The Untouchables?

With Alistair Cook holding his position at the top of the England test order one question seems pertinent, have the England batsmen reached a stage where they cannot be dropped to matter how far their form falls? Kevin Pietersen has long been considered one of the 'untouchables' of English cricket, although in his case this position may be understandable, particularly considering his current position with Hampshire (although the test arena should never be one for players to find form in). Pietersen is also a proven match winner who has plucked magnificent innings from a poor run in form and has the ability to turn a game around. If Irishman Eion Morgan, however continues his progress this argument may be weakened.

Nevertheless it is not only Pietersen who has become cemented into the line up. Between the start of the calender year 2006 England have played the following 12 batsmen (their fates are shown in italics):

A. N. Cook (56 Test Appearances) Currently Playing

P. D. Collingwood (54) Currently Playing

K. P. Pietersen (54) Currently Playing

A. J. Strauss (52) Currently Playing

I. R. Bell (44) Injured (Expected to tour Australia 2010/11)

M. P. Vaughan (18) Retired

R. S. Bopara (10) Dropped

I. J. L. Trott (9) Currently Playing

M. E. Trecothick (7) Retired

O. A. Shah (5) Dropped

E. J. G. Morgan (4) Currently Playing

M. A. Carberry (1) Dropped

It is clear from this that of the limited number of batsmen England have employed in Test match cricket is dominated by those who have established themselves in the eleven. Only three (Shah, Carberry and Bopara) have been dropped. The latter being the only one to be given a spell to establish himself in the side, score runs, and be dropped through a lack of form. Indeed in the period in question the only established players, Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick, to be omitted from the side have retired from international cricket. This is all well if the leading batsmen are scoring runs but, as we have seen with Cook the players are not always earning their place. Perhaps I am being unfair to the batsmen who may well be the most talented players available but it may be helpful to look at the bowlers used in the same period.

M. S. Panesar (39) Dropped

S. C. J. Broad (28) Currently Playing

J. M. Anderson (26) Currently Playing

S. J. Harmison (24) Dropped

R. J. Sidebottom (20) Dropped

G. P. Swann (20) Currently Playing

M. J. Hoggard (19) Dropped

S. I. Mahmood (8) Dropped

L. E. Plunkett (8) Dropped

G. Onions (7) Injured

S. T. Finn (6) Currently Playing

T. T. Bresnan (5) Dropped

C. T. Tremlett (3) Dropped

A. F. Giles (2) Retired

J. Lewis (1) Dropped

S. D. Udal (1) Dropped

D. J. Pattinson (1) Dropped

A. Khan (1) Dropped

J. C. Tredwell (1) Dropped

A. Shahzad (1) Dropped

England used 20 bowlers in test cricket in the same period with 14 being given their marching orders, often with only a solitary test to prove their worth. Is there, perhaps a reluctance from the England management to established batsmen, while long standing servants such as Matthew Hoggard are jettisoned with haste. There is little wonder that Robert Key fell out with the England management after being selected to bat at number six in his only international Twenty 20 knock despite phenomenal success as Kent skipper at the top of the order. Their is little wonder that Michael Carberry, who continues to exhibit fine form with the bat was quoted as saying playing for 'England is out of the question', 'that ship has sailed'. In the current financial climate with further job losses expected as the government makes cuts in the public sector the place to be, so it would seem, is a centrally contracted England batsman. Complete job security and generous remuneration from the ECB. It seems a good time to be a member of the 'in crowd' and a bad time to be an ambitious county batsman.