England’s cricketers have fought out a thrilling test series with Sri Lanka and will consider themselves unlucky to lose at Headingley after the tourists took the final English wicket with just one ball to spare.
In reality, the lack of a specialist spinner has cost Alastair Cook’s men and most pundits agree that the hosts would have taken that second test had the balance of the side been better. The retirement of Graeme Swann has given the selectors a real headache but they have to find a replacement quickly.
Here are five candidates vying to fill Swann’s shoes.
Clearly there are issues with the player but with 167 test wickets to his name, England would do well to help him resolve them.
Durham’s Borthwick was duly brought in for the final game in Sydney where he took respectable match figures of 4-82 but there were problems with control – a typical issue for a leg spinner.
Injuries at the start of the county season prevented England from considering the leggie but there is a feeling that they have already moved on from Borthwick. That would be a shame because he has huge potential and having scored his maiden double century this season, the all rounder proved that he can certainly offer something with the bat at international level.
As June drew to a close, Riley had taken a healthy 31 first class wickets at an average of 26.65.
He’s 32, has a test cap and would give Alastair Cook plenty of control in the middle overs.
Craddock is seen as another man for the future but at 25, his career really needs to move on right now.
Despite losing against Sri Lanka, England are favourites to win the first test against India which starts on July the 9th. Their chances may be greatly enhanced however if they can only deploy a specialist spinner.
In reality, the lack of a specialist spinner has cost Alastair Cook’s men and most pundits agree that the hosts would have taken that second test had the balance of the side been better. The retirement of Graeme Swann has given the selectors a real headache but they have to find a replacement quickly.
Here are five candidates vying to fill Swann’s shoes.
1.Monty Panesar
Essex’s Panesar would be the logical choice but for a string of disciplinary issues that saw the left armer described by national coach Peter Moores as ‘very difficult to select’. After a much publicised incident in a Sussex nightclub last year, Monty left Sussex and joined up with his new team mates at Chelmsford but at the start of June he was dropped after turning up late for a team meeting.Clearly there are issues with the player but with 167 test wickets to his name, England would do well to help him resolve them.
2.Scott Borthwick
When Swann announced his retirement towards the end of the winter Ashes Series, he nominated Scott Borthwick as his successor and in a recent interview, the former Notts man claimed that he still expects great things from the 24 year old.Durham’s Borthwick was duly brought in for the final game in Sydney where he took respectable match figures of 4-82 but there were problems with control – a typical issue for a leg spinner.
Injuries at the start of the county season prevented England from considering the leggie but there is a feeling that they have already moved on from Borthwick. That would be a shame because he has huge potential and having scored his maiden double century this season, the all rounder proved that he can certainly offer something with the bat at international level.
3.Adam Riley
An orthodox right arm spinner, Adam Riley’s performances for Kent this season have meant that senior man James Tredwell has been loaned to Sussex to get some additional game time. Riley is just 22 so it’s more likely that he will be taken on tour this winter as a second spinner but it’s felt that he wouldn’t let England down if thrust into the upcoming India series.As June drew to a close, Riley had taken a healthy 31 first class wickets at an average of 26.65.
4.James Tredwell
If Riley is keeping his county colleague out of the Kent side then you may be forgiven for thinking that England will pass on James Tredwell and look elsewhere. However, the national selectors like ‘tried and tested’ players and after a typically reliable set of performances in the ODIs against Sri Lanka, don’t rule the older man out of the running.He’s 32, has a test cap and would give Alastair Cook plenty of control in the middle overs.
5.Tom Craddock
Essex man Craddock is another leg spinner but unlike Scott Borthwick, he has a better idea of where his deliveries will land. In a warm up game against England ahead of last summer’s Ashes series, the player impressed but while he has better control than some of his rivals, he offers less turn.Craddock is seen as another man for the future but at 25, his career really needs to move on right now.
Despite losing against Sri Lanka, England are favourites to win the first test against India which starts on July the 9th. Their chances may be greatly enhanced however if they can only deploy a specialist spinner.
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