Welcome to the latest instalment in my analysis of how the all time XIs I selected for each letter of the alphabet fare against another. Today the Es are in the spotlight, and they have so far scored 15 of a possible 50 points.
THE Es V THE Ls
The Ls dominate this one, with only Evans definitely winning his match up for the Es. I score this one: Es 0, Ls 5.
THE Es V THE Ms
This is again an absolute non-contest: Es 0, Ms 5.
THE Es V THE Ns
The Es have the stronger opening pair, the Ns win the number three and four slots, though Edwards beats Dave Nourse. Endean outbats Noble, but the Aussie offers a genuine bowling option and has to be considered a finer skipper than Elgar as well. Nixon outbats Evans, but Evans was the finer keeper. The Es have a better front four bowling wise, but as against that the Ns have Monty Noble’s off spin as a fifth bowling option. This is a tough one to call, but I think the Es front four bowlers are just enough to win it for them: Es 3, Ns 2.
THE Es V THE Os
The Es have the better opening pair, although Orr is still on an upward trajectory and I have little doubt that he will end with a better record than Elgar and he may even outdo J Edrich (I would pick him for the upcoming test tour of Pakistan in place of the proven failure Zak Crawley). The Es have the better of the middle order slots batting wise, but the Os have extra bowling options from those slots. Oldfield just outpoints Evans in the clash of the keepers. I give Ecclestone the verdict over Ojha in the battle of the left arm tweakers, but O’Reilly definitely outranks E Evans. Old and Olivier have to get the seam bowling verdict over T Emmett and Elliott, and Emmett’s left arm is partially neutralized by the presence of O’Riordan, also a left arm seamer. Odumbe’s off spin has no counterpart in the Es ranks. The Es somewhat outbat the Os, but the Os comfortably outbowl the Es and I expect that to tell: Es 2, Os 3.
THE Es V THE Ps
Other than Elgar outpointing Petersen the Ps win every batting match up down to number eight in the order, and Evans extra skill as a keeper does not make up for his batting deficit vis-a-vis Pant. Additionally, whereas the nearest thing to a fifth bowling option the Es have is Bill Edrich, the Ps have Mike Procter, one of the finest of all all-rounders in their ranks. They also have the better set of front line bowlers, with only E Evans possibly winning his match up (against Prasanna). Emmett’s left arm gives the Es one minor area of ascendancy. Es 1, Ps 4.
THE Es PROGRESS REPORT
The Es have accrued six points today from a possible 25, putting them on 21 out of 75, 28% overall.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Today’s photo gallery comes from Cumbria, where I was between Saturday evening and Monday morning. It starts with pictures from the house we stayed in and its environs, and continues with pictures from Gowbarrow Park, which some of us visited on the Sunday.
aspiblog 