***Official** West Indies in England***

[social]

The biggest concern for the WI is not that they have conceded 5-550 in reasonable bowling conditions but that the selectors consider the standard of spin bowling in the Carribean to be so poor that they cant even find space for one in the squad let alone the team.

Seriously, they couldnt do any worse than the pacemen so why not at least try one. Who knows, they might unearth somebody with potential.

 

[Richard]

I remember you emphasising you put a post in jest in a post earlier.. You hadn't done it originally in this post and doing it 73 mins later is, as Brumby put it, dire.

Edited fully 73 monutes after the initial post. One word: dire.

Haha, WTF? So it takes 73 mins to realise something you've posted can be misconstrued... and you must be pilloried? Baffles logic, that stance.

And I don't see how that linked post has any significance, TBH.

 

[social]

Thats an interesting one. I instinctively thought when I read that that no.8 is too low for Flintoff, but thinking about it, it could be a good position for him to bat at, for a while anyway. Maybe some of the pressure would be taken off him, and he might play like he did a couple of years ago (the 140odd vs SA springs to mind).

Freddie in at 8 would give England a very very deep batting line up. Long term I think Flintoff should be at 7

Trouble with this strategy is that Freddie is unlikely to get enough time to play a decent innings.

He should bat at 7 at the absolute lowest and if that means no space for Vaughan, then tough luck

 

[Richard]

Which is why the prediction is Greigy worthy..

It wasn't a prediction, it was a throwaway one-liner.

 

[Richard]

In which case, why didn't you report the post rather than reply?

Oh right, you don't get a +1 for reporting a post.

So you think I'd be more satisfied by one single post than I would if you-know-who got a ticking-off?

No, I just know that there's nothing report-worthy in that post.

 

[Richard]

Im sure everything has already been said but..

Prior was brilliant today. Such a simplistic style. This is ball, this is bat. Bat hit ball. He had the almost perfect wagonwheel, with shots all around the ground.

Its an innings many England fans have been waiting for from a keeper for a long time. Maybe now we can forget about the Jones and Read rubbish.

Despite the relatively weak opposition, Ive not been so impressed with an innings as I was with this one for a long time.

I mean I have a lot of new found respect for a guy that scores a near run a ball hundred on debut at number 7 when not selected as a specialist batsman.

Incredible

Geraint Jones?

Good innings, yes. Especially good innings, no. Automatic gurantee of long-term success - not a chance. You've gotta do more than that.

 

[Perm]

Geraint Jones?

Good innings, yes. Especially good innings, no. Automatic gurantee of long-term success - not a chance. You've gotta do more than that.

Of course one innings doesn't make a player, but it shows that he has the potential to succeed.

 

[Richard]

Geraint Jones had the potential to succeed, too, but he lacked the brainpower to do so. He did, though, start superbly by smashing a rubbish attack.

The parrallels in the two cases are, in fact, alarming, and it surprises me that Kev would instantly distance the Jones and Prior cases.

 

[Goughy]

Geraint Jones had the potential to succeed, too, but he lacked the brainpower to do so. He did, though, start superbly by smashing a rubbish attack.

The parrallels in the two cases are, in fact, alarming, and it surprises me that Kev would instantly distance the Jones and Prior cases.

There are a couple of reasons (and yes I was excited when Jones scored his only Test ton) why they are different.

Firstly before even this game began, Prior was an obviously better batsman as his FC record shows.

Secondly, despite Jones's ton being early in his career, it was Priors 1st game and he played like he belonged and didnt just reach 100 and then get out like Jones.

Prior dismantled this attack. Jones batted pretty well but it wasnt an inning of such destruction and ease as Priors was.

Yes they are both keepers that scored tons early in their career at #7, but in terms of the actual nature of the innings and how they were played, they were different.

I really take my hat off to the lad. Prior was unbelievable today

 

[Richard]

I haven't seen most of the Prior innings as he was only on about 35 or something when I started work, but Jones' innings in 2004 was pretty destructive too, and I thought he played like he "belonged", even if he did get out the ball after reaching his century. And his First-Class average, at that point, was excellent too, even if he'd played fewer seasons than Prior has.

