I'm shattered. You thick xenophobic tosspot. Still. My grief is alleviated a little by belly top scoring. Nice little earner that. That'll make up for the the money i blew on booze this xmas....
Anyway. Great series this. Loving every moment.
England v South Africa Test Series
- Thread starter SpookyFrank
- Start date
I'm shattered. You thick xenophobic tosspot. Still. My grief is alleviated a little by belly top scoring. Nice little earner that. That'll make up for the the money i blew on booze this xmas....
Anyway. Great series this. Loving every moment.
It's not great in historical terms. But in contemporary terms I'd put england second only to India at the moment.
The only weak link is No 4.
Yeah, the standard around the world at the moment isnt great.
KP is out of form, on form he is still our only player who would get into a world XI.
we also beat Australia at home and you, er, lost a home series to them
Swann would get in i reckon. As things stand. Vettori's my country's only world class player at the mo but I think Swann would edge it as the world XI's spin option. Tight call though.
Discordia - a study in how to fail to win with no grace whatsoever
Like his team and their pathetic cheating allegations. If you had the courage of your convictions you'd have made an official complaint, instead you didn't bother but still decided to bleat in the media about it. Pathetic way to carry on.
And as stated previously, Bell is a man in form. Vital innings in three of his last four Tests, very happy with him and his place in the side
10 years since we lost a series in South Africa
Like his team and their pathetic cheating allegations. If you had the courage of your convictions you'd have made an official complaint, instead you didn't bother but still decided to bleat in the media about it. Pathetic way to carry on.
And as stated previously, Bell is a man in form. Vital innings in three of his last four Tests, very happy with him and his place in the side
10 years since we lost a series in South Africa
littlebabyjesus
one of Maxwell's demons
They've got a couple...Um, havent Sri Lanka got some feller who gives it a bit of a tweak
Um, havent Sri Lanka got some feller who gives it a bit of a tweak
His all-round game aint on a par tho for me. Vettori and Swann both hit the ball like top order batsmen. Vettori in particular but Swann's not far off.
London_Calling
Pleasant and unpatronising
One World Cup ad Two Boer Wars.
I'm shattered too, Gabs, you're right about the great series. We have more in common than you think.
jonnyd1978
Handsome lads are playing chess in your area
Some great cricket around the world at the moment. Australia unvelievably pulling it back to beat Pakistan the other day and a really tight series in SA. 2 well matched teams, I'm really enjoying it. We've had the rub of the green to be fair but have also made our own luck at times. I reckon a series draw would be a fair result but I'd love us to win the next test! 2-0 in SA would be a great result!
A big recent positive thats's been a bit overlooked is that we now seem to have a settled keeper in Prior. Making runs and more than tidy behind the stumps. He should have secured his place for a while. Bell.....well....is he finally turning into the player the experts predicted? I've criticised like everyone else but fair play to him. He's worked hard and is back in form. Next step for him is to have a run of 2 or 3 test series in good form.
I still feel we're a bowler light of being a really potent attack. Onions has done his job resolutely with the bat twice to save the game for us but I can't see him winning a game for us with the ball. Anderson and Broad compliment each other well. When Jimmy's on form he can bowl anyone and Broad has this habit of magic spells of 3 and 4 wickets. We need that other option of a strike bowler like a Harmison in form. Anyone out there?
As for the spin option I don't think we're doing bad to be honest. Swann's in great form. We have Panesar there who has great potential but hasn't progressed. We have Rashid, a leggy no less who they're holding back hopefully for his own benefit. Who's the other guy they flew out too? Can't remember the name but that's 4 spinners in the reckoning. Not bad really.
Panesar could do with having a look at Swann's career. He was picked for an England squad in the late 90's but never played. Went back to the county scene and learnt the game properly. Got to try out variation, flight, speed, what to do in what situation etc. He worked hard at becoming a quality spin bowler. Not all players can bowl like Warne and Swann certainly can't. He has however maximised his talent and uses his head as well as his arm. Rashid is in danger of becoming another Panesar if he doesn't play enough cricket. He's out in SA now just bowling in the nets. If they're not going to play him he'd be far better off getting proper match experience in Australia for a club there.
