Cricket

[Ferret]

Cook gone for a blob, a globe, a duck, zilch, zero, nothing! Reminds me of the 90s - watch the opposition bat untroubled for at least 2 days and then make the wicket look like a minefield when England come to bat on it. Oh dear, I think Dale Steyn was right!

 

[LE Greys]

Anyone know a good rain dance?

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

Well, couldn't have been a more one-sided day, SA were brilliant, England certainly have their work cut out, can't see them saving the game but hope they put up a fight - unfortunately the two most likely players to do so - Cook & Trott - are out!

 

[Ferret]

Yes, if anyone was going to bat all day, it was going to be Cook or Trott. With no Paul 'Brigadier Block' Collingwood, I think SA will win. The only hope really is Ian Bell who looked quite comfortable last night, but it's a big ask, and can Bopara, Prior and Bresnan stick with him even if he manages it?

 

[Johnuk123]

Well we've been humiliated and made to look really second rate in this first test match after losing by an innings and 12 runs.

One down in only a 3 match series isn't at all good.

 

[Whistler40145]

Well, England tried their best, but couldn't hold out.

IMHO Ravi Bopara isn't Test Match material & the pace attack lacked firepower.

If you had to drop anyone, who would that be?

 

[ainsworth74]

I don't think we've been humiliated. A humiliation would have been to lose the game (which was lost last night) in the first hour this morning. By dragging it out to 4pm England have shown some resolve and some fight. If only the top order had been as committed as the tail this could have been a draw, still this isn't the first time the tail have shown up the batsmen (wasn't it the 2009 Ashes where the bottom six were out scoring the top five?). We've suffered a serious blow here but the series is far from over.

As for dropping people? I'd like to drop Bopara. He much like Bell a couple of years ago absolutely has the game for Test Cricket but as yet hasn't developed the mental toughness for the format. However, who do you replace him with? I'm not convinced by Morgan as a number six that's for sure, so do you turn to Bairstow again? For the bowlers I'd probably drop Bresnan and bring in Finn either that or drop Broad for Finn. Either way let's not start panicking and making whole sale changes, that won't do any good for anyone.

 

[Whistler40145]

How about dropping Ravi Bopara for either Taylor of Notts or Croft of Lancashire?

 

[Oswyntail]

Sometimes you lose matches. In this one, while no English player did very well, no one really blew it. I suspect, if England had batted at the times SA did, the positions would have been reversed. Keep the same squad, judge conditions for the next match and select accordingly. (Of course, being British, we will clamour for widespread executions, "Pour encourager les autres")

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

Sometimes you lose matches. In this one, while no English player did very well, no one really blew it. I suspect, if England had batted at the times SA did, the positions would have been reversed. Keep the same squad, judge conditions for the next match and select accordingly. (Of course, being British, we will clamour for widespread executions, "Pour encourager les autres")

Agreed, I'd hate to go back to the days when England were chopping and changing the team all the time, the management now doesn't do this, thankfully.
They could, of course, bring Finn in - for tactical reasons, but Bresnan will be on his home turf and Headingley isn't traditionally the place for the fastest of bowlers. Thought Stuart Broad was a bit off-colour..would like to see him back to his best. I would keep the faith with Bopara, can't quite work out why he is struggling, obviously has the talent to make a score (!) as he did get 3 100's in 2008/9.

 

[Whistler40145]

Is Bopara batting in the correct position?

Maybe he could swap places with Bresnan, that's if he is picked for Headingley.

 

[bnm]

Gave up on watching the Test Match on Saturday. Instead, I turned on the radio (well, actually internet broadcast) and listened to the final day of Somerset v Warwickshire from Taunton. An enthralling nail biter of a match.

Somerset had narrowly avoided the follow-on (by 4 runs) on day 3 and were 212 behind at the start of day 4 with Warks on 66/3. Somerset managed to bowl out Warks for 124 in the second innings, leaving them a target of 271 to get in the final two and a bit sessions with a minimum 78 overs to face.

Somerset started their second innings badly and were 15/3 after 6 overs. Nick Compton and Craig Kieswetter steadied the ship and Somerset reached 259/5 after tea with plenty of overs remaining. Kieswetter was knocking the ball about for fun, including three successive sixes in one over, the last of which put the ball in the River Tone. But Kieswetter fell on 152 and Somerset's tail started to collapse. Warks had fought back taking 4 wickets in 3 overs leaving Somerset teetering on 269/9, two runs shy of victory. Fortunately, no. 11, Germaal Hussein managed to play out 5 balls of an over and the strike passed to Peter Trego, who'd kept his head, whilst the tail had collapsed around him. Trego then hit a boundary and Somerset won by the narrowest of margins, one wicket.

Most enthralling, listening to this on the internet and far more enjoyable than seeing the South Africans make England look very ordinary.

