Phil Mustard

[Richard]

I don't remember that at all. Was that the first-innings or the second-innings?

 

[zaremba]

I don't remember that at all. Was that the first-innings or the second-innings?

4th day, July 13, 2008
South Africa's 2nd innings. 190-0. Smith 106 not out.

79.4 Pietersen to Smith, no run, he's dropped him, a fine ball spinning away from Pietersen that Smith edged at. It'd have landed in Paul Collingwood's lap at first slip, but Ambrose parried it to nowhere
Oh. Dear. That is truly village

Luckily for Ambrose Smith only faced 3 more balls before being out.

 

[zaremba]

And here he is dropping Stephen Fleming

2nd Test, Basin Reserve, March 2008

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44495000/jpg/_44495418_flemingdropped.jpg

17.1 Collingwood to Fleming, no run, and he's dropped it! Fleming nibbled at it and it edged onto Ambrose's left pad, but he couldn't get a glove on it. Simply too quick for him

 

[zaremba]

And moving away from Test cricket, England v New Zealand ODI at the Oval, 25.6.08

47.3 Swann to Gillespie, no run, dropped? We think... Ambrose can't gather a beautifully looping delivery

Was it a dropped catch? Well it seems it was...

I doubt I would have gone through with the appeal in any instance - but I can appreciate McCullum's actions more than England's in this case, as mentioned.

Tim Ambrose drops Gillespie...

 

[Neil Pickup]

And moving away from Test cricket, England v New Zealand ODI at the Oval, 25.6.08



Was it a dropped catch? Well it seems it was...

Well I don't remember that...

I'm also getting somewhat irritated by rivera's insistence that Foster is by far and away the top keeper on these shores. He isn't. Ben Scott is in the same park if not superior.

 

[Richard]

Ben Scott's also not even the best wicketkeeper-batsman at his own county - David Nash has always been a much better batsman and little worse with the gloves.

Foster at least is the best batsman of wicketkeepers at his county.

 

[Richard]

And here he is dropping Stephen Fleming

2nd Test, Basin Reserve, March 2008

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44495000/jpg/_44495418_flemingdropped.jpg

I do remember that one, and there's no way anyone would've caught it IMO - maybe Bob Taylor or Bert Oldfield or the like (and maybe not), but not a "standard" wicketkeeper.

You'd have to have Jedi predict-the-future reflexes to do it.

 

[rivera213]

I'm also getting somewhat irritated by rivera's insistence that Foster is by far and away the top keeper on these shores. He isn't. Ben Scott is in the same park if not superior.

I've nothing against Ben Scott, I'd have him in the team ahead of Ambrose, Prior, Jones and Mustard too but I think is an opinion shared by most that Foster is our best gloveman.

I actually think if not for ****ty luck with injury, Foster would have been in the England team since Stewart's retirement.

 

[Richard]

Probably before, actually. And I'm very grateful for Foster's bad luck, as had he not received it we'd have been deprived of a year of Stewart, which is not something we could have afforded.

 

[aussie]

He has a case to remain in the Test side based on his batting, but none whatsoever to keep wicket, nor to play ODIs as either wicketkeeper-batsman or specialist batsman.

And obviously I couldn't care less whether he plays Twenty20 Internationals or not.

His ODI position is about 80 % safe ATM. He failed as an opener yea, but he showed in little glimpses in the WI that he could be an effective finisher @ 7 in the future.

 

[Richard]

As I've said before - you're easily satisfied of times.

Prior is never likely, IMO, to be much use at seven in ODIs. Nowhere near as much use as Read would be.

 

[Furball]

His ODI position is about 80 % safe ATM. He failed as an opener yea, but he showed in little glimpses in the WI that he could be an effective finisher @ 7 in the future.

He was also utterly dire in India when he got bumped down the order when the selectors finally realised that he's hopeless opening in ODIs.

 

[aussie]

He was also utterly dire in India when he got bumped down the order when the selectors finally realised that he's hopeless opening in ODIs.

