*Official* Fifth Test at The Oval

[GIMH]

Dunno, heard Broad has a rib injury. Will consider us unlucky if it rules him out.

 

[Pizzorno]

If Stuart Clark plays we lose. It's as simple as that.

Still amazes me why he didn't play the first 3 Tests. His bowling is tailor made for getting our batsmen out.

Silly crims ruining my Thursday even more. JUST LET US WIN FFS!

 

[Stapel]

CricInfo saying Australia will probably go in unchanged.

Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease

Cricinfo also states that Harmison is likely to play....

 

[inbox24]

Cricinfo also states that Harmison is likely to play....

Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease

 

[GIMH]

Cricinfo also states that Harmison is likely to play....

 

[Uppercut]

Harmison can be pretty good at the Oval. Wouldn't even contemplate picking him myself, but it's the one ground where there's a remote chance he might take a few wickets.

 

[Pizzorno]

In fairness to Harmison, he did do pretty well at the Oval last year against the Proteas.

But in fairness to Harmison doubters, he'll bottle good and proper.

 

[Scaly piscine]

In fairness to Harmison, he did do pretty well at the Oval last year against the Proteas.

But in fairness to Harmison doubters, he'll bottle good and proper.

Nothing to do with bottle, he's a rather large bullseye for fast bowlers (when he bats) but he still cops it, stays in line and pulls and hooks.

 

[TT Boy]

Glorious weather today in London. Not a cloud in the sky and close to 85+. Just a shame the rain is coming tomorrow and Friday.

Weekend looking good though.

 

[TT Boy]

In fairness to Harmison, he did do pretty well at the Oval last year against the Proteas.

But in fairness to Harmison doubters, he'll bottle good and proper.

When the ship had sail though.

 

[Uppercut]

Nothing to do with bottle, he's a rather large bullseye for fast bowlers (when he bats) but he still cops it, stays in line and pulls and hooks.

Nah there's definite bottle issues with Harmy at times. First ball, second slip.

 

[Stapel]

It seems England's line up is cemented for 10 spots, leaving one bowling spot open.

From the Telegraph: Graeme Onions, Monty Panesar, Steve Harmison and Ryan Sidebottom are in contention for the final bowling spot. Panesar's lack of anything approaching decent form this summer will almost certainly rule him out, while Harmison's record at the south London ground may just see him get the nod.

I wouldn't dare to say Harmison should be picked, but is it really a worse choice than any of the alternatives?
Onions hasn't impressed me, apart form one spell, I think
Panesar, as the Telegraph states, isn't in form. And why consider two spinners, if the Aussies consider to uses none at all? Makes no sense to me........
Sidebottom might not be assisted by the Oval pitch.

Maybe Harmison is the right gamble, rather than choice, for this must-win test?


Aussies have a similar dillema, so it seems. Hauritz back for Clark? And what about Lee? That last time he bowled at the Oval, he got smashed by Christopher Gayle for 27 runs. I know, completely different situation, but that was quite something.

 

[Pothas]

I think the chances of Harmison bowling well are smaller than the chance of him bowling badly, for this simple reason I think he should be left out. This may be a somewhat conservative aproach but is he really more likely to get wickets than Onions and Sidebottom?

 

[Uppercut]

England's bowling this series:

Panesar: 1 game, 1 wicket @ 115.

Swann: 4 games, 6 wickets @ 68.

Harmison: 1 game, 2 wickets @ 49.

Flintoff: 3 games, 7 wickets @ 48.

Anderson: 4 games, 12 wickets @ 38.

Broad: 4 games, 12 wickets @ 36.

Onions: 3 games, 10 wickets @ 30.

There's something a little backwards about the fact that Onions and Broad are the two bowlers everyone's talking about replacing, no? 18 wickets between them in the other two tests this summer too, remember.

 

[sledger]

England's bowling this series:

Panesar: 1 game, 1 wicket @ 115.

Swann: 4 games, 6 wickets @ 68.

Harmison: 1 game, 2 wickets @ 49.

Flintoff: 3 games, 7 wickets @ 48.

Anderson: 4 games, 12 wickets @ 38.

Broad: 4 games, 12 wickets @ 36.

Onions: 3 games, 10 wickets @ 30.

There's something a little backwards about the fact that Onions and Broad are the two bowlers everyone's talking about replacing, no? 18 wickets between them in the other two tests this summer too, remember.

I completely agree, but the fact that there are no bowlers who are averaging less than 30 makes for very poor reading in my opinion. If you are to win a series like this should have at least two frontline bowlers who are picking up wickets around the 28 mark if you ask me.

On the subject of Harmison though, surely there is no way he can be selected, it would be an absolute miscarriage if one of Broad or Onions was dropped for him.

 

[four_or_six]

I suppose the thing about Harmison is there's a chance he could put in a match-winning performance, albeit a small chance. Onions/Sidebottom more likely to bowl well, but Harmison might just bowl the match-turning spell.

Personally, I don't want him to play, I think Onions should. Not least because he looks most likely to get Shane Watson out, and I don't think it's a coincidence that the Aussie batting looks less likely to collapse since Watto came in.

 

[pup11]

Tbh if England drop Onions, then as an Aussie fan I would be pretty happy irrespective who they pick instead of him, AFAIC Onions has been England's most steady bowler in this series so far, he hasn't bowled an unplayable spell or anything, but still he has been pretty consistent with his line and lengths, and most importantly has always looked to make the batsman as many balls as possible, and with Flintoff back in the side, so don't think there is any need to persist with a mercurial fast bowler like Harmison.

 

[Pothas]

Yeah Onions has not really impressed all that much but as I say I think the chances are he will bowl better than Harmison, in fact a better way to put it might be he is less likely to bowl badly than Harmison.

 

[Nate]

So surprised at the lacks of respex for Onions. Only English bowler to hold his head up imo.

 

[sledger]

So surprised at the lacks of respex for Onions. Only English bowler to hold his head up imo.

I was about to say this actually, not exactly set the world alight, but for my money he has done a very solid and dependable job. At least he can bowl straight.