*Official* Fourth Test at Headingley

[PhoenixFire]

No sign of any rain yet

 

[howardj]

I can exclusively reveal that Flintoff has been officially ruled out.

 

[howardj]

And Harmison will play.

 

[Pizzorno]

I take it Phil Hughes has been updating his Twitter then.

 

[howardj]

His poor bowling record during this period needs to take into proper context.

was due to the fact that in IND he got injured & had is personal issues going into that tour. Thus that affected in in home test vs NZ & SA. Lee has lost nothing that warm-up gamed proved that.

This, in my view, is the fatal flaw in that argument. In actual fact he took an absolute hatful against a very weak NZ team, while on either side of that series he was very avarage against the blue chip line ups of SA and India. This to me indicates he was fit but just bowling poorly.

Lee has been a good bowler for Australia, and certainly one of our best ODI bowlers, and from all reports is a smashing lad. However, I think the shadows have gathered on his career, and it's but a minute to midnight. He certainly should not be playing tonight given his lack of form and game play.

 

[scorpiogal]

This, in my view, is the fatal flaw in that argument. In actual fact he took an absolute hatful against a very weak NZ team, while on either side of that series he was very avarage against the blue chip line ups of SA and India. This to me indicates he was fit but just bowling poorly.

Lee has been a good bowler for Australia, and certainly one of our best ODI bowlers, and from all reports is a smashing lad. However, I think the shadows have gathered on his career, and it's but a minute to midnight. He certainly should not be playing tonight given his lack of form and game play.

"Shadows gathered on his career" what a load of crap 'Josh'. Like he proved against the Lions? Those were some dark shadows in that match, aye. The thing I love about Brett Lee is how with some gung-ho statements he gets the detractors all worked up and nervous. He'll play in the 5th test, after the Ashes changes hands.

I absolutely hate it when clowns call another team 'weak' to simply take a bowler's credit away. Pity Mitch didn't take wickets against that 'weak' attack. What a load of ****.

Stuart Clark is older than Lee and I can assure you, he'll be finished looong before Lee is.

Let the 'big game boys' in Mitch and Siddle botch another one. I don't think he should play, cause I want the current crop to **** it up.

 

[scorpiogal]

I can exclusively reveal that Flintoff has been officially ruled out.

That's not so 'exclusive'. It's already running in the news.

 

[howardj]

"Shadows gathered on his career" what a load of crap 'Josh'. Like he proved against the Lions? Those were some dark shadows in that match, aye. The thing I love about Brett Lee is how with some gung-ho statements he gets the detractors all worked up and nervous. He'll play in the 5th test, after the Ashes changes hands.

I absolutely hate it when clowns call another team 'weak' to simply take a bowler's credit away. Pity Mitch didn't take wickets against that 'weak' attack. What a load of ****.

Well, I willl jump back into my box with my tail between my legs.

Seriously though, what was Binga's average last summer? And were England Lions 1 for 200 or 1 for 250 when he took his wickets? Mate, he has very little form or match play to speak of. Indeed, he's played one FC fixture since December.

Further, it's a legitimate point to make that he was impotent against SA and India, but not against NZ - especially when apologists are making the argument that his poor form last summer could be sheeted home to injury. He didn't look too injured against NZ.

 

[howardj]

That's not so 'exclusive'. It's already running in the news.

Glad to see you have a sense of humour.

 

[scorpiogal]

Well, I willl jump back into my box with my tail between my legs.

Seriously though, what was Binga's average last summer? And were England Lions 1 for 200 or 1 for 250 when he took his wickets? Mate, he has very little form or match play to speak of. Indeed, he's played one FC fixture since December.

Further, it's a legitimate point to make that he was impotent against SA and India, but not against NZ - especially when apologists are making the argument that his poor form last summer could be sheeted home to injury. He didn't look too injured against NZ.

Oh Robert, be realistic. Lee played well against the Lions, furthermore, he was much better than Clark (who himself was ordinary against said teams). Even if he doesn't feature for the rest of the tests, he'll definitely play in the ODIs and would use that as a platform for the summer, especially as it's becoming easier to push blokes like Siddle out.

And btw, the Lions were 1-172 when the 1st wicket fell, you should've checked. But, you know, I understand if you have higher expectations of Lee than Johnson et al. Pity MJ couldn't buy any of the wickets if he tried.

 

[Burgey]

Oh Robert, be realistic. Lee played well against the Lions, furthermore, he was much better than Clark (who himself was ordinary against said teams). Even if he doesn't feature for the rest of the tests, he'll definitely play in the ODIs and would use that as a platform for the summer, especially as it's becoming easier to push blokes like Siddle out.

And btw, the Lions were 1-172 when the 1st wicket fell, you should've checked. But, you know, I understand if you have higher expectations of Lee than Johnson et al. Pity MJ couldn't buy any of the wickets if he tried.

I don't think he should play either, because he hasn'thad any meaningful bowling in longish spells back-to-back.

It's not he's a dud, but at 1-0 down imo he's too big a risk. If he gets it wrong (and they all do at times) he tends to go for a shed load of runs. Unfortunately I don't think we can afford that atm. If Clark is below his best, he may not get wickets but he tends to bowl tight at least.

If Lee hadn't got injured he'd have played the first test and would probably still be in the line up. but right now I don't think he should be.

 

[scorpiogal]

I don't think he should play either, because he hasn'thad any meaningful bowling in longish spells back-to-back.

