*Official* First Test at Swalec Stadium, Cardiff

[wpdavid]

If he was in for his batting he wouldn't be bowling as many overs as he is, Strauss seems to think he is our best bowler

Strauss is clearly a complete ****wit. Makes KP look like a tactical genius.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Maybe, just maybe, it's not because of T20 Nass, it's because he's bowled ****e? Nah, never.

 

[Steulen]

Truly bizarre tactics from Strauss

Broad hasnt looked like getting a wicket and is leaking runs whilst both Clarke and North are starting to line Panesar up

Sure Swann bowled a couple of crap overs earlier but I'd assume he was the senior spinner ATM and Jimmy hasnt bowled for quite a while

Anderson's been off the field so presumably he's not allowed to bowl for now.

 

[superkingdave]

Ball is going to be soft and dull by the time Anderson gets another go...and people will be wondering where the swing has gone.

 

[tooextracool]

That is a rank long hop from Swann, in general he is trying a lot harder than Panesar and actually is mixing it up a lot more, but his length in particular is all over the place.

 

[social]

Probably put the jinx on him but I really do think that North is a very good player - simple technique and seems to have a very good temperament

 

[King Pietersen]

Have to say, Prior's keeping has been incredibly solid in this game. He normally struggles on these type of wickets but has performed very well in this Test. Nice to see.

Woah, what is up with that dudes hair? :O

 

[Steulen]

That is a rank long hop from Swann, in general he is trying a lot harder than Panesar and actually is mixing it up a lot more, but his length in particular is all over the place.

A barkeeper in a real ale nazi pub mixes it up more than Panesar

 

[tooextracool]

Panesar varying between bowling too full and too short.

 

[wfdu_ben91]

I was joking.

He's clearly not our best bowler, how he's bowled as many overs as he has is baffling. Going to put it down to just a bad game though tbh, which an established player with a good record (Swann) would have gotten away with, but because he's already got a poor record it's putting him under immense pressure. Don't think he's finished for the series yet, I still have faith in him.

Swann is no worse then Broad, TBH. Performs against the weak teams like New Zealand & West Indies but faulters against the half decent teams in world cricket. Only difference between a poor record and a decent record is that the majority of Swann's games have been played against the West Indies.

Majority of England's stats over the past few years have been boosted from worldclass performances against the West Indies, which makes them look like superstars on paper, but makes them look feeble when they come up against stronger teams like Australia, India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, etc. Pietersen & Flintoff are probably the only players from the English side who haven't relied on good performances against the West Indies or New Zealand to have kept their spot in the side.

 

[tooextracool]

Probably put the jinx on him but I really do think that North is a very good player - simple technique and seems to have a very good temperament

Sorry but North's technique is crap. If we get some seam friendly wickets in this series, Id be very surprised if he manages to last through the entire series.

 

[tooextracool]

Have to say, Prior's keeping has been incredibly solid in this game. He normally struggles on these type of wickets but has performed very well in this Test. Nice to see.

Woah, what is up with that dudes hair? :O

Was very surprised with the catch that he took of Hughes yesterday, really thought he shelled it. But yeah hes been much better than usual.

 

[King Pietersen]

I can see North having a solid series, like Brendan Nash and Daniel Flynn did against us. Can't see him making many massive scores of note, but he'll consistently make starts, 50's and bat time. Could prove frustrating I reckon.

 

[wfdu_ben91]

Sorry but North's technique is crap. If we get some seam friendly wickets in this series, Id be very surprised if he manages to last through the entire series.

It's baffling how North has such a poor technique but yet made a 100 on debut in difficult circumstances, against a quality attack on a seam friendly pitch. Coming in at 4/60 and scoring a debut 100 under such circumstances isn't something that you'd usually associate with someone of North's technique flaws, but somehow he did it.

 

[tooextracool]

That believe it or not is the very first time that Panesar has bowled the right length all session.

EDIT: and then he ends up bowling it too short again. I mean is he just too stupid to realize this or does he just have poor control over his bowling?

 

[Briony]

It's baffling how North has such a poor technique but yet made a 100 on debut in difficult circumstances, against a quality attack on a seam friendly pitch. Coming in at 4/60 and scoring a debut 100 under such circumstances isn't something that you'd usually associate with someone of North's technique flaws, but somehow he did it.

I think it was because their attack was underdone for lying around on beaches for a month and couldn't muster good second and third spells. By the time he came in the sting had gone out of their attack. Steyn said as much after the match. I thought he suffered a bit of a reality check thereafter.

 

[Howsie]

Swann is no worse then Broad, TBH. Performs against the weak teams like New Zealand & West Indies but faulters against the half decent teams in world cricket. Only difference between a poor record and a decent record is that the majority of Swann's games have been played against the West Indies.

Majority of England's stats over the past few years have been boosted from worldclass performances against the West Indies, which makes them look like superstars on paper, but makes them look feeble when they come up against stronger teams like Australia, India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, etc. Pietersen & Flintoff are probably the only players from the English side who haven't relied on good performances against the West Indies or New Zealand to have kept their spot in the side.

When was the last time Swann played a test match against New Zealand

 

[Briony]

That believe it or not is the very first time that Panesar has bowled the right length all session.

EDIT: and then he ends up bowling it too short again. I mean is he just too stupid to realize this or does he just have poor control over his bowling?

He hasn't had a great summer domestically so it was asking a lot of him to expect a great performance here. They were banking on hope more than anything.

 

[tooextracool]

It's baffling how North has such a poor technique but yet made a 100 on debut in difficult circumstances, against a quality attack on a seam friendly pitch. Coming in at 4/60 and scoring a debut 100 under such circumstances isn't something that you'd usually associate with someone of North's technique flaws, but somehow he did it.

Stranger things have happened. Lets just remember that Cook has 9 centuries against almost all of the test countries around the world with a similarly atrocious technique. Bowlers don't always exploit techniques immediately and it takes them a while to do so. Why you ask? Because quite frankly most of them are rather brainless and it takes someone in the backroom staff like the coach or someone else to analyze and figure it out before relaying it to the bowling attack.

 

[social]

I think it was because there attack was underdone for lying around on beaches for a month and couldn't muster good second and third spells. By the time he came in the sting had gone out of their attack. Steyn said as much after the match. I thought he suffered a bit of a reality check thereafter.

Sounds better than "we were flogged"