Times change quickly
It was on 11 August that I burbled about the lack of spinners for the tour to India and clearly raised a bit of a hornets nest as there were 10 comments including a string on Rashid where views seemed to depend on ones county of origin. Udal was also mentioned. Now barely 3 weeks later we have a cupboard that looks much fuller - perm any two or three from Monty, Patel, Rashid and Swann...and Udal wouldn't be the worst pick ever.
2 comments:
In the latest Wisden Cricketer magazine, Vaughan makes it clear (as someone who has seen Rashid close up with Yorkshire) that Rashid shouldn't be in international contention just yet. Clearly he's no longer got any voice on the matter, but it doesn't bode well for Rashid (Boycott has also said he's a better batsman than bowler, although I find myself agreeing with a third of what he says, angered by a third, and mystified by the last third!).
Of the bowlers you listed I'd only rate Swann as having any chance of playing in a Test as a bowler moving forward - if the selectors didn't want to pick Ramps because of his age, then they are unlikely to make a marginal call on someone who's past his best in Udal. Patel could bowl part time if picked as a batsman, but at the moment he's a one-day player only - should any of the Test batsmen have a bad series or two he's now in the frame with the likes of Shah and Bopara which he wasn't before, but as a batsman who bowls rather than the other way round.
I fear that while you're right that we have several bowlers who can all claim to be in contention, we have only Monty who can make a claim to being world class....
You didn't list Saqlain?!? Do you think he should be considered given he's played for Pakistan?
Yes, good call on Saqlain.
(He's also played for Ireland - would selection for England make him the first treble international ? )
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