As I say - there are hundreds of parrallels, which even go down as far as the two's batting form at the time of their selection, never mind their style of play. I got excited about Jones in 2004 - hindsight tells us I was very badly mistaken (and so were the fair few others who thought the same way). I'm not going to make that mistake again - I'm going to wait for more than one good innings before I go overboard.

 

[Goughy]

I haven't seen most of the Prior innings as he was only on about 35 or something when I started work.

You missed a very entertaining inning then. As I said, his waggonwheel was close to perfect with shots all over.

Im not going to get carried away with 1 innings but Im also not going to take away from the guy for doing what no England keeper has done before and doing it with such ease and domination.

It was only 1 innings but Im going to give him great credit for it.

 

[marc71178]

think the last time England did it was before WW2.

I reckon Pakistan or India might have done something similar in those run-fests between the two countries in the 80s

Didn't NZ do it in Aus in 2002 or so?

 

[marc71178]

Its an innings many England fans have been waiting for from a keeper for a long time. Maybe now we can forget about the Jones and Read rubbish.

I personally would prefer to wait to see what he does behind the sticks to be honest - can't say I've heard any good reports of his keeping as yet - most of what I've heard suggests that he makes the Geraint on debut look like Jack Russell.

 

[marc71178]

No, I just know that there's nothing report-worthy in that post.

So how exactly is it offensive or anything then?

Oh, that's right it isn't, but it enabled you to have another go at SP.

 

[Richard]

Didn't NZ do it in Aus in 2002 or so?

NZ certainly did at The WACA in 2001\02, and as mentioned earlier SA and WI did in that most farcical of farcical games at Antigua (and there are a few to pick from).

I can't recall England doing it, though, and it wouldn't surprise me if it hadn't happened since pre-WWI or WWII. Which is a bit of a surprise, really, as there have been many more impressive batting efforts than this one and many higher totals. It's really been a century or not-much this game (and of course Collingwood owes one hell of a lot to a good few people).

 

[Richard]

So how exactly is it offensive or anything then?

Oh, that's right it isn't, but it enabled you to have another go at SP.

It clearly isn't offensive, but it is clearly an attempt at a put-down. And as has been stated by everyone, including even those responsible for the running of the forums, if he has a pop at me, it's only fair to expect the reverse. And to see him get himself in a tizzy thinking I can get away with anything, when any fool can tell that's not the case, is really rather funny.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Haha, WTF? So it takes 73 mins to realise something you've posted can be misconstrued... and you must be pilloried? Baffles logic, that stance.

And I don't see how that linked post has any significance, TBH.

Whatever then. If you don't want to take your lumps like a man, then so be it.

If your post doesn't win the Greigy tho we'll know the awards are both a travesty & a farce.

 

[simmy]

Meh, I think Richard is wrong.

That innings to balls and talent and it just shows that I was right when I said he should have been in the WC squad.

Now, as for when Vaughan and Freddie get back. I think Shah and Plunket should be dropped, because dropping Bell or Collingwood is just plain stupid.

Bell continually impresses me. Top knock.

I thought that at times the Windies bowled pretty well but the lack of wickets meant they lost focus. Hopefully England will declare overnight and Harmison can actually pitch it on the wicket this time around.

 

[Prince EWS]

It was a sarcastic comment, TBH, though I'd not have been surprised. I'll edit just to remove the chance of a Greigy.

Ridiculous. Firstly, there it's highly unlikely to have been sarcastic given your opinion of Prior and secondly, even if it was, you have no right to edit such a post after the fact, IMO. Disgraceful act - dire.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Personally I'd be very inclined to not pick Flintoff or Vaughan for the next Test. I agree with Boycott about how Vaughan should be playing some County Cricket and getting back to form there before he comes back into the Test side.

I seem to remember one of the things England did a lot under Fletcher was that if a player got injured he'd have to play in a county game or whatever before they'd be considered.