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ReformationPostTLC

Listed below are comments made by ReformationPostTLC between Wednesday, 26th November 2008 and Tuesday, 25th August 2009.

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Ashes player ratings 12:13pm on 25 Aug 2009 Let's begin with the positives. Strauss was excellent with the bat and after his spell out of the team has come back a mentally stronger character which has aided in his captaincy, although I don't think he feels entirely comfortable leading the team.

Prior had a sound series and his glove work, at last, seems to have improved to the level that is required at test level. Whether he is going to hold the No.6 position is another question but he bats with confidence even if his dismissals are invariably frustrating.

Broad was excellent. I was never on his back as this guy wants to be involved all of the time rather like Freddie. His bowling was ordinary early on but he was receiving mixed messages and negative tactics from some of the senior players. He will get better and his batting is great to watch; a very clean hitter.

Swann had his ups and downs but the Nottinghamshire irritant certainly got under the skins of the Aussies with bat and ball. Has decent variation but bowls a fraction to short in my opinion. Gives our once frail tail some much needed stability.

Anderson, Onions and Flintoff did enough with 'big spells' at crucial times. I don't think Jimmy was 100% fit for the final couple of tests.

Unfortunately, I think Monty will struggle to get back into the team in the future. He is bowling too fast with little variation and his fielding, as always, is an embarrassment. May get a look in on tour to Sri Lanka or India.

And as for Harmison that should be his last test. He did no better than Onions would have in the final test and we all know what he is like once he moves away from the meadows and fields of Durham!

Trott looks sound with a good technique and mental strength and we should be seeing a lot of him in the future. He at 3 and KP at 4 looks enticing. Can't really judge KP but he did well in the two tests considering his injury.

Bopara will always be a good county player but against test class bowlers he looks out of sorts and technically dreadful.

Talking about technically dreadful, Cook is a real worry. He has stopped moving his feet and plays with a stiff front leg and hard hands. Serious work needed for him before the winter tour.

What of Bell? All the talent of a world class player but cannot handle the pressure. When the chips are down we wait for the classy ton but it never happens. Is he another Ramps?

Collingwood had a strange series. It seemed as if he didn't quite know what his role was in the team. Lost sight of his off-stump on a number of occasions and his dismissal to Johnson in the 2nd innings at The Oval was not of somebody that bats at No.5. He has a big heart and I am sure the selectors will stick by him.

