*Official* Tour Matches

[Howe_zat]

Ian Bell's "weaknesses" against Australia are massively overstated - he had a reasonable tour last time we went to Australia. A series average in the mid 30s, with 4 50s to his name, whilst not outstanding, is certainly a lot better than his reputation would suggest. A lot of his rep stems from the 2005 series, where he was new to Test cricket and struggled.

This really annoys me too. He was poor in 2005, granted, then decent in 06-07, four fifties is not half bad when the team around you is being crushed. Last year he played a vital knock at the Oval, and some underrated contributions in the last 18 months.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Lets hope the Aussies don't rate him then.They could be in for a surprise over the next few weeks.

 

[King Pietersen]

What an innings from Ian Bell. Looked in complete control, dominant against pace and spin, excellent use of the feet, just a magnificent performance. Lets hope this sort of form continues, would love to watch him play a few more innings like this in the Test series.

 

[Son Of Coco]

This is the Ian Bell we've been wanting to see for years.

Speak for yourself, I prefer the Ian Bell we can mock and ridicule.

Am hoping he turns up at The Gabba instead of this imposter.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Smith's not even Salisbury.

Smith has a far better test average than Salisbury

The kid's 21...as embarrassing as it is to be taken apart by Ian Bell, I'm sure he'll recover.

 

[tooextracool]

Ian Bell's "weaknesses" against Australia are massively overstated - he had a reasonable tour last time we went to Australia. A series average in the mid 30s, with 4 50s to his name, whilst not outstanding, is certainly a lot better than his reputation would suggest. A lot of his rep stems from the 2005 series, where he was new to Test cricket and struggled.

Ian Bell's biggest weakness and hurdle in his international career is his inability to score 100s. Hes failed to do that on every occasion against Australia. Granted he wasnt poor against Australia in 06/07 but pretty 50s and 60s dont really make a career, he's got a lot to prove to show that he has improved in that regard.

 

[zaremba]

Ian Bell's biggest weakness and hurdle in his international career is his inability to score 100s. Hes failed to do that on every occasion against Australia. Granted he wasnt poor against Australia in 06/07 but pretty 50s and 60s dont really make a career, he's got a lot to prove to show that he has improved in that regard.

Maybe, but this really is a point that shouldn't be pressed too far. He's 28 and has scored 11 Test centuries. OK, he's got none against Australia yet, and while theirs was the gold standard attack in his first two Ashes series, it really isn't any more. He has two centuries against South Africa and four against Pakistan, so he's shown himself capable of big innings against quality bowling attacks.

Anyhow we shall seeeeeeeeeeeee

 

[tooextracool]

Maybe, but this really is a point that shouldn't be pressed too far. He's 28 and has scored 11 Test centuries. OK, he's got none against Australia yet, and while theirs was the gold standard attack in his first two Ashes series, it really isn't any more. He has two centuries against South Africa and four against Pakistan, so he's shown himself capable of big innings against quality bowling attacks.

Anyhow we shall seeeeeeeeeeeee

Its easy to say that he has 11 centuries, but when you analyze further 3 are against Bangladesh and 3 against Pakistan came in the same series when the entire first string Pakistan pace attack was out injured.

If you look at records for some of the top test match batsmen, the majority of them have close to even proportions of 50 to 100s. Even if you take Bell's 6 100s against substandard bowling attacks into consideration, his conversion rate is ordinary. Bell is a good player if you want someone to come in and paint a pretty little picture, tease opponents with a partnership or 2, but finishing the job off has never been his style.

 

[zaremba]

Its easy to say that he has 11 centuries, but when you analyze further 3 are against Bangladesh and 3 against Pakistan came in the same series when the entire first string Pakistan pace attack was out injured.

If you look at records for some of the top test match batsmen, the majority of them have close to even proportions of 50 to 100s. Even if you take Bell's 6 100s against substandard bowling attacks into consideration, his conversion rate is ordinary.

