Bell's gotta go?

Even though I'm a fan of Ian Bell, he ain't an ODI no 6.
To get the best out of him in this format he has to bat in the top 3 IMO.
But with Cook and Trott in the top 3 as well, there's really no space for him.
Or should Trott be dropped to make way for Bell at 3?

Yep, agree. I have said on the match thread that the decision needs to be taken either bell or trott at 3. There is no room for them both.

Also, what was it that Steve Davies did so wrong again?

again?kieswetter has comfortably outscored davies this summer.

My point was that England recently have stressed continuity of selection, yet Davies, who has a better record opening than most of his competitors, seems to be dropped at the slightest excuse.

I would have Cook and Bell opening, with Kieswetter coming in down the order to give it a biff.

I would card Trott at 3, KP at 4 and Morgan at 5, but I would be flexible in the order they come out in.

If Jayawardene has shown us anything in this game and the last, it's that proper cricketers playing proper cricket can be successful at the top of the order in ODIs. We don't need a biffer at the top of the order, allow our best batsmen time to get in, get runs and then accelerate, with powerful players to come in lower down the order.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of dropping Davies he is not in good batting form for Surrey at the moment. I expect him to regain form before long - but at the moment it's not there...

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:Whatever the rights and wrongs of dropping Davies he is not in good batting form for Surrey at the moment. I expect him to regain form before long - but at the moment it's not there...

Fair enough.
But if we're not going to recall Davies, should we stick with Kieswetter opening or move him down the order?
Would a top 3 of Cook, Bell, Trott work?
Or, should KP open the innings with Bell/Trott at 3 & 4 and Kieswetter coming in lower down?

I'd rather drop Trott and have Bell at 3.

I think Trott upsets the balance as I don't feel he can kick on in the One Day game.

Cook
Kieswetter
Bell
KP
Morgan
Hilderth/Taylor/Ravi? (Lots of talent, needs to prove he has the temperament, and I'm an Essex fan saying that!)
Patel?

That seems a stronger line up that can all provide fast pace scoring.

I think Trott needs to go. We need players that can set as well as chase a total. I think Cook and Trott would stiffle the run rate. I think Bell should be at no.3. I think Cook and Trott would waste too many deliveries in limited overs.

trott and bell need to go they bat to slow and with cook there we cant have those other to fine test match batsmen in the team for odi cricket

The only problem with having either Trott or Bell at 3 is that if Kieswetter gets out early England will continue to struggle to take advantage of the powerplays. Trott picked out the fielders at will yesterday and Bell and Cook put on 24 for the batting powerplay before Bell lobbed down to 3rd man. And that was on a excellent batting wicket.

It's a tough conundrum to solve, as there seems to be things needing attention all over the team!

I don't understand why if Kieswetter gets out early England cannot just send in Pietersen in to keep on attacking in the powerplay? Do they think losing two early wickets, if Pietersen gets out early, to bigger loss in the powerplays? I don't.

But definitely I would drop one of Cook, Bell and Trott at least. Cook has to play seen as he is captain and as far as I can tell Ian Bell has done nothing to deserve continued selection to the ODI side. Trott was England's top run scorer at the World Cup and gets in ahead for me.

Cook
Kieswetter
Trott/KP
KP/Trott
Morgan
Patel/Taylor/Hildreth. Whoever.

I'm of the opinion that KP should be opening. He always does well in the powerplay overs and if he stays in for the first 30 odd overs England could put a massive total on the board. I would leave bell out and manouver the batting line up when needed. I would have Trott in the team but if KP gets out in the first 5 overs send Kieswetter in ahead of Trott. If Cook gets out send Trott in. I dont understand why England are so rigid with the batting line up!!

I don't think Bell should be dropped, I would move him up the order to 3 and get Morgan at 5 and Bopara at 6.

Leaving KP at 4, and Cook with whomever the selectors decide to give the gloves to! I'm assuming they have some faith in Kieswetter, and you can't argue with his domestic form.

Trott would do better to focus on tests, and if Cook weren't being trialled as a skipper before the test job I'd say the same to him. England need to make the ODI side completely seperate from the others and fill it with specialists.

Dropp Kieswetter, Pietersen and Morgan. they don't play according to the typical English tempo of playing ODIs.
Its nonsense to have Cook opening the innings, leave alone captaining. Of course he scored a 100, but even after staying out there for most of the innings, his strike rate really didn't pick up, and he looked like a complete clown while trying a few big shots at the end.
Bell's is a different case, the guy has shots, it just doesn't seem he's trusting himself completely to go for it. Also number 6 just doesn't fit him. make him open, drop Cook, make Bell captain of the ODI side.
Not going to happen I know, so English ODI cricket has to suffer untill Cook's ODI game develops(he's a quality player and its not impossible for him to do it), or the selectors see enough of the nonsense they have inflicted on the side.