CHANGE NOT ALWAYS FOR THE BEST

When a supposed strength is consistently under-performing, that part of the unit will inevitably come under severe scrutiny, and so is the case with England's top six. A general lack of cohesion as a unit and an inability to put telling first innings totals on the board is once again raising doubts concerning one or two positions in the line-up.

Four hundred runs is somewhat of a benchmark or nowadays considered a minimum first innings total, providing the wicket is of a reasonable nature. England have achieved this target a mere three times in their first innings since January 2007 or more appropriately - in the last 17 Test matches. A comparison to the best side in the world is at times considered unfair but it is an indication of what a side need to aspire towards, therefore in the same period Australia have passed the same target six times in only ten Tests, and ten times in the last 17 Tests.

Is the England top six that far behind Australia's ? In terms of consistently churning out the runs and batting as a unit, building the partnerships, yes they are some way behind. Aesthetically very few can compare to an in-form Michael Vaughan or an Ian Bell, but ultimately it's the results that count, not how they are got, although Australia do have such players that are equally adept in succeeding at both.

In Test cricket, only Kevin Pietersen and Michael Vaughan average in excess of 40 since the beginning of 2007, therefore a number of the top order have been under-achieving, or are there averages simply levelling out following very good starts to their careers ? We have seen flashes from all the current top six, Andrew Strauss's 177 in Napier when his position in Test cricket was under severe scrutiny, Alistair Cook kept Sri Lanka at bay in Galle for over six hours making 118 runs, and as we know, Michael Vaughan finds it very difficult not to look classy when accumulating his runs.

Kevin Pietersen may not appear as flamboyant and willing to take the odd risk in search of thrilling runs, but it is difficult to argue with his recent conversion rate. In the past 18 months, Pietersen has passed fifty on seven occasions and quite staggeringly has converted six of these into centuries.

Ian Bell and Paul Collingwood have endured a tougher time of late and it is felt their places are most under threat. Bell can at times match Vaughan's elegance, he is an exquisite touch player who times the ball excellently, but has struggled to really cash in when he appears set. This has been attributed to numerous things, mental frailty, the need - in his own mind - to increase his scoring rate and try to dominate, or simply lapses in concentration.

Collingwood currently looks a shadow of the man that went toe to toe with Australia in Adelaide. Like Bell, he just hasn't gone on to make a match defining innings of late despite passing the half-century mark three times in New Zealand. Although he has contributed in helping England out of numerous precarious situations in the past, he would do well to remember England’s decision in dropping Matthew Hoggard, who must have thought he too had enough credit in the bank.

Both Bell and Collingwood have already shown that the more relaxed nature of one-day cricket is perhaps the ideal environment to feel one or two in the middle of the bat, re-build lost confidence, get the feet moving again and give the image of players with real intent. The captaincy for Collingwood may be a welcome distraction, a chance to concentrate on other players games, not over analyse his own performances with the bat and give the ball a good old thump, which he is more than capable of.

Flashy, eye-pleasing fifties simply do not win Test matches and perhaps there is only Pietersen that has shelved his natural instincts, to a degree, in search of making the necessary totals England desire and will certainly need when the South Africans arrive on our shores in the not too distant future.

I sincerely hope that despite the recent shortcomings that the top six remain the same, injuries permitting, for the opening Test against South Africa. Presuming Andrew Flintoff has failed to convince selectors his level of fitness is of the appropriate standard (although him coming in at seven is a serious option). But if changes are to be made during the summer, where will England will be looking ?

Ravi Bopara will no doubt be able to showcase his talents once more in the one-day game for England, following his fantastic start to the season for Essex. Geoff Miller, England’s National Selector was present to see Bopara play an extraordinary innings against Leicestershire recently, where he made 201 not out in a 50 over contest, and may have nudged himself ahead of the unfortunate Owais Shah in the Test side reckoning.

Shah is as consistent a domestic performer as there is (barring Mark Ramprakash, who we will discuss later) and yet, so far, has only been granted two Test matches in which to impress, and one of those he did, in scoring 88 and helping England clinch a memorable series draw in India. Two failures against the West Indies and Shah was thrown back to County cricket to continue scoring masses of runs.

The outsider to regain his England place (he has not played for England since 2002) is of course Ramprakash. His utter dominance of county attacks is well documented, but this would be seen as a backward step and very much short-term option in recalling a 38 year old. Sure he doesn't look it and probably deserves another crack at the top level, but there does not appear any chance the selectors will looking up his phone number any time soon. Although Geoff Miller did contact him before the trip to New Zealand earlier this year to ask whether he would be a senior player on stand-by, a request Ramprakash struggled to get his head around.

Of course there are others to consider - Robert Key is highly thought of within the England set-up and may well be the alternative opener should Cook or Strauss be missing and Vaughan prefers his number three spot, Usman Afzaal has been given a new lease of life at Surrey, while Paul Horton has continued where he left off last season for Lancashire, although a longer spell in County cricket is the more likely route. Jon Trott of Warwickshire and David Sales of Northamptonshire have pushed their cases with steady starts, albeit in Division Two, and Ed Joyce is never too far away when replacements for England’s middle order are discussed.

It is not unfair for us now to expect this top six to really fire, build match defining partnerships, consistently breach the 400 mark and play with the kind of attacking intent that allows us enough time to bowl good sides out twice. Beware South Africa.

There will always be discussions and controversial decisions surrounding national team selection and virtually everybody has a different view of who should and should not be selected.

England showed a ruthless side to their selection policy with Hoggard and Steve Harmison being left out of the second Test in New Zealand, when there were calls for a change in the top six rather than the bowling attack.

If England continue to remain loyal to the top six, then with the experience and undoubted quality present, then I am sure we are in for a thoroughly exciting battle this summer when South Africa arrive with one of the finest pace attacks currently on the world circuit.

Recently Kevin Pietersen suggested the players in this current batting line-up is streets ahead of the leading run scorers in County cricket, if that is the case, then there is no need for change. Although Bopara, Shah and Ramprakash may strongly disagree.