England's WT20 Campaign - Marred by an unconvincing batting lineup? - Part 2 - Opinion
Continued from Part 1...
Much to the disgust of England fans however, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Morgan-c77707 was the
prime example of an ‘anchorman’ in T20 cricket, where his ability to annihilate attacks went hand in hand with neat deflections for singles and doubles. His running was a thing of rare beauty too, yet his disastrous form and decision to go onto the back foot
on deliveries which were pitched within the stumps had hurt England in recent times. The problem for the team however, is that there is no other player that can assume the role of anchoring the innings with effectiveness.
The likes of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Jos-Buttler-c1733 are definitely not expected to assume the role of anchoring the innings for England, and steering the ship out of troubled waters in T20 cricket. England have thus, missed a trick by excluding some
of their other technically sound batsmen, of whom many of them could change gears into becoming explosive players if the need arises. One can think of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/IR-Bell-c1597 for example, who is as sweet a timer of a cricket ball as anyone around, and is also known to go
berserk and unconventional, when the situation demands it from him. Bell’s astute batsmanship could have possibly been the antidote for England’s misery at the top of the order, where someone who could play an innings of substance is desperately needed. Bell
of late was used as specialist opener in the fifty over format of the game and that tactic has yielded significant amount of dividends for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c749, where he was seen flaying his bat at anything that has been a fraction wide or off line. His innings against
the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 at Southampton in the 2012 season for example, hinted at what he could do at the top of the order, where his ability to bruise bowling attacks when fielding restrictions were in place, was unquestionable to say the least. Similarly, Alastair
Cook’s notoriety for changing gears and hitting out in the T20 format is something that England should have considered as he would have provided the ideal foil for the dynamic http://www.senore.com/Cricket/LJ-Wright-c1841 at the top of the innings. Where Wright is known to decimate the figures
of some of the thriftiest of bowlers, Cook could have provided a far more calm and astute approach. The inclusion of England’s fifty over captain could have helped England retain an element of maturity into the English batting line up, which at times looks
hapless and clueless.
The 2010 http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 World T20, which was played in the Caribbean, was a purple patch for England as they lifted their first global title in many years. Yet it can be safely said, that part of England’s success, came in the form of having the right combinations
in the batting order, where the likes of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/PD-Collingwood-c2173, which ensured that
England looked like a complete batting unit that was purposeful from the outset. This time around however, there is no Collingwood or Pietersen and England would have to sit pretty with a young and explosive batting line up. Had the selectors been more prudent,
then more experienced players could have been included to give the English a genuine chance of winning the title this time around.
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