Selection under the scanner
ESPNcricinfo staff
25-Feb-2013
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Derek Pringle in the Daily Telegraph can't fathom England's selection for the third Test, leaving out Stuart Broad and bringing in Paul Collingwood, who has scored 92 runs at 13 in first-class games this season. Pringle writes:
With that kind of form it looks a cosy selection steeped in the nepotism of central contracts, especially when Ravi Bopara is in superlative touch and reeling off hundreds for Essex. But rather than figures, Michael Vaughan appears determined to place his faith in a familiar face, though not Steve Harmison’s, following the disruption to team morale caused by Collingwood’s omission at Headingley.
In the Guardian, Duncan Fletcher sees a bit of sense in Collingwood's return, but is puzzled that Stuart Broad is tired.
He's a young cricketer and he's had a decent break: eight days off should be enough. The problem comes when the guy who plays instead of him does well enough not to be left out the next time. Then the selectors need courage to bring Broad back again.
In the same paper, Paul Weaver says it's the wrong time for Michael Vaughan to pick a fight with the selectors at a time when his own performance is on the wane.
Read Michael Atherton's thoughts on England's selection in the Times.
Andre Nel is likely to be the only new face in South Africa's XI for Edgbaston. Jon Culley profiled the player in the Independent.
Mathew Varghese is sub-editor (stats) at Cricinfo