*Official* Fourth Test at the MCG

[HeathDavisSpeed]

That was more craven than Newsround multiplied by Countryfile.

 

[morgieb]

Is it true that England will be ranked number 5 in the world if they lose this match? Its hard to comprehend really if that is the case as a couple months ago they were rightfully one of the best couple of teams.

Nope. Even 5-0 will only put them at 4th.

 

[Adders]

That cool gusty change has just hit us here in East Gippsland.......just saw a stump and a couple of bails fly past the window.

 

[Son Of Coco]

That cool gusty change has just hit us here in East Gippsland.......just saw a stump and a couple of bails fly past the window.

Are you sure this isn't some sort of Inception-like alternate reality mate and you've actually ended up in the mind of an English batsman?

 

[NUFAN]

Nope. Even 5-0 will only put them at 4th.

Cheers. I read it on Twitter, but wasn't sure.

 

[Nate]

Kieswetter for the fifth Test!

 

[Adders]

Are you sure this isn't some sort of Inception-like alternate reality mate and you've actually ended up in the mind of an English batsman?

Our batsmen have minds??? Must have forgotten to pack them.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Stuart Broad is as thick as mince.

 

[wpdavid]

I don't disagree but have to say that I think the management have suddenly lost the ability to communicate with the players. At no time have all eleven appeared to be singing from the same hymn sheet and that hasn't been a problem for years. I can only surmise that Cook's travails with the bat have adversely affected his captaincy - never thought I'd say this but I think he needs some time back in the ranks and that the arsehole Pietersen should get the captaincy back for a while - he might even make a decent fist of it

By no means the worst suggestion that I've read all series. From here, KP's reign is looking like something of a golden age.

The other thing about KP is that he wouldn't be afraid to upset a few of them, which is clearly overdue in several cases.

 

[GIMH]

Well, I've a sore head and a dry mouth. Went to bed just as Root got out, and can't say I'm surprised at what went afterwards but I'm still mortified by it.

That being said, I still think we've a sniff here. All on Anderson for me. Australia favourites but bit so overwhelmingly that it won't be worth watching. Could be a cracking day.

 

[GIMH]

Sorry Fred, but you couldn't have KP as captain. The rest of the team hate him, it would never work.

 

[Spark]

Well, I've a sore head and a dry mouth. Went to bed just as Root got out, and can't say I'm surprised at what went afterwards but I'm still mortified by it.

That being said, I still think we've a sniff here. All on Anderson for me. Australia favourites but bit so overwhelmingly that it won't be worth watching. Could be a cracking day.

You missed Bell getting out too, thankfully

Honestly, whilst GIMH is correct, who actually has the authority in the dressing room to be captain if not Cook? Bell?

 

[Spikey]

leave cook alone

 

[wpdavid]

You missed Bell getting out too, thankfully

Honestly, whilst GIMH is correct, who actually has the authority in the dressing room to be captain if not Cook? Bell?

And that's the problem. Can you imagine them trying to keep a straight face when Bell tells them to dig in for the team after dismissals like today's?

As I said before, if KP upsets a few of the established players, then all well and good. I suspect he'd actually be quite good with the newcomers.

 

[Riggins]

Yeah me and my brother were talking about that today. Maybe you just need to do a Graeme Smith and give it to Root or something?

How was it recieved in south af when he got made captain at (iirc) 22?

 

[Spark]

And that's the problem. Can you imagine them trying to keep a straight face when Bell tells them to dig in for the team after dismissals like today's?

As I said before, if KP upsets a few of the established players, then all well and good. I suspect he'd actually be quite good with the newcomers.

But it's not that simple, is it? Unity is critical in a weakened dressing room, and it's important to make sure that everyone is pulling in the same direction.

KP is certainly a consummate professional and I don't buy that he plays mindlessly - if you watch his masterclasses and those times where he talks about his batting, he actually puts a lot of thought into his shot selection, he's just not thinking along the same lines as the rest of us, and he's batted with more intelligence than the rest of his teammates combined in this test - but that doesn't make a captain.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Well, I've a sore head and a dry mouth. Went to bed just as Root got out, and can't say I'm surprised at what went afterwards but I'm still mortified by it.

That being said, I still think we've a sniff here. All on Anderson for me. Australia favourites but bit so overwhelmingly that it won't be worth watching. Could be a cracking day.

It's definitely not over yet. A couple of quick wickets inside the first hour or so tomorrow and we could easily start to get very nervous. I'll only breathe easy if we're 2 or 3 down with 20 to get.

