England are considering a radical shift in their World Cup tactics by selecting three frontline spinners in the same side for the first time in a generation.
The plan, which would involve picking Kent off-spinner James Tredwell alongside Graeme Swann and Mike Yardy, could be implemented for Friday's game here against Bangladesh.
Spin it to win it: Swann will be joined by Yardy and Tredwell as England bid to win their World Cup group
It would leave England's seam bowling in the hands of Jimmy Anderson and Tim Bresnan, with back-up from Ravi Bopara and Jonathan Trott.
In another surprise move, wicketkeeper Matt Prior could be asked to open the batting, despite being dropped from the role after struggling in Australia.
Prior, who averages 24 in 32 oneday innings as an opener, is regarded as one of England's best players of slow bowling.
With several sides in this World Cup, including Bangladesh, handing the new ball to a spinner, his presence at the top of the order would be logical.
In a spin: England are set to turn to Tredwell (left) and Yardy
The move would also involve the least disruption for the batting order, allowing Ian Bell to continue at No 4, where he hit stylish fifties against India and Ireland, and Bopara to stay in the middle order after his composed 60 in Sunday's low-scoring win over South Africa.
But it is a potential three-pronged spin attack that would represent the real bolt from the blue. England are not thought to have picked three slow bowlers in the same side since 1977-78, when Geoff Miller, Geoff Cope and Phil Edmonds all played against Pakistan in the Karachi Test.
THE LAST TIME... 1978
Phil Edmonds was the only success the last time England played three spinners. The left-armer took 7 for 66 runs in the third Test against Pakistan in Karachi. Geoff Miller took 1 for 71 and Geoff Cope 1 for 77 as the two sides drew.
The tactic, should it be approved once Flower and Andrew Strauss have taken a final look at the Chittagong pitch on Thursday, is about as un-English as you can get. But the slowness of pitches on the subcontinent and the absence of the injured Kevin Pietersen, who bowled eight overs of off-breaks against South Africa, has prompted a rethink.
Stuart Broad faces a third scan in London tomorrow after two X-rays in Chennai and Chittagong failed to reveal the extent of the muscle tear in his left side.
But the England fast bowler, who arrives home today after doctors ruled him out of the World Cup on Tuesday, remains hopeful of getting fit in time to fulfil part of his £230,000 contract with Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League.
Broad told Sportsmail: 'I'm very frustrated at the moment after spending eight weeks recovering from the injury I picked up in the Ashes, and the thought of
'Once we've worked out how long I'll need to get fit, my rehab will be aimed at part of the IPL and, more importantly, the Test against Sri Lanka at the end of May.'
But Broad, who has been replaced in the squad by Surrey quick Chris Tremlett, insists he is not worried about following in the footsteps of Andrew Flintoff by falling victim to one injury after another.
'I'm not concerned I'll be hampered by injuries throughout my career,' he said. 'I've been in pretty good shape through the first four or five years with England and now I've had a freak injury and a normal bowler's injury. I've not had the sort of degenerative injury that can affect bowlers long-term.'
Meanwhile, Pietersen's replacement, Eoin Morgan, practised for the first time yesterday and immediately played down concerns he would be rusty after recovering from a broken finger. He said: I don't feel that undercooked or under-prepared. I feel fresh and hope I will make some match-winning contributions, as I have done in the past.'
No comments:
Post a Comment