Dire cricket from both teams
Purely in terms of the quality of the cricket on display, the second day at Old Trafford was just about the worst day of Test cricket I can remember.
Shocking bowling by England was followed by some desperate, nervy batting from West Indies, in which they lost their last six wickets for 13 runs.
It is difficult to describe quite how badly England - and Steve Harmison and Liam Plunkett in particular - bowled.
There was a shot on the TV of England’s coaches all studying their laptops in the dressing room, monitoring the trajectory of the wild deliveries. But they needed to be tuned in to the radar at nearby Manchester International Airport to keep track of some of them: it was unbelievable.
The truth is that England got away with it because West Indies are so weak.
This is a pitch which is spiteful if you hit the right place, and those fears clearly preyed on the batsmen’s minds - just as they did with Pakistan last year.
But Harmison set the tone with three wides in the first over - one of which went to the boundary - and things only improved when Monty Panesar teamed up with Ryan Sidebottom towards the end of the afternoon and West Indies fell apart.
It is a pitch on which you need a strong technique, and of all the players in the match, Ian Bell’s is probably the best
He batted superbly until he received a brute of a ball from Corey Collymore which denied him his seventh Test century by just three runs.
There seems no doubt that were Andrew Flintoff to return to the team next week, Andrew Strauss would be the batsman to give way. He is in a rotten trot now, and badly needs to get back to county cricket and score some runs.
He did receive three poor decisions in Australia, but his average from 15 innings since the start of the Ashes is just 21.
Flintoff will not be coming back for a while, so Strauss will probably get another chance in the final Test at the Riverside and given that he is a doubtful starter in the one-day team, his chance for a quiet month at Middlesex is now not too far away.
With Panesar finding turn and bounce - and the fast bowlers always in with a chance - England look good to take the series here on Sunday.
But let no one in the England camp convince you there has to be anything but a dramatic improvement in the bowling department if they are to beat opposition of any substance.
Not so dire from Monty or Sidebottom. However, Plunket is less Glen McGrath and more Devon Malcolm at present.
Complain about this postSpot on Aggers.Given the entrance charges that sre made these days yesterday's play was a total disgrace...topped off by a dreadful umpiring decision by Bowden at the end of the day.
Complain about this postin fairness to bowden tthe bowler didn't appeal either suggesting the edge was only obvious from behind or from the overhead shot we get
sometimes obvious things from one angle are invisible from another and it looks like both bowler and bowden couldn't see the edge
Complain about this postValue for money? I don't think so. Quite the worst Test Cricket I have ever seen. Whilst sitting in the Old Trafford crowd was as enjoyable as ever I wanted to see quality cricket - not a pantomime.
Complain about this postExcept Monty is in a different class to any England bowler I have ever seen bowl in 30 years.
All we need now is one top quality seamer and a couple of decent back up seamers.
I just do not understand why the England punditry or management (last Ashes) seem blind to Monty's quality.
It seems poor men do not know what gold looks like.
Complain about this postLet's face it, if all our seam options were fit, perhaps only Harmison would have been selected if on form. Back would come Hoggard, Flintoff and Jones in a hurry... still, with dross like we saw today, we surely have to look elsewhere. Onions seems a prime candidate, and Cook at Kent is bowling very nicely at the moment.
I'm just wondering whether Harmy wasn't actually trying to bowl on the square during the innings break, but his radar got it all wrong? Judging by his first over it is possible...
Complain about this postThe sad thing is that the coaching team will still pick Harmy and plunkett, I would put money on Harmy playing the whole series against India as well. Someone should tell the selection board that it is not a bad thing to drop a player, it can be a real benefit to them in the long term. Will A Donald have the bottle to say this to Moores?
Complain about this postNote to Simon: what are you talking about? the pundits, one and all, think Monty is our best bowler, try listening rather than talking sometimes.
At long last someone has had the strength of his conviction regarding the England Test team problems. why continue with the selection of Harmison who has been reported as saying that " he has nothing to prove", with an egotistic attitude like that I am not surprised that he appears to think that his bowling is up to Test Match standard, show him the stumps at the end to which he is bowling and explain to him that the stumps are his target, the same goes for Plunket.
