Cricket Thread

[Cave Dweller]

under that ruling, would it have meant that Pietersen wouldn't have been able to play in the 2005 Ashes? or Trott in the 2009 Ashes?

KP yes Trott no as he held a british passport and having "English Grandparents."

Andrew Strauss (South Africa)
Alastair Cook (England)
Ian Bell (England)
Stuart Broad (England)
Jade Dernbach (South Africa)
Steven Finn (England)
Eoin Morgan (Ireland)
Kevin Pietersen (South Africa)
Matt Prior (South Africa)
Graeme Swann (England)
Chris Tremlett (England)
Jonathan Trott (South Africa)

 

[SelimNiai]

Here we go again.

 

[Cave Dweller]

That was my last comment over that particular issue. Until another gets selected...

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Got to love Michael Holding. Does not hold back on West Indies Cricket. Really I think he should become their team manager or coach.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/westindies/content/current/story/566042.html

 

[psychic duck]

Got to love Michael Holding. Does not hold back on West Indies Cricket. Really I think he should become their team manager or coach.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/westindies/content/current/story/566042.html

Holding is great and I see what he is saying as Sarwan, Dwayne Bravo and Gayle would no definitely improve the batting

but the West Indies gave good fight in the last match, and didn't disgrace themselves, Samuels did well, Bravo looked promising, and Chanderpaul was reliable as ever

whilst last time they were here in 2009, they had all those players Holding mentioned, and they were thrashed twice and didn't look like they had a good attitude

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Holding is great and I see what he is saying as Sarwan, Dwayne Bravo and Gayle would no definitely improve the batting

but the West Indies gave good fight in the last match, and didn't disgrace themselves, Samuels did well, Bravo looked promising, and Chanderpaul was reliable as ever

whilst last time they were here in 2009, they had all those players Holding mentioned, and they were thrashed twice and didn't look like they had a good attitude

You also got Narine who is plying his trade in the IPL for the KKR, who has also chosen money over playing for the West Indies.

Sarwan won't be coming back anytime soon because of Ottis Gibson and he feels he owes Leicestershire for giving him a chance to resume his career. Taylor is a man for so long had to hold up one end for WI in games, he's scored a test match century also. He would deffo add something in the bowling attack.

Maybe in 2009, but these guys are to much quality to leave out.

 

[SelimNiai]

Gayle for me has been too inconsistent in his career. A man of his batting talents should be on more runs than he is. I think he's been sucked in by this whole T20 formula and its been to the detriment of his allround game. I was at the Bridgetown test in '04 and watched him get totally suckered by a village green style bowling trap, feed him a couple of short balls which he crushed and then, as he was still on the back foot he was bowled by a yorker.

I'm not sure his return will see and immediate return on the batting side but it might give them the spinner they missed at Lords

 

[psychic duck]

Gayle is extremely entertaining as a batter, but was one of the worst captains in international cricket

he would be more suited to playing in August than in May with the swinging ball, last time he was here I seem to remember he really struggled with Onions who was playing his first matches

I like Gayle as a player, but I don't really like his personality, he comes across as thinking he's better than he is, and that he's a World XI player, when he isn't, could be a negative influence on the side

 

[SelimNiai]

He does have this very laid back, almost lazy-looking style to his cricket. He can be good but if you consider the greats of WI cricket. Lara, Haynes, Greenidge, Viv Richards, Chanderpaul etc he doesn't even come close

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Sorry boys but Gayle is class, maybe not Lara, Viv, Greendige or even Lloyd but still class. Think a person who has scored 333 against Sri Lanka just two winters ago and anyone who averages over 40 in test and has over 12,000 first class runs is regarded as a good player. He is a game changer and is someone who is similar to that Pietersen, he can take a game away from a team or score quickly. West Indies players get paid peanuts compared to other nations, even Bangladesh apparently pay more. You can't blame the likes of Gayle and Bravo chasing the dream of money in the IPL. As for his personality, I don't think the media has portrayed him well but people I know who have played against him and have spoken to him hold him as a nice fellow who is very relaxed.

 

[SelimNiai]

Sorry boys but Gayle is class, maybe not Lara, Viv, Greendige or even Lloyd but still class. Think a person who has scored 333 against Sri Lanka just two winters ago and anyone who averages over 40 in test and has over 12,000 first class runs is regarded as a good player. He is a game changer and is someone who is similar to that Pietersen, he can take a game away from a team or score quickly. West Indies players get paid peanuts compared to other nations, even Bangladesh apparently pay more. You can't blame the likes of Gayle and Bravo chasing the dream of money in the IPL. As for his personality, I don't think the media has portrayed him well but people I know who have played against him and have spoken to him hold him as a nice fellow who is very relaxed.

