England vs South Africa, 2012

[gabi]

This will go well

Kevin Pietersen will be at September's World Twenty20 - not as a player but as part of ESPN STAR Sports' team of television presenters. The news comes soon after it was confirmed that Pietersen would not play the World T20 for England followinghis spat with the ECB and his team-mates - whose performance he could now be commenting on from the outside.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-world-twenty20-2012/content/current/story/579138.html

 

[paulhackett]

This will go well

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-world-twenty20-2012/content/current/story/579138.html

The producer's going to have to have his finger hovering over the dump button anytime he's on..

 

[redsquirrel]

Interesting piece on the KP fiasco here

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/sport/...s-a-problem-worth-having-for-english-cricket/

He's got an interesting point re: individual performances sticking longer in the memory than the team's

Pretty crappy article IMO. I mean he says

One enduring cliché trotted out during the saga of Kevin Pietersen is that “no player is bigger than the team.” This is not always true. The relentless record-breaking of Sachin Tendulkar has dwarfed the achievements of the Indian cricket side. Likewise, Botham and his echo-boom Andrew Flintoff;

like it is a good thing. Despite Tendulkar, and the other great Indian batsman of the last 15 or so years, many would say that India haven't managed to live up to their ability - certainly outside the subcontinent.

And comparing Flintoff, a massively overrated player who lead England to a 5-nil defeat, with Botham is a joke.

 

[twentythreedom]

Anyone watching?

 

[mattie]

Anyone watching?

I was until the stream went.

 

[mattie]

Had a look at cricinfo, sounds like Amla really is in excellent nick.

 

[gabi]

im watching on this

http://cricvid.com/

yes, it's an excellent innings from amla altho kieswetter's dropped him twice

 

[Puddy_Tat]

 

[twentythreedom]

just..... aaargh fucksticks. the cunts! bring back kp

 

[twentythreedom]

Gwaaan Fatboy!!

 

[twentythreedom]

 

[mattie]

Press Conference at Lord's this lunchtime.

Rumours abound that Strauss will step down, at least from captaincy.

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

Press Conference at Lord's this lunchtime.

Rumours abound that Strauss will step down, at least from captaincy.

If he quits as captain he's gone you'd think. He's on shaky ground as a batsman already - might as well take the chance to give a new opener a chance.

 

[Idaho]

I think Strauss is right to resign. He took England to the top, and should be remembered for that. His, and England's performance since then has been poor. We have returned to our old ways of top order fragility (not that Cook is much better at the moment).

We do need a new opener, and Trott is ideal. Trott and Cook to open, then bring in some of these new players. Bell at 3. Give Bopara one last chance in India at 4, definitely Bairstow in 5, the little fellow in 6 and Prior in 7.

I just wonder if we don't get our mental preparation right for batting. We never look impenitrable.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

If he quits as captain he's gone you'd think. He's on shaky ground as a batsman already - might as well take the chance to give a new opener a chance.

I agree.

Not sure about putting Trott up to open, personally, given England's problems at number 3 over the years. A problem seems to be England's lack of dynamism in the field - Trott and Cook, in particular, are poor fielders, really. How about giving Michael Carberry another go? He's a decent batsman and an excellent fielder. Since Collingwood's gone, England's fielding lacks a leader, I think.

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

Doesn't Taylor open for his county? Would they see him there long term maybe?

 

[Idaho]

I think Cook can become a leader. He just needs time. No surprise he got a second baller yesterday with this all hanging over him.

 

[mattie]

I agree.

Not sure about putting Trott up to open, personally, given England's problems at number 3 over the years. A problem seems to be England's lack of dynamism in the field - Trott and Cook, in particular, are poor fielders, really. How about giving Michael Carberry another go? He's a decent batsman and an excellent fielder. Since Collingwood's gone, England's fielding lacks a leader, I think.

The fielding has looked sharp enough to me, save for the recent series (which has been poor) - although it is curious to see arguably the best fielder in the team being the opening bowler.

I'd rather pick an opener based on their batting qualities, slightly sanctimonious as it sounds.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Carberry's not a bad batsman, though, although he makes his runs at Southampton, which isn't the hardest place to bat. Taylor as an opener's another option too. I just don't see Trott/Cook as a good opening combo - they don't really complement each other, except in the left/right hand combo.

 

[mattie]

Carberry's not a bad batsman, though, although he makes his runs at Southampton, which isn't the hardest place to bat. Taylor as an opener's another option too. I just don't see Trott/Cook as a good opening combo - they don't really complement each other, except in the left/right hand combo.

God, I miss seeing Banger open for England.

Although I'd settle for an opener who sticks around, we could do with someone to add a bit of tempo.

 

[paulhackett]

KP comes across as a great steaming bollock in the Cricketer magazine interview. Hard to tell if he's that thick or been carved up.. his PA/Media person is a complete fool. If he hasn't sacked him he should.. does Bell still have him as his agent/representative?

 

[mattie]

It's on again.

Finn has demolished the stumps a few times now. Unfortunately, with his knee.

 

[mattie]

Smith out trying a disgusting leg-side (does he know any other?) hoik.

Jimmeh bowls him.

 

[gabi]

Dernbach bowling to de villiers with kieswetter keeping. Must piss the fuck out of saffa fans.

 

[paulhackett]

Dernbach bowling to de villiers with kieswetter keeping. Must piss the fuck out of saffa fans.

Thank you, Malcolm Conn

 

[gabi]

The eligibility rules are fucked. Is that what Malcolm conn reckons? I've never heard of him.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

The eligibility rules are fucked. Is that what Malcolm conn reckons? I've never heard of him.

Everyone's at it, though. SA have a Pakistani. NZ have at least one Australian and a South African. I don't like it either, but it isn't only England.

 

[gabi]

Yeh. I can't say I'm pleased to see someone called Kruger van Wyk stride out to bat for nz. Who's the Aussie? Good fightback from nz in India today incidentally

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Dean Brownlie.

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

The line is always going to be blurred anyway. From a minutes googling it seems Dernbach moved to England as a child (similar to Andrew Strauss) and Kieswetter when he was about 18. Where's the line supposed to be?