Complain about this postSidebottom proved the value of bowling at the stumps with his number of L.B.W. s, but why on earth is he allowed to represent his country with his unkempt appearance, he should be proud to represent his country and present himself in a clean cut way. The problem that England has lies in the lack of discipline, and the castigation of the captain for remarks about Flintoff, which were fully justified. the continued selection of these "bowlers " will have it's own reward as was proved in Australia, give some one else a chance for heaven's sake, who ? well you could try Lewry or Kirtley of Sussex for example.pick someone who gets a lot of L.B.W. decisions which proves that he is bowling accurately, and remind the current bowlers that they have no divine right to be selected, for against better opposition they have been found wanting so many embarrasing times. Question for Mr. Agnew
when did England have such a poor bowling attack before ? THE ANSWER IS NEVER !! my memories are from 1932 onwards so I should know something, I hope.
How is Simon Jones rehab coming along?
Complain about this postIs it worth giving Onions & Joyce a go if the 4th Test is a dead rubber?
Why all the moaning and negativity again? Yes there was some wayward bowling but also some great spells and balls mixed in. Alan Donald cannot be expected to work miracles over night but I for one have faith that they are collectively heading in the right direction. Immediate perfection was always unlikely, things take time, but your negatively focused and moaning piece just heaps more pressure on the team and management as they strive to improve, so well done. Get off their backs and try and think of something constructive to say in future, perhaps you could mention the score and our great position in the match ?
Complain about this posti looked forward to harmison's first over yesterday with relish. he didn't let me down. how i wish there had been more wides!
Complain about this posteven though i'm a big strauss fan and believe he should be the next england captain, i agree with you aggers that a month at middlesex will give him a much-needed chance to tighten up a bit. he's just got to get back to playing in the v early-on - that's so easy to write - but it must be hard for him as he has always been so strong off the back foot and square of the wicket.
couple of people have mentioned robert key. i always liked him as a batsmen but his fielding is seriously lacking. the regours of modern test match cricket mean that mental and physical fitness and all-round contributions from everyone are vital. does key have the real stuff?! dunno.
please don't bring bopara in yet. it'll ruin him. let him play in the one dayers for a while. same for stuart broad. i totally agree with angus fraser - plunkett needs a season of graft at durham to relearn how to bowl. he looks like he's been totally over-coached to me.
harmison has always been hit and miss so i'm never surprised when he sprays it around. i would've dropped him a long time ago. he was averaging 82 mph yesterday. as far as i can see, he's in the team because he's quite tall and managed by neil fairbrother. which is a bit galling really. still. GO HARMY! PLEASE PROVE US WRONG!!!
Complain about this postAll of a sudden a I miss Mahmood.
Complain about this postAll the effective bowlers England have had have gone into the side with a lot of domestic overs. Harmison, Jones, Hoggard, Panesar, Sidebottom etc. Harmison has had too long not bowling often enough. Even Flintoff failed miserably when put in to the side at a young age. The classic example was Ramprakash. Plunkett was always too inexperienced. It's reminiscent of how good Bicknell was when he came in in 2003. We should be going with the players who have proven it for at least four years with their county. From this list we have a squad of seventeen being (taking into account current form/fitness):
Panesar
Croft
Hoggard
Sidebottom
Mascherenas
Lewis (not persisted with)
Silverwood
Kabir Ali
Collingwood
Bell
Vaughan
Pietersen
Cook
Butcher
Shah (not persisted with)
Prior+
Foster+
N.B. Chopping and changing of the old days is not going to happen- long runs in the side will be persisted with - this is just about the initial personnel selected.
Also, players for the future once finished their county schooling:
Newman
Complain about this postCompton
Benning
Bopara
Yardy
Clarke
Broad
Rashid
Davies+
Davies
Anderson
Onions
Plunkett
I suspect we're playing Plunkett and Harmison to make sure test matches go into a fourth day and the ECB make their money from another full house. If we had another seamer who was quite quick and with control, West Indies wouldn't have made 150. It is very sad to see the decline of such a once feared team.
