From: mcssecgm@dct.ac.uk
Newsgroups: rec.sport.cricket
Subject: Re: Thoughts on coming India v. England matches.
Date: 21 Jan 93 17:03:41 GMT
Organization: Dundee Institute of Technology

wn article <6682@falcon.ukc.ac.uk>, rsp@ukc.ac.uk (R.S.Pickett) writes:
> 
> England are waiting till the last minute before announcing their team
> for the second ODI. The one change which the> is to replace John Emburey.
  Emburey has tweaked a muscle and this may make it a bit easier
> for the selectors to leave him out. If he is left out then it could well
> be the end of his international career only a few days after resuming it.
> Its difficult to see how he could force his way past Phil Tufnell and Ian
> Salisbury into the test team.
> 


agree with his form but you can't dismiss an experienced spinner like
Emburey &replace him with Salisbury, who at international touring level
is inexperienced.I think the 2nd ODI will prove my point about experience
even when you are off form.


> As for the tests I think Fairbrother should be replaced by Atherton who
> should open the innings with Gooch with Stewart moving to number 3. Reeve
> and Emburey should go and Tufnell and Salisbury should come in. If these
> two hit form then I think they could well more than match the Indian
> spinners so if a turning wicket is prepared it will be a bit of a risk.
> Tufnell has proved himself to be a match winner in a few of his tests
> for England.
> 
                                        Did Devon Malcolm come just
for the curry!I think not, and again it goes down to experience.
I think Salisbury is in India mainly as backup for poor form of Embers
and Tufnell. Agree with Atherton opening, but Stewart may come in later
in the order, for the reason I can't see the point of letting Gatting
and Smith bat at 4 & 5, a place too low in my opinion.


> A lot is being made of the weakness against spin of the England batsmen.
> I think that this is not entirely true. Against leg-spin there is indeed
> a weakness at least in the case of Smith, Hick and perhaps Atherton but
> I don't believe there is a serious weakness against finger spin. Smith
> has scored plenty of runs against spin in his test career (particularly
> against India 1990) and Hick has destroyed many a spin attack in county
> cricket though admittedly they are not in the same class as in Test
> cricket. I wish Atherton would use his feet a bit more against the spinners.
> Gatting I think could be a very big bonus in India since he is one of the
> best players of spin in England, probably the world. I just hope he doesn't
> use the reversesweep.                                                        
                                                                      
I think Hick will bat at 5 and Stewart at 6, or vice-versa.

Probable team: GA Gooch (c)
	       M Atherton
	       MW Gatting
	       RA Smith
	       G Hick
	       A Stewart (vc,wk)
	       CC Lewis
	       PAJ DeFreitas
	       JE Emburey
	       P Tufnell
	       D Malcolm

> India must include Kumble unless they have a better leg spinner. If they
> do then it may well be worth including both especially as Kumble is a
> somewhat unorthodox leg-spinner. I don't think the Indian pacers will
> be able to match the England pacers unless the ball is swinging a lot as
> they do tend to swing it more than the English. As for the batting, there
> is no doubt that India have the talent to match England especially with
> Prabhakar and Kapil giving them extra depth. The question is can they
> get there confidence back. Kambli hasn't had the S. African tour to
> contend with and so could well be a force though I think he may lack
> consistency as he seems to take a few risks. However, Gower had some
> pretty consistent spells playing that way! Tendulkar I think will have
> a good series and I wouldn't be surprised if Azhar starts to get some
> runs though he did seem very out of touch in the first ODI. I don't know
> who'll open, perhaps Prabhakar to allow more middle order batsmen in to
> the side. Amre has a great record in Indian first class cricket so he
> could also be very dangerous.

I think Raman and Sidhu will open for India, with Kambli retaining his place
at 3.

India: (guessing here!)
	W Raman
	N Sidhu
	V Kambli
	M Azharuddin (c)
        S Tendulkar
        P Amre
        Kapil Dev
	M Prabhakar
        V Yadav  (wk)
	A Kumble
	J Srinath

> All in all I think the series is going to be a lot closer than many people
> think. The decisive factors will probably be the form of the spinners,
> the form of Englands last 6 in the batting order as they frequently let
> us down, and the Indian batsmens confidence.
> My biggest hope for the series is that Graham Hick will at last score a
> century for England and silence his doubters.
> 
> Predictions:
> 
> Highest scorers:
> India - Tendulkar
> England - Gatting
> 
> Highest wicket takers:
> India - Kumble
> England - Salisbury
> 
> 
> Rob.

Here's looking forward to a very ineteresting series, which I agree
is going to be close. Agree with almost all your predictions except
Tufnell to outdo Salisbury. Predictions of the series :-

Azha retains form & captaincy
Tendulkar delivers home expectations
Kapil to surprise top order in 1 test

Gooch & Gatting provide runs
Taylor surprise package

CG Milne
DIT
Scotland
Newsgroups: rec.sport.cricket