*Official* England in South Africa Thread

[Jono]

Jono

Thats what i mean England Never played well and need to rethink there ODI Tactics But if they raised there game we would beat South Africa

And if I raised my game I could not only make the Australian international team, but become captain.

So many ifs. What about whether the opposition prevent one from 'lifting their game'. Ntini clean bowled Tresco, Vaughan doesn't seem to have another level, Strauss was well caught, Collingwood and Bell had no chance, and KP played brilliantly.

Where's the credit for SA?

 

[BoyBrumby]

If England played better we would have won. No kidding! South Africa didn't let you play better. That's cricket. The opposition prevent England from playing to their potential by bowling well, fielding well and batting well.

Like the man said....

We were poor in both disciplines (KP the admirable exception); SA played well. 292 was a big ask, but not impossible; Pollock & Ntini showed the value of taking early wickets to pressurise the chasing team & we were never really in the race. The better team on the day won.

 

[chris.hinton]

Cricket is full of If,Buts and Maybes

But this is near the same side that Beat the Aussies apart from Flintoff

Perhaps we rely on Flintoff too much so we need a second All rounder

 

[Langeveldt]

Cricket is full of If,Buts and Maybes

But this is near the same side that Beat the Aussies apart from Flintoff

So? Big raps, you've beaten Aussie in one ODI... That doesn't guarentee success in anything tbh.. Another day brings another match, and you have to forget about what this side have done...

 

[chris.hinton]

But one thing is that we will still win the Series

 

[Langeveldt]

But if they raised there game we would beat South Africa

Maybe you are seeing SA raise their game for the first time in ages?

 

[chris.hinton]

Langveldt

How many tuimes have the Aussies been beaten in one dayers in the last year

i think about 3 times

 

[Langeveldt]

But one thing is that we will still win the Series

Yeah sure thing... And you know, how?

 

[chris.hinton]

Good Point Langveldt

 

[Langeveldt]

Langveldt

How many tuimes have the Aussies been beaten in one dayers in the last year

i think about 3 times

So?? You make it sound like if you beat Australia once you should be expected to clean up everyone else all the time without fail

I'm afraid things change quickly..

 

[Jono]

Langveldt

How many tuimes have the Aussies been beaten in one dayers in the last year

i think about 3 times

The last ones I remember:

Australia lost to India once in the TVS Cup in 2003, once to India in the VB Series 2004, twice to Sri Lanka, once to England in the CT, once to NZ and once to Pakistan in the VB Series 2005.

I may have missed some. So by your logic Sri Lanka and India > England. By your logic.

 

[chris.hinton]

I Agree Langveldt but when you beat the Aussies you got to be good and in a Semi final match has well

Shame South Africa get Thrashed every match against the Aussies

 

[Langeveldt]

Shame South Africa get Thrashed every match against the Aussies

Um, shame you are still behind 2-1!

 

[Scaly piscine]

I think England's problems can be summed up by saying that their best bowlers have been Kabir Ali, Gough and Collingwood... fine if you had Flintoff and Harmison tearing in taking 2-3 wickets as well, the other 3 then would get wickets from pressure, instead the pressure is all on the England bowlers.

 

[Langeveldt]

Are Harmison's homesickness problems affecting him at all do you think?? I know for most it may seem completely elementary, but being away from home for months at a time isnt the easiest thing ever..

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Are Harmison's homesickness problems affecting him at all do you think?? I know for most it may seem completely elementary, but being away from home for months at a time isnt the easiest thing ever..

He said in an interview the other day if Flintoff was fit he'd have probably gone home. Maybe we should ship his other half out on regular intervals!

 

[Langeveldt]

He said in an interview the other day if Flintoff was fit he'd have probably gone home. Maybe we should ship his other half out on regular intervals!

I'd have thought there was plenty to keep him occupied in South Africa!

 

[wpdavid]

Are Harmison's homesickness problems affecting him at all do you think?? I know for most it may seem completely elementary, but being away from home for months at a time isnt the easiest thing ever..

Harmison, remember, made it clear in a pretour interview that he didn't want to go, and said this week that he didn't want to still be there. His honesty wouldn't be the end of the world if he hadn't bowled like a drain for most of the last 8 weeks. I had a certain amount of sympathy (I wouldn't fancy being away from my wife & son for anything like as long) until I remembered that this was the guys who, 18 months ago, was complaining about not being awarded a central contract after he had "done enough" against SA in 2003. I'm now of the view that he can't have it both ways. Either he signs the contract and accepts what goes with it, or he is honest enough to turn it down.

At the risk of sounding old fashioned, I prefer cricketers who talk about the joy of playing and the honour of representing their countries instead of moaning about the bits of the job they don't like. Harmison famously had his eyes opened when training with Newcastle United before the WI tour. Perhaps he should now visit some of the towns in the North East devastated by long term unemployment and get his head round the fact that he's been given the opportunity to escape that sort of life if he could only stop feeling sorry for himself.

 

[Langeveldt]

But by not signing a contract, wouldnt he be seen as being a bit of a cop out among others? Especially if he gets the privelage of playing home tests in England, even if he didnt tour..

 

[wpdavid]

But by not signing a contract, wouldnt he (Harmison) be seen as being a bit of a cop out among others? Especially if he gets the privelage of playing home tests in England, even if he didnt tour..

Dunno. He'd lose a great deal financially, so at least it would be a principled stand. Of course, if our cupboard was fuller, he wouldn't be an automatic pick for the home tests. Whether he should be anyway after being ineffective in 7 of his last 9 tests is maybe questionable. OK, I'm probably overstating it there, and I would start with him against Aus because I know what he can do. But I could name several quicks from years gone by who would love to have had that sort of patience from the selectors.