***Official*** South Africa in England

[Richard]

I was just testing to see if you'd fall for the "enforced the follow-on" bait.

I don't dispute that dropped catches played a part in that game. The point is that to ridicule those who suggest that there may have been other possible causes is, well, ridiculous. For instance, terrific rearguard batting by the Sri Lankans, an unthreatening pitch, the England bowlers not bowling (even) better than they did, the timing of the declaration, the decision to enforce the follow-on, etc etc etc etc.

Without my mother I wouldn't be here. But that doesn't mean that my mother is the only reason I'm here. My father and/or a passing milkman had an important role to play too.

I realise that. But the batting was nowhere near as terrific as the drops made it look, and the bowling was actually damn good on a flat pitch - it's just that if you drop that many catches, well, as I say, your only chance of getting 20 wickets in three days is if batsmen make a habit of leaving straight balls.

It irritated me the way people criticised Flintoff's captaincy and the bowling because of that, when all the annoyance should have been channelled towards the missed chances, as they rendered anything else, however good it was, useless. You could've had Malcolm Marshall and Imran Khan bowling under Mike Brearley's captaincy and if those catches had been dropped you'd still never win a game.

 

[Aamir Alauddin]

Umm... no... it's not. The basic tool to swing the ball is a good seam position and a cricket-ball in the right state. If you've got those, you'll swing the ball whatever speed you bowl at - 100kph or 160kph.[/QUOT]

Wowwww. Now you people will tell the Pakistanis about the swing bowling...... I think Imran Khan, Wasim AKram, Waqar Younas And Shoaib Akhter learnt it from you people....

 

[Richard]

I'd go:

Cook
Strauss
Vaughan*
Pietersen
Bell
Flintoff
Ambrose+
Broad
Sidebottom
Anderson
Panesar

I'd go:
Strauss
Cook
Vaughan
Pietersen
Bell
Collingwood
Ambrose
Flintoff
Broad \ MSP (if MSP then he'd bat eleven)
Sidebottom
Anderson

Broad has zero case for selection now or ever; Collingwood at least has some element of past performance. MSP is highly unlikely to be any use at Headingley but I think we all know he'll almost certainly get picked due to the "you must have variation" crap.

 

[Richard]

Just have horrible visions of Ambrose's shell being used as a pretext to bring Prior back.

Well Ambrose is certainly in for Headingley.

Might also add that it's the first Test catch he's dropped unless I've forgotten one. Not dreadful for someone who's now played 7 games.

 

[Prince EWS]

If you want to swing the ball late then yes, you usually do have to bowl at a pretty decent pace. I reckon Glenhaven's opening bowler swings it more overall than Shoaib Akhtar though and he bowls a pace that would make First Class spinners look express. Faster bowling is harder to play, and late swing is harder to play, but that doesn't mean exponents of those are actually swinging the ball more at all.

 

[Furball]

If Flintoff has to come in, it must surely be at the expense of a batsman.

This bowling unit has done well against New Zealand, and given the lack of wickets which fell on days 1, 2, 4 and 5, put in a phenomenal effort to dismiss South Africa on day 3. Not one of the 4 incumbent bowlers deserves dropping.

However, it could reasonably be argued that they need an extra bowler, just to provide that extra something, in which case, Collingwood must be the one to miss out. Granted, he got a poor decision, but he's been in rotten form for England for over 12 months now, and his Durham form this season has hardly been sparkling.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Apparently this kid is really good at winding up some CW veterans. Disappointing to see.

 

[Richard]

Wowwww. Now you people will tell the Pakistanis about the swing bowling...... I think Imran Khan, Wasim AKram, Waqar Younas And Shoaib Akhter learnt it from you people....

I think people from all nationalities learnt it from all nationalities. In fact, no, I know they did.

Pakistanis aren't the only swing-bowlers, nor have all Pakistani swing-bowlers been lightning.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Apparently this kid is really good at winding up some CW veterans. Disappointing to see.

He's actually pretty crap at it. He's even copying my overuse of the smilie which went out of use months ago. Oops there we go.

 

[Richard]

Not one of the 4 incumbent bowlers deserves dropping.

Can't really see how Broad doesn't TBH. He never merited being picked in the first place.

 

[Furball]

Can't really see how Broad doesn't TBH. He never merited being picked in the first place.

Is Flintoff fit enough to spearhead a 4 pronged bowling attack?

Broad's got the potential, although a spell in County Cricket to fine tune his game wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Is Flintoff fit enough to spearhead a 4 pronged bowling attack?

If there's any doubt about his ability to play as one of four bowlers then he shouldn't play.
Collingwood is favourite to be dropped though.

 

[Aamir Alauddin]

Give another chance to that most over rated player of England history.

 

[steds]

Pretty sure that title belongs to Grace.

 

[Aamir Alauddin]

He was unlucky to miss the chance on this flat track in first test match.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I can't understand why anyone is suggesting that Broad be retained. Because England wants to play 5 bowlers? Well then why pick Broad? He's been poor with the ball most of the time in his career to date. The only reason people are favouring him is for his batting, and that's a reason to pick a batsman who can bowl, not a specialist bowler. Guess who's a batsman who can bowl - Collingwood. Out of form or not, he still makes more sense than picking Broad and batting "can't-buy-a-run" Flintoff at six.

Honestly South Africa should just surrender the series if they allow Flintoff to do anything significant at number six.

 

[headhunter]

Flintoff for Broad would be my own selection.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Is Flintoff fit enough to spearhead a 4 pronged bowling attack?

Why would he have to spearhead it at this stage?

 

[Howzatone]

If anyone deserves an attempt at spear heading the attack it should be Simon Jones, with 29 wickets at 13.27 this season in First Class cricket.

 

[steds]

Why would he have to spearhead it at this stage?

Because when the ball's not swinging Sidebottom looks ineffective and Anderson disappears into bouncer mode.