I'm not saying he's a bad player, on his day you won't find a better attacking batsman. My point is that he's not "on his day" enough, he should have an average over 50+ in tests rather than 40.

 

[SelimNiai]

The 2nd test is nearly over. WI bowled out for 165, England need 108 to in the test and series. Marlon Samuels got 76 in 2nd dig to add to 1st innings century. He hit a couple of mahoosive 6's of Swann. Sadly for the WI he didn't get much support and now Strauss, Cook etc should get this small target relatively easily.

I have been impressed by some of the West Indians these couple of matches, Samuels and Sammy have good techniques, Chanderpaul is just Chanderpaul and on the bowling side Roach and Gabriel (who's injured now) look to have a good internationl career ahead of them provided they're coached well and stay injury free. Hopefully they don't give up now and still compete and I wouldn't begrudge them a win in the 3rd test.

 

[psychic duck]

I wish the South Africa series wasn't just 3 matches, the England SA Test series normally are really good exciting ones, they used to be 5 matches

I would rather another Test vs SA rather than 5 pointless random ODI's against Australia

 

[Amobokoboko]

We're heading over in august to watch one of the games

 

[SelimNiai]

I wish the South Africa series wasn't just 3 matches, the England SA Test series normally are really good exciting ones, they used to be 5 matches

I would rather another Test vs SA rather than 5 pointless random ODI's against Australia

You and everyone else. Seems daft to have the Aussies over, not that I don't think the games will be good, although checking their itinerary this will be the last competitive action for the Senior team before the World T20 in September so maybe it's not 100% stupid.

Really looking forward to the SA series, always good games and for me personally England vs SA was my first taste of Test Match Cricket live. http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/63807.html

Can't remember much only I was part of a Kwik Cricket demonstration at the Lunch interval.

 

[TRF_heineken]

I think everyone is looking forward to the SA vs England tests, number 1 and 2 going at it! the South Africans got a lot of accolades during the IPL. I for one am glad to see Morne Morkel get his form back and taking wickets, and Dale Steyn was one of the most economical bowlers at the tournament.

Hopefully Vernon Philander with his stint in England and Imran Tahir going to Pakistan to learn some more from his mentor will just add to our powerful bowling line-up. And our Batsmen are all slowly getting in form... Except Graeme Smith, he's recovering from injury. But he always play well in England

 

[SelimNiai]

I think everyone is looking forward to the SA vs England tests, number 1 and 2 going at it! the South Africans got a lot of accolades during the IPL. I for one am glad to see Morne Morkel get his form back and taking wickets, and Dale Steyn was one of the most economical bowlers at the tournament.

Hopefully Vernon Philander with his stint in England and Imran Tahir going to Pakistan to learn some more from his mentor will just add to our powerful bowling line-up. And our Batsmen are all slowly getting in form... Except Graeme Smith, he's recovering from injury. But he always play well in England

He looked very good for us (Somerset) in the limited time he was allowed to play, we could have done with him a bit more, we've had lots of injuries. Still remember everyone over here in 2002 going "Who's this bloke Smith, bet he's rubbish". Two double hundreds later words were eaten :lol:

 

[TRF_heineken]

He looked very good for us (Somerset) in the limited time he was allowed to play, we could have done with him a bit more, we've had lots of injuries. Still remember everyone over here in 2002 going "Who's this bloke Smith, bet he's rubbish". Two double hundreds later words were eaten :lol:

Lol! that double hundred at Lord's was amazing!

And I hope Vernon follows in Makhaya's Footsteps and also get a 10-wicket haul at Lord's

 

[psychic duck]

He looked very good for us (Somerset) in the limited time he was allowed to play, we could have done with him a bit more, we've had lots of injuries. Still remember everyone over here in 2002 going "Who's this bloke Smith, bet he's rubbish". Two double hundreds later words were eaten :lol:

yes, I believe it was Nasser Hussain who said that, and then later in the series England came back and Martin Bicknell did really well, that was a great series, also it was one of the first series where Andrew Flintoff became one of the world's best

Philander gave me free tickets in 2008 when he was in the ODI team, as we are distantly related

he is the second fastest to 50 Test wickets ever by the way

 

[SelimNiai]

Funnily enough, I don't

I remember the Edgbaston knock more. The commentators kept pointing out that when he went onto the back foot he got close to the stumps with his feet, ignoring the fact the ball was halfway to the boundary at that point. I've always liked Smith, he also played for Somerset, we won the T20 tournament, beat the Aussies when he captained us and scored 311 off 255 balls against Leicestershire with 11 sixes