*Official* First Test at Lord's

[GIMH]

Thought I might have got a call after the poll results.

Broad V Bresnan, no surprise at all.

 

[Flem274*]

I'd go with Bresnan, though I think England will stick with Broad. From what I've seen England are really keen on him and I think they'll continue to back him.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I think the new, braver selectors might just surprise us.

The last ODI possibly showed us a new pecker order.

 

[Howe_zat]

I hope so. Obviously it's a different format, but ODIs are the format Broad's got a much better record in.

Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with asking him to fight for his place right now, though I do think he'll improve.

 

[Burgey]

If Broad isn't picked he could have a run for India.

Though their pace bowling stocks being so strong, he wouldn't make it

 

[BoyBrumby]

Draw the red-hot fav according to oddschecker. Best prices available currently:

England - 11/5 (3.2)
India - 24/5 (5.8)
Draw - 11/13 (1.85)

 

[Uppercut]

The latest forecast is for a bit of rain on day one and clear skies for the rest of the test.

 

[silentstriker]

Haha I just realized that Swann is older than Harbhajan Singh. I knew Swann didn't get picked until his mid-late twenties but Harby has been around forever, and I thought he was like 34ish......

 

[silentstriker]

Draw the red-hot fav according to oddschecker. Best prices available currently:

England - 11/5 (3.2)
India - 24/5 (5.8)
Draw - 11/13 (1.85)

England are a good shout.

 

[Anku31]

Haha I just realized that Swann is older than Harbhajan Singh. I knew Swann didn't get picked until his mid-late twenties but Harby has been around forever, and I thought he was like 34ish......

Bhajji made his debut when he was just 17,in 1998.

 

[Son Of Coco]

I think the new, braver selectors might just surprise us.

The last ODI possibly showed us a new pecker order.

I think this picture showed us the English pecker order a few years back.

From left to right: Small, eXtra Small, eXtra eXtra Small

 

[Howe_zat]

England v India: Stuart Broad is not the enforcer, says Andy Flower | Cricket News | England v India 2011 | ESPN Cricinfo

Interesting comments from Flower:

"I've heard some crazy stuff about him being - and I hate this word - an enforcer. His job is to create pressure and to take wickets and to do that you generally bowl at off stump. So his job is not to rough up the opposition. It is not to be this ridiculous enforcer."

I agree with every word. So I'd be fine with the change of plan to try and get Broad to bowl first change and top of off. What bothers me is that Flower's wording suggests this might have been the plan all along, which means, has Broad been ignoring instructions?

 

[flibbertyjibber]

If that was the plan then Broad isn't very good at bowling to it. If this is the case then Bresnan should come in for him this week as we saw in Australia he can bowl to a plan and create pressure.

 

[Howe_zat]

Hmm - it gets stranger. The confusion is that "enforcer" is Saker's word:

Express.co.uk - Home of the Daily and Sunday Express | Sport | Cricket

So either there's been a change of plan since, with Flower getting his way, or Broad was getting conflicting instructions.

(Apologies for the Express link)

 

[Uppercut]

Flower's so awesome. Always knows what the craic is.

 

[GotSpin]

For ages i had no idea what 'craic' meant. Working in a irish pub changed that though

 

[DingDong]

i would love to throw a dinner party and invite gimh, gotspin bun sehwag_fan cevno etc. will be the awsomest dinner party ever!

 

[GotSpin]

I'll bring the pepsi and ring dings or perhaps a chocolate babka

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Should we read anything into Bresnan being put forward for the press conference today?

 

[marc71178]

He's finally learned how to string sentences together so they're celebrating that fact?