He was one of the blokes I was thinking of tbh.....Brett Lee is a prettyboy, I still wouldn't have wanted him bowling at me
Broad was one of our best bowlers in the WI. I don't think he deserves to be dropped. Yes, perhaps earlier in his career he was picked when he shouldn't have been, but I don't think that's the case now. He averaged 31 and 25 in the last two series.Age should be no excuse in test cricket. I don’t think many teams would accommodate a 22 year old bowler who is averaging 40 after 16 test matches today. Or if it indeed does, it is more due to lack of quality options. Test cricket is not a training ground. FC system exists for that. If Broad is excused as he is “growing” despite a poor record in test cricket, then England are doing two things wrong. 1, By giving Broad an extended run despite his record, they are instilling in him misplaced confidence that he is undroppable and 2. By retaining him despite a poor record, another worthy player is losing out. It is not as if Broad has had brilliant promising spells like Ishant Sharma had in Australia, to merit continued selection despite poor returns.
Statutory Broad Basher declaration : He indeed is good in ODI cricket that said.
His Test average keeps getting lower though. Averages aren't everything, yes his overall average is poor but his recent performances in Tests have been good, dropping him would have sent very poor signals.Age should be no excuse in test cricket. I don’t think many teams would accommodate a 22 year old bowler who is averaging 40 after 16 test matches today. Or if it indeed does, it is more due to lack of quality options. Test cricket is not a training ground. FC system exists for that. If Broad is excused as he is “growing” despite a poor record in test cricket, then England are doing two things wrong. 1, By giving Broad an extended run despite his record, they are instilling in him misplaced confidence that he is undroppable and 2. By retaining him despite a poor record, another worthy player is losing out. It is not as if Broad has had brilliant promising spells like Ishant Sharma had in Australia, to merit continued selection despite poor returns.
Statutory Broad Basher declaration : He indeed is good in ODI cricket that said.
A very good point it must be saidBroad was one of our best bowlers in the WI. I don't think he deserves to be dropped. Yes, perhaps earlier in his career he wasw picked when he shouldn't have been, but I don't think that's the case now. He averaged 31 and 25 in the last two series.
Plus, like it or not, he's being picked in a 5-man attack and in that case his very good batting record so far comes into the reckoning.
I do make them occasionally. Very occasionally.A very good point it must be said
That's so not true! He's my second favourite character in Harry Potter. After Snape, of course. Snape rocks.Nobody likes Draco Malfoy.
Test Matches?Probably because Hoggard's a very poor OD bowler, and doesn't even get a look in in the Yorkshire T20 side.
Selling yourself short there, me thinksI do make them occasionally. Very occasionally.
Ron would probably be Hoggard.Ron's my favourite tbh, wonder who he would be inthe England od side.
Collingwood would be Neville Longbottom.
AWTA.Selling yourself short there, me thinks
AWTA.
four_or_six does make quite a lot of interesting points on the cricket..
..for a chick
Agreed he was handful in WI. But what about his performances in England? Took mostly tailender wickets on wickets which were so conducive for pace bowling and terrible for WI batsmen that even Onions was a handful. His recent performances indeed ought to be taken with a pinch of salt. Anyway this argument is really not going anywhere. Broad is still not test class imo. We may ATD.His Test average keeps getting lower though. Averages aren't everything, yes his overall average is poor but his recent performances in Tests have been good, dropping him would have sent very poor signals.
Anyone who still thinks he doesn't deserve his place in the Test side hasn't watched him play a Test this year, surely
He barely got any tailenders.Agreed he was handful in WI. But what about his performances in England? Took mostly tailender wickets on wickets which were so conducive for pace bowling and terrible for WI batsmen that even Onions was a handful. His recent performances indeed ought to be taken with a pinch of salt. Anyway this argument is really not going anywhere. Broad is still not test class imo. We may ATD.
Broad offers far more in Test Matches now than Matthew Hoggard does. Bowls at speeds of upto 93mph, is very accurate, has a very good bouncer and is developing good variation. Hoggard relies on swing, and we've already got a swing bowler in the side who's better than him in James Anderson, so we don't need him. There simply isn't a better option than Stuart Broad. He also offers batting and is decent in the outfield (catching the ball after bowling is another matter ). His average is coming down, and he's started bowling well consistently.Test Matches?