*Official* Second Test at Lords

[Richard]

Now the doom mongerers can start going.

KP you dick.

letting such an average Aussie team back into it.

Typifies things really. KP didn't do a particularly enormous amount wrong, but he's always called a nincompoop etc. whenever he makes less than 158.

And as for the doom-mongers, you could call us wrong if we didn't base our predictions on the fact that similar has happened 100 times and more before.

 

[Son Of Coco]

How can he be aggresive if he never bowls a bouncer?

Charge in bowl length and expect to scare people... hmmm...

I think Swann would disagree with you there.

 

[Prince EWS]

Epic contest this. Another wicket or two and it seems Australia are right back in it.

Just got home, how's the deck playing?

Flat. Playing a little bit quicker than SWALEC although that isn't saying much.

 

[wfdu_ben91]

How can he be aggresive if he never bowls a bouncer?

Charge in bowl length and expect to scare people... hmmm...

The first ball he bowled in Test Cricket, he hit Gautam Gambhir on the head. Didn't you watch Siddle bowl to Swann in the last match?

 

[Pizzorno]

letting such an average Aussie team back into it.

That's the real annoyance. We're making this attack look good.

 

[pup11]

Oh dear, Pietersen's starting to look good. It's almost inevitable that he'll get himself out within the next 5 overs.

Got a crystal ball or something mate...?

 

[wpdavid]

If there's one thing worse than KP giving it away it's listening to the obnoxious Blofeld go on about it on TMS.

 

[Pizzorno]

Didn't you watch Siddle bowl to Swann in the last match?

Oh yeah, that internationally reknowned batting powerhouse Graeme Swann? Yeah, I also saw Swann bill him around Cardiff too.

 

[The Sean]

Just got home, how's the deck playing?

Very flat, not helped by some dismal Aussie bowling. The boys must think it's Christmas that it's 3-270 rather than 0-300.

 

[wfdu_ben91]

That's the real annoyance. We're making this attack look good.

TBF, we made mediocre players like Alastair Cook & Andrew Strauss look like worldbeaters.

 

[Pizzorno]

Got a crystal ball or something mate...?

No, I just know this England team inside out. Bottlers.

 

[Richard]

Just got home

:

how's the deck playing?

Slow, sod-all seam, a bit of turn. BUT THE BALL IS SWINGING, for Siddle and Hilfenhaus.

 

[wfdu_ben91]

Oh yeah, that internationally reknowned batting powerhouse Graeme Swann? Yeah, I also saw Swann bill him around Cardiff too.

Swann was averaging over 50 with the bat in Test Cricket before that innings.

 

[Richard]

If there's one thing worse than KP giving it away it's people saying he gave it away when he didn't really.

Fix'd

And Strauss dropped AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[.matt]

Another wicket there and we would be looking good. Hussey normally takes those.

 

[Pizzorno]

Swann was averaging over 50 with the bat in Test Cricket before that innings.

Because of a few innings against the West Indies. Why do you insist on thinking that a player should be judged entirely on his averages? Swann's a tailender. A pinch-hitter at best.

 

[Richard]

Swann was averaging over 50 with the bat in Test Cricket before that innings.

And shall we remind ourselves that in the course of it he played the second-biggest part in saving the Test? There is no way Swann's batting stock went anywhere but up during the course of said knock.

 

[91Jmay]

Should have been held really. Not a dolly by any means, but catchable.

I'm going to be the first to say, that as the sun has been on it. There has looked to be a little more in this pitch that first thought.

It is still a 500 min pitch though. No doubts.

 

[Prince EWS]

Is it actually possible for Pietersen to get out for less than 100 without people carrying on about how he threw it away?

He got out driving a good ball that was in one his scoring areas and moved away fractionally. I fully understand the criticism of his shot against Hauritz in Wales, but I think people are being overly harsh to this one. He's a quality bat who got out to a good ball - it certainly wasn't an unreasonable shot or even unreasonable execution. Sometimes you just have to credit the delivery.

 

[wfdu_ben91]

Because of a few innings against the West Indies. Why do you insist on thinking that a player should be judged entirely on his averages? Swann's a tailender. A pinch-hitter at best.

And shall we remind ourselves that in the course of it he played the second-biggest part in saving the Test? There is no way Swann's batting stock went anywhere but up during the course of said knock.

...I was being sarcastic.