oh for fucks sake.

How can they start playing so well so suddenly?

Its almost as if the Aus and English teams have swapped shirts in the last week and a bit



Clark is playing a 4 day match at the moment, got a hattrick and 8-for in the first innings of that match. Bet they're wishing they didn't drop him now........


Not looking forward to the World Cup so much now

___________________
**Man I'm Pretty**

quote:

Originally posted by Trance Nutter oh for fucks sake. How can they start playing so well so suddenly? Its almost as if the Aus and English teams have swapped shirts in the last week and a bit Clark is playing a 4 day match at the moment, got a hattrick and 8-for in the first innings of that match. Bet they're wishing they didn't drop him now........ Not looking forward to the World Cup so much now

bloody rain again now

simple for england, vaughan captained us & brought belief in, even when he was behind the scenes, his input is invaluable. Collingwood has hit form, Joyce's 100 got him some, bell has been good, strauss even had a fifty and my choice of bowler (plunkett) has taken wickets. Yeah, he's expensive, but he picks up more wickets than guys like tremlett, lewis etc will, plus he's a young lad (about 22) who can be moulded, much like tait & johnson for you guys.

tbh our wc squad (15) should be this 11, vaughan, bopara, read & backup bowler from the rest, prob lewis

No Simmo, no dreads = lose-lose really.
Heck, its why I don't watch it much really

yah, been impressed with Plunkett.

That first ball back to Gilchrist was a doozy


We've got another 3 ODI's against NZ coming up in NZ. Ponting and Gilchrist are staying home, should be interesting to see what happens there. Hopefully they can turn it around.

Theres an increasing calls for Tait to be named for the WC, even the first game he played, where everyone said he didn't bowl particularly well he still got a few wickets and wasn't *that* expensive. Problem is that in a squad of 15 they can't fit the 7 quicks that are all banging for selection (McGrath, Lee, Bracken, Hilfenhaus, Tait, Johnson, Clark). Other problem is that the squad needs to be picked before this NZ series so they can't solve it there.

They are also wanting to select Symonds for the WC even though he won't be fit for at least the first stage.

Add to that you need a backup keeper (Haddin), there are some major selection issues trying to fit everyone into the team.

___________________
**Man I'm Pretty**

well i think you can count hilfenhous & johnson out. mcgrath will go, clark should, lee too. Bracken & Tait as backup should be enough but without symonds you lack a guy who can spin too, bar hodge. Hogg just isn't good enough imo and the windies pitches didn't turn much last time we were there

Clarke is a more-than competent spinner.
I'd almost put him above White who is meant to be a proper all rounder, beside the fact he's shown in this series he's not a good enough batsman or bowler.

Between Clarke and Symonds (when/if), I really don't think White should be in the 15, even though he played all the matches this summer. Hogg is bordeline, I suppose he'd miss out if they were struggling with spots, but he should be the spinner in if they are umming between Hogg or White.

___________________
**Man I'm Pretty**

quote:

Originally posted by Trance Nutter Clarke is a more-than competent spinner. I'd almost put him above White who is meant to be a proper all rounder, beside the fact he's shown in this series he's not a good enough batsman or bowler. You'd think they could skip Hogg and hope to rely on Clarke, Symonds when/if, I really don't think White should be in the 15, even though he played all the matches this summer.

Cameron White is a great batsman, but he's being played well out of order. He plays in the top 3 in the english game & is one of the top players, inc holding 2 or 3 of the fastest 20-20 hundreds. He's just played at 6,7 or lower & needs to play himself in (see his performance in the twenty20 game at sydney for proof)

picture of the day



glenn mcgrath holding a ball & chain in the outfield

Anyway, I can't say I'm over the moon, but im proud of how england have responded after what were some dismal games.

Batsmen:
Hayden
Gilchrist
Ponting
Clarke
Hodge
Haddin
Hussey

All-rounders
Symonds
Watson

Bowlers:
McGrath
Bracken
Lee
Tait
Clark


1 spot left, Hogg or White? Or another quick or batsman?




oh, and this is the better Alf

___________________
**Man I'm Pretty**

Last edited by Trance Nutter on Feb-11-2007 at 12:42

my 15 won't be the 15 we take & I'll explain why but from this 17

Loye
Vaughan (C)
Flintoff (VC)
Joyce
Bell
Collingwood
Strauss
Pietersen
Bopara
Read (WK)
Nixon (WK)
Plunkett
Panesar
Anderson
Mahmood
Broad
Lewis

But I can see them taking dalrymple ahead of bopara, but strauss isn't playing well so i dunno if i'd take him. Vaughan not making it would allow Ravi Bopara to come in. Broad has way more potential than lewis, but lacks the experience (he's the son of the well known match referee, chris) but he may get in on merit alone since Anderson's back might flare up. One thing you may have noticed too, is that the 2nd generation british-asians are coming through, many of whom have a good technique, Bopara, Mahmood and Panesar who you've seen, then Owais Shah, Billy Shafayat & many others, which should give us a good future.

no Loye, no Lewis

Loye is a one trick pony, all he's got to show from this series is a 45 and that was tonight. Strauss has a lot more potential than Loye, all he needs is one piece of luck (look at Hayden a week ago with his 150).

___________________
**Man I'm Pretty**

it's more the fact he gives the innings a kick-start. he's been very effective in doing so for a long time and the short boundaries and slowness of the wickets in the windies should play into that.