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Oliver Brett - BBC Sport

Listed below are comments made by Oliver Brett - BBC Sport between Monday, 28th September 2009 and Monday, 23rd November 2009.

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Resourceful Colly reaches landmark 10:21am on 23 Nov 2009 john K - I was at the Gabba when he fell to Warney on 96. Just overcome by the situation, and it's such an off-putting place for opposition sides. But it was just conceivable that he and Pietersen could have saved the match I suppose, if they had been unbeaten overnight on the fourth day.
Resourceful Colly reaches landmark 06:29am on 23 Nov 2009 24. (are you the same john as no. 2?) Strauss said afterwards: "If you look at what Colly's done, he's put in most of his best performances when our backs have been to the walls. Opponents fear him." In other words, the stats perhaps don't do justice - and in any case compare his batting average in ODIs to Shah, Bopara, Prior etc... Significantly better than them, and you've got his bowling and catching to boot. This clock's still ticking...
Resourceful Colly reaches landmark 6:44pm on 22 Nov 2009 9. Not a bad little team that, but the next World Cup is in the subcontient so I feel the Wright spot might need to go to another spinner in time, whether Tredwell or Rashid.

10. & 12. It's up to you how you label Wright, Rashid etc... Certainly these players are used more scientifically nowadays. Defining "roles" is key, apparently.

15. Yup, fair point - though practically all players go through bad trots. I don't think Colly is at the stage in his career when he can simply be "sent back to county cricket" to improve, and besides every time that looks to be on the cards he tends to bounce back with a big showing in a last-chance-saloon England appearance. It'll be interesting to see if he keeps Bell out of the Test side. Obviously a couple more big innings in the last three matches will help.
Resourceful Colly reaches landmark 1:28pm on 22 Nov 2009 john

not quite sure what the comment "who never plays for his county" is trying to achieve. You may not be aware, but unlike in football and rugby the top England players rarely get clearance to play domestic cricket. I'll forgive your ignorance!
The rise of the English South Africans 10:21am on 06 Nov 2009 So is it really only Andy Plowright (23) and myself who see a straight link between overseas professionals in other walks of life (medicine, law etc) and those playing team sport at national level?

Interesting. As for me, I am not remotely patriotic (never had a St George flag on my bumper), my family roots are fairly multi-national, and I don't particularly like the England football team (though I do have a soft spot for both the Spanish and Portuguese national sides). But I do support the England cricket team (in as much as a journalist can) along with Essex and Liverpool. I don't give a damn where the people come from who occupy those three teams.

I suspect most of you just feel very differently when it comes to following the England cricket team, and I respect those feelings.
The rise of the English South Africans 9:06pm on 05 Nov 2009 35. I would love to know why you are so happy to overlook Devon Malcolm's place of birth (Kingston, Jamaica), but seem to get so upset about others!

31. A really good post, but read this excerpt you typed back to yourself - I find it a little worrying! "It's always healthy to have alien blood to mix up the gene pool, but if you allow too much interference, then the tribal culture will slowly disappear".

All those so stridently opposed to my view - and some of you (such as no.23) seem almost apoplectic about it - can maybe look at the excellent point made by "EddieOnTheWing" at no.32.

On the use of the word xenophobia - I have a GCSE in Ancient Greek and am happy that I know what the word means. And please, let's not bring the "r" word into this. I have made the effort to steer well clear of this.

Wish I could reply to all of you. There are some really well-argued points here about a clearly emotive topic. And please be patient with the moderators - it is important for them to look at these comments.
The rise of the English South Africans 5:25pm on 05 Nov 2009 TommySmith, as you were first to comment, let me come straight to you.

I can, just about, understand your viewpoint. But my question to you is this: How would you feel about your children being taught by Australian-born teachers, your knee operation being conducted by an Indian-born surgeon or your local neighbourhood watch meeting being chaired by a policeman born in Cape Town?

If you don’t like those things happening, then I am afraid that is – in my book – xenophobia. But if you apply your thoughts only to who you follow in sport, then are you not being teeny bit inconsistent? Just a thought.

Michael (no.2) The Brazilians currently going through naturalisation in Portugal (where they have the advantage of easy work permits and speaking the lingo) is an excellent parallel. I wasn’t particularly aware it was happening massively in other European countries, and again I take the same view – that they probably drive UP standards in those nations, rather than drag them down.

No.3 – I would have been able to credit you if I could have found the thread, but I think it has got lost in the archive! Of course, the Aussies have had Kepler Wessels in the past, and Moises Henriques – I believe – hails from Madeira.

No.4 – I refer you straight to no.1's comment, who is clearly a UK-based cricket fan upset by the situation.

No. 5 – I refer you to my ANSWER to no. 1

No. 6 – The Irish situation is a sensitive one, and perhaps a very good argument for supporting their elevation to Test cricket, though I don’t see it happening for a while.

No. 7 – There’s a theme here, isn’t there… I tell you what, look at all those fans of Premier League teams cheering on sides with about ONE homegrown player.

No. 8 – I think that’s something the ICC could look at. And it might help Mr No. 6
Flintoff the TV star in waiting 6:30pm on 28 Sep 2009 8 - interesting points, but let's wait and see. I am using a bit of interpretation and Freddie is being a bit guarded, but I can't believe he is thinking of training to be a teacher or an accountant or something.

9 - As anyone who has been to Dubai will tell you, it is as easy to get hold of a drink there as it is in Preston. As to your more serious point, and personally I would never want to live in Dubai, it is very much a temporary base. I am not sure he would want his kids to go to school in Dubai, for instance. And everyone of his ilk needs an agent of sorts!
Flintoff the TV star in waiting 5:02pm on 28 Sep 2009 Superhoop - Freddie was asked if he would ever consider reversing his decision to retire from Tests. He said: "There would have to be some major medical advances. Over the past few years I've been injured and not finished Test aeries. England and myself have to move on for the good of the game."

He did also say that he was putting ODI and T20 cricket for England and Lancashire ahead of IPL or Australian state cricket.
England discover ruthless streak 4:15pm on 28 Sep 2009 Strauss allowed the Aussies to change their side to include Graham Manou at Edgbaston when he was within his rights to say no, and he also - very generously - recalled a Sri Lankan batsman who had been run out after colliding with Graham Onions the other day. Smith was pushing his luck, perhaps thinking Strauss might have become a soft touch, but this time Strauss quite rightly put his foot down.

I'll tell you one thing, Smith wouldn't have even tried it on with someone like Nasser Hussain.

Saying that, Smith's was one of the best one-day innings you'll ever see. It's ridiculous he wasn't given the man of the match award.

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Oliver Brett - BBC Sport