. So who do you drop to accommodate him?
Headingley Cricket Ground, Leeds
The most out of form player in the team is Paul Collingwood, though he was unlucky with his dismissal in the 1st Test, but based on the fact that Flintoff has little batting form to speak of either, to bring Flintoff into the side would change the composition of the team from 4 bowlers to 5 bowlers and on a pitch that traditionally produces a result from being a bowler friendly surface, do you need 5 bowlers? But then which of the bowlers, who have performed increasingly well as a unit in recent Tests do you leave out in the cold? If Ryan Sidebottom’s stiff back were to keep him out of the Leeds Test this ‘nice’ problem could be resolved, at least in the short term, though England will do all they can to get their left arm swing bowler fit for the game.
Assuming Sidebottom is fit for Friday’s start and England do go with 5 bowlers how should they line up? How about this:
- Strauss
- Cook
- Vaughan
- Pietersen
- Bell
- Ambrose
- Flintoff
- Broad
- Sidebottom
- Anderson
- Panesar
As widely reported if he plays Freddie will bat at 7 for the game, but Ambrose like Collingwood is having a lean batting spell in Tests, so for this line up to work numbers 6 to 8 need to bat well. England have a long tail as it is, so for 6 downwards to fold cheaply could be firstly quite embarrassing and secondly put England in a dire position in the game and most probably the series. But that’s the pessimist in me.
So my predictions for the game:
- Ambrose and Flintoff to start shakily but get valuable 40s in a low scoring first innings;
- Even though I’m an England fan, Steyn to fire;
- Kallis to get a stodgy century after 20 runs in total at Lords; and
- KP to get in the headlines. For the right reasons.
