The Test
Posted by: JamieWednesday on 14 July 2008
Now, don't get me wrong, I love the game, but...
Imagine some wag had just invented it and this was the show case.
So, let me get this straight, the game lasted for 5 whole days? Yep.
One team travelled around the planet to play it? Yep.
One team absolutely mullered the other for about 70% of it? Yep.
It was a little boring for the other 30% because the English weather was actually great and the sky was too blue? Yep.
And the groundstaff had prepared the wicket so it lasted too well over the 5 days without degrading? Yep.
And it was still a draw..? Yep
And they're going to play another one? Yep!
Imagine some wag had just invented it and this was the show case.
So, let me get this straight, the game lasted for 5 whole days? Yep.
One team travelled around the planet to play it? Yep.
One team absolutely mullered the other for about 70% of it? Yep.
It was a little boring for the other 30% because the English weather was actually great and the sky was too blue? Yep.
And the groundstaff had prepared the wicket so it lasted too well over the 5 days without degrading? Yep.
And it was still a draw..? Yep
And they're going to play another one? Yep!
Posted on: 04 August 2008 by Bruce Woodhouse
quote:Originally posted by Ian Marsh:
Andrew Strauss did quite well as captain. Might be worth giving him a shot at it full time.
He'd be a good pick but he does not really command a one-day place and I think they'll want to have the same captain for each. I cannot imagine Pietersen would be happy strutting about as one-day captain but not leading the Test team.
Pietersen does not strike me as a leader, or somebody with the skills to integrate a dressing room.
Bruce
Posted on: 04 August 2008 by u77033103172058601
I repeat
"I think that it is rather good that the England test side has been exposed as an over-hyped bunch of minimal achievers, built on the back of the narrowest margin of victory in an Ashes series.
How about a 3-0 series victory to SA?"
And now Vaughan goes before the selectors can sack him for his completely inept performance as a batsman and captain.
I think Pietersen would be the right choice; self-centred, smug, no respecter of traditions; perfect for the job of England Captain and figurehead for the hooligans that attend Test matches nominally to support English cricket.
"I think that it is rather good that the England test side has been exposed as an over-hyped bunch of minimal achievers, built on the back of the narrowest margin of victory in an Ashes series.
How about a 3-0 series victory to SA?"
And now Vaughan goes before the selectors can sack him for his completely inept performance as a batsman and captain.
I think Pietersen would be the right choice; self-centred, smug, no respecter of traditions; perfect for the job of England Captain and figurehead for the hooligans that attend Test matches nominally to support English cricket.
Posted on: 04 August 2008 by Steve S1
quote:Originally posted by Bruce Woodhouse:
Pietersen does not strike me as a leader, or somebody with the skills to integrate a dressing room.
Bruce
Agreed Bruce, I also fear for his natural game if he has to be more 'responsible' at the crease.
Nick,
Very harsh. You don't fluke a win over Australia and I think you will find Vaughan's test win ratio among the highest for England captains. Something like played 50 Won 26 drawn 14. I agree about his poor form with the bat. But he has been a good leader and in that role, will be difficult to replace IMO.
Steve
Posted on: 04 August 2008 by Guido Fawkes
quote:I think Pietersen would be the right choice; self-centred, smug, no respecter of traditions;
I agree with you Nick - I'm a big KP supporter.
Seems we'll lose this series 2-1, but I think SA had the rub of the green and the umpires decisions.
Posted on: 04 August 2008 by u77033103172058601
Glad to see that irony is not lost.
Apart from the Ashes victory, which was the most outrageous fluke, Vaughan's record is buoyed by a few victories against some exceedingly poor sides (Zimbabwe and Bangladesh were not around back in the days when England could play cricket). Oh...and a convenient injury when times got hard.
KP....words fail me. I shall be laughing uproariously when he either fails miserably as captain, or his form (what it is) deserts him. Damn mercenary.
Get the impression I don't favour England too much...damn right. Poor losers and even worse winners (worse than Hammond's lamentable display on Top Gear last week).
Apart from the Ashes victory, which was the most outrageous fluke, Vaughan's record is buoyed by a few victories against some exceedingly poor sides (Zimbabwe and Bangladesh were not around back in the days when England could play cricket). Oh...and a convenient injury when times got hard.
KP....words fail me. I shall be laughing uproariously when he either fails miserably as captain, or his form (what it is) deserts him. Damn mercenary.
Get the impression I don't favour England too much...damn right. Poor losers and even worse winners (worse than Hammond's lamentable display on Top Gear last week).
Posted on: 04 August 2008 by Guido Fawkes
quote:KP....words fail me.
But why ... I hope we win every match with KP as Captain ....... but that's just me. I think he's a great player and every bit as English as Tony Greg and other great England captains.
No idea what Hammond's lamentable display on Top Gear last week was/is though.
ATB Rotf
Posted on: 04 August 2008 by Huwge
quote:Originally posted by ROTF:
I think he's a great player and every bit as English as Tony Greg and other great England captains.
ATB Rotf
Mike Denness for one
Posted on: 04 August 2008 by u5227470736789439
Dear ROTF,
Something on television!
When I was being chased by the TV people over not having a licence, which I honestly believed I did not need as I did not and do not have a Television, I asked the rather abrupt [to slightly beyond the point of rudeness] girl on the switchboard, whether she had a television? She replied positively. I then said that I was surprised, as up to that point I had considered her to have sufficient intelligence to have stopped watching, considering what rubbish it is. She responded by saying that the call was being recorded. I pointed out that this was a good thing, and that I hoped it would be passed to higher authority forthwith.
Shortly after that I got my MP, Sir Michael Spicer to send a letter to them to ask them to stop sending harassing letters. Within a week I had a lovely apology from the top manager ...
