England v South Africa Test Series

[embree]

Why not just abandon the idea of national teams altogether, then?

But nationality isn't cut and dried, it's ambiguous in many cases. If I were anywhere near good enough for international sport I'd be qualified for more than one country and I have feelings for both. Granted there will be doubt over the level of commitment in cases like KP and Trott but if you are to allow for the vagaries of migration and whatnot then you have to accept those.

Symonds was born in England, Nash is a Queenslander, Caddick represented New Zealand at youth level. They're quirks but I don't feel those quirks detract from the ideal of national teams entirely. They all had claims on the countries they ended up playing for.

 

[mattie]

New ball. Too late?

 

[SpookyFrank]

Too late?

Spoke too soon...

 

[embree]

notoutnotoutnotout

 

[embree]

I could tell that from the radio see

 

[Discordia]

It's not boring in the slightest. England still have a sniff, just.

1000/1 is a chance? Heh. Draw is 1/33 btw. They'll probably just leave early.

One wicket and it could all cave in.

But it won't. It's like hoping for Wolves to win at Old Trafford. It COULD happen, but we all know it won't.

Or it could meander along to a draw.

It will, obviously.

It's only boring if you're ADD or a fuckwit

Guess most cricket fans are ADD or fuckwits then, since they're not watching Tests anymore. The game is dying fast, in case you didn't notice?

 

[embree]

if you like

 

[mattie]

Oh, Trott's gone.

Bell to bat out the 80 or so deliveries with no surprises whatsoever.

 

[TrippyLondoner]

bell's out, what a surprise.

 

[mattie]

did a good job, saw off a key 10 deliveries.

 

[jonnyd1978]

Will he be dropped for the next game? 5 bowlers next time and Bell out I suspect. 10 overs to go.

 

[TrippyLondoner]

Will he be dropped for the next game? 5 bowlers next time and Bell out I suspect. 10 overs to go.

he wont because apparently he has 'great technique' or something.

 

[jonnyd1978]

he wont because apparently he has 'great technique' or something.

To be fair, he does have good technique! Just hasn't been able to convert his promise into regular form in the test team. He's had his chance now. Who else do we have out there to replace him should he be dropped and they stick with 4 bowlers?

 

[embree]

Yep, Bell does have great technique. He's missing something else (runs mainly) but you can't fault his technical ability

Anyway, not boring at the moment

 

[littlebabyjesus]

To be fair, he does have good technique!

He's just nicked a straight ball, and according to the radio, his bat did not come down straight. That is bad technique.

He was also completely overwhelmed by Mitchell Johnson bowling short stuff in the summer. He didn't really display any technique that could be judged at all then, unless turning away, flailing your bat and hoping you don't get hurt can be called technique.

 

[TrippyLondoner]

fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuckkkkkkkkkk

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Uh oh.

 

[mattie]

Bell's always struck me as a batsman who never really knew if he should play like Thorpe or Gower.

I assume we've lost a wicket, and will again be relying on our bowlers to keep us in it.

 

[TrippyLondoner]

Bell's always struck me as a batsman who never really knew if he should play like Thorpe or Gower.

I assume we've lost a wicket, and will again be relying on our bowlers to keep us in it.

Yep, Prior's gone.

 

[embree]

One wicket and it could all cave in

But it won't. It's like hoping for Wolves to win at Old Trafford. It COULD happen, but we all know it won't.

Just saying

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Bell's always struck me as a batsman who never really knew if he should play like Thorpe or Gower.

He's not talented enough to play like Gower. He doesn't have the temperament to play like Thorpe. He seems to have taken Ramprakash has his role model.

 

[TrippyLondoner]

Broad swann and collingwood can save it for us i reckon.

 

[TrippyLondoner]

Should've not fucking said anything.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Review it ffs.

 

[TrippyLondoner]

I don't think swann and collingwood can save us.

 

[mattie]

He's not talented enough to play like Gower. He doesn't have the temperament to play like Thorpe. He seems to have taken Ramprakash has his role model.

I think he knows he's talented (in the direction, if not magnitude, of Gower), but just can't get his approach right to maximise it (as Thorpe, and perhaps Hussein as a better example, did). Either too positive, or too defensive, always too all-at-sea.

 

[mattie]

what what what?

 

[embree]

Broad's gone

 

[TrippyLondoner]

7.3 overs left..broad gone..2 wickets to go...bloody england!

 

[mattie]

This is tense. This is very tense.