This year's Simon Jones

[tooextracool]

To be fair, he did say "horse-faced", not "dark horse".

I wouldn't mind seeing Anderson do well either, although I don't expect him to make the starting lineup. He looked pretty good in the ODIs he played down here last time, although obviously he's about as consistent as a Lenny Kravitz album. I'm also quite interested to see how the Aussie bats treat Panesar.

I dont expect him to make the starting lineup because Fletcher would not want to have such a long tail. As we all know he'd much rather go in with someone who cant bat or bowl instead, like Liam Plunkett.

 

[GIMH]

Anderson playing would save more runs than Plunkett will score, and in fact Plunks batting average is comparable to Hoggard's is it not? I like Fletcher, but at times

 

[tooextracool]

Anderson playing would save more runs than Plunkett will score, and in fact Plunks batting average is comparable to Hoggard's is it not? I like Fletcher, but at times

Oh you should read his book on the Ashes(Ashes regained the coach's story i think) and he talks about how hes been encouraging the England batsmen to sweep spinners as much as possible because its the safest way to play spin. Well theres your explanation for some of the brainless dismissals that we've seen from England players in recent times right Geraint?

 

[Loots]

Why?

Good young kid. Got a lot of potential.

 

[GIMH]

Oh you should read his book on the Ashes(Ashes regained the coach's story i think) and he talks about how hes been encouraging the England batsmen to sweep spinners as much as possible because its the safest way to play spin. Well theres your explanation for some of the brainless dismissals that we've seen from England players in recent times right Geraint?

Oh, I've read it, I read it I *think* when were playing India in ODIs, and Geraint just kept getting out on the sweep. He can be criticised til the cows come home, and I'm not specifically defending Geraint here, but if your coach tells you to do something a certain way, it's in your best interests as a player to do it

 

[GIMH]

If Anderson does get picked, I think he could do the business this winter - it's time he came of age, and I think he has the talent to succeed. For me there's no competition, he should be fifth choice seamer, Plunkett and Mahmood don't even compare

 

[Smudge]

TBF a few posters on here mentioned him as the potential dark horse beforehand. Liam & (modesty should forbid, but **** it) myself, certainly.

Indeed. He had already shown glimpses of his talent against New Zealand in 2004 - particularly that spell of reverse swing to deny McCullum a hundred.

 

[Great Birtannia]

Watson certainly has the being a **** part down pat anyway....

 

[chaminda_00]

Watson and Cook are the players to watch this Ashes series IMO.

 

[Craig]

Oh you should read his book on the Ashes(Ashes regained the coach's story i think) and he talks about how hes been encouraging the England batsmen to sweep spinners as much as possible because its the safest way to play spin. Well theres your explanation for some of the brainless dismissals that we've seen from England players in recent times right Geraint?

Wouldn't it be better to play a spinner off the back foot so it gives you more time to see the ball and play any shots.

 

[Craig]

Oh, I've read it, I read it I *think* when were playing India in ODIs, and Geraint just kept getting out on the sweep. He can be criticised til the cows come home, and I'm not specifically defending Geraint here, but if your coach tells you to do something a certain way, it's in your best interests as a player to do it

So would a player then be able to justify a poor run of outs and say 'I'm only doing what my coach said?'

But I think this proves Goughy's point about certified coaches who think they know everything.

 

[GIMH]

I'm not specifically saying we should blame Fletcher for everytime an English batsmen got out sweeping last winter - but we are the ones who always lose wickets to the shot, and Fletcher is a proud advocate of it.

 

[tooextracool]

Indeed. He had already shown glimpses of his talent against New Zealand in 2004 - particularly that spell of reverse swing to deny McCullum a hundred.

and against SA in the first test of that series. Unfortunately every time he had a good game he'd get injured or dropped thereafter.

 

[tooextracool]

Wouldn't it be better to play a spinner off the back foot so it gives you more time to see the ball and play any shots.

Actually no, playing spin of the back foot is one of the worst things you can do, leaves you susceptible to variable bounce and what not. If you are a very good player of the sweep shot like Hayden or Flower then its acceptable to sweep constantly, but generally the best way to play spin is to get to the pitch of the ball as much as possible to smother the spin and play with a very straight bat. Its certainly the way ive tried to play spin when ive been treated to it.

 

[tooextracool]

So would a player then be able to justify a poor run of outs and say 'I'm only doing what my coach said?'

But I think this proves Goughy's point about certified coaches who think they know everything.

Well when you have a coach thats constantly recommending that you play the sweep shot it may not seem like a mistake to get out to it. It does not of course make up for every brainless dismissal that Geraint had during the past year and a half against pace and spin but it certainly explains why players like Flintoff who likes to play with a straight bat were constantly trying to play differently.

 

[Craig]

Actually no, playing spin of the back foot is one of the worst things you can do, leaves you susceptible to variable bounce and what not. If you are a very good player of the sweep shot like Hayden or Flower then its acceptable to sweep constantly, but generally the best way to play spin is to get to the pitch of the ball as much as possible to smother the spin and play with a very straight bat. Its certainly the way ive tried to play spin when ive been treated to it.

Out of interest, how much success have you had?

It is something I've read Sir Garry Sobers advocate about in his autobiography.

 

[wpdavid]

Monty will have a much bigger impact than expected (by Australians), I reckon. Could also see Warne not living up to the last series. I hope I'm wrong, mind you.

I'm not convinced that Monty will play if Giles is fit. Shame, but we all know why.

 

[tooextracool]

Out of interest, how much success have you had?

It is something I've read Sir Garry Sobers advocate about in his autobiography.

Well Sobers may very well have preferred to play on the back foot, but its pretty obvious i think that if you get to the pitch of the ball it doesnt matter which way the ball turns or how much it bounces you can still play it anyway you want. Further if you are far forward, you're less likely to be given out lbw because the ball has a lot more to travel and no umpire could say so with certainity that the ball was going to hit the stumps. For me playing a spinner on the back foot maybe acceptable on the first few days of a test match when theres consistent bounce and turn but you almost certainly want to play a spinner on the front foot in the last few days of a test match.

 

[Pedro Delgado]

Depends on the bowler and it depends on where it pitches.

A decent spinner will see you dancing and bowl accordingly, if you dance every ball and he knows that, you're in trouble from fielders in close and the 'keeper.

There's not much point running up to a short ball, and smothering the ball will not garner too many runs anyway.

I think you must play each ball on merit, premedtation rarely works and the likes of KP are exceptons to the rule.

 

[tooextracool]

Depends on the bowler and it depends on where it pitches.

A decent spinner will see you dancing and bowl accordingly, if you dance every ball and he knows that, you're in trouble from fielders in close and the 'keeper.

There's not much point running up to a short ball, and smothering the ball will not garner too many runs anyway.

I think you must play each ball on merit, premedtation rarely works and the likes of KP are exceptons to the rule.

I think playing off the back foot leaves you susceptible to anything that doesnt bounce or doesnt turn. As such any quality spinner would realise that and bowl a ball that was flatter and faster at you and you'd be in trouble. You might not play every ball on the front foot, but you'd want to do so as much as possible because it gives you more of a chance even if you miss the ball.