Test Match Betting: England's first task is to get the team's balance right

England Cricket / Frank Gregan / 14 December 2009 /

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All the talent in the world and an immaculate technique but Ian Bell has been criticised for not scoring runs under pressure often enough.

"Ian Bell must be wondering just what he has to do in order to silence the critics and cement his place in the side. The last time he played in a test he produced one of his finest ever knocks for England, top scoring during the first innings of the deciding Ashes test with 72. How quickly we forget..."

Frank Gregan discusses England's different options when it comes to the balance of the team ahead of the First Test and wonders whether there will be a place for the much-criticised, yet highly talented, Ian Bell.

The cricket comes thick and fast these days and there is always some form of international action going on in the world. Barely a week goes by during winter when our national team aren't in action in some far flung, sun drenched spot whilst back home the English supporter begins his day by scraping the frost off his windscreen.

It's great to watch live cricket as the mercury plummets, it's escapism at its best and it's brilliant to keep dipping in and out of a five day contest for a bit of sun and entertainment. Since the English players left our shores towards the end of September they have played nothing but ODI stuff, the exception being two, two-day matches as a prelude to the Test series which gets underway on Wednesday.

Before leaving for the ICC Champions trophy the team had also played seven ODIs against Australia on home soil. The irony is, although our national team seems to be playing every week it has been almost four months since they were involved in what many still consider to be 'real' cricket - the only form of the game that matters - Test matches!

Having won the Ashes in the summer this series in South Africa affords Strauss and his men a chance to establish themselves as one of our better Test sides. Back-to-back series wins against the Australians and in South Africa would be an unbelievable achievement for a side that at the beginning of this year looked on their knees after the Moores/Pietersen shambles. A victory could see them installed as the world's number one - incredible!

Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss have worked miracles but their leadership will be tested this time around. The first and probably most difficult task they face along with the other selectors is getting the balance of the side right for the first test. Five batsmen or six? Four seamers or three?
Two all-rounders or just the wicket keeper/batsman? Decisions, decisions - but it's what they get paid for. Get it right and they'll receive a smattering of applause, get it wrong and they'll be hung drawn and quartered!

Ian Bell must be wondering just what he has to do in order to silence the critics and cement his place in the side. The last time he played in a test he produced one of his finest ever knocks for England, top scoring during the first innings of the deciding Ashes test with 72. How quickly we forget and it looks very likely that if Andrew Strauss's preference is adopted and England go with only five batsmen, Bell will miss out.

Andy Flower is said to prefer the six batsmen policy and if he gets his way that should be enough to ensure that Bell plays. Taking 20 South African wickets with only four bowlers (likely to be three seamers and one spinner) will prove very difficult so if England go with the six batsmen it's vital they perform and get the runs to defend.

The South Africans have a superb record at Centurion during the 14 tests they've contested there. They've won 11, drawn two and lost only once. That loss was against England in 2000, a match that later became known as the 'leather jacket' Test, Hansie Cronje setting England 249 to win in 76 overs. At the time that was considered to have been a magnificent sporting gesture although sadly it later proved to be anything but.

There has been some lousy weather at Centurion recently and it is forecast to rain right up until Tuesday night but will then dry out so providing the outfield holds up, there will be enough cricket played to ensure a result. The wicket is likely to be quick and bumpy and that should suit England's attack.

Given the South African's great record on the ground and England's habit of starting test series slowly it's difficult to look beyond the Proteas at [2.4]. I'm going to though, it's England for me and they are available to back at [4.8]. Don't forget it's an early morning start, 8.30 London time, Wednesday.

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