***Official*** NatWest Series/Challenge

[FaaipDeOiad]

Collingwood, Solanki and Lewis are very unlikely to get near the Test side.

Not sure what you're basing your talk of Simon Jones on, but it's fine for everyone to keep ignoring him IMO - he's potentially the surprise key to the series.

Why is it that you write off players like Hogg and Vettori for their FC and test records respectively, but not Jones and Giles for their comparable records? For a fast bowler in England, a domestic average well in excess of 30 like Jones has is hardly brilliant. I'm not necessarily saying he's a bad bowler, I think he's decent and he's improving, but clearly his record is shocking, and given that he bowls on bowler-friendly English wickets in the relatively tame county champsionship and Hogg bowls on one of the least spin-friendly pitches in the world in the Pura Cup, I think if you want to belittle one for his FC record it's only fair to do the same to the other.

 

[social]

So...breaking up the Tresco & Strauss opening partnership yet to fail in Test cricket? No thanks.

Hopefully, England will drop Thorpe.

 

[howardj]

So...breaking up the Tresco & Strauss opening partnership yet to fail in Test cricket? No thanks.

Yeah, stick with Trescothick. The man who averages 29 against Australia. Oh dear

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

The thing is, in the absense of Giles, (and with Swann injured I believe) - it's a better option to have him then any other player - he adds batting and fielding.

Yet he weakens the bowling significantly. You did okay with it yesterday, but are you happy having Collingwood, Vaughan and Solanki bowling 10 overs a match against Australia throughout the ODI series? I wouldn't be.

It's a bit different for Australia with Symonds/Clarke bowling 10 because we can't pick 5 bowlers without significantly weakening the lower order batting by picking Watson in a role he is far from suited to. England however can pick 5 bowlers because of Flintoff, and they would certainly be a lot more dangerous if they did.

 

[Nate]

Haha, ditch Trescothick?

 

[howardj]

Haha, ditch Trescothick?

What's funnier is that the guy averages 29 against Australia

 

[Nate]

What's funnier is that the guy averages 29 against Australia

Shutttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttup! Dude! He`s in some awesome form, that 100 against Bangladesh was truely amazing. Averages against countries, averages in general, I don`t really care. Trsco/Strauss partny has been amazing of recent.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Yeah, stick with Trescothick. The man who averages 29 against Australia. Oh dear

In 10 Tests. It's a bit like suggesting to drop Ponting in India because he coincidentally averages 12 there...

Hopefully, England will drop Thorpe.

Hopefully for you guys, I trust?

 

[Mister Wright]

Symonds should have been sent home. It's farcical that a professional sportsman, playing in one of the most revered teams in the world, would stay out til 4:30am on the day of the game, and as a result be intoxicated during the warm-up. The guy is 30 years old - it's pathetic.

Practice what you preach...

 

[Nate]

Gah, next match for us in on Thursday. And I have a buck`s night on Saturday. Hmm...

 

[Nate]

Practice what you preach...

Agreed that Symonds`s behaviour is absolutely disgraceful.

 

[Mister Wright]

Hopefully, England will drop Thorpe.

They should. What do they want to do? Give an old stager a finale against Australia or win the Ashes? Pietersen adds an enthusiasm and arrogance that is needed against Australia. He doesn't have any mental scars and has the form to back it up.

 

[Mister Wright]

Agreed that Symonds`s behaviour is absolutely disgraceful.

Nobody's mentioned that he was out with big Merv.

 

[Mister Wright]

Atleast that gives you a fast bowler on the panel, you might get rid of the stupid rotation policy

Who, since being selector is yet to select a winning Australian side...

 

[Nate]

Nobody's mentioned that he was out with big Merv.

Whoa, I didn`t know. You serious?

 

[howardj]

In 10 Tests. It's a bit like suggesting to drop Ponting in India because he coincidentally averages 12 there...

You need to judge every case on its merits - not make meaningless comparisons. Fact is that Australia would prefer Trescothick to open, instead of Vaughan. And you know it.

Just watch the series and see. As Chappelli says: "England would be better served with Vaughan opening in place of Trescothick, but this move won't be made until it's forced on the selectors, and by then the Ashes will be decided".

 

[Craig]

What a match this turned out to be.

Shame I had work today so I missed out on the chance to see Pietersen just flay the bowling.

 

[Mister Wright]

Whoa, I didn`t know. You serious?

Nah, but it's no coincidence that the first time Boon and Big Merv combine to select a side that someone is out drinking until 4:40am,

 

[social]

They should. What do they want to do? Give an old stager a finale against Australia or win the Ashes? Pietersen adds an enthusiasm and arrogance that is needed against Australia. He doesn't have any mental scars and has the form to back it up.

Thorpe is still England's best player.

A lineup without him could score very quickly but is more than likely to hand the Ashes to us on a silver platter.

 

[Nate]

What a match this turned out to be.

Hell yeah. Twists and turns gallore.