Who's gonna win?

[GIMH]

We haven't lost a Test series home or away since early 09. South Africa couldn't beat us, so that was hardly a horrific trip

 

[Spark]

You can't say that you were the best side on it though. Having your #11 tough it out is all well and good once or twice (or three times...) but I wouldn't start counting on it.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

You can't say that you were the best side on it though. Having your #11 tough it out is all well and good once or twice (or three times...) but I wouldn't start counting on it.

Not our fault if sides fail to take their chances to win games and we do when they come along.

 

[pup11]

We haven't lost a Test series home or away since early 09. South Africa couldn't beat us, so that was hardly a horrific trip

First thing first, England don't tour much, and whenever they do, they don't perform that well.
The South African tour wasn't a horrible one, but it was hardly a success, and if Poms put up a similar show in Oz, they won't have a certain Mr.Onions to save 'em!!

 

[Jarquis]

Meh, I'd take a 1-1 in the upcoming Ashes.

 

[pup11]

Meh, I'd take a 1-1 in the upcoming Ashes.

You guys would have lost 3-1, had it not been for Onions heroics with the bat, he isn't around this time, and from the looks of it, Panesar too won't be in the XI for repeat of Cardiff.

 

[zaremba]

Pup11, seriously, all those, commas, make my head, hurt, your posts will be, more readable, if you cut them back a, bit

 

[zaremba]

all I want to ask these people is, how many test series has England, actually won outside England, in the last 4 years!?

Well we've not done that great, but bear in mind that we've mainly been playing against teams ranked in the top 4 in the world.

First thing first, England don't tour much

If you mean we don't play thousands of meaningless fixed ODIs in Sharjah then you might have a point. When it comes to Tests, we play as many as anyone else, home and away.

 

[Jarquis]

You guys would have lost 3-1, had it not been for Onions heroics with the bat, he isn't around this time, and from the looks of it, Panesar too won't be in the XI for repeat of Cardiff.

We and we'd have won 4-0 if the South African batsmen had all scored runs and Anderson took 10/0.

 

[Spark]

Not our fault if sides fail to take their chances to win games and we do when they come along.

'course not. But as I said, you can't rely on it on a regular basis.

 

[GIMH]

First thing first, England don't tour much, and whenever they do, they don't perform that well.
The South African tour wasn't a horrible one, but it was hardly a success, and if Poms put up a similar show in Oz, they won't have a certain Mr.Onions to save 'em!!

You guys would have lost 3-1, had it not been for Onions heroics with the bat, he isn't around this time, and from the looks of it, Panesar too won't be in the XI for repeat of Cardiff.

1. We play two away series every winter aside from Ashes years, in addition to any extra T20/ODI series
2. South Africa was a success as we drew the series and won one test by an innings. A year earlier we'd have been tonked there
3. Onions batted out a few overs, yes. Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell had nothing to do with either draw, of course
4. Ifs and buts, who gives a ****?

Just pure nonsense from you in the last few days. Get a clue what you're talking about please.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

'course not. But as I said, you can't rely on it on a regular basis.

Sign of a good side though is one who can save games that look lost and one that finishes off games they are on top in.At present we have the knack of doing both.Do the Aussies?

 

[Howe_zat]

Sign of a good side though is one who can save games that look lost and one that finishes off games they are on top in.At present we have the knack of doing both.Do the Aussies?

For the former, Mohali and Melbourne say nay.

 

[pup11]

1. We play two away series every winter aside from Ashes years, in addition to any extra T20/ODI series
2. South Africa was a success as we drew the series and won one test by an innings. A year earlier we'd have been tonked there
3. Onions batted out a few overs, yes. Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell had nothing to do with either draw, of course
4. Ifs and buts, who gives a ****?

Just pure nonsense from you in the last few days. Get a clue what you're talking about please.

Haha, ok gotta admit for some reason, felt that England has not been on many test tours in recent times, so I retract that statement of mine...
Though... they have been poor away from home, that's one fact that there is no shying away from...
As for you calling the South African tour a success, don't know how you can term a tour as a successful one(past performances notwithstanding,) where despite your team having thumped the Proteas to an innings defeat in the 1st test, then went onto squander that advantage as the series progressed.

 

[Themer]

As for you calling the South African tour a success, don't know how you can term a tour as a successful one(past performances notwithstanding,) where despite your team having thumped the Proteas to an innings defeat in the 1st test, then went onto squander that advantage as the series progressed.

I'd call drawing a test series against possibly the best Test team in the world as being a success. I'd of taken a 1-0 defeat before the series had started let alone a 1-1 scoreline come the end of the tour. And we won them in the ODIs 2-1.

Hell of a successful tour all together tbh.

 

[pup11]

I'd call drawing a test series against possibly the best Test team in the world as being a success. I'd of taken a 1-0 defeat before the series had started let alone a 1-1 scoreline come the end of the tour. And we won them in the ODIs 2-1.

Hell of a successful tour all together tbh.

Beating Saffas in their own backyard is tough, but it ain't no impossible feat or something. Teams like India, Pakistan, West Indies, Australia and England all have won test matches against the Proteas at home in recent times, and that too pretty comprehensively.
Don't know how you can rate South Africans as the best test team in the world, when they aren't impregnable even when playing at home.

 

[GIMH]

We didn't win the first Test

Obviously it would have been nice to win having gone into the final game one up...but when Onions survived the last ball in the third test, I, and all England fans, were delighted because it meant we would not lose the series, which, yes, is a success given that they had beaten us at home the year before.

I suppose it won't be a success if we draw this series either. After all, SA are a better side than the filth...

 

[Howe_zat]

Beating Saffas in their own backyard is tough, but it ain't no impossible feat or something. Teams like India, Pakistan, West Indies, Australia and England all have won test matches against the Proteas at home in recent times, and that too pretty comprehensively.
Don't know how you can rate South Africans as the best test team in the world, when they aren't impregnable even when playing at home.

No one said it was an impossible task. But to come away with a win, and not lose the series, is a significant achievement.

South Africa were #1 in the world when they started the tour, Australia having slipped down to #4 when they lost the Ashes and India having not yet gained the top spot (granted, it didn't last long).

So to draw the series, including an innings win, against a better side away from home, coupled with an ODI series victory makes a successful if not perfect tour.

 

[morgieb]

Still believe that England's a fairly mediocre side that had a couple of golden patches. They haven't lost a series in nearly 2 years, tho.

 

[Spark]

Sign of a good side though is one who can save games that look lost and one that finishes off games they are on top in.At present we have the knack of doing both.Do the Aussies?

That's a good point, and that's why you're #4 and we're #5 despite us having, I believe, a stronger team on paper even with two-and-a-half deadweights.