**Official** England in The West Indies

[a massive zebra]

The phrase "must be persisted with" ****es me off to say the least.

Ditto

 

[twctopcat]

Jeez, this is gonna be embarassing unless freddy or jimmy get a fifer. Harmy's gone back to early '03 mode, lost his radar to say the least.

 

[PY]

Three, Peter - England v SL at Trent Bridge in 2002. You were there

I might have been there but doesn't mean I remember it.

 

[luckyeddie]

Jeez, this is gonna be embarassing unless freddy or jimmy get a fifer. Harmy's gone back to early '03 mode, lost his radar to say the least.

After the first over (which was awful) he wasn't too dreadful - I guess he can't handle the white ball at the start.

Clarke and Batty the pick of the bowlers - taking the pace off.

 

[marc71178]

I'd rather see him winning matches for Somerset! But he does deserve to be in the England team, match practice will help him to improve no end.

I personally wouldn't say he deserves to be in, and as soon as Pietersen is qualified, I very much doubt Blackwell will be able to get near the team.

 

[marc71178]

Could someone please tell me why Vaughan is hopeless at one-day cricket?

Can someone tell me why people think this?

Granted he's not the best player in the World, but he's scoring consistently.

 

[marc71178]

but why leave Thorpe out? He scored a 100 before last year's NatWest challenge and has made himself available.

I don't think he has, and his age means he won't be around in 2007.

Even Solanki has to return, since he can hit the ball hard and is a very good fielder.

Erm, no he shouldn't - 1 good innings has provided about half his runs in 25 games or so!

And why was Blackwell left out? Just because of a first ball zero?

No, the need for a specialist spinner.

 

[marc71178]

Vaughan gets a half-century. Only his 2nd in 18 ODI innings. Disgraceful.

Yes, but then you see that in those 18 he's got to 20 on all but 6 times.

 

[marc71178]

Clarke amazes us with yet another innings of dazzling brilliance. The mind boggles.

I've been one of his fiercest critics on here, but you cannot really have a go at someone when he comes in so late in the innings and has to attack from ball 1.

If it doesn't come off then he's going to be out cheaply.

 

[a massive zebra]

Can someone tell me why people think this?

Granted he's not the best player in the World, but he's scoring consistently.

No, personally I do not think he is consistent. His scores in ODIs since the World Cup have been....

27, 10, 29, 13, 35*, 3, 11, 83, 30, 9, 37*, 29, 2, 0, 67

He has only reached 20 every other innings and today was only his second innings of genuine substance in over a year. Overall, that is 385 runs @ 29.61 since the WC. Not good enough for an England captain.

 

[luckyeddie]

Harmison gets his bunny again

 

[a massive zebra]

Yes, but then you see that in those 18 he's got to 20 on all but 6 times.

Wrong. In those 18 he's got to 20 on all but 8 times.

 

[marc71178]

Wrong. In those 18 he's got to 20 on all but 8 times.

It's 7 actually (the other one he was not out so traditionally isn't included)

 

[tooextracool]

No, personally I do not think he is consistent. His scores in ODIs since the World Cup have been....

27, 10, 29, 13, 35*, 3, 11, 83, 30, 9, 37*, 29, 2, 0, 67

He has only reached 20 every other innings and today was only his second innings of genuine substance in over a year. Overall, that is 385 runs @ 29.61 since the WC. Not good enough for an England captain.

not like hes doing much in the test arena recently either.

 

[PY]

Maybe not as well as he was before but his last Test innings was a match saving century.

Not too bad.

 

[tooextracool]

does anyone else think that strauss bats very much like langer?

so where did we lose the match yesterday?i think we're short one genuine FAST bowler,especially since harmison has cut his pace by about 10 mph.gough is no longer as fast as he used to be and anderson is just way too useless on a flat wicket.theres too much of a sameness in pace with this english attack and i really think that harmison should be given a rest for the final ODI and until the NZ series.
as far as clarke goes, i never though id say this but im tempted to pick anthony mcgrath ahead of him.

 

[tooextracool]

I've been one of his fiercest critics on here, but you cannot really have a go at someone when he comes in so late in the innings and has to attack from ball 1.

If it doesn't come off then he's going to be out cheaply.

its not like we've seen him play a gorgeous cover drive for 4 or that he was impressive in any of those innings in the natwest series.for him to remain in the ODI side hes going to have to bat at no 6/7 and if he cant at least strike at least 1 or 2 blows once in a while instead of playing some ridiculous reverse sweeps then he should be replaced by someone else.

 

[Tim]

Im tired of this defence that a player can only do so much when they come in late in the order & have to attack straight away.

The way ODI cricket is currently played, selectors are surely picking #7 & #8 batsmen with the thought in mind that they can up the run-rate in the final stages.
It's common knowledge now that if you're batting in the lower-order you've got to become good at it or else you'll be dropped for the next person.
It's almost a specialist role now, something that I think Abdul Razzaq has done quite well at recently.

 

[tooextracool]

but why leave Thorpe out? He scored a 100 before last year's NatWest challenge and has made himself available.

other than the fact that hes retired and wants to spend more time with his family its also the fact that england want him to last at least till the next ashes series in 2005. ODI games require some intense fitness levels and almost all players past 32 these days focus on one form of the game so that they can last longer. england definetly need their best batsman(after he missed the last 2 ashes series) if they want to have any chance of winning the ashes in 2005.

 

[marc71178]

not like hes doing much in the test arena recently either.

He's still averaging in the mid 30's, not brilliant, but bear in mind that the last 2 series haven't been the highest of scoring series.

Also he's made 2 superb centuries in difficult conditions in the last 2 series.