*Official* England in South Africa

[Rant0r]

And how much longer they will wait until Ntini retires, lets be fair, he's a magnificent servant, but he's on the decline, and they will never drop him.

 

[aussie]

If they don't drop him for the next test. Smith should resign haa

 

[Prince EWS]

They dropped Pollock; they'll drop Ntini. Especially since they lost.

 

[Neil Pickup]

I really don't have any issue with the selection of Carberry: he's someone who has played lots of A team cricket, scored lots of Championship runs, is an excellent fielder, works hard at his game, has shown huge improvement over his career... far better than the retrograde step that would have been Shah or Bopara, disregard for technique and CC runs that would have been Morgan. Yes, it does highlight the fact that we're not too well off by way of reserve batters, but we knew that any way because we have had them playing for years.

Is Taylor really ready to play a Test match next week? Didn't think so.

 

[grecian]

Would of gone for Joyce, but not bothered with Carberry. Hopefully won't be needed, but it does show the farce of only having 6 batsmen in the party. We've shown we can bowl them out twice with 4 bowlers, it would be madness to weaken the batting line-up for a bowler or a nothing player.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Typical England selection that - some things never change - pick the journeyman (not intended to denigrate Carberry at all) as a reward for a good season even though he's an opener and 30 next birthday - a perfect opportunity to pick James Taylor has been missed

I think Taylor is a fantastic prospect and should play against Bangladesh but throwing in a 19 year old when you are 1 up is a big risk.

 

[Jarquis]

Can't see Carberry playing myself. Glad he's the one called up though, like him as a player.

 

[fredfertang]

I think Taylor is a fantastic prospect and should play against Bangladesh but throwing in a 19 year old when you are 1 up is a big risk.

From what I've read and heard Taylor has a superb temperament - I'd say if you're going to blood youngsters, and I feel strongly that selectors should, then the ideal time must surely be when the team is playing well and the dressing room is on a high

 

[Pothas]

HAAA ye probably. But seriously they should have picked Morgan.

Morgan probably is destined to play for England in tests and I like him very much (even if I don't agree with him playing for England in the first place) but he really has to score a few more runs in first class cricket before he does.

Carberry has done really well for us (with the exception of 2008) and deserves his spot in the squad.

 

[Goughy]

I really don't have any issue with the selection of Carberry: he's someone who has played lots of A team cricket, scored lots of Championship runs, is an excellent fielder, works hard at his game, has shown huge improvement over his career... far better than the retrograde step that would have been Shah or Bopara, disregard for technique and CC runs that would have been Morgan. Yes, it does highlight the fact that we're not too well off by way of reserve batters, but we knew that any way because we have had them playing for years.

Is Taylor really ready to play a Test match next week? Didn't think so.

I cant say I think calling up a player yet to debut and with no substantial future at this level a good idea.

I prefer short term injuries to be replaced, in the shortterm, by an experienced player with knowledge of the game at this level that can drop in and out as the need arises.

 

[Jarquis]

So who would you suggest?

 

[Pothas]

Yeah England really do not have that player that Goughy wants, Rob Key is the only one that springs to mind and as far as I am concerned he is a worse bet than Carberry who has scored more runs than him in recent years, is a miles better fielder and is has a far more reasonably sized ego.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Yeah England really do not have that player that Goughy wants, Rob Key is the only one that springs to mind and as far as I am concerned he is a worse bet than Carberry who has scored more runs than him in recent years, is a miles better fielder and is has a far more reasonably sized ego.

Yeah, this.

 

[Rant0r]

Stuart Law ?

The Selectors in England are over that recalling oldtimers nonsense aren't they ?

 

[zaremba]

Anyone else think that Ntini may take the problem away from the selectors by announcing his immediate retirement from Test cricket?

 

[wpdavid]

Morgan probably is destined to play for England in tests and I like him very much (even if I don't agree with him playing for England in the first place) but he really has to score a few more runs in first class cricket before he does.

Carberry has done really well for us (with the exception of 2008) and deserves his spot in the squad.

My only quibble with Carberry is that our injury worry is in the middle order and Carberry opens nowadays. Or have I missed something?

 

[Neil Pickup]

My only quibble with Carberry is that our injury worry is in the middle order and Carberry opens nowadays. Or have I missed something?

He made 100 batting at four for England A v Gauteng at the end of last month. Saying that, Denly made 217 at three a week later...

 

[BoyBrumby]

Just watching the highlights. Couple of thoughts occurred:

1) Swann has a really good arm ball. It's appreciably quicker, but there can't be that much of a change in action as he seems to get a pretty high proportion of his wickets LBW with it;

2) Boucher surely destined to be a footnote in tests as the first man to be given out in both innings on referral?

Fair play chaps. Great win; great performance.

 

[wpdavid]

Swann ranked 3rd in the bowling rankings, Broad 7th. And they are 3rd and 4th in the all-rounder rankings, respectively. They are champs both of them.

Only just picked up on this - quite astonishing, not least after what was being written about Broad on these boards six months ago. Obv we're not looking at a golden age for bowling, but even so.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Yea not a golden age is an understatement. Harris was ranked 7th ffs.