*Official* South Africa in England Thread

[luckyeddie]

Ian Bell is getting a lot of mentions from Dermot.

Thorpe was asked to go on standby for the second test but declined - said he had a bad back. This equates usually to 'no spine' so I will reserve judgment on that for now.

 

[Rik]

Have you been watching the game or are you just blindly criticising?

He HAS bowled well.

Yes, I watched the whole of the Edgebaston game, unlike you. As you said, you missed a lot of it.

 

[Craig]

No he isn't.

No-one would ever dream of batting Craig White at 6 or 7 in a Test line up (except maybe Bangladesh)

I'm not suggesting he bat at 6 or 7, I'm just saying he is better then Flintoff.

I'm not being harsh on Ntini, I know he took five wickets, but he did bowl some loose delieveries down the leg side, bowled a bouncer that was called a wide. I did see every dismissal, so I know.

He is usually accurate, but I'm sure he would agree with me (well I hope he does) that he has bowled better, ad it wasnt as good as he can bowl.

In essence I'm saying he is a good bowler but he has bowled better.

 

[Rik]

Name them then!

Since they are all bowlers or batsmen and we HAVE to pick an all-rounder just like we HAVE to pick a pace bowler...you wouldn't agree. It's happened so many times before I really can't be bothered Marc.

 

[luckyeddie]

Yes, I watched the whole of the Edgebaston game, unlike you. As you said, you missed a lot of it. [/B]

The only bit I missed was some of the sunday - and for that reason I think that you are being more than a little pedantic. Giles was by no means a match-winner at Edgbaston. Sure, drop him - but there are many other candidates who should be ditched (permanently) before he goes.

 

[Rik]

The only bit I missed was some of the sunday - and for that reason I think that you are being more than a little pedantic. Giles was by no means a match-winner at Edgbaston. Sure, drop him - but there are many other candidates who should be ditched (permanently) before he goes.

No saying he shouldn't be called back, but I seem to remember a wicket taking hard hitting left arm spinning all-rounder by the name of Giles, just a few years ago, and now he can't even take wickets for Warwickshire at less than 30 a piece. I think that if the spinner isn't holding his place down, why not let a younger one have a go? Even if they don't do so well it won't really matter, since we have got used to our spinner not taking wickets. It's hardly a risk.

 

[luckyeddie]

Congratulations to Graeme Smith on another fine ton.

Nasser - ouch.

 

[luckyeddie]

No saying he shouldn't be called back, but I seem to remember a wicket taking hard hitting left arm spinning all-rounder by the name of Giles, just a few years ago, and now he can't even take wickets for Warwickshire at less than 30 a piece. I think that if the spinner isn't holding his place down, why not let a younger one have a go? Even if they don't do so well it won't really matter, since we have got used to our spinner not taking wickets. It's hardly a risk.

That makes a lot of sense - which means there'll be few takers

 

[Rik]

That makes a lot of sense - which means there'll be few takers

I'm sure Marc won't be one of them.

 

[Mr. P]

even i gotta say-smiths on fire

 

[luckyeddie]

Bradman's record is in serious danger if he continues

You could have named your own price on him getting 1,000 in the series - not now

 

[Rik]

even i gotta say-smiths on fire

He's a good player, but not as good as our useless bowling is making him look.

 

[Tim]

I'd have to say that Graeme Smith really is showing great leadership qualities so far.

He's lead from the front with the bat & rallied his 'pop gun' attack quite well & he's starting to earn some respect back I would imagine.

He's already managed to inflict one psychological scar on Hussain..who's next?

 

[V Reddy]

He's a good player, but not as good as our useless bowling is making him look.

Has England changed into a very good one day side but an avg. test side? It was the exact opposite some time back. The England bowling looks weak to me in test matches. It may change though when Hoggard and Jones return.

 

[Craig]

Smith is showing his class, LE, you would of seen Greame Pollock and Barry Richards who are IMO the two greatest ever South African batsmen (I'm sure you could say who was better), does Smith rank up there with them?

 

[marc71178]

Since they are all bowlers or batsmen and we HAVE to pick an all-rounder just like we HAVE to pick a pace bowler...you wouldn't agree. It's happened so many times before I really can't be bothered Marc.

We're looking for a replacement for Flintoff, looking at the County Scene, there isn't anyone capable of doing both.

 

[Craig]

Well does that highlight the poor or substandard "depth" of English cricket?

 

[luckyeddie]

We're looking for a replacement for Flintoff, looking at the County Scene, there isn't anyone capable of doing both.

DeFreitas does both better - and bowls useful offies too.

 

[luckyeddie]

Well does that highlight the poor or substandard "depth" of English cricket?

very much so.

 

[Bazza]

To be fair it's never easy to find a world class all rounder. How many of them are there currently in world cricket (who aren't South African)?

I can't believe this thread. Two weeks ago nobody would have been calling for the heads of Nasser, Stewart, Anderson, Flintoff. Ok the likes of McGrath, Harmison and Giles have always had opposition, but man things aren't that bad. So we're getting beat up a bit by the second best side in the world. Worse things have happened.

Like last year when the same thing happened against India.

I really would like to see Thorpe in for McGrath, or if not him then Ed Smith. I think Stewart should stay and I think Nasser should stay and I think Flintoff should definitely stay.

Giles has improved to the extent I don't mind him being there (though I wouldn't cry if he wasn't), but Harmison still hasn't impressed me.

Anderson and Gough have sucked thus far but I don't think there are any better alternatives.

Who'd have thought we'd miss Richard Johnson so much!?!?