*Official* First Test at Swalec Stadium, Cardiff

[oitoitoi]

Broad justifying his average with some moronic bowling, anderson bowled the odd good delivery but otherwise was very very wide, wasting the new ball really, maybe he was hoping hughes would chase one? Agree England's continued over appealing over the last 3 years or so really gets my goat, hate it when bowlers do that when I'm batting. Swann looks like he could cause problems when the ball gets older, didn't really get his line or length right with the new ball. Hoping Monty takes a beating, never has someone done so little to get back into a test side, seriously as far I can gather he's basically given up on trying to learn variations as it was making him even worse, so if his stock ball wasn't working before what makes him think it will work now? Much rests on Swann and Flintoff.

 

[Burgey]

Don't let Burgey see that John Howard was in the stands

Saw this and immediately reached for a strong drink.

He's such a **** Howard. Honestly, he'd be in his element over there. He'll try and suck up to someone, looking for a ****ing Knighthood or an MBE. The man's a walking cultural cringe.

 

[Langeveldt]

Is Broad a bit dense?
They've no doubt spent hours upon hours analysing the way Hughes batted against South Africa and for Middlesex, and like everybody else who has been even vaguely following the build-up to this series would have deduced that giving him room outside off stump isn't bright....Broad then proceeds to play him in with a barrage of short, wide crap. Clearly wasn't a plan either, it's not like they were tying him down then throwing him some wide bait to try induce an edge....just poor bowling.

I don't think he is deliberately trying to bowl short and wide.. Nerves? He's a horrible bowler anyway, no way an opener for England

 

[crickets]

mc gill needs a drink. i think thats him in the opening credits coming off the run up, thats pretty ironic.

 

[Uppercut]

I don't think he is deliberately trying to bowl short and wide.. Nerves?

I think Hughes just makes back-of-a-length on off-stump look like a pie. He did it to the Saffa bowlers too, and as a result didn't get the credit he deserved because everyone put his twin centuries down to bad bowling. Glenn McGrath built a career on bowling balls not dissimilar to the ones that Hughes hit for four this morning.

I'm guessing Broad just hadn't quite nailed how to bowl to the man yet.

 

[Hoggy31]

 

[iamdavid]

Mate, that fella in your avatar looks like Michael Jacskon, only black

My previous avatar was none other than John Howard funnily enough

 

[superkingdave]

Fred to open after lunch, good battle hopefully

 

[TT Boy]

Not like Fred to give out verbals.

 

[chalky]

Different game with Flintoff bowling

 

[Jono]

After Akhtar, Freddy is the next best fast bowler to watch at full throttle in the world IMO.

Too bad they're both barely on the park.

 

[TT Boy]

Good battle this. Made Hughes think.

 

[King Pietersen]

Can Fred bowl both ends please?

 

[wfdu_ben91]

This is hilarious. Hughes got the same treatment in South Africa and shut everyone up. You just signed England's deathwish, Freddie.

 

[iamdavid]

That's more like it...

I'll have a lot of respect for Hughes if he survives and gets the better of Flintoff..

 

[Jono]

Not like Fred to give out verbals.

Really?

I remember him having a real go at Yuvraj during the first test last year in Chennai. Tried to get him to have a go at something outside off, and kept niggling him.

Though that being said, I can't remember him having a go at the Aussies on either of the last 2 Ashes series.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Amazing to watch, this.

 

[Burgey]

That's more like it...

I'll have a lot of respect for Hughes if he survives and gets the better of Flintoff..

Good battle. Freddie doing well to get that lummox to the wicket, frankly....

 

[crickets]

so flintof kept his mouth shut before lunch on what broad should have been bowling only to come out after lunch and try take the glory. captain first aye. it is absolutely a different game with him bowling.

 

[TT Boy]

I'm actually not sure if you were being sarcastic or not.

I remember him having a real go at Yuvraj during the first test last year in Chennai. Tried to get him to have a go at something outside off, and kept niggling him.

He doesn't like UV (history), hence the words.

Hardly said a beep during the South African test series - even when he had his duel with Kallis.