**Official** West Indies in England Thread

[tooextracool]

True, but I have not been impressed by Collins so far.

when hes bowled the right length hes looked more like taking wickets than any other bowler in the side......

 

[marc71178]

And I missed almost all the session owing to our aerial being knocked off by the blokes on my roof

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Thats the thing, these guys 99 times out of 100 will help, if asked.

Depending on fitness, unless Pedro Collins should consider himself lucky to play in the 3rd Test. Sorry but he has been too wayward.

Collins has been carry a clear injury since the first day of the 1st Test. Considering that, his first Test effort was pretty good.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

1/ During Pakistan's tour of New Zealand, I commented on Inzi's captaincy that he tends to wait for things to happen then makes things happen, thus not that good of a captain, you disagreed with what I wrote and openly admitted to not watching the series.

2/ I do recall you commenting on Harmison without having watching him bowl.

Don't mean to harp on Craig, but I'm offended by this accusation and I'd like you to quote me on these two points.

 

[Swervy]

finally the end of a great innings by Flintoff, he just keeps getting better.

Very impressed with Bravo though

 

[roseboy64]

Where would England be without Flintoff?Hope Bravo can impress with the bat too.Don't expect as much big hitting though.

 

[Swervy]

Where would England be without Flintoff?Hope Bravo can impress with the bat too.Donect as much big hitting though.

Hhaha...I think England would still be doing pretty well in this test without Flintoff

 

[wpdavid]

Hhaha...I think England would still be doing pretty well in this test without Flintoff

Maybe, but we could very easily have been dismissed for under 300 if Flintoff had gone cheaply. A very impressive innings, IMHO. Really made it count, which hasn't always been the case. And he needed to, as I suspect England need around 500 on this pitch. He now averages 48.5 with the bat since the start of the SA series.

 

[roseboy64]

England would not have made 400 without Flintoff.Can't you see?

 

[Swervy]

Maybe, but we could very easily have been dismissed for under 300 if Flintoff had gone cheaply. A very impressive innings, IMHO. Really made it count, which hasn't always been the case. And he needed to, as I suspect England need around 500 on this pitch. He now averages 48.5 with the bat since the start of the SA series.

yeah he has matured a hell of a lot in the last 18 months.

He is probably one of only 2 people in world cricket that will make me drop what I am doing and go and watch him bat just out of anticipation of what he might do (the other is Gilchrist)....and the last England player to do that for me was Botham.

If he continues improving at this rate (and he is getting a lot better with the ball as well), I would say that in 12 months he will be considered the number 1 all rounder in the world by quite some margin.

 

[Swervy]

England would not have made 400 without Flintoff.Can't you see?

yeah...but you can always say without Jones, Flintoff wouldnt have had the support, and so Jones had almost as much a say in getting ENgland to the score they have got as Flintoff..or what about Thorpe who steadied the innings half way through, or Tresco who batting really well and got England off to a flyer and probably set the tone for the match

 

[roseboy64]

The tailenders belting the ball around the park.

 

[wpdavid]

England would not have made 400 without Flintoff.Can't you see?

Obviously. My point was if he had gone cheaply, with the result that England found themselves 270 for 6 yesterday, it's possible we could have folded for under 300. Got it?

 

[superkingdave]

Flintoff has 32 sixes in the last year (since 31 July 2003) if he carries on like that he's on course to top Cairns pretty soon!

 

[wpdavid]

Flintoff has 32 sixes in the last year (since 31 July 2003) if he carries on like that he's on course to top Cairns pretty soon!

That is an extraordinary statistic! I was wondering how many he had, having seen Cairns break the record in May, but I never imagined Flintoff had so many. Presumably he managed a few in NZ in 2001/02, especially in the first 2 tests of that series. And maybe against India at Lord's in 2002.

 

[Revelation]

Both openers gone. 23/2

 

[superkingdave]

That is an extraordinary statistic! I was wondering how many he had, having seen Cairns break the record in May, but I never imagined Flintoff had so many. Presumably he managed a few in NZ in 2001/02, especially in the first 2 tests of that series. And maybe against India at Lord's in 2002

He had nine in his previous 23 tests i think, 6 in New Zealand. He has 41 in total by my count

 

[superkingdave]

Watching the wicket again, Giles catch was pretty good for a fat lad!

Also heard that one of Flintoff sixes went straight to his dad in the crowd who dropped it!

Does any one else get annoyed with Channel 4's highlights trying to be all art with the camera angles, so you cant actually see the shots properly?

 

[Adamc]

Intriguing contest between Lara and Harmison developing here - lots of boundaries answered by just as many bouncers. Lara passes 1,000 runs for 2004, 81 runs from 10,000 career runs.

 

[Timewell]

No one has mentioned Harmy's slog at the end - what a six, what a knock...