***Official*** England in Pakistan

[social]

I'm looking forward to it myself - always love the series against Pakistan because the sides are usually pretty well matched (and the crowds are fantastic).

Regarding the Twenty20 - wow! A shoot-out between Afridi and Razzaq against Flintoff and Pietersen with all four in form - a mouth-watering prospect.

How's about a 'double wicket' challenge as a tour-opener for the earthquake appeal?

Is it Birmingham that has a large population of people from the sub-continent?

Anyway, wherever it is, they create a great atmosphere at the local test ground.

 

[PY]

Yeah Birmingham has a large immigrant population, probably the largest of all the Test venue cities.

I love that elderly chap who dresses up in the robes and basically dances around the ground playing up to both sets of fans and getting the banter going.

Only thing was that things got a little fruity last time in terms of crowd trouble so hope nothing like that happens again.

 

[luckyeddie]

Is it Birmingham that has a large population of people from the sub-continent?

Anyway, wherever it is, they create a great atmosphere at the local test ground.

Yes, and Dirty Leeds does too (and both have fabulous curry houses)

 

[luckyeddie]

I love that elderly chap who dresses up in the robes and basically dances around the ground playing up to both sets of fans and getting the banter going.

Isn't he called 'Uncle Cricket'? There's been quite a bit written about him of late. Top bloke, I reckon.

 

[Run like Inzy]

yeah always gets the crowd going Chacha cricket from the town of Sialkot. I heard he is now officially sponsored by the PCB and gets to go everywhere for free or something.

 

[Legglancer]

I remember that joke that is Shahid Afridi signing for Derbyshire in 2004. So rubbish was he that Cricinfo don't even list Derbyshire as one of his clubs - hardly surprising really. He might as well have been playing for the opposition for all the good he was.

Poor man's Rikki Clarke, if you ask me.

I wonder if you still subscribe to the same theory ?

 

[luckyeddie]

I wonder if you still subscribe to the same theory ?

I take back nothing.

I daresay if he returned to the hallowed turf of the Racecourse, Chaddo, he would revert to being rubbish again.

 

[superkingdave]

Yes, and Dirty Leeds does too (and both have fabulous curry houses)

don't forget manchester

 

[luckyeddie]

don't forget manchester

I smell a possible future cliche - a bit like the old George Bush "Don't forget Poland".

I've never had a curry in Manchester - the nearest I've tried being Chorley and Wigan.

 

[marc71178]

How does going at 3.05 an over when bowling on mostly brilliant batting tracks point to a big resounding no?

His best season yet, and he can't even keep county batsmen under 1 run every 2 balls?

That answers the question on its own.

 

[Scaly piscine]

His best season yet, and he can't even keep county batsmen under 1 run every 2 balls?

That answers the question on its own.

So if he was going at 2.99 he'd be fine then... what a load of nonsense.

You know 3.05 for Somerset playing on roads is pretty good, but with your Warwicks bias you'd much rather have Giles averaging 56.94 for the year with the ball and going at well over 3 an over.

 

[marc71178]

No, whatever it was over 2.5 or less isn't very noteworthy - especially with his previous career record and his distinct lack of wickets.

As I pointed out, he bowled all summer for only a handful more wickets than Giles took in 4 early season games.

 

[Scaly piscine]

It doesn't matter whatever Giles does in FC games because that record is superseded by what he does at Test level. Regardless nobody apart from someone freakish like Murali would get anywhere near 2.5 an over playing for Somerset on their roads. Look at the best economy rates for CC2 in the 2005 season here:

http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005/ENG_LOCAL/CC2/STATS/ENG_LOCAL_CC2_AVS_BOWL_BEST_ECON.html

2 guys who bowled a reasonable amount of overs are below 2.5, one is Murali and the other plays on raging bunsens at home every other game.

 

[marc71178]

That stat only further shows how Blackwell is not an option.

 

[Blaze]

Now I know why Marc is in love with Ashley Giles... he plays for the county that Marc supports. Out of interest what other players play for Warweorueokdshire?

 

[marc71178]

Actually, my support for Giles is based on the clear fact that there are no English spin bowlers remotely close to him.

If I had it my way he'd play a full season for Warwickshire and take his 60-70 wickets @ 25.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Actually, my support for Giles is based on the clear fact that there are no English spin bowlers remotely close to him.

If I had it my way he'd play a full season for Warwickshire and take his 60-70 wickets @ 25.

For the same reason Marc is also a big fan of Graeme Hick, Mark Ramprakash, Mark Davies, Glen Chapple, Jason Gallian, James Kirtley, Dimitri Mascarenhas...

 

[Blaze]

For the same reason Marc is also a big fan of Graeme Hick, Mark Ramprakash, Mark Davies, Glen Chapple, Jason Gallian, James Kirtley, Dimitri Mascarenhas...

It amazes me that people are that passionate about their county/province. I,personally, am from Wellington and the only black caps we have are Fleming and Franklin. I feel no need or desire to defend them and couldn't care less if they were in the team or not.

 

[BoyBrumby]

It amazes me that people are that passionate about their county/province. I,personally, am from Wellington and the only black caps we have are Fleming and Franklin. I feel no need or desire to defend them and couldn't care less if they were in the team or not.

TBF none of the players Scaly listed actually play for Warwicks, so whatever point he was making it wasn't about county parochialism.

My guess is his point was that all of them have decent FC records, but haven't/wouldn't cut the mustard at Test level.

 

[Blaze]

TBF none of the players Scaly listed actually play for Warwicks, so whatever point he was making it wasn't about county parochialism.

My guess is his point was that all of them have decent FC records, but haven't/wouldn't cut the mustard at Test level.

Oh right. Still, it is something I have noticed, especially with Aussies