BBC Blog Network

User Profile

jackanderton

Listed below are comments made by jackanderton between Friday, 11th July 2008 and Thursday, 5th February 2009.

«Newer
Older»

KP makes headlines again 1:03pm on 05 Feb 2009 #3 If KP keeps hitting our only big score, he can claim he got out for a laugh for all I care

---

That is really the point isn't it? Once again the way Pietersen gets out manages to completely cover over the rest of our batting problems because the media fixate on it.

Maybe we should focus on Cook's woeful dismissal, how Strauss virtually gave away his wicket, how Bell is still in the team, how clueless Collingwood looked.

But no, it's the man who looked far, far better than all of them for 99% of his innings who is the idiot.

I'm flouncing off in disgust. Anyone care to join me?
India's Dad's Army must prove the doubters wrong 1:54pm on 08 Oct 2008 The media play an active part in disrupting and blaming out-of-form players. If that player is over 30 then immediately questions get asked about whether the batsman is over the hill and too old to be playing at the top level.

There is also the desire to have the possibility of young player challenging for these places and being the next big thing which leads to hype, overhype and then pressure which negatively affects some players performances.

This sort of idle speculation does nothing for the game. I truly dislike this.
Should McCain have picked Romney? 11:42am on 23 Sep 2008 I think the choice of Palin now provides quite a starkly different choice between McCain and Obama. Even though she will provide hardly any input into policy, it is clear what her beliefs are and that should horrify a certain percentage of America.

It was an incredibly shallow and obvious political ploy and on the surface she presents what the Republicans want. But she has no credentials and her views are so regressive it's frightening.

People like to highlight Obama's inexperience but he has the luxury of being an incredibly intelligent person. It is clear to us all that he has guile and passion, and despite not being the full package and short on policy, I do think he is the best choice for America and he will improve quickly.

I don't think Joe Biden has galvanised the Obama campaign either but I don't think people expected it to, because it is the opposite of the Republican's choice. A non-flashy, policy-heavy experienced man who lends an air of credibility to Obama. I think he will come in far more use in the months to come and if he is elected to office as V.P. That will be what really matters and what will count the most after the wafer-thin veneer of Palin's image rubs off quicker than discount shoe polish.
Can sorry South Africa fight back? 1:19pm on 29 Aug 2008 Number 108-

The answer is that Flintoff is incredibly vulnerable early on in his innings and especially to the new ball. Combining those two would be a recipe for disaster.

Using your logic we may as well have Dimitri Mascrehenas opening. In fact using your logic he'd do far better than Flintoff.
A clever performance 1:07pm on 29 Aug 2008 Well the speech wasn't exactly centre-ist, which is what Obama was previously accused of. It's the sort of language social democrats in Europe would use- in fact it's more liberal in theme than any of the major political parties in the UK. It's about as brave a speech as people could realistically have expected. Astute to realise that the working class vote across all of America is up-for-grabs.

There really is some pretty daring language about state aid and health provision that in any market economy seem like left-wing ideas.

So the speech was really quite politically slanted- bitterly critical of past failure but well balanced in that it wanted to identify solutions to the problems.

Maybe Clinton was correct in saying Obama is on the right side of history.

Mind you, I could do without seeing him until election day to be honest. The GOP convention will be a welcome relief and intriguing to see how they counter such a successful convention for the Democrats.

With such a strong cast (John Kerry was well down on the list) and many of the Republican old guard now irrecovably discredited, shamed, scandaled and discarded, does McCain have a base of support from senior and credible figures in his own party or is his job really just to lead the party through this period of gloom with a modicum of grace and dignity?

I'm one of those people who couldn't understand how Al Gore didn't trounce Bush in 2000 and couldn't understand why Boris Johnson could be elected as Mayor of London so feel free to ignore any of my opinions.
Can sorry South Africa fight back? 12:15pm on 28 Aug 2008 #89's criticism of Panesar is along the same lines Fletcher refused to pick him, on the basis that he didn't do 2 of the 3 cricketing disciplines to a high enough stardard.

