Who has the tougher job, Andrew Strauss or Shakib Al Hasan? If you magnitude captaincy not by formula but by how mostly a group fool around up to or over their capabilities, as you should, the subject is not as stupid as it sounds.
By that count, there was not the yawning opening in in in between outcomes that the outcome of the initial npower Test at Lords suggested. Bangladesh did improved than expectations in roughly receiving England to inside of a event of a pull on Monday and the home side, at times, looked a group struggling to conform after their heady experience of winning the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean.
Measuring swell opposite expectations as opposite to formula is one proceed that both captains can proceed the cryptic second Test at Old Trafford that starts today. On a rock-hard representation that, since Perths decline, could lay explain to being the quickest in the world, this is a compare that seems, at initial glance, to be but goal for Al Hasan and roughly but point for Strauss. Yet over the unavoidable outcome there is most to be gained for both men.
For England, this summer is a fact-finding mission prior to a winter that could conclude the care careers of Strauss and Andy Flower, the group director. With the preference to rest Paul Collingwood and Stuart Broad for this series, that most is clear. So whilst Strauss was neutral yesterday about who would take the place of the harmed Tim Bresnan in what he probably reliable would be a four-man attack, the preference in in in between Ajmal Shahzad and Ryan Sidebottom should be done with that in mind.
Although he was decorous about fixing Bresnans replacement, Strauss was happy to transparent the preference prior to him. We know what we are going to get with Ryan, he said. He is a really experienced campaigner, really great in English conditions in sold and opposite left-hand batsmen. We dont know as most about Ajmal but we are really vehement by what weve seen, that is since hes been in the patrol for a whilst now. He bowls with great pace, runs in all day and can pitch it both ways, so the a preference in in in between girl and experience, to an extent.
To that he added, when asked about his views on the Ashes: Experience counts for a bit but not everything. I would rather have a less-experienced player who is a world-class actor than an experienced player whose powers are on the wane.
In that sense, they dont know all about Sidebottom. Is he on the decline in the longer form of the game? His capability is not in question, but in the past dual years it has turn strong that his physique has struggled to cope with the rigours of five-day cricket. In the four-man conflict likely, opposite a decent batting line-up, Sidebottoms Ashes certification could be motionless once and for all. Strauss could simply disagree that he would cite to find out right away than in Brisbane in November.
But, on balance, England are expected to find out some-more about Shahzad and he should play. If not now, afterwards when? There seems small point in invariably boring around a player who is patently regarded rarely if each time there is an injury, someone leapfrogs him, as did Steven Finn in Bangladesh last winter. Geoff Miller, the inhabitant selector, is all the time harping on about formulating a patrol big sufficient to cope with benefaction demand, but for all that Shahzad has common the joys of touring, we know small of his temperament.
For Al Hasan, the target is not so most to find an lengthened patrol of bowlers, rather to find 4 who can do the job. Shafiul Islam is expected to come behind in place of Rubel Hossain or Robiul Islam and they are deliberation bringing in Abdur Razzak, the left-arm spinner. It is, though, a unclothed cupboard.
As well as the incapacity to fix up a length at Lords, the naivety of Bangladeshs cricket was transparent for all to see. To that end, Jamie Siddons, the coach, began the routine of instilling a harder corner when it became well known that the Australian had brought up the issue of Jonathan Trotts antics at the double with Alan Hurst, the compare referee. This can usually be a proceed of removing in to Trotts head, since the umpires have the powers to move him in to line if they feel that he is wasting as well most time.
Old Trafford squads
England (from): A J Strauss (captain), A N Cook, I J L Trott, K P Pietersen, I R Bell, E J G Morgan, M J Prior, G P Swann, A Shahzad, J M Anderson, S T Finn, R J Sidebottom.
Bangladesh (from): Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Jahurul Islam, Mohammad Ashraful, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Shahadat Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Abdur Razzak, Naeem Islam, Robiul Islam, Mahbubul Alam.
Umpires: B F Bowden (New Zealand) and E A R De Silva (Sri Lanka).
Third umpire: R A Kettleborough.
Match referee: A G Hurst (Australia).
Television: Live coverage on Sky Sports 1 from 10.30am (Test starts at 11am). Highlights on Five from 7.15pm-8pm.
Radio: Test Match Special on BBC 4 (198LW) and BBC 5 Live Sports Extra.
Weather: Cloudy with balmy intervals, probability of showers late afternoon. Maximum heat 25C (77F).
Series details: First Test: England won by eight wickets (Lords).
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