 

[Adders]

KP as captain is just ridiculous, never gonna happen and not even worth tabling for discussion.

Cook has a hell of a lot to learn as a skipper and the brand of cricket England are trying to play is just not working, but I think Flower and Gooch should be on the chopping block well before Cook. Even though he's on the face of it calling the shots on the field I can't believe these tactics and field placements are all his design, this must all be conjured up behind the scenes.

The Flower/Strauss partnership obviously worked, Flower/Cook doesn't.........we need a coach that can develop Cook as a captain and work with him during what is no doubt going to be some very tough years ahead.

 

[CWB304]

The idea of installing KP as captain is a sick joke. He has scanty leadership skills and very poor interpersonal skills. His first innings here illustrates this. With Broad - who has scored a test hundred and averages in the mid twenties - at the crease, he played the sort of shot to get out which is only forgiveable when you're Brian Lara, have already scored a big hundred, have thoroughly mastered the opposing attack, and are now batting with a recognized bunny such as a Walsh or an Ambrose. None of those were applicable in the first innings when KP and Broad came together. How many times have we seen Broad and Prior make a happy 50-60 or even bigger partnership in quick time to take the game away from the opposition in similar circumstances? Broad and Prior share good vibes. Broad and KP....not so much. KP was on 71 or so and had at no stage looked on top of the Aussie bowling, and therefore had in no way earned the right to contemptuous hitting out. Moreover, Broad, whatever his failings against Johnson, is no Walsh or Ambrose, and was more than capable of getting a fifty in that situation so long as his senior partner handled him right, gave him confidence and encouragement as required and reminded him above all not to attempt to pull or hook.

KP not only did nothing to encourage Broad, but by his slog sent out a massive "**** you" to him, which probably cost England between 50-100 first innings runs. Come second innings, Broad says to himself "KP wants the world to know he thinks I'm a bunny, and will probably try his calypso slogging from the other end anyway, so I might as well just have fun"...and promptly gets out for a third-ball duck caught slip going for a big drive to Lyon of all people whom I don't rate at all. The subsequent comments by Hussain and Botham which were primarily aimed at Broad to the effect that "Pietersen has done well but the tail end can't bat" (Hussain) and "why can't one of them just hang in there for Pietersen" (Botham) thoroughly missed the point, and failed to factor in the first-innings context, and the selfishness of KP himself which on this occasion as on several others in the past has only brought out the worst in others. I see England as a team functioning well below its potential partly because of the presence of KP.

 

[Hurricane]

The idea of installing KP as captain is a sick joke. He has scanty leadership skills and very poor interpersonal skills. His first innings here illustrates this. With Broad - who has scored a test hundred and averages in the mid twenties - at the crease, he played the sort of shot to get out which is only forgiveable when you're Brian Lara, have already scored a big hundred, have thoroughly mastered the opposing attack, and are now batting with a recognized bunny such as a Walsh or an Ambrose. None of those were applicable in the first innings when KP and Broad came together. How many times have we seen Broad and Prior make a happy 50-60 or even bigger partnership in quick time to take the game away from the opposition in similar circumstances? Broad and Prior share good vibes. Broad and KP....not so much. KP was on 71 or so and had at no stage looked on top of the Aussie bowling, and therefore had in no way earned the right to contemptuous hitting out. Moreover, Broad, whatever his failings against Johnson, is no Walsh or Ambrose, and was more than capable of getting a fifty in that situation so long as his senior partner handled him right, gave him confidence and encouragement as required and reminded him above all not to attempt to pull or hook.

KP not only did nothing to encourage Broad, but by his slog sent out a massive "**** you" to him, which probably cost England between 50-100 first innings runs. Come second innings, Broad says to himself "KP wants the world to know he thinks I'm a bunny, and will probably try his calypso slogging from the other end anyway, so I might as well just have fun"...and promptly gets out for a third-ball duck caught slip going for a big drive to Lyon of all people whom I don't rate at all. The subsequent comments by Hussain and Botham which were primarily aimed at Broad to the effect that "Pietersen has done well but the tail end can't bat" (Hussain) and "why can't one of them just hang in there for Pietersen" (Botham) thoroughly missed the point, and failed to factor in the first-innings context, and the selfishness of KP himself which on this occasion as on several others in the past has only brought out the worst in others. I see England as a team functioning well below its potential partly because of the presence of KP.

Thank you for putting in a paragraph break - I will respond to your logic shortly.