However, something has to be done about England's dire seam bowling. Forget all this talk about "potential" - it's all about performance, and Plunkett and Harmison are not even county standard at present. Let's have a look at Stuart Broad in a test match scenario, and pack these two back off to the county circuit until they rediscover some form.
Complain about this postSurely almost any fast or seam bowler in the county championship can perform better than Plunkett and Harmison. You may even find some on the village green.
Complain about this postIt's not laptops the coaching staff should be looking at.... It's bowler playing with a bat and ball in match situations....get real!
Tom,
Simon was right. Aggers and a few others backed the decision to play Giles and Jones over Panesar and Read before the first Ashes Test last winter.
Crazy but true.
Complain about this post"It is difficult to describe quite how badly England - and Steve Harmison and Liam Plunkett in particular - bowled."
Maybe they were feeling guilty about breaking Law 17! They should not have been practising during the break, and Rob Bailey was right to stop them. But Alan Hurst was wrong when he did not prevent them from bowling for 30 minutes. THe laws of cricket are there to be enforced.
We cannot have one law for teams like England, and another law for teams like the West Indies....
Complain about this postEven though everyone's patience with Harmison is running low - quite rightly - there remains a strong argument for persisting with him as he can be unplayable for any batsman, let alone the Windies. But why we are still giving Plunkett a game is a mystery. His line and length are nearly as bad as Harmison's; he has never had a golden period on the test stage during which he has proved his absolute worth; even his most unplayable balls are decent outswingers, as opposed to the quick, bouncy, threatening short stuff you'll get from Harmison at his peak, which is a threat not just to the batsman's wicket but also to his health.
There are a handful of young seamers with as good a test track record as Plunkett's (ie none, or next to none) who deserve a run in the side, first among them Stuart Broad who, despite being a bit green, puts it on the cut strip.
Complain about this postValid, however i thaught we batted well and panesarwas particularly good, so i dont think you can put it down entirley to the inability of the wesr indies batting.
Complain about this postIt is odd that in seems to be the excepted thing that a batsmen will be dropped if he fails to score runs a few times in a row - go back to county cricket and sort it out.
However, a bowler will be kept in a team and allowed to find his form - even though he spends day after day sending down poor balls. I mean a batsmen gets one chance to make a mistake (normally) - a bowler gets overs worth to put it right. Surely this is a more worrying drop in form.
Maybe Strauss should blow for a while - Is Harmison getting more runs anyway?
Complain about this postAggers, Agreed that Strauss is in such poor form that he should be dropped, so isn't it time that we went back to a left/right opening pair, either with Vaughan stepping up, or choosing a man in form like Rob Key. A L/R would break up the already week WI bowling and give us a chance to put an opening partnership on the board.
Why should Flintoff be picked? We don't know if he'll bowl and he has no form with the bat; so we're picking him why?
Complain about this postWell, if Harmison and Plunkett are that bad, we'll have them back up here for Durham. Let's see how England fare without them.
Complain about this postGive dimi Mascerhanus a go! I've been watching him for a long time on the south coast and he is consistenly awesome... no wides etc. He's also a handy batsman.. came in a 20 20 game with two balls left last year and hit 2 sixes... that's the sort of guy he is
Complain about this postHe's young and should at least be given a chance.
The england selectors board is farsical and it makes me very angry
Well, if Harmison and Plunkett are that bad, we'll have them back up here for Durham. Let's see how England fair without them.
Complain about this postWorst Test Ever. (WTE). Paid a fortune to watch a couple of players and a lot of club players.
Then the umpires joined in towards the end of the final session.
Considering options under the trade description act.
Still, its first test where the fancy dress has been restricted to the middle. Thought Harmisson's costume looked incredibly realistic. Then he ruined it by picking up the ball.
Wonder what the Aussies think...
Complain about this postWhat price an open top bus ride? Please don't let Plunkett or Harmison drive!