As for the batting I think we're quite strong in this area. Will have to be a strong candidate to dislodge any of our top 6 now given Bell's recent form. Starts with a great opening partnership and Strauss and Cook are there or therabouts!
I think we've got a talented team at the moment. Maybe just short of that real strike bowler and perhaps a back up spinner and batsmen to complete the squad. No players close to retiring yet so this team should be able to grow together into a world dominating force and batter the Aussies on their own patch!
A big recent positive thats's been a bit overlooked is that we now seem to have a settled keeper in Prior. Making runs and more than tidy behind the stumps. He should have secured his place for a while. Bell.....well....is he finally turning into the player the experts predicted? I've criticised like everyone else but fair play to him. He's worked hard and is back in form. Next step for him is to have a run of 2 or 3 test series in good form.
I still feel we're a bowler light of being a really potent attack. Onions has done his job resolutely with the bat twice to save the game for us but I can't see him winning a game for us with the ball. Anderson and Broad compliment each other well. When Jimmy's on form he can bowl anyone and Broad has this habit of magic spells of 3 and 4 wickets. We need that other option of a strike bowler like a Harmison in form. Anyone out there?
As for the spin option I don't think we're doing bad to be honest. Swann's in great form. We have Panesar there who has great potential but hasn't progressed. We have Rashid, a leggy no less who they're holding back hopefully for his own benefit. Who's the other guy they flew out too? Can't remember the name but that's 4 spinners in the reckoning. Not bad really.
Panesar could do with having a look at Swann's career. He was picked for an England squad in the late 90's but never played. Went back to the county scene and learnt the game properly. Got to try out variation, flight, speed, what to do in what situation etc. He worked hard at becoming a quality spin bowler. Not all players can bowl like Warne and Swann certainly can't. He has however maximised his talent and uses his head as well as his arm. Rashid is in danger of becoming another Panesar if he doesn't play enough cricket. He's out in SA now just bowling in the nets. If they're not going to play him he'd be far better off getting proper match experience in Australia for a club there.
As for the batting I think we're quite strong in this area. Will have to be a strong candidate to dislodge any of our top 6 now given Bell's recent form. Starts with a great opening partnership and Strauss and Cook are there or therabouts!
I think we've got a talented team at the moment. Maybe just short of that real strike bowler and perhaps a back up spinner and batsmen to complete the squad. No players close to retiring yet so this team should be able to grow together into a world dominating force and batter the Aussies on their own patch!
All true Johnny, but remember that Bell was excellent for a while way back coming in at number 6 against Pakistan, scored a few tons on the trot. He's got a future, but anywhere other than 5 or 6 is a no no for the time being. It's a nice luxury seeing Bell walking out at number 6, but any other position higher tends to make me sweat a bit, as I'm expecting to see him walk off again soon after coming to the crease. His dismissal was poor, he didn't even have to try and hit it, but to be fair it was Morkel's first ball and he had been facing the slow bowlers for some time, so a change of pace probably rattled him a bit.
Also, it is that 6th batsmen who will make way for another bowler/all rounder, and I wouldn't ever get rid of Colly. So if he's going to get settled in the team, he's going to have to really hope that the bowlers keep up doing good work, otherwise...
Also, it is that 6th batsmen who will make way for another bowler/all rounder, and I wouldn't ever get rid of Colly. So if he's going to get settled in the team, he's going to have to really hope that the bowlers keep up doing good work, otherwise...
jonnyd1978
Handsome lads are playing chess in your area
Do we need another all rounder such as Flintoff though? We have Swann and Broad now at 8 and 9. Of course it would be nice but having these 2 in the team makes it easier to not have Flintoff around. It's his bowling we're missing now more than anything.
Ok so we're a strike bowler, a top six batsmen, a capable understudy spinner and a capable understudy opener away from being the best of the best. Not bad, we're on the right lines!
