Fine Yorkshire Pudding in the making

A little more than half a dozen years ago, chatting among friends on the BBC cricket forums that are defunct now, I had picked three English cricket players whose careers might be worth following - Bell, Broad and Collingwood. I called this package of three players BBC for convenience. Sufficient cricket has ensued since to see how my friendly punt on these cricketers has pickled. Let's see: Paul Collingwood had his highs and lows before a particularly adamant patch of poor performance got in his way, Bell matured with some good natured help once in a while but not quite into the permanency that one visualized then, and Broad has certainly come a long way as a bowler since the days he'd run in repeatedly to only get thumped all over the park. Quality bowlers are a rare breed, especially the ones who can, as and when required, bat competently too, and investment of faith in such, naturally therefore, must, broadly, stew a little longer in comparison to batsmen who are placed on a more greasy, competitive, tray. can be quite a merry-go-round for batsmen, especially in ambitious cricketing nations with a large number of serious cricket players. All in all, for a lay person, not a too disappointing shot at cooking up a prediction.

BBC doesn't exist now given Collingwood's preference for seclusion and selective playing shots. Despite the reorientation of Kevin Pietersen, certainty of his future remains a simmering discontent on the backburner. Order Number Six has not been nailed firmly by all aspirants. The competitive grease is sizzling on a hot tray; this spot is in the limelight now while the overall beef roasts quietly for the future in the background.

Will it be Samit Patel or Johnny Bairstow who'll complete this earthy English meal being prepared for serving?

Samit, the well-rounded cricketer, is being touted as the immediate number six. At least for this Indian tour. Primarily because, additionally, he can keep that left arm of his wheeling away spins for hours if he and others tire of plucking wickets. Without very much compromising batting depth. The reasoning perhaps being, that he himself probably thinks like Indian spinners do and knows all the inner workings of the craft, thus allowing his innate ability to play the bat connection in the right places of any given ball's pitch and movement Ashwin and Ojha might conjure, instead of just plonking an ignorant pad or planting an unseeing sweep-all at it. England are looking for performing meat - quality cuts once in a while with the compulsory plebian defensive portions thrown in to conquer this Final Frontier. Patel hasn't tied himself up in knots on the tour games; in fact, he's unravelled options and conundrums in the same go. England can play a eleven without a tailender in a perfectly justified 2 x 2 configuration! Which slides Bell back onto the slippery tray of go-arounds.

Because, in my opinion, based on what I've seen of him thus far on television, Johnny Bairstow is the real pudding and pie. He can bat, and if need be, don the gloves and fiddle behind the wickets. Made of wholesome grain...pure wheat too.

I'm punting on future stock, like all those years ago, on Bairstow sealing order number six, with Patel number seven when conditions demand two spinners to play.