I do believe that England's success in the Ashes came despite the decision to drop Graham Thorpe, not because of it. And clearly, they missed him in the first Test against Pakistan especially on the final day.
Thorpe has been by far England's best batsman against spin and in subcontinental conditions over the past decade or so. Also he is a crisis player. Hussain is spot on when he says that Thorpe is(was) a "situational" player. Here again, he might not have contributed too much in the first innings but I can bet he would have made a difference in chasing down 198. Remember the twilight heroics in Karachi five years ago ??
Well, as good a player Kevin Pietersen is, he is no replacement for Thorpe. He is more in the Freddie mould and now England have 2 good players in that category. Well one good one, one almost-great one. But they haven't yet found anyone to fill the vast void left by Thorpe. I thought Collingwood might be able to do a similar job but he hasn't stepped up yet. I don't think he has the quality to ever be as good as Thorpe but at least he is similar in makeup. Now why is that man Mark Butcher nowhere to be seen ? I do think (and did so before the Ashes) England have gone too far towards blooding young and attacking players. An old experienced head in the middle who can work the ball around is what is missing.
The fact that they won the Ashes despite all this is indeed hugely creditable. They carried a passenger in Ian Bell throughout the series. Well, then every other player put his hand up sometime or the other, but now that hasn't happened. In fact, England are extremely fortunate that Marcus Trescothick is going to stay on despite personal problems back home. Because as it is, Strauss is gonna miss the last test to attend the birth of his first child. Vaughan is under an injury cloud. Though he sounds hopeful imagine an England taking the field in the last Test without Strauss, Tresco and Vaughan ?? Hard ain't it ??
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Thorpe would have retired at the end of the English summer anyway, so not sure he could have saved England from defeat at Multan. He had hinted in that direction very early in the summer, when he signed a contract with New South Wales. And many say that had a bearing on the English selectors' decesion to drop him.
I think Graham Thorpe, much as I like him, is being somewhat deified in his absence. I very much doubt he would have had a better series than Pietersen in the Ashes, and as Zainub says, he did not want to tour again anyway. Even if he did, who would he have replaced in England's middle order?
Bell - Thorpe wouldn't bat at three
Collingwood - picked for his bowling
Pietersen - see above
Geoff
I wanted him in the Ashes not in place of Pietersen but in place of Bell
Also, I know he wasn't going to play here anyway. I just wanted to point out that England have not yet come up with someone who can fill his shoes.
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