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Bobbysmith

Listed below are comments made by Bobbysmith between Saturday, 20th June 2009 and Wednesday, 23rd December 2009.

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Skipper Strauss seeks smoother blend 5:38pm on 23 Dec 2009 James - liked what you wrote there until you said play Plunkett at 7!

My view on Bell is that he is being given chance after chance and every time bottles it. There is no doubting his potential talent but he will never be better than an excellent county cricketer. He simply doesn't have the temprament for Test cricket. Just like Graeme Hick (although not as good!).

Cook is worrying me. He's never been attractive to watch but he now looks terrible and getting worse. Not sure he's run out of lives just yet, but he's on very thin ice.

Not sure who to bring in. Denley hasn't impressed in the ODIs. Maybe Moore (although another south african), pos Rob Key, though his time has probably gone.

On the Broad debate. This baffles me. He's clearly very talented and when he pitches it up in the corridor, he's a world beater. But why oh why does he keep banging it in short (and gets slapped). Does Otis Gibson pat him on the back after a session and say "great short stuff there mate, keep it up"!?!? Is that what he's been told to do? I almost hope that is the case, because if its because he can't control where it lands, then he's got no future.
The Oval ratings 11:32am on 24 Aug 2009 #19 - you clearly have a selective memory when it comes to collingwood. Yes he played a mamouth innings in Cardiff but that was it in the whole series (except a cameo at Lords). This is typical of collingwood's career; one contribution a series and the rest hopeless. I'm bored with words like gritty or phrases such as "he's good when the chips are down". Is he really? Headingly chips were down, chips were down in this game at times. He dropped 2 catches too. Time must be up for him now. Others such as Ravi, hildreth or moore are due the same chance he's had.

On Broad, new flintoff he's not (yet). I was a massive critic of him before this game and I stand by that. Ok, he's had one game where he's learnt the value of pitching the ball up, if he continues this, he may become the world beater some quarters already think he is. Before this game, he'd done nothing to suggest he was capable of this, so fingers crossed he can go forward.
Broad's Ashes spot no longer secure 9:17pm on 04 Aug 2009 I am amazed by the number of people saying Broad should keep his place because he gets runs down the order?!!? WTF. If we wanted runs at 7 we'd pick Denley, Trott or Moore to bat there. Broad is foremost a bowler and an average one at that (currently). He's there to take wickets with runs a bonus.

Has to be Sidders or Harmy.
Second Ashes Test - player ratings 3:52pm on 20 Jul 2009 The only one I disagree with is Strauss. Yes, his ton and a half set England up for the win, but failing to enforce the follow-on for a second time, shows that he lacks the killer instinct a captain needs.

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Why does enforcing the follow on show killer instinct? That's right, it doesn't.

Strauss did what was right, i.e. get the runs on the board when the weather was at its best according to the forecast.

My only criticism of his captaincy was not putting short legs/silly points in more and really getting in their faces, especially when Clarke was out his crease so mouch to Swann. That aside, he did well.
Second Ashes Test - player ratings 3:31pm on 20 Jul 2009 A bit of heavy bias on the england but we won, so who cares.

Would give Broad a 6 max. Plenty of short stuff that caused few probs for the top order. Didn't really look like taking a wicket til ponting dragged one on. Selectors' faith has lasted long enough with him and time for someone else. Potential, yes. Current form, no.

I really worry for the post freddie era.
Springbok legends? 09:18am on 07 Jul 2009 It is interesting to look at the current Boks. They do play a very conservative brand of rugby, just like England did when they were world champions, and they were criticised in many quarters. The Boks, as England did, spend a lot of time kicking and getting territory rather than keeping the ball in hand. I think very few would disagree that the majority of the rugby in this series was played by the Lions, but the Boks were more clinical when they had to be. The Boks do attack well but I find it difficult to describe them as a great side in their current guise. I bet if you asked many Saffas if they thought the 03 England side was a great one, they'd say no.

It is surprising that they call themselves a great side, though they happily describe NH rugby as fairly poor. So why does a great side struggle to beat a selection of players from "weak nations"?

Though to caveat this, a series win is a series win despite their coach who is clearly out of his depth and drowning rapidly. Maybe once this clown has gone they can prove what they say they are capable of.
Will the Lions roar again in future? 08:22am on 06 Jul 2009 I think this series has completely reinvigorated the Lions and proved they can compete with the worlds best even with little preparation time. The series could have gone either way and in fact either side could have won 3-0, so that shows the competition.

Geechs and Davies have done an unbelieveable job and repaired the debacle of 2005.

The Lions will live on.
Lions ratings: third Test 11:56am on 05 Jul 2009 I'm surprised to see the lack of plaudits on here for Flutey. I thought he was superb today and at the heart of excellent attacking play. His defence was awesome too.
Can wounded Lions salvage more than pride? 08:36am on 03 Jul 2009 famoussalfordlad - to answer your question on Hook's inclusion: we simply have no one else. O'Gara is not and never will be a class player. I would never blame an individual for losing a game but he showed naivety of a 20 year old last week.

I'm confused by the make up of the bench. Surprised D'Arcy isn't there instead of one of the back rows. Shane Williams aside, its as good as we have left. Lets hope we can finish this tour on a high!
Lions ratings 8:42pm on 20 Jun 2009 Ratings prob about right.

Totally fed up of the welsh "bring shane in" calls. The guy is useless at the moment, I'd rather have ROG on the wing. Ugo was unlucky with the first very tough finish, needed power (shane doesn't have it) and the second I accept he shouldn't have had 2 hands on it but it wasn't a straight run in.

Not sure what we do at 10. Both average at best. If Hook isn't fit, then we stay with Jones as he links better with Roberts.

Why are people trying to talk croft down and some want him replaced? Pathetic. He may not be a world beater yet but will do more than the anonymous Heaslip and wallace.

Essentially it seems that because we lost, and vickery got humped up front that we should replace all english players.

On the ref front, not blaming him at all. But the difference between SH and NH interpretations is getting too large and the NH seem to be treated more harshly. Why when we were warned in the 1st half for 3 infringments in the front row, then late in the second they kept giving away penalties for deliberate slowing offences, there was no sign of a warning let alone a yellow card?

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