Just a quick point, Aggers -
Harmison has given away so may extras in this match that he has effectively given the WI another batsman. A decent test fast bowler should average 20-30 runs per wicket. A total of extras conceded in wides, no-balls and byes from wild deliveries that exceeds this is the same as playing against an extra batsman.
Plunkett, in this game, has been wayward too, but I believe he has the atitude to get over it.
Harminson went into this series saying he has nothing to prove. If he meant he did not have to prove that he is capable of bowling wide after wide, then he was right.
He has lost the mental ability to control the ball and should go back to county cricket for the rest of the season.
Complain about this postI've just been reading Cork's comments about England missing Troy Cooley. But surely Harmison and Plunkett, when they report for England duty should only need a little bit of fine tuning? The way they have been bowling wides and no-balls indicates they need a full engine overhaul. Are there any Durham fans there who can tell me if they bowl like this for their county? Surely they dont give away so many extras? I just don't think they have the mental strength to do the business in front of a big crowd.
Complain about this postEngland didn't wholly bowl badly. We should be celebrating Monty and Sibo this morning, not focusing on Harmie/Plunks erratics. These two bowlers will come right. What does not help are Aggers like hatchet men. Harmison is likely to be his harsest critic. A sick man knows his sick, with out pundits identifying the same sickness. In fact critics might be part of the problem. Only people like Donald can provide the medicine.
I disagree with Aggers on Strauss. I bit Middlesex clubiness here. Strauss should be dropped for Durham, and Bopara broughht in at No6, Bell to No3 and Vaughan open with Cooke.
Strauss is playing too square. His dismissal showed he hadn't his feet in the correct position , lent over, and was playing to midwicket rather than back to the bowler. His weakness is he is not playing straight in the arc between cover to mid on, and getting the front foot up the wicket like Vaughan and Cooke. He is trying to working straight balls square, and this is why Glen McGarth got his wicket so many times.
Complain about this postSteve Harmison is an enigma, really. I've talked about him before, but how can a man bowl one cracking, devastating, earth-shatteringly excellent ball and then, next one, bowl a cataclysmic wide which knocks off Billy Bowden's hat at square leg. I don't get it at all. Sure, he takes wickets, but I think he does need to be at least rested for a while (bring back Simon Jones!).
Next up; Strauss... this man is having a real 'mare at the moment for some bizarre reason; six runs in three innings... I mean, come on; Monty Panesar scored 14 not out in one innings this match... I think that Strauss has had his day; he has been awful ever since the ashes fiasco and shows no sign of improving (just the opposite, in fact). He needs to be replaced without hesitation, perhaps with Trescothick or a fresh face.
On the plus side, I think Vaughan and several of the other batsmen are in good touch... maybe... but at least it's good to have a decent captain again. Matt Prior has proved himself a useful asset; a real Adam Gilchrist look-alike in terms of his batting, and that's a good thing for England, who have had a run of pretty poor keepers, especially the bumbling golden duck Geraint Jones (who's batting was still better than Strauss' I have to admit...)
Monty and Sidebottom (where was this guy over Christmas? Why did we have to endure Mahmood?) have been excellent, and hopefully will continue to do so.
As for the poor old beleaguered Windies... they're hopeless really, aren't they? At least they have a little batting class in the form of Chanderpaul and Dwayne Bravo, but the others are just in for a good time and not a long time. They'll miss Sarwan, but not as much as they miss the great man, Brian Lara. Bring him back!!!
Complain about this postI don't see too many suggestions of who we should include instead of Harmison. The truth is that there isn't anyone at the moment.
We can't afford two wayward bowlers in the side, so Plunkett will unfortunately have to go, but the only change I see being made for the next test is Hoggard playing in his place.
Complain about this postTwo words.... James Harris.
Just turned 17 and already has a ten wicket haul to his name. I know england have a history of ruining young players by playing them too early, but this young Glamorgan all-rounder is already putting the ball on a six pence, something Harmison quite cleary cannot.
I'm not putting him up on a pedestal to be shot down when he isn't even old enough to drink, but England need to do something about their seamers. Plunkett and Harmison are just not able to control the ball.