No, he was bumped down the order because the experiment of opening with him was a failure since he didn't bring his Sussex form through.

As i said, he could be very useful @ 7 he showed glimpses in WI, dont see how Read or Foster could do better than him in that position.

 

[Richard]

No, he was bumped down the order because the experiment of opening with him was a failure since he didn't bring his Sussex form through.

He did though. For most of his career (2004 and 2005 excepted) he's been diabolical as a OD opener for Sussex. And that's exactly what he was for England as well.

As i said, he could be very useful @ 7 he showed glimpses in WI, dont see how Read or Foster could do better than him in that position.

Foster couldn't, but Read certainly could. See Read's OD career for Notts and England for why. Read is a far better OD batsman than Prior.

 

[aussie]

As I've said before - you're easily satisfied of times.

Prior is never likely, IMO, to be much use at seven in ODIs. Nowhere near as much use as Read would be.

Its not a matter of being easily satisfied. Its just knowing England's limits in ODI cricket & not expecting us to produce players in certain position like AUS, SA & IND.

Prior can be useful @ 7, its the best time to give him a shot given his excellent test match batting form. If he fails i have no issue looking @ Foster, Davies or Read.

 

[rivera213]

The 20-20 squad was just announced and Foster is in as WK.

Prior is in the ODI's.

Doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[Richard]

Its not a matter of being easily satisfied. Its just knowing England's limits in ODI cricket & not expecting us to produce players in certain position like AUS, SA & IND.

If anything, picking Read ahead of Prior is just that. It's not trying to make a crap player (Prior) into an excellent one because he has one or two talents which exceptional players have, and just accepting that a decent one (Read) is the best available.

Prior can be useful @ 7, its the best time to give him a shot given his excellent test match batting form. If he fails i have no issue looking @ Foster, Davies or Read.

Prior's made a career out of being a good First-Class batsman and a crap one-day one (wherever he bats). This has been going-on for 8-9 years. It's plain folly to pick the ODI side based on what's happened in Tests.

 

[Richard]

The 20-20 squad was just announced and Foster is in as WK.

Prior is in the ODI's.

Doesn't make much sense to me.

I obviously don't give a damn who's playing in the Twenty20s from the POV of what England's team do, but it is a little worrying (though hardly surprising) that Foster has apparently replaced Davies on the basis of, well, nothing really. Didn't Davies actually do decently in the Twenty20 he played in West Indies (I might be wrong, as I didn't take much notice of it)?

At least there's consistency in terms of Prior playing the ODIs and not Twenty20s.

 

[aussie]

He did though. For most of his career (2004 and 2005 excepted) he's been diabolical as a OD opener for Sussex. And that's exactly what he was for England as well.

Not sure of his OD stats for Sussex myself, but like with Jones & Mustard. Its was a experiment by the selectors that either going to work or not.

Even i didn't want him to open really, was always pushing for him to bat @ 7.

Foster couldn't, but Read certainly could. See Read's OD career for Notts and England for why. Read is a far better OD batsman than Prior.

Yea dawgy i know all about Read, all im saying is that with Prior currently batting form i'd back him to duplicate that or better it for England.

Surely you must agree Prior can do a dcent finishing role in the ODI set-up?

 

[aussie]

I obviously don't give a damn who's playing in the Twenty20s from the POV of what England's team do, but it is a little worrying (though hardly surprising) that Foster has apparently replaced Davies on the basis of, well, nothing really. Didn't Davies actually do decently in the Twenty20 he played in West Indies (I might be wrong, as I didn't take much notice of it)?

At least there's consistency in terms of Prior playing the ODIs and not Twenty20s.

. Yo aint feeling T20's yet B, get grip.

Davies needs another season of opening to be seriously considered i'd say for the ODI or T20 side. He could very well & replicate last seasons performances & for the make-up of the current T2O WC sqaud it makes sense to pick Foster or Prior. The selectors took Foster i can live with that..