Andy Gilder wrote:
If England played Rashid at 7, there's a danger he'd get used in the same way the Australians have mis-handled Steve Smith in the last two Tests.
The difference is that he'd be coming into a winning side rather than a team in turmoil and transition. He's already good enough to bat at 7, ultimately 6 which I don't think is the case with Broad or Bresnan, and eventually to be the primary spinner. I think there's a good opportunity to get him in now, let him get a feel for Test cricket, rather than wait for Swann to get injured and bring him in for a must-win match at the end of a series. I suppose I'm daydreaming a bit there; if Swann gets injured they'll just bring in Monty and stick with four bowlers.
I suspect the Aussie selectors have identified Smith as more of a batsman in the long term - his career First Class average is over forty - but he hasn't fired with the bat yet, and in a struggling side they can't afford that. I'm not sure Smith will ever be a front line spinner. He only had about forty First Class wickets in around twenty matches before the current series; Rashid has over 220 wickets in around sixty matches. He's a much more experienced and seasoned cricketer than Smith despite being only one year older.
The current selectors' track record suggests they'll replace Collingwood with Morgan. They've made a habit of investing time and faith in select individuals, keeping them in and around the squad for a while, having a good look at them in the ODIs & T20s, then promoting them to the Test XI, and admittedly this strategy has served us well. I'm not sure how prominently Bopara might feature in their thinking as he seems to have slipped right down the pecking order since losing his place. I wonder whether they have reservations about his character as well as his erratic run of scores in 2009?
If they do replace Collingwood with a specialist batsman it's going to leave a hell of a scrap for the seam bowling places. I reckon Anderson and (when fit) Broad will get the nod, which will mean only one of Tremlett, Bresnan and Finn can play.