But, on the other hand, how many teams would be able to cope with the loss of the likes of Hoggard, Jones and Flintoff?
It's just lucky we're playing the Windies.
Complain about this postShall we be kind to both teams and pretend that they are both "in transition?" Or ask why Harmy and his mate whose name I can never remember is still in the side after 4 innings of laughable bowling?
Complain about this postWith England's poor bowling and the amount of time remaining it will be risky for England to even consider a declaration!
Then again, here comes Monty...
Complain about this postThere's been plenty of discussion about Harmison and, even though I think he probably needs a break from international cricket to get his head sorted out and his confidence back, you can see why the management persist with him in the vain hope that he will magically ignite. Plunkett is another matter however. He hasn't got a track record as a star interantional bowler and is still very inexperienced so there is no reason for keeping him in the team on current performances. I believe the reason the selectors keep picking him is primarily because of his supposed batting ability at number 8. This harks back to the dark days of Australia when Giles was picked ahead of Panesar for his batting at 8. Besides, I don't think Plunkett has done anything to suggest his batting is good enough for 8. His dismissal in the first innings here showed a complete failure to get behind the line and his overall record in Test matches with the bat is not at all distinguished. Granted, he made a few in the last game, but anyone could probably has taken runs off the demoralised West Indian attack coming out at 500-6! I think Plunkett does have potential but it is time for him to go back and play a season or two for Durham before being considered again. There are as series of bowlers in county cricket who could be given a go to show what they can do and would at least land the ball more acurately than Plunkett at present. And if they are that concerned about no 8 batting, surely Broad has more ability than Plunkett. A few other possible names: Shreck of Notts, James Bruce at Hampshire, Kabir Ali (who has played a Test before and has ability with the bat), or Chris Silverwood again. Caddick is also in fine form and wouldn't let England down.
Complain about this postI cannot quite agree with Mr Agnew. When was th elast time we saw an English spinner bowling with such bounce and turn?
Complain about this postWhy is it that ex-cricketers, from wherever they come, always turn into curmudgeons?
Bet is wasn't like this in your day.
What is this modern fetish for suggesting players need "time in County Cricket"? When Australian players are not doing so well they are dropped. Simple as that. There's not pseudo-modern-apologist clap trap about learning the game at the lower level. They get dropped and told that they need to get better if they want their place back.
One of the reasons England were so strong in 2005 is because of the competition for places. Good players though they are, if England players are not performing they should be dropped in favour of others who can be given the opportunity to perform better.
Complain about this postHarmison has alwyays been overrated as a bowler. Any performance against this weak and hopeless West Indies team should be treated with caution.
Complain about this postMonty and sidebottom have been as consistant as ever during this test match. Plunkett in my opinion will get better its a matter of perserverance- the guy is only 22. Harmisons problem wont go away over night. During this test and the last one there are signs that the steve Harmison of old is still there. Its just about consistancy!!1
Poor Strauss is in a major dip of form at the momemnt. Perhaps a few weeks playing for middlesex will get his confidenec up. In my opinion Trescothick should be back. Hitting runs galore for somerset. He should be considered.
Complain about this postIts a shame Ramprakash isnt any younger!!!
I see from the scorecard that England were awarded 5 penalty runs in the second innings. What were they awarded for?
Complain about this postClearly Harmison and Plunkett have a great deal to prove. Harmison is so unreliable that he must be close to being written off for ever. Only a serious run of form in the county game can redeem him, and Plunkett seems to have been rushed into the front line before he is ready.
Of course, at present there might be a problem finding them a place in the Durham side unless their form improves.
Complain about this postDid you watch five's coverage of yesterday's play Aggers? Were you surprised by the positive comments with which Mark Nicholas ended the show? It was something along the lines of 'a fantastically entertaining day's cricket' and 'England well on top'. I do accept the very valid points you make about Harmison's and Plunkett's bowling, but as has already been suggested, you also indicate that you thought England's other bowling was substandard, which surely demonstrates that you're being excessively negative.
I know this is a bug-bear of yours, people suggesting that you're being grouchy, and of course we want you to say it how you see it. But surely you also saw Bell's catch from Panesar, Panesar's spirited batting, the way Sidebottom ran in all guns blazing after tea to great effect, even the very few great balls which Harmison bowled? Why do none of these things get a mention?
You don't seem to have got over the disappointments of the forfeited match and the world cup, and your negative reporting has just grown apace. You know that the reason yourself and TMS are so loved by us all is for your intelligent, expert commentary but most of all for the way you lighten everyone's day up. Tell us when England are disappointing please, but don't let it drown out the enjoyments that come from everyday's play.
This way of reporting is also hampering England, with this incessant focus on Harmison. Give the man some breathing space. I know England don't do themselves any favours by constantly talking themselves up (and referring to themselves in the third person!), but the expectations created by the Ashes of 2005 are not realistic. This is not the same team as back then, and its not the same situation, so they should not be expected to emulate those standards. Who knows they might one day perform better than then, but to expect it, to demand it, is unfair.
Did you ever see bowlers like Chris Lewis, Tim Munton or any of the myriad of bowlers tried by England in the early nineties ever bowl in a way which was going to regularly dismiss 'opposition of any substance'? Harmison and Plunkett are infuriatingly poor at times, but even yesterday they showed, with a few balls, how their talent far outways what we used to have.
More focus on the positives, seeing the lighter side of the rubbish, supporting our players in public, and having a word with them in private to give them some advice, might just help them turn things around.
Complain about this postWell Simon Jones is back for a one dayer for Glamorgan in Colwyn Bay tomorrow but I think realistically he will not be ready for the international stage until the winter tours( if the knees hold up)
I truely believe england see Harmison and Strauss as investments, they pay these guys before match fees over 100k a year and i'm sure the ECB don't want to see this money sqaundered by just playing the county scene so they are persistantly played, they should be paid on performance, i'm sure Mr Harmison will then have something to prove. To be fair to Strauss he looks awful at the moment be he's done it for England since he has been in the test team bar the past few months, patience please.
one last note to say c'mon the Dragons, great win for Glamorgan against Notts,
P.s listen out for James Harris
Complain about this postOne thing that should be commented on as a positive was Prior's keeping.
Before yesterday I would have thought it impossible to describe 20 byes in an innings of around 50 overs as an exceptional effort by a keeper but in this case it would be a fair summary.
Complain about this postIt sounds like Hoggy is getting near fitness. So Plunkett would probably stand down for him, but Harmison worries me more. Who else is there in county cricket with some pace? Simon Jones doesn't appear to be winning a fitness race anytime soon, I can't think of anyone who is getting mentioned in dispatches from around the counties as a talented QUICK bowler. I think we need a lively bowler, so I am not sure just putting in Jimmy Anderson is going to be a fix.
Complain about this postFirstly well played Bell, excellant knock under pressure, unlike all the other runs in this series which were easy pickings. Secondly we must get behind Harmy, he has proved he can be the best in the world and his two wickets, especially the wicket of Morton, showed what he can produce when he gets it right, it is'nt a lack of effort and it will come good. As for Plunkett, what has he ever proved. He has never performed and needs to be sent into county cricket to groove his action and prove he can hit a consistent line and length. Panesar bowled beautifully again, as per usual and Sidebottom showed good aggression which he picked up from Allan Donald.As for the Windies, i feel sorry for the previous starts having to watch this, like Sir viv said, weak weak weak cricket.
Complain about this postWhy is James Anderson being overlooked at the expense of Liam Plunkett? Sure Anderson might be erratic, but when he gets it right he is lethal to any side, whereas Plunkett isnt and has never taken many wickets at any level. It seems like the team management and selection commitee's are still making the same mistakes and because of this they will always be number two against the Australians
Complain about this postWhy is James Anderson being overlooked at the expense of Liam Plunkett? Sure Anderson might be erratic, but when he gets it right he is lethal to any side, whereas Plunkett isnt and has never taken many wickets at any level. It seems like the team management and selection commitee's are still making the same mistakes and because of this they will always be number two against the Australians
Complain about this postI saw you recently at the city hall newcastle where you spent the whole night moaning about harmisons bowling. Why don't you just get off his back you know as well as I do that without him England would be absolutely garbage. Who do suggest to replace him maybe stuart broad - boring or the mighty Chris Tremlett. Harmison is king - Ashington till I die.
Complain about this postIndia will win 3-0 at this rate. Dravid and Tendulkar will have averages in the 60's after playing England.
Complain about this postI thought it was quite brilliant. Two world class teams cancelling each other out. Huh were talking about England. My bad
Complain about this postFirst the batting.
My evaluation is that Strauss is a class player who is struggling. He has an average in the 40's and has more tons than he does 50's. Many players go through difficult phases and while he probably shouldn't be in the ODI side, he clearly has the ability. My issue with the batting is the fact that we have picked Shah, who despite failing in the first test, wasn't given the chance to prove himself. He was picked on merit and deservedly so, but he should be given more of a chance. If we win the third test, send Strauss back to his county to get some runs, give Shah another go. Failing that, get on the phone to Trescothick and beg him to come back. It was a big blow when we lost him and we need someone who can carry the attack.
Next is the awful bowling problem we have. Harmison has to go. When he came onto the scene, he was known as a bowler who could be wild, but was clearly dangerous. And at this time and during his devastating spells, he was consistently bowling quick. I remember the first ball of the 2005 Ashes thundered into Justin Langer's elbow. The first ball of the last Ashes? Well we all know about that. There is no point in him bowling in the England side at the moment. But who do we replace him with? Through injuries we have few options, so Harmison is probably the most sensible option. I believe it would be better to try and get him back into form rather than give another youngster a test or two then drop him. Maybe give Anderson a bash? I believe he could be a force in test cricket, but again, is inconsistent.
Next is Plunkett, who if we remember after the Ashes, when we were beaten in Pakistan, bowled very well and showed great promise. I say sitck with him as well, he deserves his chance, but if he doesn't produce soon he has to go.
Sidebottom is doing everything to stay in the team and is doing far better than I thought he would, we will see how he fares against India. Panesar continues to show us that we now have a genuinely dangerous spin option. It's great to see someone flight the ball and give it chance to turn.
What happens when Flintoff is fit? His batting has gone to pieces, but if he gets back to full fitness, which I think he will then he should be in the team for his bowling alone.
We will be better placed to make decisions when players are fit and we have got maybe the first test against India out of the way.
Complain about this postRe comment 40
Complain about this post5 penalty runs were awarded when the ball was misfielded by Ramdin and hit the spare fielders helmet behind him.
There is no doubt about it, with the exception of Australia, the standard of Test cricket, throughout the world, is at an all time low. It can only be due to the amount of Mickey Mouse limited overs cricket now played.
Complain about this postHarmison and Plunket would not of got in my club side second eleven. Being able to pitch the ball on the cut strip is a prerequisite of a boy trying to get into the under eleven side, and should not have to learned once in a Test team.
We now seem to pick bowlers because they are nearing seven feet tall, not because they can bowl.
It is a sobering thought - Aggers, in his pomp, would have been first choice for this team.
Still, don't worry, the ECB - Sky axis money making machine will roll on.,
Slightly morbidley, I have just made out a new Will which is now in the hands of my solicitors. In it, I am leaving a request for my body to be cremated and my ashes scattered across the outfield at Old Trafford. To ensure that the task is done properley, I have requested that Steve Harmison be invited to do the scattering.
Complain about this postDear Jonathan,
To answer your question regrading Conch shells....here you go ..Most shells will only naturally play one note, but with pitch manipulations, multiple sounds can be achieved. The insertion of the hand and the placement of the fingers will also change the pitch of the shell
Complain about this postGraem Peters
better ask him to aim for the wickets or he'd miss the outfield.
Seriously, how much longer can the selectors persist in playing bowlers so totally out of form?
Complain about this postRe 42 AND 49...sorry you think I am being deliberately negative. If you like, I can say everything is great, we will all settle for second best, and then wonder why we get thrashed in the next Ashes series. Sorry - I prefer honesty.
Complain about this postComments on Sidebottom's appearance signify nothing but the narrow-mindedness and pettiness of their authors. The world has moved on since the short-back-and-sides era, thank goodness, and someone who looks a bit shaggy and can bowl gets my vote over a barbers' advert who can't consistently bowl on the cut strip. Keep on being your own man Ryan.
Shaggy 60-year-old.
Complain about this postI've never been a particularly big fan of Harmison, who always struck me as an ordinary bowler who occasionally did surprising things. For one year I thought he was proving me wrong. Sadly, it was only a flash in the pan. Time for him to be dropped for a bowler who can hit the square. Plunkett, too, is nowhere near Test standard yet. He needs five years with Durham to hone his action.
Interesting that some are calling for Jon Lewis's recall. Just to make one thing clear - he would almost certainly be in the side rather than Sidebottom if he wasn't recovering from ankle surgery. Hopefully he will be back before long, because Glos. (and perhaps England) need him badly. In the meanwhile, we could do worse than recall Caddick, who does at least know his way around a bowling strip and is having a terrific season at present. Failing him, Andy Harris of Notts anyone?
Complain about this postI am enjoying the cricket but please would it be possible to close the windows of the commentary box? The crowd noise does detract from the commentary - especially in the late afternoon!!!
Complain about this postPoor captaincy with the bowling, Harmison should have been taken off straight away. He is trying to bowl too fast instead of relying on accuracy. Plunket was'nt much better, Vaughan should have had trong words with them both instead of pussy footing around with them.
Complain about this postPoor captaincy with the bowling, Harmison should have been taken off straight away. He is trying to bowl too fast instead of relying on accuracy. Plunket was'nt much better, Vaughan should have had trong words with them both instead of pussy footing around with them.
Complain about this postSurely dire cricket is better than the day being rained off!
Complain about this postHave the selectors forgotten MARK RAMPRAKESH, ? his batting says that he is fit and ready for an England recall, his fielding is excellent, Andrew Strauss is just unfortunate at the moment but it needs to be rememberd that he is an opening batsman and therefore is always up against the best opposition and with a new ball, not so easy as batting further down the order.As for the England bowling, bowlers used to practice bowling at just 1 stump, today they cannot get the ball near the stumps, or far too often, wide of the pitch. Why is this dreadful situation allowed by the selectors, it is extremely embarassing to watch such terrible inaccurate bowling by people who are well overpaid and ill disciplined, I suggest that Harmison, and Plunkett be dropped, they contribute little to the team effort and there are other players amongst the counties who would take pride in playing for their country unlike some of the current selection, Flintoff replacing. Harmison, and Hoggard for Plunkett
Complain about this postRamprakash for Strauss, retain Sidebottom but only if he improves his appearance and a normal haircut please.
Hello Jonathan A.,
Looking at the performance of the English fast bowlers particularly the spearhead J. Harmison and L. Plunkett, it is not very encouraging. However, as the new bowling cunsultant, South African great Allan Donald put it,it is important to look at what they do well and give encouragement when they go through a very difficult time in their career; especially J. Harmy. He needs to be well observed of in his present play with the West Indies and the practice session by some great bowing coaches and past great bowlers and analyse his whole action, movement and delivery. They should be able to detect acutely what really the problem of his wayward bowing of wides of both off and leg.;whether it is his body movement as a whole or his holding of the 'cherryor some thing of the speed or his mind- aptitude.' Aove all he needs understanding and encouragement, for he was the terrific strike bowler who tooke 7 wickets for meagre runs against the West Indies in the Carribean and the Ashes series in 2005. I think Donald will be able to help him a lot. As for L. Plunkett he too needs encouragement and correction as he is a very young bowler. Donald said even for a player who is very young and learning and taking some wicket Test arena is good to improve further.He even further commented that Liam is more of the great bowler aussie Glen McGrath; that is a great compliment. So all in all both Harmy and Plunkett who young and even others need a lift up words and correction of right regimen that will go a long way to help and improve them and for England Team.
joe.
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