What next for England?

Question

England have limped through back to back Test series against New Zealand, winning both, but not convincing anyone that they are a side on the up. There are question marks over two of the middle order batsmen, Bell and Collingwood, the top three are steady rather than spectacular, the wicket-keeping position seems to be constantly under review, and the bowling attack appears to lack a little "zest"

Added to that, our woeful form in the short version of the game continues, as New Zealand trounced England at Lord's today to take the ODI series.

Is it time for a re-think? Or will England rise to the challenge of playing a better Test nation in the South Africans?

Answer 1

lmao! The Ghost of Many Users is brave! lol, but he may hav a point.Both teams were best in the world once, were did the wheels drop off?Is county cricket not producing players of quality anymore in England? NZ has a good excuse for not producing top players year after year considering their small population, but England?

Answer 2

Dear Oracle,

England have very good players, but, they are unable to have co-ordination (that's my opinion). I think they are going through a phase of transition. They need to keep things really simple at this stage, till they discover how to form a cohesive unit.

Rehman

P.S: They need some serious thought about ODI's.

EDIT: Oracle Monrad 71 used the plural pronoun. If he has got you mixed with someone, then someone should go check on the victim !

Answer 3

Steyn, Ntini, Nel and the brothers Morkel will have you dancing around! 3-0 I say..

Answer 4

There's a lack of something at the moment.  Not the same attitude as a few years ago.  They're missing the bowling power of Flintoff and Simon Jones and an in form Harmison.  The others have done well, but there's no real fire power.  Pietersen's form's a worry - he plays a great innnings and then goes a while with low scores.  Bell's out of form.  There are lots of players who are potentially good, but who don't quite have the oomph!  England have been c**p at ODIs for years, no real change there.

Answer 5

More losses... I doubt any more wins!!! GO WORLD XI!!!!!!

Answer 6

Its hard as an Englishman to accept how poor we really are, but this last one day series has been the final nail. Quite honestly we just do not have the quality of batsman to compete at the highest level at the moment. When you look at our card from yesterday you can honesty say that if Pieterson does not get some we will lose, Shah excepted, you could guarantee the rest were going to sink into the sea of mediocracy. The even harder thing to face is that there is not a glut of quality waiting in the wings, which  makes the situation even harder to come to terms with.

Answer 7

Like all sides England & NZ are going through a form 'slump'. We have all been there and it will happen again, but I always reckoned that England can always pull something out of the bag and they usually do. Asfor NZ, they will come back, they have never lacked  courage or ingenuity, they have a ton of it.

Answer 8

The Oracle, you seem to have answered your own question quite well.

It appears that a little success goes to the England players' heads (remember the Ashes!!). I can't remember a sustained period where England have dominated a number of series' over a period of time.

England need to settle on a squad of about 15 players for tests and one days and let them play not this chopping and changing. In my opinion if you are good enough for tests you ought to be good enough for one dayers! I suppose it doesn't help having 2 captains!

Answer 9

I don't care. We just spanked you and we won the rugby as well

Answer 10

I don't have much confidence in the present England team.When they are seriously challenged,they seem to be running out of ideas.

The present England team is missing the firepower which was there in the team which defeated Australia in 2005.They lost it and ever since that English cricket has been living on past glory (Ashes 2005 win).

You changed the cricket gear but the team still remains the same.England cricketers aren't pushing themselves to achieve greater success.Either they aren't trying or they just don't have the talent to do so.

England needs more cricketers with an un-english style of playing cricket.Like Pietersons and Panersars.

I have noticed that when they win it is usually because the opponent played badly.

When the opponent plays it's 'A' game i hardly see this England side winning the match.

The approach of the England is not very aggressive.They wait for the opponent to do the mistake rather than forcing them to do mistakes like the Aussies and South Africans.

Answer 11

at da moment The Poms and da Kiwis remind me of da South Sydney Rabbitohs, also rans. Go way an com back when ya learn how ta play da game