*Official* Fourth Test at the MCG

[artvandalay]

Rogers reminds me of Justin Langer quite a bit, especially the way he plays the ball so late. Displayed an extra gear that I really didn't know he had today.

 

[mullarkey]

Rogers MOM. Not a popular choice last summer but all credit to him for showing great determination and spirit. Only two nights ago the 'experts' were suggesting he wouldn't make the cut for SA but I think the argument has been settled. Well done Rogers, nice guys do win sometimes.

 

[Spikey]

Q) When picking a combined series XI, can MJ be considered, given he didn't play in one series?

 

[GIMH]

Definitely, without checking I'd imagine he's near the top of the wickets list for both series

The XI:

Warner
Rogers
Watson
Clarke
Bell
Smith
Haddin
Broad
Swann
Harris
Johnson

Swann debatable but he was top wicket taker in the home series and well I need more England players.

 

[Spikey]

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo
Bowling records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo
Fielding records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[GIMH]

Pretty happy that my XI reflects those, looks like I can boot Smith out for Pietersen though which pleases me greatly

Swann's average way high, and yet it was around 27 in England IIRC

 

[Furball]

Last time they got white washed didn't they clean up the one dayers. Who was that gimp of a player who hit the winning runs in one match after an epic partnership with Paul Collingwood."We're both from the North. He's from the East, I'm from the West so we couldn't be more similar really". Yes you could if you were both from the east or vice versa.

Ended up winning the tournament but we were dreadful in the first 2 or 3 ODIs and we got destroyed in the T20 game.

 

[Riggins]

Definitely, without checking I'd imagine he's near the top of the wickets list for both series

The XI:

Warner
Rogers
Watson
Clarke
Bell
Smith
Haddin
Broad
Swann
Harris
Johnson

Not trying to fault your team, but what are Nath's match figures in Sydney for him to jump Swanny? ( I know you commented it was close before, and I've got no issue, just wondering)


The team seems too Australia centric for mine, I know it's a bizarre situation but I feel it should be a 7-4 split at worst.

 

[Riggins]

A push then.

is this online betting? what counts as a drop? for example the one he dived for that went low, but directly under his glove and at a catchable height…does that count? It was doubtlessly a chance, but he didn't actually touch it so who knows if it counts as a drop.

 

[GIMH]

Not trying to fault your team, but what are Nath's match figures in Sydney for him to jump Swanny? ( I know you commented it was close before, and I've got no issue, just wondering)


The team seems too Australia centric for mine, I know it's a bizarre situation but I feel it should be a 7-4 split at worst.

I think if he goes anything other than abysmally in Sydney then it's probably enough. As things stand Swann has more wickets but at a much worse average, from the same number of games. EDIT - Swann has played one more.

The number of Aussies reflects this series and also the performances in the back end of the series here. The only person who has even truly outstanding across both series is Harris IMO.

 

[Shri]

Not trying to fault your team, but what are Nath's match figures in Sydney for him to jump Swanny? ( I know you commented it was close before, and I've got no issue, just wondering)


The team seems too Australia centric for mine, I know it's a bizarre situation but I feel it should be a 7-4 split at worst.

Nah, seems fair enough as it is..

 

[Riggins]

Yeah I agree, and the whole series I've thought that his output should have been much better for the way that he's bowled. He's taken however many wickets at something low and you feel it should've been way more at way less. And not in the same way Broad or someone should get better returns.

I understand that it's a reflection of the series, and agree we've been ****ing good, but that good, i don't think so.


edit - @ gimh boi.

 

[GIMH]

Yeah I mean in terms of batting you've probably not been as good as that line up suggests. But if I put Pietersen in for Smith it would be false to me as he's not clicked much at all really. He was good in this match, I mean yeah his dismissals were turd but looking at the match as a whole it's hard to be too critical. Aside from that, he had the ton at OT and that phenomenal effort in the chase at The Oval and the rest of the time he made small contributions. It's probably as much or more as many of the other bats but does he really deserve an overall XI place?

So the top six is as much a reflection of how bad we've been as anything. And the attack gives a fair reflection in general, and also explains why the batting line-up is so unbalanced.

 

[Riggins]

The big thing for me with the england batting is that when KP is in, or even next in, i'm ****ting myself the whole time. He's in the worst form of his life (maybe, i dunno) and still if you'd offer me Cook (in career best form) or KP as iscurrently - I'd take Cook every time. I don't really have a point, I just think it's odd.

 

[theegyptian]

is this online betting? what counts as a drop? for example the one he dived for that went low, but directly under his glove and at a catchable height…does that count? It was doubtlessly a chance, but he didn't actually touch it so who knows if it counts as a drop.

nah it was just a friendly bet with a friend before the game mocking Yorkshire's finest in Bairstow and Bresnan. Unfortunately Bairstow's crapness was somewhat inevitable given his lack of keeping. I was surprised when he managed to catch the steepler on day 2 from Warner.

 

[Jarquis]

Just watched the highlights again - I don't know why - but I don't think I could cope with being KP in our 3rd innings and watching Root run himself out and then Bell, Stokes, Bairstow, Bresnan and Broad all getting out like that. FMD.

 

[91Jmay]

Well that was even worse than I thought it would be. Think wholesale changes are required now, as this team is clearly gone mentally. I've been toying with the idea of a combination of Moeen Ali/Joe Root (you tell him to go away and work on his bowling) as a spinner with Monty in the squad in-case the pitch looks like a real turner.

Something like Cook, Compton/Chopra/Carberry, Root, K.P, Bell, Ali, Prior/Foakes/Read, Stokes, Broad, Anderson, Onions.

Stokes at 8 gives the batting line up real strength in depth. Obvious concerns is that if a pitch isn't doing much for the seamers a team could plunder us.

 

[Riggins]

I know you're struggling but Akash Chopra? Seems a bit far.

 

[Hooksey]

The big thing for me with the england batting is that when KP is in, or even next in, i'm ****ting myself the whole time. He's in the worst form of his life (maybe, i dunno) and still if you'd offer me Cook (in career best form) or KP as iscurrently - I'd take Cook every time. I don't really have a point, I just think it's odd.

The common theme is how many of the touring party are currently in the worst form of their lives.

The Australian dominance has reduced a list of this England team to the worst form of their life - starting with Trott, Swann, Prior, and now add Pietersen, Bell and Cook, and probably others.

 

[GIMH]

Pietersen has probably been in worse form, not sure, but for Bell and Cook this isn't the worst. Not for me.