Ashes Betting: Is Stuart the man to lay down the Law against the Aussie bowlers?

Bat and ball / Frank Gregan / 10 August 2009 /

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Stuart Law has represented Australia at Test level but qualifies for England through residency.

"A player it may be worth considering approaching on bended knees and begging to don the three lions again is Marcus Trescothick, currently playing out of his skin for Somerset. What about Stuart Law? He's now only playing limited overs games for Derbyshire but a one-off death or glory test against a country he has already represented would be a fantastic opportunity to play the match of his life. "

Frank Gregan tells us why he dodged a massive bullet as Australia levelled the Series and talks us through some of the names being touted to replace the likes of Ravi Bopara and Alastair Cook.

England produced a batting performance that outshone the Aussies on the first day of the fourth test. It seemed the collapse that the Australians produced during their first innings in the third test during which they lost 7 wickets for 77 runs would be the worst batting display of this Ashes series. Not so, Strauss and his men were having none of it, they rose to the challenge, stepped to the plate, capitulated at the wicket and were bowled out for 102!

It came as a great relief to me having tipped the Aussies all year to win the series and having followed my own advice there has been some very dicey moments, none more so than the final day of the third test when England could have taken an unassailable lead. It hasn't just been in this column that I have been extolling the merits of Ricky Ponting's men. Friends, family, my milkman, doctor, psychiatrist and strangers I have met on the bus have been cajoled into backing the men from down under. As a consequence of dispensing this sage advice I received my first death threat - my wife threatened to strangle me (she has Australia at [1.8]) when England took a one nil lead after the second test.

All is now rosy in the Gregan garden because Australia were backed at [4.0] when they were one-nil down and now that they are [2.4] the opportunity is there to turn the screen green. It has been a cracking in-play market, Australia have been backed as big as [9.6] and as short as [1.39] but although I'll be reducing my liability I'm not taking the green screen option because I still believe that Australia will prevail. If you disagree there is [5.7] available on England and [2.4] on a drawn series.

There is now a ten day break during which England need to regroup and that has to be to their advantage because all the momentum is firmly with the Australians. The Ashes are on the line and it is now a one-off test match that will decide their destination. There has never been a greater example of the "here and now" sporting concept. All that matters is this one test, forget about building for the future, planning ahead and creating stability - just pick a team to win next week!

The batting line up failed in the fourth test and to leave it unchanged would be tantamount to raising the white flag prior to a ball being bowled in the decider. There have been calls for Mark Ramprakash and Robert Key to be recalled and a debut to be given to Jonathan Trott. Ramps and Key have had their chances although the Surrey man is in good nick at the moment. But Trott has failed in his fledgling international career thus far, albeit at Twenty20 level. It's not the time to be dishing out international debuts but from an English perspective there is mileage in looking hard at bringing Ramprakash back into the fold. Flintoff has to be fit and should only be excused selection on production of a death certificate!

A player it may be worth considering approaching on bended knees and begging to don the three lions again is Marcus Trescothick, currently playing out of his skin for Somerset. What about Stuart Law? He's now only playing limited overs games for Derbyshire but a one-off death or glory test against a country he has already represented would be a fantastic opportunity to play the match of his life. If you think that is a crazy suggestion please bear in mind my psychiatrist has cancelled all my appointments and withdrawn my medication since the English took a series lead!

Ravi Bopara has to go. He has a fantastic future ahead of him but "here and now" he isn't producing the goods. Ian Bell should be dropped and Alistair Cook and Steve Harmison should be watching, not playing next Thursday. The debate about who will play will go on until the team sheets are exchanged but every Englishman (apart from those who have backed with their heads and not with their hearts) will be hoping that this time the selectors get it right. For me it would be Trescothick Ramprakash, Flintoff and Sidebottom in - Cook, Bopara, Bell and Harmison out. It promises to be a fantastic occasion, what a brilliant way to end an Ashes series!

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