The victory for Somerset keeps them in the hunt for that elusive first County Championship. Important that it was against league leaders, Warks. Somerset are now third in the table, eight points behind the leaders with four games to go. Although the leaders, Warks, have played a game less.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Eoin Morgan has been named as the captain of an England Lions squad that will play two 4-day games in August against Australia A.

 

[furryfeet]

Taylor of Notts or Croft of Lancashire?

Not in this next test match, but maybe for Lords if they get hammered again. Possibly in place of Pietersen if he bats again like he did at the Oval.
Another name to throw in the hat would be Carberry as an opener, for when strauss retires from test cricket.
More likely the new people would go on the Winter 'A' tour and play against New Zealand here next spring. That way, if someone is injured during the 2013 Ashes, then there is a replacement in the wings.

As to who should be dropped:-
a) Bopara - he is not up to Test standard
b) Broad - lacks match fitness and practice and should go back to Notts and play in the County Championship for the rest of the season.

Play Finn and Onions in their places.
If Swann is ineffective at Headingley, then consider Panesar in his place for Lords.
I know that this will weaken the batting line up, but if a side can only take two wickets in a match rather than twenty then changes have to be made.
England will need at least two spinners for the India test matches this autumn, so keeping Monty in the mix is a good idea.

 

[ACE1888]

Stuart Broad is a quality player but is struggling for form at present, if any changes are made I bet Tim Bresnan is the one to make way sadly (would have him in my side everytime ). Bet the batting line up stays the same though, although Bopara is on borrowed time, needs to stand up and be counted, but England as a unit (and world No.1) need to comeback at South Africa HARD in the 2nd Test
Back to Division 5 West for me tomorrow v St Day, hopefully be a decent fairly hard wicket to bat on too...about time:roll:

 

[Whistler40145]

I would keep Tim Bresnan in the team & drop out of form Stuart Broad, but unsure who I would replace him with.

I expect Headingley to swing as normal, so you wouldn't pick two spinners.

 

[Ferret]

I'd be tempted to play the same 11. You stuffed it up at The Oval, now you go and put it right.

 

[ainsworth74]

Well it's only take until the end of July but Durham have finally recorded a win! Very happy right now! Still a lot of work left to do if we're to stay up as we remain fairly solidly at the bottom of the table, however, one thing to take solace from is that at least our bowlers are on song so we just need the batsman to join the party.

In England news, Bopara will be missing the next test due to 'personal reasons' so James Taylor has been called up to join the squad.

 

[Whistler40145]

Look well if Taylor plays in the Headingley Test & is better than Bopara!

 

[LE Greys]

Adam Lyth carries bat at Leicester

248 n.o. Excellent performance!

 

[caliwag]

I fear the weather will win at Headingly...very sad, several mates going but I suspect it'll just be pub for them.

Great to see Durham getting their first win...what has gone wrong there?

 

[Whistler40145]

When a Captain resigns because he wishes to focus on the game really mean he has jumped before being pushed, due to overall poor performance by his team?

This relates to the recent resignation of Michael Yardy from the Sussex captaincy.

 

[Whistler40145]

I am a Lancashire supporter & wonder what anyone thinks is the solution to their disastrous season.

IMHO, give Steven Croft the Captaincy with immediate effect & Glen Chapple then should start planning his retirement .

 

[andrew bell]

I am a Lancashire supporter & wonder what anyone thinks is the solution to their disastrous season.

IMHO, give Steven Croft the Captaincy with immediate effect & Glen Chapple then should start planning his retirement .

I don't know too much about days interrupted with Lancs but 6 draws and only 18 batting points and 23 bowling points from 11 games (10 bowling points less than the maximum possible) could be a reason why they are struggling, no strength in depth and relying on one or two people to get them out of trouble

 

[furryfeet]

Anyone know a good rain dance?

Someone does !
Looking at the forecast this morning, it says:-
thurs - some showers pm
fri - some showers pm
sat - washout
sun - washout
mon - showers

So my prediction is for a draw due to the weather.

p.s. Strauss has indicated that he would like to play Taylor at 6 instead of bringing in a 5th specialist bowler.

Anyone care to comment as to why ?

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

p.s. Strauss has indicated that he would like to play Taylor at 6 instead of bringing in a 5th specialist bowler.

Anyone care to comment as to why ?[/QUOTE]

......probably because this tactic has served England pretty well over the last few years.

 

[Ferret]

Not playing a spinner never seems to work. SA 22-0 having been stuck in to face our bombardment of seamers, and I fear they'll get 500!

 

[Whistler40145]

I find it puzzling that England haven't picked a spinner. What happens if the wicket starts to turn?

Unless they are expecting Pietersen & Taylor to bowl their off-spin & leg-spin?

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

Not playing a spinner never seems to work. SA 22-0 having been stuck in to face our bombardment of seamers, and I fear they'll get 500!

I agree entirely - doesn't feel right at all and SA look pretty comfortable against the seamers

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

South Africa 197-3 after 68 overs on the first day.