There's not a lot of dispute between us on this. I don't think anyone is pretending that he's yet shown himself to be a top Test batsman, and certainly a 2:1 conversion rate isn't all that great, but nor is it pitifully bad. I genuinely CBF to go into agonising detail about who he scored his various hundreds against, on what pitches, during which phase of the Moon, etc: the simple fact is that he's got 11 Test hundreds by the age of 28 and so if scoring hundreds is the worst of his problems, he can't have done all that badly.

EDIT: quiz question (prize: nil) - can you name the four other England batsmen who scored more than 11 Test centuries before their 29th birthdays?

 

[GIMH]

I think the fact that he has a respectable average despite having been the butt of all cricket fans' jokes for the bulk of his career is a good sign as well. If he can take his game to the next step he could turn into quite some player.

 

[Furball]

Pietersen and Cook are definitely in the list, I'm going to guess that the other two are fairly recent players. I'd guess Gooch, but that's a wild guess.

edit: at Z. Discount my Gooch guess, that's wildly off target.

Statsguru claims there's 6 batsmen who have scored at least 11 Test centuries for England before their 29th birthdays - Pietersen, Cook, Bell, Atherton, Gower and Botham.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...hundreds;team=1;template=results;type=batting

 

[tooextracool]

EDIT: quiz question (prize: nil) - can you name the four other England batsmen who scored more than 11 Test centuries before their 29th birthdays?

Im guessing Cook, Pietersen and Atherton are 3 of them. 4th one is probably someone I never got to watch.

 

[vcs]

Gower?

 

[Howe_zat]

So Cook only needs 4 centuries in 3 years to break the record. He'll get there if he's still playing.

 

[pup11]

Pretty disappointed with the bowling effort of our fast bowlers, the pitch might have eased up a bit today but still there was enough in it if the quicks if they bowled in the right areas, but they were just interested in banging it into the pitch, which is bad habit most of the Aussie quicks have gotten into.
Marky Cameron was good but only in patches and he certainly needed a slightly better performance than this to attract the attention of the selectors.
Guess England would now declare overnight, so hoping that the Aussie A batsmen put up a better shown the 2nd time around.
P.S: Also agree with the English posters that we shouldn't take the Sherminator lightly this time around!

 

[Howe_zat]

Pretty disappointed with the bowling effort of our fast bowlers, the pitch might have eased up a bit today but still there was enough in it if the quicks if they bowled in the right areas, but they were just interested in banging it into the pitch, which is bad habit most of the Aussie quicks have gotten into.
Marky Cameron was good but only in patches and he certainly needed a slightly better performance than this to attract the attention of the selectors.
Guess England would now declare overnight, so hoping that the Aussie A batsmen put up a better shown the 2nd time around.
P.S: Also agree with the English posters that we shouldn't take the Sherminator lightly this time around!

I suspect England will want to bat on for another couple of sessions, and have a go with the ball when/if they feel conditions suit them. Bell will want to show he can make a big score (to spite tooextracool if anything) and Prior would like some runs. I doubt they'll declare overnight, no need with two days remaining.

 

[Burgey]

I think the fact that he has a respectable average despite having been the butt of all cricket fans' jokes for the bulk of his career is a good sign as well. If he can take his game to the next step he could turn into quite some player.

I don't think anyone says he has no ability. It's just that he cracks a cover drive then looks as though he's going to burst into tears.

 

[GIMH]

TBF I'd cry if I realised I was going to spend the next three months constantly having to check no-one has stolen my wallet

 

[Burgey]

TBF I'd cry if I realised I was going to spend the next three months constantly having to check no-one has stolen my wallet

Thought Simon Jones was injured?

 

[zaremba]

Pietersen and Cook are definitely in the list, I'm going to guess that the other two are fairly recent players. I'd guess Gooch, but that's a wild guess.

edit: at Z. Discount my Gooch guess, that's wildly off target.

Statsguru claims there's 6 batsmen who have scored at least 11 Test centuries for England before their 29th birthdays - Pietersen, Cook, Bell, Atherton, Gower and Botham.

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

Kp, cook, botham, gower. Bell and athers on 11. Bell also has this Ashes series before he turns 29.