Ok so we're a strike bowler, a top six batsmen, a capable understudy spinner and a capable understudy opener away from being the best of the best. Not bad, we're on the right lines!
Been meaning to say - Broad did really well to step on a moving ball and target the rough side to scuff it up. I mean, if he'd stepped on the shiny side his team mates would have been a bit narked with him wouldn't they? Perhaps they practice this highly specialised form of ball tampering after the fielding drills in order to make sure they always get the correct side of the ball with their spikes.
On the other hand, it could just have been an accident. Who knows eh?
On the other hand, it could just have been an accident. Who knows eh?
tbh, in the absence of a genuine all rounder, I'm happy with having a tail that bats down to nine with the last two not being bunnies by any stretch of the imagination. They've got Luke Wright out there but have obviously decided against repeating the 90s tactic of selecting all rounders who aren't good enough for Test cricket at either discipline
strung out
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happy enough with a number 9 with a test average of 35
ivebeenhigh
Well-Known Member
which is higher than Flintoff's Test batting average anyway
its flintoff as a bowler that is missed...
Aforementioned number 9's bowling average is marginally better than Fred's as well and he has just as much of a tendency to take wickets straight away when he comes on.
Broad's bowling average is only a couple of runs higher than Fred's as well. I honestly don't think he'll be missed all that much - the Fred of 2005 and that era maybe, but not the player he was at the beginning and end of his Test career
I never said we needed an all rounder, but it would be good to have one, I'm glad Broad isn't at 7, for the future for sure and he then could be our all rounder. It's also great having a short tail (I don't remember a time when we've had it so good to be honest), but it's having a fourth seamer that may in the future undo England. To continue with 3 quicks and a spinner requires some outstanding bowling and talent.
It did fuck all though. SA scored a huge amount of runs. And Strauss was very quick to fess up that he didn't have Smith caught when he could have been given. So... it aint really an issue is it.
strung out
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but flintoff as a bowler hasn't done much for a few years. i agree it would be nice to have a flintoff style option to pick from, but there's not a big gap in wickets to fill from the last few series
paulhackett
voiced by strother martin
Lords last summer?
And a bit like Bicknell taking wickets for Surrey when Waqar was at the other end, he made batsmen take risks against other bowlers, who then benefited.
strung out
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possibly, but flintoff's average in the ashes was over 50 with 5 of his 8 wickets coming in one innings. as embree says up there, flintoff from 2005 will be missed, but flintoff of the last few years won't
Flintoff's first 29 Tests (1998-2003): 52 wkts @45.55
Next 33 Tests (2004-June 2006): 134 wkts@25.80
Last 17 Tests (July 2006 - 2009): 40 wkts@39.57
We're not missing that much based on the last 3.5 years
Oh, and just the three 5-fors in 11 years. Broad has that many already and Swann has four
Next 33 Tests (2004-June 2006): 134 wkts@25.80
Last 17 Tests (July 2006 - 2009): 40 wkts@39.57
We're not missing that much based on the last 3.5 years
Oh, and just the three 5-fors in 11 years. Broad has that many already and Swann has four
Interesting, have you got the batting stats for the same periods???
First 29: 1209@25.72
Next 33: 1918@39.95
Final 17: 718@27.61
He had a golden 2 and a half years 2004 to mid 2006, then tailed off again basically
These were in Wisden Cricketer this month but you can get this sort of thing off Cricinfo's stats guru which allows all sorts of filters etc
paulhackett
voiced by strother martin
If fit (and obv. he hasn't been for a long time) he would have been picked though (regardless of stats) even for this series, at the expense of Bell.
He was a busted flush for the last 3 years, but still performed a role as a bowler (it's not all stats). Happily at the moment Swann is performing that role now, by tying up one end and producing some runs (but neither he nor Broad have produced a 'big' knock to date)
I guess they're waiting for Finn or someone to step up in the next couple of years.
Depending on the pitch the only player at risk for the next Test would be Onions?
