Strauss defends his struggling batsmen
Source: Agencies |
August 26, 2010, Thursday
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ENGLAND captain Andrew Strauss has acknowledged concerns over the performances of his batsmen ahead of this week's fourth and final test against Pakistan at Lord's.
Strauss has not scored a century for 13 months and his team has lost wickets in clusters in every test so far. Four of the top six batsmen are averaging less than 30 in the series, with Strauss on 28.
England now needs to at least avoid defeat in the match, starting today, to win the series.
It leads 2-1 but lost the third test by four wickets on Saturday.
The batsmen's poor form is a concern three months before England's defense of the Ashes begins in Brisbane, Australia, on November 25.
Opener Alastair Cook lifted some of the pressure on him with 110 in the third test at The Oval, but that has just shifted the attention onto Strauss.
"I would have liked to have score more runs this series, but it's been tough for opening batsmen," Strauss said yesterday.
"The new ball has been swinging around, but I would like to get a score as a batsman and a captain to lead by example.
"As I said to Alastair Cook, you are not going to score runs every time or your name would be Don Bradman. You've got to take the rough with the smooth and realize there will be games when things won't go your way. The key is to cash in when you get in and make it a big score and hopefully the attention goes elsewhere."
Strauss is a key man with 18 test centuries. His place is not in question, the lack of form may begin to affect him. "I'm reasonably happy with how my batting is going," Strauss said.
"I've made some useful contributions but not got to three figures. But Lord's is a wicket I generally play well on and I'm confident things will go my way."
All five of Strauss' dismissals in the series have been to left-arm pace bowling.
The left-hander's last century was 161 against Australia at Lord's, and he has since gone 22 innings without reaching three figures, scoring seven fifties in that time.
Strauss has not scored a century for 13 months and his team has lost wickets in clusters in every test so far. Four of the top six batsmen are averaging less than 30 in the series, with Strauss on 28.
England now needs to at least avoid defeat in the match, starting today, to win the series.
It leads 2-1 but lost the third test by four wickets on Saturday.
The batsmen's poor form is a concern three months before England's defense of the Ashes begins in Brisbane, Australia, on November 25.
Opener Alastair Cook lifted some of the pressure on him with 110 in the third test at The Oval, but that has just shifted the attention onto Strauss.
"I would have liked to have score more runs this series, but it's been tough for opening batsmen," Strauss said yesterday.
"The new ball has been swinging around, but I would like to get a score as a batsman and a captain to lead by example.
"As I said to Alastair Cook, you are not going to score runs every time or your name would be Don Bradman. You've got to take the rough with the smooth and realize there will be games when things won't go your way. The key is to cash in when you get in and make it a big score and hopefully the attention goes elsewhere."
Strauss is a key man with 18 test centuries. His place is not in question, the lack of form may begin to affect him. "I'm reasonably happy with how my batting is going," Strauss said.
"I've made some useful contributions but not got to three figures. But Lord's is a wicket I generally play well on and I'm confident things will go my way."
All five of Strauss' dismissals in the series have been to left-arm pace bowling.
The left-hander's last century was 161 against Australia at Lord's, and he has since gone 22 innings without reaching three figures, scoring seven fifties in that time.
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