Kevin Pietersen (above) seems very much out of form and is struggling to cope with Bangladesh’s left-arm spinners, one department where they are not lacking. England are also without three of their frontline bowlers with James Anderson at home resting after injury, Ryan Sidebottom again is back home injured and Graham Onions unavailable after a back injury and on his way home. Stuart Broad also remains a doubt after suffer back spasms.
Broad’s injury hasn’t been helped by the beds used in the hotel where the England team are staying. Broad (above) described them as being as hard as advertising boards and if it wasn’t for a hotel worker suggesting to England ‘keeper Matt Prior some foam for a more comfortable night’s sleep. Broad and his fellow team-mates have followed suit and now Broad is edging toward full fitness though he still remains doubtful and told Sky he wouldn’t play unless he was 100% fit.
If Broad doesn’t play it will most likely leave Tim Bresnan (below) as England’s senior fast bowler. The Yorkshire all-rounder, who has impressed in the one-dayers against South Africa and Bangladesh, was promoted to number four in the batting order in the warm-up match suggesting that he may take the number 7 role against Bangladesh.
It also seems like England will go into the first test with 5 bowlers, although many don’t know what the line up will be. Definite starters will be Graeme Swann and James Tredwell on the turning Bangladeshi pitches and most likely Broad and Bresnan with one of Steve Finn and Ajmal Shahzad and if Broad doesn’t make the first test it seems like both Finn and Shahzad will start with Liam Plunkett missing out all together.
If Bresnan and Finn (below) both start it will be very tough on Plunkett and Luke Wright, as both Finn and Bresnan weren’t in the original test squad. Sadly, Plunkett has failed to impress in either his sole appearance in the one-day series or the warm-up game, whilst Wright hasn’t really been looked at by England for the five day format. Finn is also seen as a future star after he made his debut for Middlesex aged 16 and last season took 53 wickets.
Another uncapped player likely to miss out is Michael Carberry. The Hampshire opener who has been selected in place of the resting Andrew Strauss didn’t impress too much in the warm-up match and with it looking like England will play 5 bowlers Jonathan Trott looks set to open the batting alongside stand-in skipper Alastair Cook and Ian Bell coming in at three.
Kevin Pietersen though needs to score runs after failing in South Africa and in the one-dayers in Bangladesh. It seems that the Bangladeshis have found a flaw in his batting especially against left arm spinners and it is key that he along with the rest of England’s batting line up score if England are to play five bowlers.
Certain key England player’s lack of form and an inexperienced bowling line-up makes for interesting reading for this test series. It all kicks off on Friday at 3am (available on Sky Sports)
Probable Line Up: Alastair Cook (c), Jonathan Trott, Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Matt Prior (wk), Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Steve Finn.
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