**Official** 2004 Natwest Series (Eng, NZL, WI)

[Andre]

thats what i meant.....the fact that bravo and smith got smashed all over the place in the slog overs while best didnt just goes to show how handy another frontline bowler would have been.

Oh ok - thought you meant Best was rubbish.

 

[anzac]

No they're not, they're one trick ponies, Harmison can't even get wickets against the Blind School Girls U11 3rd team, and Flintoff is an irresponsible batsman and useless bowler.

 

[marc71178]

well you would expect any batsmen to do well against a team with only 2 frontline bowlers playing.

I wonder would you have said that if it had been Oram and Styris with twin centuries against that attack?

 

[marc71178]

Interesting that.

Sarwan is dismissed and immediately Collingwood's next over (after 6 overs for 41) goes for just 2 runs...

 

[Swervy]

well looks like England have blown it again...dodgy fielding...Fredie must be tearing his hair out.

To be fair to England I think with Flintoff being unable to bowl the balance of the team has gone. To rely on Collingwood and vaughan to bowl as the 5th bowler is not going to win games.

Must say that Flintoff is looking more and more like a player of true world class.

Well chased by West Indies

 

[roseboy64]

West Indies have it in the bag.

 

[roseboy64]

And the West Indies win!!

 

[Swervy]

if there is any justice, i think NZ should win this tournament as they have been the only decent looking team in the series

 

[roseboy64]

Yeah.Quite true.

 

[Swervy]

if there is any justice, i think NZ should win this tournament as they have been the only decent looking team in the series

but its a funny old game isnt it...i hope the final turns out to be a classic...i dont really know who i want to win

 

[roseboy64]

Gayle played a great innings and Sarwan too.Lara and Smith never really had any impact.Powell with a good quickfire innings.

 

[biased indian]

if there is any justice, i think NZ should win this tournament as they have been the only decent looking team in the series

what if W.i beat them in both the coming matches

flintoff will be feeling great 2 centuries and 2 losses

 

[Adamc]

Brilliant. Simply brilliant. Well worth staying up till 4am for.
I feel a bit sorry for Flintoff though - back to back centuries, both in losses.
England's bowling wasn't quite as good as it should have been, but I think they lost this match with their fielding. I am sure there were at least a dozen missed runout chances, as well as a couple of catches that could have been taken. Turning point of the match IMO was when Strauss failed to runout Sarwan after he had slipped over.
Gayle was superb, paced himself very well, even if he did not look entirely at ease the whole time. 100 in his 100th match, and his 3 wickets in his last over may well have made the difference for WI. Third time he has batted through 50 overs (has anyone else managed to do it this many times?).
Sarwan was simply sublime, shame he missed his ton. Powell looked a bit lost at the start of his innings, but I felt his biggest contribution was to push Gayle to run twos instead of singles, putting more pressure on the fielders.
Looking forward to the finals.

 

[Legglancer]

Excellent Win for the WI .....

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Well im glad in a way England didnt make it to the final cos it might have papered over the cracks a little (not to mention giving Harmison and co a rest before the tests). Some positives: Flintoff and Strauss showing they are gonna be the future of the England Batting. Key looks great against the fast bowlers but once again gets out to the medium pacer (nothings changed in 2 years it seems). Trescothick is ok, he gets out early but can get big runs so i wouldnt worry there, Vaughans place is under serious threat at this rate. England have had different captains for the teams in the past, could it be time for Flintoff to be given a go? or would that be too much to ask him to hold the batting, bowling and captaincy in one go?

 

[Langeveldt]

Well for the large part, England have rid themselves of that shocking middle order, but still the results are not there... I don't think I have seen a side with such a gulf between ODI and test performances.. Zimbabwe may have come close in WC1999..

Key still doing sod all, I didnt see his knock, but he needs runs...

 

[wpdavid]

If Vaughan were to drop out of the oneday side, I couldn't imagine putting Fred in charge. If it happened, I'd go for Strauss, even although he is a newcomer.

Vaughan needs to have a long hard think about what he's actually contributing to this side. Given his form opening against the white ball, he had to either change his approach or change his place in the batting order. Instead, he did neither and was instrumental in our failure to build big enough scores. I wouldn't get rid of him before the ICC comp, but if he has another mare, maybe it would be time to move on. He's simply wasting a place in the side at present.

 

[Blakey]

Poor bloody England. Can't set a total and defend it. Any thoughts on Harmisson and Anderson? Suppose on a pitch that doesn't offer too much to the bowler it is very much an equaliser. Was a surprise he didn't have more impact in the game considering he is in the top ten at the moment.

 

[chris.hinton]

my 11 for India plus 4 others for the Natwest Challenge

Trescothick
Vaughan
Bell
Strauss
Flintoff
G Jones
Collingwood
Martin-Jenkins
Gough
Anderson
Harmison

Other 4

Sajid Mahmood
Solanki
Giles
G Swann

 

[chris.hinton]

Neil,

Because England have crashed out, do you think that the selectors have got the formula right for one day cricket?

BRING BACK SOLANKI!!!!!11