Wrap stars up in cotton wool
WE may be just two weeks into a two-and-a-half month tour but the England selectors have already reached their first dilemma.
So far this week we have seen our best fast bowler, Jimmy Anderson, our best all-rounder Stuart Broad, No1 spinner Graeme Swann and key batsmen Paul Collingwood and Alastair Cook all go down with injuries – a major worry so early on.
All five of these players are crucial to England’s Test side so you can expect them to be wrapped up in cotton wool over the next few weeks – even if that is at the expense of the one-day side.
At the same time, it seems KevinPietersen is making a great recovery from his Achilles tendon injury, playing in the last two tour games, but he too will be regularly assessed to ensure it’s not too much, too soon.
OUT OF ORDER
With England’s bowling attack looking particularly vulnerable, Durham’s Liam Plunkett was called up to the squad yesterday for the first two one-dayers, which start on Friday.
Injuries have unfortunately limited Liam’s England career in recent years, but he is an improving bowler, good bat and a decent athlete, and surely wouldn’t have been too far from a call-up at the start of the tour.
Already we have seen a bit of needle between the sides following Sunday’s 20-over match in Pretoria where South Africa coach Mickey Arthur criticised the “criminal” treatment of Adil Rashid by stand-in captain Cook after pulling him out of the attack after just one over.
For me, Mickey Arthur is completely out of order here. I don’t know what game he is trying to play but he should concentrate on his own players and his own team.
The South Africans seem content on trying to unsettle England using psychological warfare and mind games, but I believe that shows a weakness in their make-up.
England have kept their heads down and responded professionally, although I’m sure they’ll be a few wry smiles in the camp, knowing they’ve clearly got the South Africans riled.