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[PedalsMcgrew]

Not on current form no, saying that he has got the highest wickets for any seam bowler in this calender year in test cricket so he cant be doing all bad.

It's a fair point but it's a stat that doesn't tell the whole story. If all the other seam bowlers had played the same number of games on the same pitches as he did then I doubt he would be number 1!

[MJB3]

Broad is an average Test bowler. Attitude aside his bowling average is a fraction under 32 (31.93) and a strike rate of in every 63 balls, which are almost identical to Tim Bresnans record ( 31.3 at 63 balls). Yet one is the golden boy of a generation, and the other is just a workmanlike bowler? One can also bat and isn't a prat.

[Manormanic]

I just don't see Broad and Bresnan carrying a wicket threat. Swann will always be a threat but it would seem as though Monty is MORE of a threat currently so Swann's place must be discussed at the very least.

Really?  I think Swann bowled pretty well both in the first test and again here and certainly has done nothing to deserve being usurped by Monty, who has also bowled well but no better than Swann really.  I know some people don't like the theory of all around cricketers but even if their bowling was exactly equal, surely Swann's occasional late order runs and excellent slip fielding carry him through over Mr Comedy...

[petehosk]

I still think that Swann is performing at the moment, but Monty also looks excellent most of the time and is still learning and gaining confidence.
I would love to try the following team:

On spinning wickets:

Cook, Compton, Trott, KP, Bell (or Bairstow depending on Bell's form!) Root, Prior, Swann, Monty, Finn, Anderson.

On less spinning wickets I'd love to see..........
Cook, Compton, Trott, KP, Bell (or Bairstow depending on Bell's form!) Root, Prior, Swann, Meaker, Finn, Anderson


And on a greener wicket which is unlikely to take spin (even on day4/5) then I would even go as far as replacing Swann with Onions/Dearnbach or Broad if the conditions are suited to his style!
But I really can't see Broad being left out, even if his form is not great with the bat and ordinary with ball!

[bigbenh99]

I've long thought Broad hasn't deserved his place. I always compare him to the Theo Walcott of cricket, both do nothing for several games on end, then pop up with a couple of goals/a five-for to secure their place in England team for the foreseeable future. Broad made the ICC Test Team of the Year, but when you look at his stats for the qualifying period they were hugely boosted by the West Indies series, discounting those matches his stats were: 8 matches, 33 wickets @ 25.1 and 155 runs @ 17.2, including a 58* to hugely boost that average. I think he's a decent player but in no way deserves to have his test place set in stone, as it is at the moment. I think Onions deserve much more of a chance, Bresnan hasn't played anywhere near his best for the last year at least. Meaker bowls fast and aggressive and is a good biffer at 10/11. I also think Woakes deserve a test place, can be a great bowler and can also bat at 6 or 7 without a doubt.

[cricketbadger]

how does he still average 26? i can barely remember him scoring more than 26 any time iv watched him, aart from his ton
he looked shocking batting today

[Canners]

why not get morgan in for broad? and strengthen the batting once more

[procricket]

Think if it not spinning there not many better in the world than swann
Agreed with hosk 100 per cent
Yes monty is doing it well on the dust bowl but left wait and see

In a world of over coach you have to love month for all he does and brings

As for mr big pants hate his petulants and for some reason I blame him for the kp affair I know well think it may not have been him but he leaves me with the school bully in the corner feeling not impressed by broad although his dad is my 2nd favourite player

Morgan not overly impressed
.

[alba caerulea]

why not get morgan in for broad? and strengthen the batting once more

I thought this earlier but with Root not Morgan. I don't think England would ever go into a test match with 1 seamer though, its taken some absolute thrashings to convince Flower to drop the 3rd seamer!

If Broad is left out he will be 'rested' not dropped

[SOULMAN1012]

I would like to see another middle order batter like Morgan come in for next test and just play the 1 seamer in Anderson. The next track will be as flat and slow paced as possible and England can have Anderson, Swann, monty as main bowlers. They have kp fat Sam and trott to bowl also overs and so far England's seam bowlers have taken 3 wickets I think and only 1 wicket to seam in the entire test just finished and that was 2nd ball of match.

[tushar sehgal]

Here is an idea...what if you played a 2nd keeper batsman in line after prior, kieswetter, and put him in slips..he will get you more runs than broad and also be a safe hand at slips (you'd think)...

[six and out]

Kolkata will be an absolute motorway because of the last test and it is usually a batting paradise anyway - see the last 2 tests played there below -

Ind vs WI Nov 2011 - 1247 runs for 27 wickets in the match (ave 46.1 runs per wicket)
Ind vs SA Feb 2010 - 1229 runs for 26 wickets in the match (ave 47.2 runs per wicket)

http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/engine/match/535998.html
http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/engine/match/441826.html

We need to go into the test with something different then Broad's trundlers at the moment - so if Finn doesn't come through his Performance Squad Warm Up Game fitness test then Meaker has to play - just to add some firepower into the attack.

You shouldn't need an extra batsman on the wicket at Kolkata, if anything it will be an extra bowler to be able to take 20 wickets.

[Manormanic]

why not get morgan in for broad? and strengthen the batting once more

on current form it might even strenthen the bowling!

[Manormanic]

Here is an idea...what if you played a 2nd keeper batsman in line after prior, kieswetter, and put him in slips..he will get you more runs than broad and also be a safe hand at slips (you'd think)...

very rarely works that way though, as the two are surprisingly different.  Look at Bairstow - fields short leg or on the ropes - and Buttler, who has experience of this in the county game too and rides the ropes.

[lastmanstand]

what are people calling current form? what should a bowler be averaging in test cricket??

cricinfo have got the stats below for this calender year and his bowling average is less than Anderson, Finn and Bresnan.

Not saying hes been anywhere near useful in India but not everyone can take a 5fer every test.

Theres a lot of nations with some average test cricketers making a living

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?class=1;id=2012;type=year


PS Morgan is averaging 13 in 3 tests this year, which is less than Broad!