Rob Key
29 April 2009 - 10:50
by Rob Key
It has been a very frustrating start to a packed Summer of cricket, we had the first week off with the University matches, and then we played pretty well against Northants, but they weren't really interested in much of a game, and now I have a bowler crisis on my hands which makes life very difficult.
We have serious issues with injuries to our bowlers as all our front line seamers are injured, and to be honest life has been very tough. It is never easy captaining when you are going into a one day game with just two seamers. One of them has not really bowled at all in pre-season, and the other is on his debut. Lets just say it has been an interesting start to the Summer.
But lets look forward. The Twenty20 World Cup will be a great spectacle, whether I am watching or playing, I am starting to enjoy it more than any other form of the game from a punters point of view. There have been a few rumours bouncing around in the media that I might be captaining England in the tournament, but to be honest I have no idea.
It has all gone rather quiet and I would have to say I think it is probably unlikely. When the squad was first announced I thought I had a pretty good chance, but I haven't heard a peep out of anyone. So, who knows? Sometimes when it goes this quiet, it could also be good news. I hope I am pleasantly surprised, but who knows? On the record, I would love to do the job as it would be a great honour.
England start the first of two Tests against the West Indies next week and the big talking point is who will bat at number three. It looks as though it is between Owais Shah, Michael Vaughan and Ian Bell. If it isn't me, and I don't think it will be, I would like to see Owais Shah get the nod. The lad has waited a very long time for an opportunity and been very patient, and he is a tremendous cricketer who could become crucial for England this Summer. He deserves a good run at the job.
Now that Fred is injured, if they are going to play a batsmen at six then you have Ravi Bopara who has played one game and scored a hundred, so he certainly deserves another bash in the side. But, Matt Prior can certainly bat at six and then Andy Flower could play four seamers.
To be honest, Fred getting injured has made that selection a little bit easier as it isn't exactly cut and dry on the system Flower will use. On the subject of Michael Vaughan, they have to pick the former England captain on form alone. For me, Ian Bell is scoring runs, so there isn't a neccesity to pick Vaughan at this moment in time. But, with the selectors looking ahead to the Ashes, it could be really interesting, with a few surprises.
I am very much looking forward to Captaining the Enlgand lions, there are some great players on show with every single cricketer capable of staking a claim for a spot in the england set up. But, I think we can all become guilty of getting tied up in an Ashes year, with critics and fans trying to pick the Ashes side every week. I think people must remember that you can get an injury to anyone which changes the set up significantly. Until nest time...