***Official*** South Africa in England

[Richard]

Broad on for Flintoff, here's where the tight start to the day could disappear

Haha, first ball swished to third-man for four.

 

[Richard]

You make your own luck though

Look, the bottom line is I want bowlers in the side who take wickets at less than 30 apiece, if Pattinson does that I'm happy, if not, so be it.

I simply don't see that happening. And you know full well that you don't make your own luck - by definition, luck is not made - it's random. If you make it, it's not luck.

BTW, @ Gelman - is it possible to close the poll in this thread now?

 

[GIMH]

If you can, do IMO.

Never a fan of not watching cricket when it's on.

I stick any cricket I can on when it's on, but I don't have the energy to stay up through the night watching non-England games. TBH I'm really crap at watching sports as a neutral, same with football

 

[Richard]

I don't do this "neutral" lark. Least, not any more than normal. I'm either always or I'm never, depending on your interpretation.

 

[GIMH]

I simply don't see that happening. And you know full well that you don't make your own luck - by definition, luck is not made - it's random. If you make it, it's not luck.

BTW, @ Gelman - is it possible to close the poll in this thread now?

Well it depends on the type of luck, ie someone wishing you good luck in an exam is nonsense really as how you perform is in your own hands, but ITBT I am pulling your leg

Let's see what happens. I completely agree that it was a mystifying selection but will watch him with an open mind.

 

[GIMH]

I don't do this "neutral" lark. Least, not any more than normal. I'm either always or I'm never, depending on your interpretation.

So, India V Sri Lanka (for example) you pick a team to support?

 

[GIMH]

Pattinson on...77mph first up

 

[pasag]

Find it quite barmy the way you, EWS etc stay up into the night watching Cricket that your team ain't playing in. Barmy in a truly admirable sense, mind you.

Try and get uni work done at the same time. Not every day you have Test cricket on TV either. I doubt it will be possible once I finish uni though, but I do love it.

 

[GIMH]

Fair point when I was a student I used to sit up with Sky Sports on til all hours. Can't say I was doing uni work at the time though!

 

[Richard]

So, India V Sri Lanka (for example) you pick a team to support?

I'll pretty well invariably support the home team in that case scenario.

I'll almost always support SL or Ind if they're playing at home, unless obviously they're facing England or South Africa.

If Eng or SA lose to them at home, I'm less unhappy than I would be otherwise. Because I know they should be winning all home series'.

In, for instance, NZ vs WI I'd probably support NZ.

 

[GIMH]

Is it just me or does Pattinson look really scared???

 

[GIMH]

I'll pretty well invariably support the home team in that case scenario.

I'll almost always support SL or Ind if they're playing at home, unless obviously they're facing England or South Africa.

If Eng or SA lose to them at home, I'm less unhappy than I would be otherwise. Because I know they should be winning all home series'.

I usually secretly support Australia when they play Tests, as I want beating them to be an exclusively English thing, once we start trouncing them all the time

 

[Richard]

Ditto pretty much, except it's obviously England and SA for me.

 

[pasag]

Is it just me or does Pattinson look really scared???

I would be scared too if my 12th FC game was playing Test cricket, defending a small total against one of the best batting sides in the world

 

[GIMH]

Ha, yeah, fair point

Now with Vaughan off the field, who is in charge, it was Colly last time out, Strauss I guess?

 

[BoyBrumby]

Yes, quite.

I may be wrong here, but I thought the 3rd umpire could only be consulted on disputed catches if the on-field umpires' view was obscured? It's hard to see how on earth Bowden's view was obscured.

I'm a bit annoyed with Mickey Arthur saying that he's 100% certain the ball was grounded. Not only is that not supported by the TV pictures (which merely suggest doubt as to whether it carried - they certainly didn't prove that it was grounded), but as you point out Amla, Bowden and indeed Vaughan were the people most likely to be able to tell, and they all clearly thought it was out.

Now some people were calling for Pattinson to get booed yesterday. Luckily that hasn't happened, but I would be neither surprised nor disappointed if AB gets a hard time from the crowd and the fielders when he comes out to bat.

Bumble said in the preamble that Vaughan had given a few of the yarps a piece of his mind at lunch after the ABdeV non-catch was claimed, so I suspect there's a bit of the tit-for-tat about it. Looked a good catch, but on replay I couldn't say hand on heart I was 100% sure.

 

[GIMH]

This partnership needs to be broken soon

 

[Richard]

Now with Vaughan off the field, who is in charge, it was Colly last time out, Strauss I guess?

Has to be Strauss. Strauss now he's established in the side again should be the Test v\c automatically for mine, he's a decent leader.

 

[GIMH]

Bumble said in the preamble that Vaughan had given a few of the yarps a piece of his mind at lunch after the ABdeV non-catch was claimed, so I suspect there's a bit of the tit-for-tat about it. Looked a good catch, but on replay I couldn't say hand on heart I was 100% sure.

Yeah, clearly they were going for tit for tat but as Pickup said at the time, the two situations were so different, really petty if the Saffies are trying to play that game

 

[Woodster]

Fairly innocuous start this morning from Pattinson. Bowling in the low 80's, ball not doing a great deal yet, his line and lengths have to be so accurate. Don't agree with the selection but i hope he can show why he's been successful this season.