Funnily enough he then selected Ashley Giles who arguably couldn't do a single cricketing discipline to an international standard.

The comments that Panesar is somehow not a cricketer despite having one of the most natural spin-bowling actions in a generation of English cricketers is bizarre to say the least.

The squad should get picked on who will score runs and who will take wickets. Flintoff is the only Englishman who can do both at this level currently (Broad may become another), and that's why we should leave the Swann/Patel fantasies at the doormat.

If we pick spinners for the subcontinent then we should learn the lessons of last time- leave the supposed 'all round contributors' of the Batty and Blackwell ilk at home and pick the best spinners, regardless of whether they can't field, can't bat or have distinctive media-friendly idiosyncracies.
Blatter's Beijing bulletin 4:07pm on 14 Aug 2008 The curling team was not 'a Scottish team calling itself British'. They were British because Scotland is part of Great Britain.
Graham Gooch's England ratings 6:16pm on 11 Aug 2008 Given how unconvincing Strauss and Collingwood have been, the pressure that must land on Pietersen is unbelievable. I'm glad the responsibility seems to be making him rise to the challenge. The criticism he has received is ridiculous. Some people would criticize him for even getting out ever! I think the guy's confidence and lack of Englishness rubs some people up the wrong way, so they will always jump on him given the opportunity.

I think South Africa won't be that excited by beating England though. Their batting looked almost as frail as ours despite it looking far better on paper. Their bowlers were not what they were hyped to be- they were at least no better than our bowlers.

I still thought England could've won the series- at 2 crucial points we failed to bowl South Africa out when we were in the box seat.

It feels like we've spent all but one test with our noses in front and somehow end up losing.

A really entertaining series I thought- my moment of the series was Freddie's spell against Kallis. Conjuring up great memories of the Ashes 2005 with him vs. Ponting.
Pattinson selection causes a stir 4:09pm on 18 Jul 2008 If he plays a key part in bowling out the South Africans then who cares. It seemed obvious from the last test that the South Africans had adjusted to our pace attack and it's a good idea that Flintoff and Pattinson come in to add some new length and line for them to think about.

It may be short term-ism but would you rather lose 5 tests picking a squad that aren't ready or win 5 tests by picking the right men for the job?

I'd have loved to see Jones back but if this guy wants to play for England his commitment should not, for now, be in doubt. Let's see how things shape up.
First day to the hosts 2:09pm on 11 Jul 2008 68. Since the Ashes victory which was a 'Flash in the pan that could have gone either way.

__________________

Absolute rubbish.

Lords- Beaten by McGrath, tame batting performance. Huge anticlimax

Edgbaston- Ponting gifted us a way into the series, we put on 400 in a day. It was certainly close by the end but we put ourselves in a position whereby we shouldn't have lost the game. We were the better team overall and it was for us to lose, all the way until the last ball.

Old Trafford- Miles better than Australia who were saved by the rain and still nearly lost. Don't you remember the wild celebrations of the Aussies enjoying their 'hard earnt' draw?

Trent Bridge- We were far better from start to finish and even the England batsmen couldn't collapse fast enough to reach the small total set by Australia.

The Oval- Australia batted well but we got back into the match with some great bowling and at that point in the series we batted superbly and the Australian bowlers couldn't do it.

Let's face it- it was a great series because both sides had frailties and it led to unpredictable moments of drama. It was not a test series that could've gone either way. Australia were very lucky not to have lost it 3-1, and that series score wouldn't have flattered us. If we'd picked Thorpe for the series instead of Ian Bell at that stage we might have won even more convincingly.

Let's not forget that the 'flash in the pan', as you put it, was part of a long run of victories carved out by England and Duncan Fletcher since 2002 lasting pretty much until the Ashes down under in 2006.

The inconsistency since then has been frustrating because it seems like we have all the equipment at our disposal but for one reason or another we can't get the best players and their best form out on to the field at once.

«Newer
Older»

^ Back to top

BBC MMVI

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

BBC.co.uk

BBC Blog Network

Find and talk to the BBC's bloggers.

User Profile

jackanderton