***Official** West Indies in England***

[Goughy]

Quite surprised to hear you saying that as you've previously criticised England for selecting bowlers who tick the right boxes (young, tall, able to bowl over 85mph). I would have thought you'd welcome a craftsman who has honed his bowling in county cricket.

Moreover I think Sidebottom is accurate & nippy enough to be a solid stock bowler when the ball doesn't swing. Something which you couldn't accuse Plunkett or Harmison of currently.

Thats certainly true. However, my point is more that I will never take into account what happens in a Headingley Test when evaluating a player.

Sidebottom is a workman like and has honed his skills and there may be a place for him on certain occasions where the conditions are suited to a player that has the experience to fully exploit them.

I just dont see him being capable of having any sort of long term prospects. Given the choice (if both were fit) Id take Lewis.

Sidebottom is a good honest county pro and represented that maligned group with honour this Test. He showed that you dont have to be a 'prospect' or a 'talent' if you know how to bowl and exploit the conditions.

But to repeat myself, I dont see any long term career especially as Headingley is a place you must discount when evaluating players.

As I said in an earlier post, if we ignore the special conditions at Headingley then Mallander is one of the most unlucky players in history, rather than it just being a good pick for that game.

 

[Perm]

Good win for England, I laughed when I seen the cricinfo headline.

 

[cover drive man]

Good win for England, I laughed when I seen the cricinfo headline.

Me too if you mean the one with dire in.

 

[simmy]

Got nothing to watch today now

 

[GIMH]

Brendon Kuruppu averaged 223 at one point (though he wasn't a keeper when he finally got an average, having scored 201* as keeper, then 19 as opener in his next Test, then 3 in the second innings before getting out again)

Ian Bell averaged 297 going into the 05 Ashes. I think he suffered a 250 average drop in that series, must be a record

 

[GIMH]

Really, I know that Sidebottom was selected for just the one Test because of various reasons, but if Harmison and Plunkett get another go bowling rubbish and Sidebottom gets dropped, that'll be absolutely dire.

On another note, booooo rain. And on another note, where is GIMH?

Bank Holiday over here, so I'd just he's lumbered with something family-orientated.

& totally agree WRT your first point. More to bowling than the ability to hit 85mph+ on occasion.

Yeah, having some teething probs with the broadband at home, and my Dad came round to see the kids and such like. Also had to do some wallpaper stripping and other such excitement. The party never ends in GIMHland.

I hate hate hate not having Sky Sports. TMS/Cricinfo & Highlights just don't cut the mustard.

Still, good win. I'd keep the side unchanged for the next test. Even if Hoggard/Flintoff are fit, let's be honest, we could have me bowling and we'd still win (weather permitting) and as such we should let them get back to match fitness in a county match. Felt a bit sorry for Strauss/Bell that we never got to bat a second time tbh

 

[Gloucefan]

Thats certainly true. However, my point is more that I will never take into account what happens in a Headingley Test when evaluating a player.

Sidebottom is a workman like and has honed his skills and there may be a place for him on certain occasions where the conditions are suited to a player that has the experience to fully exploit them.

I just dont see him being capable of having any sort of long term prospects. Given the choice (if both were fit) Id take Lewis.

Sidebottom is a good honest county pro and represented that maligned group with honour this Test. He showed that you dont have to be a 'prospect' or a 'talent' if you know how to bowl and exploit the conditions.

But to repeat myself, I dont see any long term career especially as Headingley is a place you must discount when evaluating players.

As I said in an earlier post, if we ignore the special conditions at Headingley then Mallander is one of the most unlucky players in history, rather than it just being a good pick for that game.

Well whatever happens for me Sidebottom has earned a place in the side for Old Trafford.

 

[Poker Boy]

Well whatever happens for me Sidebottom has earned a place in the side for Old Trafford.

Wether he gets it if Hoggard is fit is debatable, but we all know who won't be dropped. Harmison shouldn't have been bowling at the end yesterday - surely Sidebottom deserved a chance to get a 5fer and a 10 wicket match? - but they obviously wanted to boost Harmison's confidence with cheap wickets (and even then he didn't earn them). The selectors will choose between Sidebottom and Plunkett - and his only hope would be if the selectors realise there are some teams against whom you need a No 8 who can bat...and this ain't one of them.
On another topic, they should have a match betwwen England's 1988 team and the currrent WI team - never mind the crapiness, at least they would be evenly matched!

 

[Poker Boy]

Where we forced to sit through four pointless matches of those though?

Actually England v Pakistan in 1962 was a five Test series...

 

[Richard]

Richard's right about Collingwood being the benificery of more luck than most so far.

Good, accurate observation. He is clearly a keen observer of the game as many uninformed would thing that a preposterous statement.

Nice try.

Looks like I've missed at least 3 accounts in the last couple of days, TBH. Though no-one seemed to take long to spot him in my absence.

 

[cover drive man]

Got nothing to watch today now

Neither have I . On the plus side I've spent the whole day playing Metal gear solid.

 

[PathanPower]

Got nothing to watch today now

Don't worry, it's not as if there was anything worth watching on the previous four days either.

 

[cover drive man]

Don't worry, it's not as if there was anything worth watching on the previous four days either.

What about the cricket?

 

[PathanPower]

Still, good win. I'd keep the side unchanged for the next test. Even if Hoggard/Flintoff are fit, let's be honest, we could have me bowling and we'd still win (weather permitting)

Exactly, so it's hardly a "good win" at all then is it.

 

[PathanPower]

What about the cricket?

That just wasn't cricket, that was grevious bodily willow.

 

[PathanPower]

And people are still criticising certain England players.

As a team they couldnt have done much more than they did. Total domination

As should have been expected. Par for the course.

Anything less would have been quite frankly, unacceptable.

 

[cover drive man]

That just wasn't cricket, that was grevious bodily willow.

No it wasnt England were playing good.

 

[Manee]

No it wasnt England were playing good.

Well...more like Sidebottom, Pietsersen, Vaughan and Prior played well

 

[steds]

That just wasn't cricket, that was grevious bodily willow.

Was that supposed to be funny?

 

[PathanPower]

No it wasnt England were playing good.

And you can gauge that how exactly? Of course they are going to look good with nothing infront of them to beat.

The facts are that they had the advantage of highly favourable conditions not to mention umpiring against a side who are effectively, on par with the worst in the world and amongst the worst EVER.

Again, anything less than what transpired would have been England playing poorly.