***Official*** South Africa in England

[Pup Clarke]

Have a sneaky feeling that Patto will open.

 

[Richard]

Has to be AF IMO.

He's the best bowler and can swing the new-ball - he needs to have it emphasised to him that he should.

In any case, Morne had success without swinging so much as one ball today. There is seam in this pitch.

 

[wpdavid]

We really need to his SA hard in the last session if we want to have any hope of winning this Test. I wonder who will open. Jimmy and Flintoff? or maybe Jimmy and Pattinson?

The latter I'd have thought. Fred's usually better first change.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I'm actually looking forward to seeing Pattinson bowl. Never seen him but surely, insane selectors and all, he must have impressed someone at some point.

 

[andruid]

Have a sneaky feeling that Patto will open.

Why did they not pick Tremlett!?

 

[Richard]

I feel so sorry for Tremlett. He's been 12th man pretty much since the India series right on the verge of selection, played fairly well in the County championship and just when the an opportunity is opening up, with England's lead bowler incapacitated, and some random journeyman with a dozen FC matches to his name gets picked instead

Tremlett's Championship form, sadly, just hasn't been quite good enough. He's bowled economically but hasn't taken many wickets.

That waste of space James Tomlinson has out-wicket-taken him.

 

[Richard]

I'm actually looking forward to seeing Pattinson bowl. Never seen him but surely, insane selectors and all, he must have impressed someone at some point.

Seen stills before and could have seen him bowl if I'd watched that Pro40 crap a few days ago.

Should be ITSTL.

 

[steds]

Why did they not pick Tremlett!?

He's poo?

 

[SpaceMonkey]

The latter I'd have thought. Fred's usually better first change.

Yep thats my thinking. But given we had such a low first innings total. They may feel pressured into opening with Flintoff and hoping he takes some early wickets.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Why did they not pick Tremlett!?

They're explaining it now.

Atherton says he's a swing bowler. Tremlett blatantly is not.

 

[Richard]

He's poo?

 

[Richard]

They're explaining it now.

Atherton says he's a swing bowler. Tremlett blatantly is not.

Angus Fraser wasn't a swing-bowler either. Martin Bicknell was. But their voices are near identical.

Point is, though, that this pitch has seamed, and the ball has swung.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Now they're showing Bicknell footage. I was always a Martin Bicknell fan. *sniff*

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Angus Fraser wasn't a swing-bowler either. Martin Bicknell is. But their voices are near identical.

Point is, though, that this pitch has seamed, and the ball has swung.

Selections aren't made in hindsight. They must have expected it to swing. But you're right, they should have taken a practice session on the pitch before choosing the team.

 

[Richard]

But why would you expect Headingley to not move off the seam?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I didn't expect anything in particular. I didn't pick him. Yes, I know you don't been me, but the point is that I wouldn't have picked him. However, I expect they picked him because they figured they needed another swing bowler, rather than another seam bowler.

 

[steds]

Just felt there's a lack of animosity in this thread atm.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I didn't expect anything in particular. I didn't pick him. Yes, I know you don't been me, but the point is that I wouldn't have picked him. However, I expect they picked him because they figured they needed another swing bowler, rather than another seam bowler.

Have to agree with that. They wanted a swing bowler to replace Sidebottom. Nothing wrong with that logic. Just why not have Hoggard as the swinging replacement rather than someone so untried?

 

[Richard]

I didn't expect anything in particular. I didn't pick him. Yes, I know you don't been me, but the point is that I wouldn't have picked him. However, I expect they picked him because they figured they needed another swing bowler, rather than another seam bowler.

In which case, pick Hoggard.

 

[Richard]

Have to agree with that. They wanted a swing bowler to replace Sidebottom. Nothing wrong with that logic. Just why not have Hoggard as the swinging replacement rather than someone so untried?

As I said to Heathmeister earlier - I really hate the "like-for-like" thing with bowlers. You should pick your best bowlers. If conditions appear likely to offer both seam and swing, seamers and swingers are as likely to be effective.

So I'd pick a seamer (Tremlett) ahead of a swinger (whoever) if they appeared the better option.