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battingforbell

Listed below are comments made by battingforbell between Saturday, 28th June 2008 and Thursday, 8th October 2009.

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Tories bash the rich 08:15am on 08 Oct 2009 Robert Preston is adding to the illusion. Why did he correct his thoughts half way down? Why do we have to find out that in fact most of what has been said doesn't appear to be true?

The Tory Party is the party of the financiers, bankers etc. who created this crisis. They introduced de-regulation and they don't seem to be advocating changing that. Why are they proposing cuts at the top of the public sector as their first option? Because their plans are that they want to see it fail so that they can privatise it. They will NEVER NEVER try to control the private sector, i.e. the market economy at the financial level that got us into this mess. They have learnt nothing. They are still rigidly Free Marketeers wherever that market may lead us. They didn't want to act as the Brown Government did to try to prevent a depression. Like the Neo-Cons in America they wanted the market to correct itself. They are ideologists.

Not only that but Osborne and Cameron are seriously dangerous people because they think the world belongs to the rich. They are not compassionate Tories like Butler in the old days, or even Clarke today. They are decadent minds living in modern bodies. Osborne particularly has no sense of fairness.

Why don't the Tories renounce Thatcherism if they have truly changed? How they have the nerve to blame this crisis on the Government when it was years of their kind playing fast and loose which has brought the world to this pass. And they want us to have more of it?

If the Tories get back this country will suffer because they have no answers to the world financial crisis. However Brits have a huge reservoir of public action and revolt to draw on, a long radical history. I can't believe that Robert Preston is not aware of this. If not he should be. History tells us that the Tories will smash and grab what they can while they can. But it will release an anger that has yet to be reckoned with.
England one-day player ratings 11:16am on 22 Sep 2009 It is too generous to give 4 to Shah and Bopara. In the games I've seen they have been a liability in three key areas of the game: batting, fielding, running between wickets. Bopara made the same mistake THREE TIMES - taking a single from a ball going to Ponting and so stuffed Prior, himself and then Denly (last game). Where's his cricket brain? Both Shah and Bopara are capable of running partners out because of suicidal calling. It is not surprising their partners now hesitate. They don't trust them! Bring KP back into the equation and the result could be a full blown pantomime. In his absence it has been forgotten how many times KP is guilty of running his partners out, especially at the start of his innings.

Shah, Bopara 2 each.

I would give Colly an extra point for his fielding. Wouldn't you do that for Ponting?
Kent skipper could be Key for Ashes 09:16am on 13 Aug 2009 This article seems to be well researched and has the most analysis and sense instead of the usual hysteria. Well done. For example you know that Key is an opener and plays at 2 whereas all the rest of the commentators seem to think he is a proven no 3, including Jonathan Agnew. Don't they ever watch County cricket and keep up to date?

I have been very dismayed by the mismanagement of the team. Surely we need a tougher Coach and captain to shut down on the antics of the media in an Ashes Series. To release the players to the Counties seems a mind blowingly poor decision. They would have been better off studying the Aussie bowlers in action in their friendly game. These are all talented players. They don't need more trials. They need confidence and some knowhow about their opponents. Johnson has been bowling so poorly except in brief but powerful glimmers until Headingley that he needs to be studied. He is now a real threat.

Our team now seems completely shot. Well done management. And to expect Bell to come in without a struggle in Headingley conditions when he has been out of the team since February is frankly just ridiculous. He was under pressure at Edgbaston but at least managed a decent 53, 7 4s and 1 six. But a team holds players together. I couldn't believe he was batting at 4 in front of Colly who is a senior player and has been in situ all the time. Bell should have been at 5 his best Test position to give him the best possible chance. Isn't there anyone in management with any brains????

As for Bopara, he is not a no 3. I predicted on 606 that he could be burnt in this Ashes Series like Bell was in 2005. Bell wasn't ready then and neither is Bopara now. And why isn't a senior player at 3? Would Australia bat a rookie at 3 in place of Ponting?

Intelligence seems to be lacking in the man and team management. Bell is a natural Test no 5. I would say Bopara is a 6 type player. Surely I am not the only person to understand this? Besides which you cannot talk about a fragile batting order in one breath and have only five batsmen instead of six in your team!!!
Ponting left laughing as England get the script wrong 3:19pm on 10 Aug 2009 When Australia lost a game what happens? They drop one player - Hughes - clearly all at sea. The rest they backed. What they don't do is rattle the whole team. They chose bowlers from the squad to suit conditions. Lucky for them they are not surrounded by hysterical media and fans.

The Australian bowling was exceptionally good on a helpful wicket at Headingley. This is the first time their bowling unit has really worked. Our mistake was to bat first. It was a blunder. The ball was swinging and bouncing hard.
Bopara has to go because like Hughes he is all at sea. He didn't just fail at Headingley, he has failed in all 4 Tests. Flower backed him and Flower has been proved wrong.
If Bell had been brought in at Cardiff he would have had a chance to get bedded in before the Australian bowling squad got it right. Now he's playing catch up when they are at their most lethal. This is the bowling attack that beat SA's best batsmen at home!!!

