Super Eight

[Laurrz]

my apologies... Langford Smith would be the Aussie.. my bad

 

[chalky]

Presumably because it's sunny and a good batting track? Although, try telling that to Vaughan and Joyce.

Yeah nothing wrong with the conditions IMO or the decision to bat first. If you're protecting your openers on a pitch like this there is something very wrong.

Botham is just talking garbage as usual with regard to bowling first.

 

[PY]

Does anyone else think Cricinfo's commentary has become pretty unprofessional recently? I know something was mentioned in here a few days ago but it's absolutely terrible now!

 

[wpdavid]

Ally Brown, always was the answer, but I guess I'm whining 7 years too late.

Yeah, I suppose he was kept out by various combos of Knight, Tres & Stewart.
But I'd like to see Benning given a go this summer.

Anyway, back to today ...

 

[chalky]

If England's top order batting is going to be this bad would they be better playing the specialist batsmen instaed of Dalrymple/Bopara at 7.

That position to me just seems a waste neither player is good enough to get in the team as a batsmen I don't think they will bowl any more than 5 overs. Are England not better off making those overs up through Collingwood, KP et al and having the better batsmen at 7 (even though in this squad the batsmen is Strauss).

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Come on someone, get KP.

 

[Dasa]

Does anyone else think Cricinfo's commentary has become pretty unprofessional recently? I know something was mentioned in here a few days ago but it's absolutely terrible now!

Agree with that...they seem more concerned with being 'funny' and making snarky comments.

 

[pup11]

Can't really understand how KP is ranked no.1 in the ICC batsmen rankings ahead of Ponting.

 

[Prince EWS]

If England's top order batting is going to be this bad would they be better playing the specialist batsmen instaed of Dalrymple/Bopara at 7.

That position to me just seems a waste neither player is good enough to get in the team as a batsmen I don't think they will bowl any more than 5 overs. Are England not better off making those overs up through Collingwood, KP et al and having the better batsmen at 7 (even though in this squad the batsmen is Strauss).

I Strauss significantly better than them as a batsman though, to justify the fact that he doesn't bowl? Especially if he's going to bat 7 and Collingwood is going to have to bowl 10 overs...

 

[wpdavid]

Can't really understand how KP is ranked no.1 in the ICC batsmen rankings ahead of Ponting.

Fair comment.

 

[PY]

Agree with that...they seem more concerned with being 'funny' and making snarky comments.

Exactly, the only reason I'm reading is because it's gives the bare minimum of what I need to know.

The bashing of Mr Colin Cook () was rather uncalled for too as he can't actually retort to them on air. Seems pretty pathetic and like some 18yos have been given free rein and are trying to annoy people.

 

[pup11]

Some crap being dished out by the Irish bowlers now.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Can't really understand how KP is ranked no.1 in the ICC batsmen rankings ahead of Ponting.

What's to understand? He averages over 50 at nearly a run a ball and that's with a few matches against Australia's bowling attack instead of England's. Obviously it's more complex than that, but it's fairly obvious how he could be rated no.1

 

[chalky]

I Strauss significantly better than them as a batsman though, to justify the fact that he doesn't bowl? Especially if he's going to bat 7 and Collingwood is going to have to bowl 10 overs...

England could be flexible with the batting line up i.e. today bring in Strass at 3 or 4 to combat the new ball (or waste the Power Plays) and get LH/RH combination. Flintoff at the moment (and for the last 6 months) is a liability at 6 at least it would give him a bit of protection.

Although Strauss' one day batting ability is questionable overall I believe it would outweigh the bowling value England get from Dalrymple/Bopara.

As a long term solution though it is like trying to repair the Titanic with punture repair kit.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Can't really understand how KP is ranked no.1 in the ICC batsmen rankings ahead of Ponting.

Presumably getting out for seven to Liam Plunkett is so dire that it cancels out all the other big scores.

 

[PY]

KP firing up.

 

[andmark]

Pakistan will reach but they won't go through.

Well I was wrong.

 

[pup11]

If all those factor were taken into account in the ICC player rankings then i doubt any Aussie player would have ever been in the Top 10 list.

 

[honestbharani]

Completely random number play from me, I've gone for the following table, dunno who will beat who though, and will probably be completely wrong!

Aus	12
NZ	10
SA	10
SL	8
WI	8
Ban	4
Eng	4
Ire	0

looking on track with that, Marc.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Expecting a 100 from KP here.