Television is dreadful. May I recommend a diet of Radio Four, Radio Three, good music from nice recordings and a significant proportion of silence?
Not to you of course but to those who watch and then moan about TV. Simply put, try a month without, and you will find that your are released from one of the most tiresome habits known to mankind: Watching the drivel broadcast on television. You will never return to the goggle box!
I suspect you would agree with me that cricket is far better on the radio than the television!
ATB from George
Something on television!
When I was being chased by the TV people over not having a licence, which I honestly believed I did not need as I did not and do not have a Television, I asked the rather abrupt [to slightly beyond the point of rudeness] girl on the switchboard, whether she had a television? She replied positively. I then said that I was surprised, as up to that point I had considered her to have sufficient intelligence to have stopped watching, considering what rubbish it is. She responded by saying that the call was being recorded. I pointed out that this was a good thing, and that I hoped it would be passed to higher authority forthwith.
Shortly after that I got my MP, Sir Michael Spicer to send a letter to them to ask them to stop sending harassing letters. Within a week I had a lovely apology from the top manager ...
Television is dreadful. May I recommend a diet of Radio Four, Radio Three, good music from nice recordings and a significant proportion of silence?
Not to you of course but to those who watch and then moan about TV. Simply put, try a month without, and you will find that your are released from one of the most tiresome habits known to mankind: Watching the drivel broadcast on television. You will never return to the goggle box!
I suspect you would agree with me that cricket is far better on the radio than the television!
ATB from George
Posted on: 04 August 2008 by Steve S1
quote:Originally posted by Huwge:quote:Originally posted by ROTF:
I think he's a great player and every bit as English as Tony Greg and other great England captains.
ATB Rotf
Mike Denness for one
Tony Lewis for another?
Steve
Posted on: 04 August 2008 by u5227470736789439
Tony Lewis presented a lovely sport programme on Radio Four in the old days on a Saturday morning. Just shows how good Radio is compared to Television. [See my previous post at bottom of previous page for a little rant about TV].
I used to enjoy English Cricket when Gregg was captain! Halcyon days indeed.
George
I used to enjoy English Cricket when Gregg was captain! Halcyon days indeed.
George
Posted on: 04 August 2008 by Guido Fawkes
18 great England captains
Gubby Allen (Sydney, Australia)
Freddie Brown (Lima, Peru)
Donald Carr (Wiesbaden, Germany)
Colin Cowdrey (Bangalore, India)
Mike Denness (Bellshill, Scotland)
Ted Dexter (Milan, Italy)
Frederick Fane (Curragh Camp, Ireland)
Tony Greig (Queenstown, South Africa)
Lord Harris (St Anne's, Trinidad)
Nasser Hussain (Madras, India)
Douglas Jardine (Bombay, India)
Allan Lamb (Langebaanweg, South Africa)
Tony Lewis (Swansea, Wales)
Sir Tim O'Brien (Dublin, Ireland)
Kevin Pietersen (Pietermaritzburg, South Africa)
Cyril Walters (Bedlinog, Wales)
Plum Warner (Port-of-Spain, Trinidad)
Andrew Strauss (Johannesburg, South Africa)
Surely couldn't go for Straussy as he's South African - and he comes from a family that were always writing songs that encouraged one to waltz down the wicket.
Didn't realise the great DJ was Indian.
I don't remember Legga captaining England either.
ATB Rotf
Gubby Allen (Sydney, Australia)
Freddie Brown (Lima, Peru)
Donald Carr (Wiesbaden, Germany)
Colin Cowdrey (Bangalore, India)
Mike Denness (Bellshill, Scotland)
Ted Dexter (Milan, Italy)
Frederick Fane (Curragh Camp, Ireland)
Tony Greig (Queenstown, South Africa)
Lord Harris (St Anne's, Trinidad)
Nasser Hussain (Madras, India)
Douglas Jardine (Bombay, India)
Allan Lamb (Langebaanweg, South Africa)
Tony Lewis (Swansea, Wales)
Sir Tim O'Brien (Dublin, Ireland)
Kevin Pietersen (Pietermaritzburg, South Africa)
Cyril Walters (Bedlinog, Wales)
Plum Warner (Port-of-Spain, Trinidad)
Andrew Strauss (Johannesburg, South Africa)
Surely couldn't go for Straussy as he's South African - and he comes from a family that were always writing songs that encouraged one to waltz down the wicket.
Didn't realise the great DJ was Indian.
I don't remember Legga captaining England either.
ATB Rotf
Posted on: 04 August 2008 by bazz
Bit of a shame to see Vaughan break down on TV, the job must really have stuffed him.
The guy earned a lot of respect over here, even when he was beating us a couple of years ago.
The guy earned a lot of respect over here, even when he was beating us a couple of years ago.
Posted on: 07 August 2008 by Guido Fawkes
Was 103-1 
Now 109-4
KP is the man
Now 109-4
KP is the man
Posted on: 07 August 2008 by Ancient Mariner
Well having dismissed South Africa in the first days play for 194 is a cracking start. We just need to make sure we capitalize on this and hit at least 400.
Posted on: 07 August 2008 by JamieWednesday
woo-hoo!!!1
Posted on: 08 August 2008 by Chillkram
It could have been so much better but for a typical middle order collapse.
Well done to Harmy for his innings but he was a bit desperate for that half-century I think. That was never a single and he called it wrong!
It's up to the bowlers now.
Mark
Well done to Harmy for his innings but he was a bit desperate for that half-century I think. That was never a single and he called it wrong!
It's up to the bowlers now.
Mark
Posted on: 11 August 2008 by Chillkram
Hurrah!