Anyone who comes in will have a torrid time. The Oval will be a cauldron of hopes and expectations. We won in 2005 against a superior team by the skin of our teeth. But prior to the Series the team had been steadily improving, first under Nasser and then under Vaughan. This time we are not so highly rated or in such a good state. Yet we managed to keep the Aussies at bay until now because their team is in transition.

Ponting must be laughing his head off at the media response. This is our Achilles heel. A good kicking from the media and fans is just what is needed before the final Test.

Get a grip everyone. Australia are still the best in the world and we are drawing 1-1.
Edgbaston ratings 1:41pm on 04 Aug 2009 Obviously conditions don't have any part to play in anyone's judgements. When the ball is swinging it is MUCH HARDER to bat. On the last day it ceased to swing. Clarke's 9 might be tempered by his LUCK. He was dropped on 38 by Strauss of all people, then had his bails clipped in the Nineties and was out to a no-ball. He was also batting on a flat pitch accumulating nicely. He's a good batsman but if you are going to criticise the England batsmen then you have to consider how they would have batted without the threat of the swinging ball. I think it is laughable that Shane Watson who was also out to an lbw in his thirties not given is awarded a 9 - almost flawless. I'm not saying he didn't make good use of his Luck but it's not almost flawless. Cook, Strauss, Bopara and Bell were batting in the most difficult conditions as far as England were concerned. That is why Strauss and Bell's partnership proved to be crucial. There was a lot of pressure on Bell but I thought he looked accomplished at the crease. Has to watch that late inswinging ball!
Bopara in need of an Ashes score 00:09am on 20 Jul 2009 Colly comes from Shotley Bridge, a former pit village and went to the local Comp. Vaughan himself went to Silverdale Comp. Sheffield, so what top four? You make it sound like a finishing school. Northerners don't tend to go to private schools.
Cook and Strauss went to Private School? But Pietersen was presumably out of the English school system as he was born and bred in SA.
Bopara isn't selected to be a role model. And neither is Colly. They're supposed to be the best we have.
Bopara hasn't been in great form all year in ODIs. Check out his average. Unfortunately he's been over-hyped and is now out of his depth. Not his fault. He's said he would be happier playing Twenty-20. He's not a Test No 3. I just hope his baptism doesn't harm him.
Bell saved his 2005 Ashes place by two 50s at Old Trafford, the Third Test, but he wasn't ready for that Series (against a vastly superior bowling attack) and neither is Bopara ready for this one.
Foster key for new-look Twenty20 squad 11:42pm on 02 May 2009 Your article seems to suggest there is no place for a conventional batsman in Twenty20. But I'm not wrong surely in reading recently that it is Dravid who has scored the most runs in Twenty20? While the likes of Napier or any other six hitter can play a key role, they are also likely to miss as well as hit. The role of the conventional batsman is to come in and stay in if needed. Over a whole Series it is realised they have a crucial contribution to make to the side. If you have your side full of the same kind of batsmen, young Turks swishing and swiping, then over six weeks you are likely to fail. Also isn't good fielding very important in Twenty20? So someone like Colly is not only glue but also prevents runs and catches well. What is the fielding like of the rest of the side?
Bullish Bell starts the long walk back 00:35am on 17 Apr 2009 Most astute comment came from csuwi1 who said that Bell was a magnet for criticism. Even his 172 at Taunton did not satisfy Vic Marks of the Guardian. Apparently Bell should have made many many more runs. If Vaughan, Key, or Shah, or Bopara had started off the season like that imagine the plaudits!
As for Oliver Brett calling for Bopara for No 3, after putting all his faith in Shah in the same position before the Windies Series, can I remind him that Bopara has played 4 Tests with a total of 146 runs and an average of 24. On what basis is he claiming he can succeed at 3? If it is his century at Barbados, then forget it. He was dropped on 4 and made heavy weather against Edwards on a pitch that was the flattest that could be devised. Anyone with a bat in their hand could have got runs. Shah's nerves were so bad that he failed but he was the exception.
Pietersen shows captaincy promise 9:10pm on 28 Jun 2008 I wasn't impressed by Pietersen as captain. I think the team missed Colly. Since Colly has been captain the team has been a real unit and prepared to fight.
I thought they were very subdued. Rancour against the captain from the media was bound to have a bad psychological effect. Think of Australia after the India attack.
As for Bell opening, how can he possibly be complacent as he is shoved up and down the order at will? He needs to be backed by Moores and allowed to settle in one position. Preferably at 3. Pietersen has shown that he can't handle the new ball. He needs to be at 4 or 5 to be swashbuckling. I like the way Bell is always blamed for getting out but not Pietersen. At least Bell maintained a decent run rate.
England one-day ratings 8:54pm on 28 Jun 2008 Bell was run out by Pietersen in Durham just before his 50. Has happened before. Bell has been playing catch up ever since. Pressure? Why not ask our new captain? Bell was at his best in Durham. We'll never know what innings was nipped in the bud by Pietersen's carelessness. Somehow Pietersen never gets the message that other players matter as much as he does. Pietersen also tore into poor Ambrose for taking his free hit. Ambrose looked really shaken. How to knock a fellow player's confidence?
Rating Bell at 4 below Bopara is nonsense.
Bell is also in new role as opener. Is this to accommodate Pietersen at 3?
If Moores backed his classiest batsman maybe Bell could settle in one position instead of being shoved up and down the order.

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