29.1.12

You Win Some, You Lose Some

Last summer, after seeing Danny Briggs bowl and liking it a bit more than was strictly sensible or healthy, I told a friend that I wouldn't be surprised if Monty Panesar never played in another Test match.

A couple of months ago or less, I and a good few others were charting what seemed to be Ricky Ponting's inevitable and terminal decline.

Back in October, when he was cutting England to pieces in the one-day arena, I wrote some glowing things about Virat Kohli.

But at least I never said England could play spin bowling.
Posted by at 9:50 PM
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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ah but wasn't Monty good Brian? I know he can't bat and I know he can't field but he sure can bowl and he brings some joy to the team. Yes, Swann writes funny entries on twitter but Monty just bowls superbly and seems to have developed some useful variation and guile during his wilderness years.

5:08 PM
Brian Carpenter said...

I couldn't agree more. It was only lack of time that prevented me writing something really complimentary about Monty.

I was among his critics before as I thought his bowling had become very stereotyped and predictable, but I thought there were noticeably more variations of flight and pace, with just as much spin as before. He was superb.

Frankly he looked a better bowler than Swann, but he'll never be selected ahead of him unless Swann's form really declines, as Swann offers something with the bat and is an important and reliable member of the slip cordon.

A pity, but I'm sure Monty will play in Dubai and then in Sri Lanka. I'll be surprised if he doesn't take plenty more wickets too.

8:23 PM

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