Onions and Bopara in the Test Squad for the Oval - News update
Batsman Ravi Bopara and seamer Graham Onions are two additional players who have been included in the 13-man Test squad, which will take on South Africa at the Oval.
Bopara, who had a sensational run against Australia in the recently concluded ODI series, has not been a regular member of the test squad due to injury woes. The national selector http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Geoffrey-Miller-c58870 however, has justified Bopara’s inclusion on numerous grounds
“http://www.senore.com/Cricket/RS-Bopara-c2373 has worked hard to regain his place in the Test squad following some injury concerns earlier in the season and is the only player included who is yet to play a Test match this summer.”
Bopara had a purple patch in the ODI format and managed to smash 182 runs and pick up crucial wickets as his side routed http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 4-0 in the recently concluded ODI series. These performances have helped him stay in contention for the final 11, which will
take on South Africa on July 19.
Graham Onions on the other hand is pitted alongside fellow seamers, James Anderson, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Harold-William-Stephenson-c61707 Finn, Tim Bresnan and Stuart Broad, all of whom have performed exceptionally well of late.
Bopara was set to make a comeback into the test squad in the test series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Eoin-Joseph-Gerard-Morgan-c56032 was dropped. However, he could not secure a place due to a side strain.
The 27-year-old has played just 12 Tests and averages 35 with the bat with a best score of 143. He has been a consistent fixture in the English ODI squad, but has failed to do so in the longer format of the game, primarily due to injuries.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757, but may lose his chance to do so in light of Steven Finn’s remarkable form with the ball. Finn had managed to trouble the West Indian and Australian batsmen and ended up
as the leading wicket taker for his country with 8 wickets against the Wallabies in four games in the recent series.
Graham Onions on the other hand, last played a test match for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 against the West Indies in Birmingham and has not been a regular in the ODI squad for England.
Considerable amount of debate is also taking place in the English ranks with regard to the third seamer, after the duo of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760.
Bresnan has a Test batting average of 40.22 and a bowling average of 26, which makes him a strong contender for being retained as the third seamer.
The first Test between England and South Africa starts at the Oval on the 19th of July.
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