G Jones?? Are you mad?

Hey! I stand by my selection. 8)

Prior – IMO hugely overrated as a batsman; at least Jones didn’t pretend to be a batting God.

My only change to ransos’ team would be the Harmy of 2005 for Broad.

For me, Harmison’s scatter-gun approach discounts him from the team.

Plus, it’s Strauss for Trescothick every time and I’d definitely go for an in-form Simon Jones over Broad.

My only change to ransos’ team would be the Harmy of 2005 for Broad. I know Broad has his moments of genius, but Harmy was downright impossible when he was on the money, which, in 2005, he was.

Yeah, I didn’t think there was much between them. Harmy a more dangerous bowler on his day (as you say, he was still good in 2005) but Broad can also bat.

I felt that Trescothick opening with Cook was a bit more dynamic than Strauss, plus Tres was on good form in that series IIRC.

Prior – IMO hugely overrated as a batsman; at least Jones didn’t pretend to be a batting God.

Prior’s test record doesn’t lie…he’s a much superior batsman to Jones, and his keeping is first rate these days too.

For me, Harmison’s scatter-gun approach discounts him from the team.

I think that he became more scattergun after 2005, which is why I picked him.

Plus, it’s Strauss for Trescothick every time and I’d definitely go for an in-form Simon Jones over Broad.

Again, purely on 2005 form it has to be Tres for me, though in overall terms I agree with you. I actually thought that Simon Jones was the difference between the two teams in that series. It’s not bad having your change bowler reverse swinging at 90mph!

this is absolute rubbish from Kerrigan.

Yeah, Simon Jones’ injury was very unfortunate. For all Freddie’s heroics storming, Jones was an amazing exponent of fast reverse swing.

Tresco I’d have over Strauss as he was an opener who could also attack, rather than just weather the storm and accumulate

I’d have Harmy (2005) over Broad for his bowling. With a batting lineup like our fantasy up there, we don’t even need to think about picking bowlers for their batting. Swann’s a decent number 8 anyway.

Well, this rain is a tad unfortunate

I’m sure that’s what Kerrigan is thinking, zokes!

If I were in his position I’d be raring for a second bite of it

He cannot do any worse Crosses fingers etc

he was so bad he looked like an aussie panic pick 😉

Plenty of ‘Eye of the Tiger’ on the Kerrigan iPod then?

I hope he gets a second bite – and takes a couple this innings.

Not that I really care about this match. Lehmann’s petulant outburst has given me all the gloating power I need at work. Slightest mention of cricket and I just get to tell them to stop whinging 😀

at this point I’d take a draw.

very odd selections by England. I’d have brought in Taylor to open, dropped Root down to fill Bairstow’s postion and replaced Bresnan with Tremlett.

Woakes looks, and probably is, innocuous
Kerrigan looks utterly out of his depth

Well, at least Trott can bowl

So Lehmann is fined for calling a spade a spade or citing the elephant in the room since to do this is to be guilty of failing to show respect to fellow players (and match officials), but the elephant is effectively condoned or at least not sanctioned despite clearly disrespecting both other parties by his originsl behaviour and subsequent crowing about it. Ok, Lehmann is guilty of hypocrisy but the ICC have fallen to wendyball lows in terms of maintaining any moral high ground. What a mess. We will have moronic chanting from the stands next, oh wait a minute…..goes off to find the humbugs and zimmer!!

I predict run fest for England today.

I hope for a runfest

WOW THM so many metaphors in there for me to follow but apparently some cricketers done bad and cheat and shit but football wendyball is worserer…was that it?

Well you nailed that issue 🙄

Yeah, that “let’s just talk about the cricket” thing again

😉

Fifty up

Re

View

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Not out!

Re players not walking. It’s not cheating. There is nothing in the laws requiring them to do so and there is no attempt to influence the umpire’s decision.

Anyone else think this whole Test bizarre… England not interested in endearing themselves in any way to the paying public (either in their team selection, field placings or over rate). I can’t see any positives from England in the 1st 2 days and have never been less inclined to like an England team, despite this one being ostensibly successful

Its not cheating but the rules include the spirit of the game and it breaks them

Essentially as long as all playera do the same thing does it really matter?

Cook out now for 28 – still they got a 50 partnership

Its not cheating but the rules include the spirit of the game and it breaks them

The spirit of the game is so nebulous you could take it to mean anything.

My take is that you should always respect the umpire’s decision, but that doesn’t extend to deciding for him.

Sheck, I think our boys are doing their best to prove Dan Hodges (see previous page) correct. It is a shame and unnecessary IMO.

Broad’s comments in relation to his own choices and the mentality of the team before the start of this test reminded me of an old business school HR quote – we judge ourselves by our intentions, others judge us by our behaviour.

We may have won the Ashes but we will also be judged by our behaviour and as Hodges said – “Yes, glorious failure is meaningless. But so is inglorious success. ”

Great teams do not need to resort to slow over rates, “problems” (sic) with their shoes or so-called “professional” behaviour/gamesmanship.

JY – you are normally a guy who argues against races to the bottom in other fields of life. Why is cricket any different?

Agreed… Inglorious success sums it up pretty well, and there’s some resonance with this siege mentality that the England team seem to be adopting (albeit they’ve invited whatever sort of siege they may be feeling upon themselves). However there seems to be a bit of a playground attitude too… They don’t seem to have any answers when things are going against them… Like they consider it unfair that they lost the toss, and consequently they’re not going to try!

Maybe it’s because I spent a few hours in the drizzle at the Oval yesterday and was then underwhelmed by England’s attitude and performance with the ball in favourable conditions, but they seem intent on annoying people, and then to be indignant when people express annoyance!

It kind of reminds me of the blind refusal to pick Panesar when touring Oz a few years ago… Cutting nose off to spite face because the media had the nerve to question our selection policy…

If, as the commentators keep saying, this is a full house, then why is the middle tier of that big stand empty?

Hmmm that’s a tad annoying. Root out top edging Lyon on the sweep. KP in

silly shot by Root. He needs to drop back the order imo

Riveting stuff this 😐

anyone seen Tremlett’s figures for Surrey today?

8-96

silly shot by Root. He needs to drop back the order imo

Not his finest moments but he seems to be doing better than the established batters of trott and Cook

yes only Bell has outscored him and Trott and cook are below broad and just above Bairstow and Swann 😯

He also has the best bowling figures 😉

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2013/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=7362;team=1;type=series

Selectors have messed up having picked him he should have let him bowl on the second day as that sends out a huge signal to him and to the opposition – when even your own team wont let you bowl you are not up tp the task

Rain

Rain

Rain

So…. England AO

Strolling to a draw, or one last surprise?

Edit: or not… Is Kerrigan a worse bar than jimmy???

I think Clarke has finally lost his marbles with his batting order!

Great c&b from Jimmy!

He cannot trust anyone else to hold them 😉

Just because Clarke wants it to be like a t20, Jimmy’s not having it. Faulkner totally out of his depth against Jimmy with the new red ball

And Swanny’s got Watto out, and not LBW for a change 😀

Quack

Why didn’t Haddin walk? That was just blatant cheating. I just hope the English public give it to him right from the word go for the whole of the ODI series and I hope he cries and he goes home.