England vs South Africa - Can http://www.senore.com/Cricket/James-Taylor-c66127 perform up to expectations? - Opinion
The decision to include James Taylor who has played just one ODI for England, as a replacement for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/RS-Bopara-c2373, has been met with approbation from those who witnessed the latter succumb to outlandish pressure. Yet, Andy Flower’s assertion that including
Taylor would solve the number six issue for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 comes as a surprise, in the context of where the team stands and whom they would encounter in the near future.
The sacred number six position, which Taylor is expected to fill in, has been occupied by some of the most significant players in the history of the game. One can think of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MV-Boucher-c2048 of South Africa or all rounders such
as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755. The number six batsman is expected to deliver for the team, whenever the chips are down. A top order collapse almost puts the onus on the specialist batsman to rescue the ship from capsizing. With an opposition as formidable as
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757’s, their ability to make inroads into a robust batting line up would never be in question. It wouldn’t be a surprise if something similar happens on a green top at Headingly for England. In light of this, believing that a solid, yet inexperienced
youngster would be able to tackle the likes of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/M-Morkel-c73528, is a touch premature, and borders on the preposterous.
Nothing should be taken away from James Taylor though. With an average of near 50 in his First Class career, it is safe to say that he has learnt cricket the hard way. As an academician, who has been on the fringes of being selected to represent his country,
Taylor has exhibited impressive clarity of thought and precision when it comes to playing the game. Flower’s ray of optimism for Taylor stems from the fact that he witnessed Taylor play against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 at Derbyshire last year. Yet the strange ambiguity which
surrounds his ability to play and hoping that he would succeed would be a damning indictment for England, which can ill afford any further mishaps.
Some players make immediate impressions and continue to succeed. The likes of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/LJ-Wright-c1841 who played as a solid opener for
the England http://www.senore.com/Cricket/James-Peter-Hewitt-c66001 are way too big to fill in. It seems as if the weight of expectations would also help him cherish the opportunity
and hopefully make a big name for himself.
Yet Flower’s optimism baffles those who have followed him in earnest. The prudence of the man was never in question and his coaching tenure has been characterized by the fact that whenever England has had to bear the brunt of defeat, he would turn a cold
eye on his troops. It seems plausible to assume that with Flower, a replacement would mean someone who has been exposed at the highest level and will become a permanent fixture in the English side. Yet with the array of players at South Africa’s disposal,
expecting a rookie to perform would be nothing short of a gamble. This is a gamble that England can ill afford, with their Test ranking at stake.
Disclaimer: Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely of the author and do not represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
Tags: