posted May 24, 2008

Swamy, your old buddy just scored a tone last match, and thereby addressed your concerns. now why don't you think of a patch up with him??????
umpire Tauffel has been brilliant today, someone like old man bucknor would not have refered that Vettori runout. well, DH is someone who doesn't like batters not using the bat against spinners, and your arguement does have a point. I think England might have to get the new ball to bring the life back in to the bowling.

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posted May 24, 2008

england continue to score at well under 2.5 an over, a rate than can best be described as "traditional", and this at Old Trafford to boot. have they learned nothing from the aussies (and others) with their comfortable 4+/over rate and the pressure this exerts? on one hand you cant necessarily blame strauss for trying to re-cement his team position but he is batting more like barrington on valium than the stylish slasher/puncher we used to know and currently need out there. NZ are at best a good county-level attack, which makes this latest exhibition (carried over from down-under) even more depressing. they are alas, (and taylor apart)seemingly playing like the 2 bald men squabbling over a comb, both desperate to avoid falling even lower in the ratings. on this showing, the proteas must be licking their lips.......

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posted May 24, 2008

Is Vaughan the right captain? NZealand consistantly look the better team playing exciting and positive cricket Somebody should tell Vaughan that cricket is a spectator sport and that he is killing the game with defensive tactics. Did he learn nothing from the Aussies?

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posted May 24, 2008

i have a question, the answer to which has ever eluded me and for which any answers would be gratefully received. it is a simple one:

"why does the fielding team complain about the ball going out of shape?"


surely it's in their interests to have something shaped like a rugby ball that will boomerang drunkenly all over the place through the air and off the pitch and really give the batsmen something to think about, whilst hiding, tuffnell-style, behind the wicketkeeper. surely it should be the batsmen who complain about an out-of-shape ball?

try as i may, i have never managed to work this conundrum out. hopefuly with your help.....

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posted May 24, 2008

Biggirl I could not agree more - I suggest you watch the IPL as proper cricket is clearly not for you.

I hate bleeding 2020 fans who can't hack a 5 day test match.

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posted May 24, 2008

That's could not agree LESS. DOH!!!!

Damn 3 minute rule!

I love nothing more than the machinations of a test match - if you want wickets falling every half hour go to watch kids playing.

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posted May 24, 2008

toadvine, I don't have the answer either and it always bothered me too why the bowling side gets the privelige of changing the ball..twice England had that privelige, first Lords now Old Trafford. I only know, when the ball is wacked out of shape and doesn get stuck into the the ball devise, the umpires have in their pocket, the ball will be changed. the good thing is..once done so by the umpires, it will be a benchmark for the rest of the test series. I know its not a good answer and I hated the fact,with the exchanged ball at Lords, England had a second life

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posted May 24, 2008

machinations yes, i'm all in favour of them, but here i am reminded of the immortal line in Apocalypse Now, when asked by brando what sheen thinks of his "system", sheen replies "i don't see any "system", sir"

possibly vaughan had some "machination" in mind by scoring at a rate a drugged turtle might be pleased with. to me it looked like a sad innings by an excellent batsman woefully short on team confidence and leadership ability or any form of "system" whatsoever.

how many has ponting just scored in the windies? hmmmmmmmm

i hope england can dig themselves out of this minor rut (they still have quite a few prime wickets intact, after all), but the bottom line is their default setting seems to be playing from the outset for the draw and if anything else comes along to be grabbed in passing, that's just a bonus.

and once again they seem to lack the killer punch and ability to kick the opposition in the bits when they are down. they have no fired -up harmison/flintoff to put the fear of god into the lower orders or warne/murallitheran to bamboozle them out. this has long been one of england's most massive problems and i dont see this lot of medium-pacers improving the situation. when the very worthy sidebottom, trundling in at 80-84 mph is your "spearhead", your pace attack must be pretty blunt, to put it mildly

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posted May 25, 2008

To the person bemoaning England's runrate, New Zealand's 1st Innings was comfortably over 4 runs an over.

Seriously though, I think we are guilty of underestimating our opponents, Vettori is an excellent bowler, clearly O'Brien is economical at least and economy brings errors and NZ have other competent players, How and certainly Taylor for two.

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posted May 26, 2008

I think Collingwood needs a break from Test Cricket. He can't play spin that well which isnt good if you're a number six batsman. Trent Bridge will probably offer a lot of turn as usual and so i think we need a batsman who could play spin and neutralise Vettori's threat...step forward Owais Shah.

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