*Official* First Test at Swalec Stadium, Cardiff

[Son Of Coco]

There wasnt much he could have done with the ball except stick his gloves in the way while ducking? Sorry thats just poorly played no matter what way you look at it. Any half decent coach will tell you that you get your hands out of your way when you duck. Strauss wasnt sure whether to hook or leave and in the process ended up gloving the ball.

So thus it was too quick for him. Directed at the throat = good ball. Any player who plays the pull/hook shot is susceptible to a good short ball as they'll generally take a bit longer to decide to leave it.

Strauss could have dropped his hands, but if everyone always did that you wouldn't see many people get out to the short one in the first place.

 

[Top_Cat]

There wasnt much he could have done with the ball except stick his gloves in the way while ducking? Sorry thats just poorly played no matter what way you look at it. Any half decent coach will tell you that you get your hands out of your way when you duck. Strauss wasnt sure whether to hook or leave and in the process ended up gloving the ball.

The ball was right at his throat - not high enough to duck, not low enough to pull. Sounds like just about the perfect bumper to me. The only way to understand how difficult it is to play a ball like that is to face one. Seriously, credit where it's due.

EDIT: SoC - jinx.

 

[cover drive man]

May be looking a bit bleak atm for KP, if he goes out it will prove quite a test for the england boys.

 

[Briony]

KP almost runs people out trying to get off the mark.

 

[Briony]

It's the first longish innings he's played for a while.

 

[pup11]

I think the kind of intensity that the Aussie boys showed in the 1st session of the game has been missing in the 2nd session, they seem to going through the motions a bit, and Ponting's conservative field-placements haven't helped either, he should have persisted with an aggressive field, and not allowed KP and Collingwood to take all these easy singles to build their partnership.

 

[Jamee999]

KP to 1000 Ashes runs.

 

[Top_Cat]

Can't believe I'm saying this but that LBW turned too much.

 

[tooextracool]

So thus it was too quick for him. Directed at the throat = good ball. Any player who plays the pull/hook shot is susceptible to a good short ball as they'll generally take a bit longer to decide to leave it.

Strauss could have dropped his hands, but if everyone always did that you wouldn't see many people get out to the short one in the first place.

Im not taking anything away from the delivery, the bottom line is that it was poorly played. He should have either ducked or pulled and he ended up doing a bit of both and got out. What would you like me to say? That it was well played? It was rubbish batting.

 

[Stapel]

Good to see Pietersen (and Colly for that matter) simply do what his team needs! No show pony stuff so far. Let's see if these two can hold out until tea!

 

[social]

Good sgns for Eng here - wicket is very slow but is starting to turn and you'd have to think it will only get worse

As I mentioned earlier, Collingwood is perfectly suited to this pitch as his short backlift

 

[Top_Cat]

Im not taking anything away from the delivery, the bottom line is that it was poorly played. He should have either ducked or pulled and he ended up doing a bit of both and got out. What would you like me to say? That it was well played? It was rubbish batting.

Obviously it wasn't well played but it's ridiculous to say it was poorly played too. It was just too good for him. The likelihood of being able to get out of the way of such a good ball is so small, little more he could have done save having the reflexes of a snap dragon.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Im not taking anything away from the delivery, the bottom line is that it was poorly played. He should have either ducked or pulled and he ended up doing a bit of both and got out. What would you like me to say? That it was well played? It was rubbish batting.

Not at all, but I don't think it was as terrible as you make out. I think the only thing he could have really done was decide to duck it immediately when he saw it was short.

 

[Briony]

Imagine Strauss without a helmet.

 

[Jono]

This is absolutely **** spin bowling here.

 

[Briony]

This is absolutely **** spin bowling here.

What did you expect?

 

[social]

This is absolutely **** spin bowling here.

Hauritz has bowled ok until that last over whilst Clarke has simply been crap

Unfortunately, the wicket is so slow that the batsmen can simply adjust to anything after it has pitched

 

[Briony]

I hate these dead pitches.

 

[tooextracool]

Obviously it wasn't well played but it's ridiculous to say it was poorly played too. It was just too good for him. The likelihood of being able to get out of the way of such a good ball is so small, little more he could have done save having the reflexes of a snap dragon.

It takes a longer time to put your hands up to your face than it does to drop your hands down. It was an error of judgement, he went for the hook then realised that it was too quick for him and tried to get out of the way and failed to do so. Its not about reflexes, its about making an error in judgement. It happens so I guess I am being a bit too critical off him.

 

[Top_Cat]

Hauritz looks an infinitely better bowler when he flights the ball. Give it some air, son! Forget the runs, time for a wicket.

KP seems determines to slap Hauritz into the legside and Horrie seems determined to help him by bowling darts. Why?