And finally, the all-round ability of Freddie was there on a few occasions but for him to get through the series was an achievement in itself. His career figures do not do him justice but he has stood up to be counted when it mattered. Not a natural cricketer and, in all honesty, not a great cricketer but one that England, and cricket in general, will definitely miss. Well done Freddie and thanks for the memories.
Flintoff denied century that means so much 04:40am on 03 Aug 2009 Flintoff is no Botham but you have to admire his determination and his ability to brighten up a day's play by thumping a few balls to the boundary. He doesn't have the natural ability of Sir Ian but he has worked incredibly hard at his game to now be one of the most feared pacemen in world cricket. He will be greatly missed on and off the field and who would bet against him scoring a hundred or taking a ten-wicket haul before the series is complete?
Broad played superbly again today and, unlike many, I think he should continue his run in the team. He has a great attitude and always wants to be involved. Good to see him getting under Johnson's skin together with the perrenial irritant Swann.
Ashes player ratings - First Test 00:52am on 13 Jul 2009 Tom, you must be smoking the funny stuff! How any England player can get more than 6 points is beyond me. Strauss, Cook & Bopara would each get 2 points each; one point for walking out to the middle in each innings and realising what end of the bat to hold. The top 3 look very weak, in particular Cook who looks like a walking wicket.
KP 5, Prior 4, Collingwood 6. Flintoff 5 will get better with this one under his belt and his batting looked as good as its been for a couple of years. Swann, Panesar & Broad were woeful from a bowling perspective and get 3 each. I really thought Swann would get amongst the wickets but his length was all wrong. And finally Jimmy 6 who never gave up with bat or ball.
Agree with most of your ozzie marks.
One thing that must no happen is for Harmlesson to be recalled. He's bowled his one good spell of the year already.
England one-day series ratings 04:56am on 06 Apr 2009 Let us face facts, England won two games which were drastically shortened and one because John Dyson lost his marbles. To give any England player more than 7 out of 10 is laughable when it is so platantly obvious that were are no more than a very ordinary side. Shah, Batty & Harmison would be lucky to get 3 out of 10. Most of the rest would hover around the 5 mark and I'd give Strauss & Anderson a 7 as the top performers. How you can give Flintoff 8 out of 10 for one decent performance is beyond me.
And finally, you must be the only person, with half an inetrest, in world cricket that thinks Harmison is going to fire again. How many chances do you want to give him? He's well & truly finished and surely the selectors will not be considering him for anymore ODIs or the Ashes.
Tougher tasks ahead for England 10:05pm on 12 Mar 2009 I had a day off work yesterday and had planned a round of golf but two of my mates cancelled so we canned the day. Had nothing else to do so turned on Fox Sports and watched the England v Pakistan game for a while and was pleasantly surprised that the techniques of many with bat and ball were good on both sides. Here in oz they are covering every single match live which can only be good for the game.
Come on girls, make us proud to be English and achieve something the men have never been able to do.
All the best.
England player ratings 11:28pm on 10 Mar 2009 On the batting front agree with most of your ratings although I would have only given 6 for Cook who scored a century when there was absolutely no pressure. Also Shah is not our future number 3, he has techincal flaws, holds the bat too firmly and plays with a straight front leg. I do think KP has to be given a run at No.3 in the home series against WI.

Prior was very foolish returning to England and missing the thrid test and his keeping is still a cause for concern but I would stick with him this coming summer.

On the bowling front I am at last hoping that this is the end for Harmison. A score of 4 is generous. Siders should only be picked on green seaming wickets and he needs to lose a few pounds in the meantime. Agree with your Khan and Panesar ratings.

However, I thought England's best bowler throughout the series was James Anderson. Although his figures don't look anything special he was very unlucky in most of the tests with close lbw decisions and dropped catches going against him. I would give him 8.5 and Broad 7.5 who once again impressed with his enthusiasm.
Swann was good and if he had won us a test match then I would agree with the 8.5 but I'll take half-a-point off for that.

Prediction for return series. England win 2-0. However, my prognostication for this series was England to win 3-0!!!!!!!
"Get On" and support new campaign 00:38am on 16 Feb 2009 "You're just a small town in Poland!"
Southend fans at Walsall (Warsaw).

BUT....

Surely this is the funniest one.....

"Boom, boom, boom, let me hear you say Yeo, Yeooo!"
Chester fans after Simon Yeo scored against Hereford
"Get On" and support new campaign 05:29am on 13 Feb 2009 In the good old days of Highbury in the late 80s we used to sing a song about Nigel Winterburn to the tune of

"Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" by Middle of the Road.

"Ni-gel Win-ter-burn" (Where's your Mama gone?)
Moyes masters defensive art 00:06am on 26 Jan 2009 Dear oh dear! Benitez is sounding like the school bully who has had his authority challenged. Everton did what they could with limited resources and Liverpool, with all their suppossed craft and ingenuity, could only muster a few decent chances. Should the red half of Merseyside win nothing this year then I think the bitter Spanish mouth will cross the channel and return to Southern Europe.
European hangover set to linger 10:10pm on 26 Nov 2008 Considering the SPL has been a joke competition for ages I think the Scottish teams invariably do reasonably well in Europe and this current season has been a bit of an anomaly.

However, I feel that supporters who do not follow Rangers or Celtic would not be crying at their European exits.

Scottish football has been a duoploy for far too many years and needs a complete overhaul to spice up interest and competition north of the border.

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