Latest
Moores to persevere with top six batsmen
ENGLANDS misfiring top order
have been reassured they are
likely to stay intact for the final
Test against New Zealand and
not face the same ruthless treatment
given to Matthew Hoggard
and Steve Harmison.
Ashes heroes Hoggard and
Harmison were dropped in the aftermath
of Englands desperate
first Test defeat in Hamilton,
prompting every player in the
side to question the security of
his place.
After levelling the series with
a 126-run victory in the second
Test at Wellington, coach Peter
Moores suggested the same ruthless
approach is unlikely to apply
to the batsmen, despite another
Test going by without a century
from the top six.
They deserve a chance to settle,
said Moores.
We dont think well be changing
a great deal in the batting department.
There is a period of
time where you need to give people
the opportunity where they
know its fair.
England have already made
changes to their batting line-up
for this series in an attempt to
stimulate a greater contribution
from their top six with Andrew
Strauss being recalled to bat at
number three while Paul Collingwood
was moved to six and Ian
Bell promoted to five.
While the switch appears to
have worked for Collingwood,
who has claimed
half-centuries in three
out of his four innings in
the series, Bell and
Strauss have reached 50
just once between them.
There has also been no
first innings century
from the top six since
Collingwood hit 128
against West Indies at
Chester-le-Street eight
Tests ago C a dismal
record for a batting unit
who all averaged over
40 at the start of the series.
Theyve all got
very clear goals of
what they are trying
to achieve and
theyre working very
hard to do it, said
Moores.
We know were
in the performance
business and we know
we have to win Tests as
a team and perform individually
to survive.
Perhaps the
biggest concern
during recent
months has been
the absence of any
form from Kevin
Pietersen, who is facing
his first big form
crisis since entering
Test cricket three
years ago.
Pietersen was extremely
unfortunate to
be run out in the previous
Test with seamer
Chris Martin deflecting
the ball on to his stumps at
the non-strikers end in his
delivery stride, which only
served to continue a miserable
run of ten innings without
even reaching 50.
But as England prepare for
Saturdays final Test at
McLean Park, a venue where
the tourists and New
Zealand scored 680 runs during a
one-day international last
month, Moores is confident
Pietersen can reclaim his form
soon.
As a coach you want everyone
to do well all the time, he explained.
Hes having a tough
run and it happens to the best C
Ricky Pontings had a tough run
in the one-dayers.
It happens to good players but
their talent doesnt go away and
how hes played in the past will
return.
Napier is the sort of place
where he can get himself a big
hundred. You dont average 50
and score 2,000 Test runs without
being a good player.
ö Englands Tim Ambrose, Ryan
Sidebottom and James Anderson
have all made notable strides up
the International Cricket Council
Test rankings thanks to their
performances against New
Zealand in Wellington.
New wicketkeeper Ambrose
hit a maiden century and has
risen 30 places to 68th in the batsmens
rankings.
Sidebottom had match figures
of six for 141 C rising to a careerhigh
24th position C and his fellow
seam and swing bowler Andersons
seven for 130 took him
up seven places to 33rd
ö England discard Ravi Bopara
hit a stylish 91 but Essex lost to
Somerset by four wickets in the
Pro Arabian Cricket Challenge.
Bopara has endured a tough
winter having managed only 42
runs in the Test series defeat by
Sri Lanka and then been dropped
from Englands limited-overs
side after two one-day internationals
in New Zealand.
But he batted with finesse at
the Sheikh Zayed Stadium to
help Essex post 278, hauling a six
over square-leg off Peter Trego in
addition to striking 10 fours.
Bopara got off the mark with a
punched four down the ground
off left-armer Charl Langeveldt
and dominated the scoring prior
to sharing a 73-run stand for the
fifth wicket with James Foster.
The 22-year-olds 104-ball innings
came to its conclusion via
a brilliant stumping down the
leg-side by wicketkeeper Craig
Kieswetter off Trego.
11:11am Wednesday 19th March 2008
Print 
Email this 
Comment
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