It's not he's a dud, but at 1-0 down imo he's too big a risk. If he gets it wrong (and they all do at times) he tends to go for a shed load of runs. Unfortunately I don't think we can afford that atm. If Clark is below his best, he may not get wickets but he tends to bowl tight at least.

If Lee hadn't got injured he'd have played the first test and would probably still be in the line up. but right now I don't think he should be.

I agree. I don't think he should come into the side now to clean up the mess that Johnson and company made. Over-hyped for nothing. Johnson better come good but even that may be too late.

 

[age_master]

Let the 'big game boys' in Mitch and Siddle botch another one. I don't think he should play, cause I want the current crop to **** it up.

 

[Jamee999]

As long as Stuart Clark doesn't play, I'm happy.

 

[andyc]

Had a dream that Clark came in for Siddle and took 6 wickets. If they put Clark in, we'll win, if they leave Siddle in, we'll do well. If they put in Lee I reckon we'll lose. And I'm a Lee fan, but he doesn't have the bowling into him - barring injury to the other options he shouldn't play in either of the remaining tests.

Haha, I had a dream that Lee came in to replace Johnson, while all the other bowlers retained their places. My neighbours probably heard me shouting 'RAGE' in my sleep, tbh.

 

[Burgey]

I can exclusively reveal that Flintoff has been officially ruled out.

And Harmison will play.

That's not the swap though, surely? Wouldn't Trott come in for Flintoff, and Harmison for Lady Boy?

Otherwise you'd have:

Bounced Catch (c)
Half-Cooked
Ravi
Sherminator
Collywobbles
Wrong Priority
Lady Boy
Ugly Duckling
Spanish
Monobrow
Harmy

It's an interesting line-up given they're 1-0 up with two to play. Kudos on running with it if they do, as it's certainly aggressive and doesn't seem as though they're sitting back, but the tail is very long.

Then again, they've batted well down the order all series.

 

[howardj]

Oh Robert, be realistic. Lee played well against the Lions, furthermore, he was much better than Clark (who himself was ordinary against said teams). Even if he doesn't feature for the rest of the tests, he'll definitely play in the ODIs and would use that as a platform for the summer, especially as it's becoming easier to push blokes like Siddle out.

And btw, the Lions were 1-172 when the 1st wicket fell, you should've checked. But, you know, I understand if you have higher expectations of Lee than Johnson et al. Pity MJ couldn't buy any of the wickets if he tried.

Robert?

Lee did have a good spell against the Lions, however his lack of penetration with the new ball was a worry and certainly, to my mind at the time, he had not done anywhere near enough to displace the celebrated trio of leather flingers (Hilfenhaus, Johnson and Siddle) who collectively stormed South Africa's fortress. That, coupled with his below par Australian summer where he averaged 48 across a fair sample of games, and his recent injuries, in my view brings his future in the longer form into question. Especially considering that he will be 34 next summer. I think the selectors will be more inclined to move forward next summer; even more so since we won't be confronting any heavy weights for at least nine months.

 

[pup11]

Robert?

Lee did have a good spell against the Lions, however his lack of penetration with the new ball was a worry and certainly, to my mind at the time, he had not done anywhere near enough to displace the celebrated trio of leather flingers (Hilfenhaus, Johnson and Siddle) who collectively stormed South Africa's fortress. That, coupled with his below par Australian summer where he averaged 48 across a fair sample of games, and his recent injuries, in my view brings his future in the longer form into question. Especially considering that he will be 34 next summer. I think the selectors will be more inclined to move forward next summer; even more so since we won't be confronting any heavy weights for at least nine months.

Well I won't look that far into the future, but yeah I really won't want to see Lee making his comeback in the 4th test, and I think Lee and his fans too need to a get a bit realisic about the current situation.

Going into such a crucial test, with no match-practice or match-fitness behind him, would be stupid thing to do, and such a decision would have every chance of backfiring on him and the team.

Moving on, good to hear that the weather is decent atm, really hope that the game starts on time, since all the waiting during the Edgbaston test was really annoying as hell, anyways this is the team I hope we would play in today's game

1.S.Watson
2.S.Katich
3.R.Ponting*
4.M.Hussey
5.M.Clarke
6.M.North
7.B.Haddin+
8.M.Johnson
9.N.Haurtiz
10.S.Clark
11.B.Hilfenhaus

If Clarke is still not fit enough to play today, then I would replace him with Prince, and push Watto down to no.4 or 5.

 

[pup11]

Barmy army might not boo Ponting but they have prepared a pretty nice ode for him, its in the paeprs here this mroning, and this is how it goes:

Hey, Ricky, Hey Ricky, what you gonna do
Hey, Ricky, Hey Ricky, get on your kangaroo
We're taking back the Ashes, they don't belong to you
Cos we're the Barmy Army, we're England through and through

You tried to find a bowler, but it ended up in tears
You once had Warne and McGrath, now it's just that Brett Lee 'Spears'

You"ll try to get a century, but we know how you bat
So go on Down Under, or we"ll bring out Gary Pratt
Symonds has gone fishing, Gilchrist is long gone
You have got no spinners, we've got Panesar and Swann

You'll always be a whinger, when will you ever learn
You'll never get your hands on our little Ashes urn
You cook shrimps on the barbie, drink beer that's really weak

Your country isn't quite as old as some of our antiques
You didn't like our Bodyline, wish Beefy had been yours
Now we've got KP and Freddie hit sixes and fours
Come on England

I bet Ricky won't have minded them booing him, intead of having to listen to this all the time...

 

[Burgey]

Is that it?