Frasier Online

Moon-Crane wrote:Edit @ 18.15: Never underestimate the ability of England to make things more difficult for themselves than it needed to be.

I was thinking exactly the same thing. Cook and Bell managed to steady the ship but in all fairness the Windies only had one effective bowler playing. I wonder how that same situation would have panned out against some top class spin?

Still, great game for Strauss and Broad in particular. Broad's all-rounder stats put Freddie Flintoff to shame although it's still fairly early in his career. Looking forward to the next Test on Friday.

Pleasing in the end, but it looked a more comfortable win than it was really.

I'm not sure what it is but we need to sort out the batting mindset. We should have topped 400 in that first innings and we almost dug ourselves into a repetitive looking hole at the start of that second innings. As you say, what would the outcome have been against a stronger bowling attack? I guess you can only play what's in front of you, so a win's a win.

We need to improve and bat the Windies off the park to get into gear for the Saffers later this year.

Moon-Crane wrote:Pleasing in the end, but it looked a more comfortable win than it was really.

I'm not sure what it is but we need to sort out the batting mindset. We should have topped 400 in that first innings and we almost dug ourselves into a repetitive looking hole at the start of that second innings. As you say, what would the outcome have been against a stronger bowling attack? I guess you can only play what's in front of you, so a win's a win.

We need to improve and bat the Windies off the park to get into gear for the Saffers later this year.

I know. To say our top order batsmen have such outstanding averages they really do seem brittle at times. Luckily we've got one of the strongest lower-middle orders I can ever remember. Even Jimmy Anderson can do a decent blocking job when asked.

Don't think King Viv's mood will be any improved by this start to the second test.

Might be a bit better by the end though. Sammy and Samuels put our attack to the sword in that last session.

Yep, took the foot off their throats there. I hope they can be skittled in the morning and then our top order make sure they confirm Trent Bridge to be the batting paradise the pundits are telling us it is.

Heh, been a bit of a rollercoaster match so far. I was disappointed with our mini collapse once Pietersen got out yesterday but the bowlers did extremely well again to have the Windies 60+ for 6 at the end of play. Should just be a simple matter of wrapping things up today, shouldn't it?

Mr Blue Sky wrote:Heh, been a bit of a rollercoaster match so far. I was disappointed with our mini collapse once Pietersen got out yesterday but the bowlers did extremely well again to have the Windies 60+ for 6 at the end of play. Should just be a simple matter of wrapping things up today, shouldn't it?

Looks like they're relying on Samuels and Sammy to again hit a huge partnership to give them a chance.

Edit: oh well, that plan's just gone up in smoke I think they've had it now.

Nice, controlled, victory.

Relative failure for Bairstow again in this match. Hope he can make a good knock in the third test. Bit too early for some of the criticism getting chucked his way. Still not sure we need six specialist batsmen in a team that can sport Prior, Bresnan, Broad and Swann down the lower middle order and tail.

Very impressed by Samuels in this match, he definitely looks promising for the WIndies. Sammy's captaincy has generally been quite good too but he clearly has to struggle with some indiscipline in the side when things are not going their way. I think in the end that was quite a good pitch. It looked very flat at first and Trent Bridge has been a bit of a batter's paradise in recent year, but there was definitely something there for the bowlers if they gave the ball a bit of air.

I think we should promote Prior to 6 and go with 5 bowlers. Steve Finn deserves more game time and to be fair if our current top 6 and long tail can't get enough runs to set 5 front-line bowlers a defensible total something will have gone quite badly wrong.

Yeah we're looking pretty good at the moment but I have to say this is one of the poorest indies sides I can remember. They would be half-decent if all their 20/20 players were available for selection Be interesting to see how we do in the third test with some proposed changes being made to the line up.

The biggest test of all will be the Saffers later this summer. If we manage to win the series against them I'll start believing we're the #1 side in Test cricket.

I've got a feeling that the very handy South African bowling attack will skittle our England order a few times. I hope our batsmen have got their heads in order and prove me wrong.

Moon-Crane wrote:I've got a feeling that the very handy South African bowling attack will skittle our England order a few times. I hope our batsmen have got their heads in order and prove me wrong.

I think you could be right. It's good that we bat all the way down - we'll need to against Dale Steyn.

Pietersen Quits Short Forms of the Game

I have to say I do have a bit of sympathy with him here. Why have a hard and fast rule in place about how many times a player has to play to 'qualify' for playing tournaments and the like for England? With his talent (especially in the short form) it would make sense to rest him and just wheel him out for the big occasions. I know most people are having a go at him for chucking his dummy out but I don't see it like that. It's the administrators' job to make sure England have the best team available going into big tournaments.

Mr Blue Sky wrote:Pietersen Quits Short Forms of the Game

I have to say I do have a bit of sympathy with him here. Why have a hard and fast rule in place about how many times a player has to play to 'qualify' for playing tournaments and the like for England? With his talent (especially in the short form) it would make sense to rest him and just wheel him out for the big occasions. I know most people are having a go at him for chucking his dummy out but I don't see it like that. It's the administrators' job to make sure England have the best team available going into big tournaments.

I agree. The calendar is so chock-a-block full of games now that i'm not surprised he's made that choice. If he was simply chucking his dummy out then he'd completely quit England in all forms, 'do a Gayle', and go play the higher waged 20/20 tournaments of the world as player-for-hire.

Bah, looks like this Third Test is guaranteed to be a draw with the first day completely washed out and the second day headed the same way. Shame.

Yep, not looking good for any play today.

Edit: two days washed out now. I actually agree with Andy Jacobs, who wondered why they couldn't just add two further days on to the end of this match rather than reducing it to a three-day nonsense.

Looking good for the South African contest Slip catching practice looks high on the priorty list now.

Allen Stanford jailed for 110 years for $7bn Ponzi
Can't believe it's been three years since his arrest and remand.

Funny how the ECB have been incredibly quiet over the whole thing. Not their finest hour.

Moon-Crane wrote:Allen Stanford jailed for 110 years for $7bn Ponzi
Can't believe it's been three years since his arrest and remand.

Funny how the ECB have been incredibly quiet over the whole thing. Not their finest hour.

He'll be 172 when he gets out American sentancing really amuses me.

Hans the German Butler wrote:

Moon-Crane wrote:Allen Stanford jailed for 110 years for $7bn Ponzi
Can't believe it's been three years since his arrest and remand.

Funny how the ECB have been incredibly quiet over the whole thing. Not their finest hour.

He'll be 172 when he gets out American sentancing really amuses me.

i know. Amused me that the prosecution was after 240 years as they felt 110 wasn't enough.

Moon-Crane wrote:

Hans the German Butler wrote:

Moon-Crane wrote:Allen Stanford jailed for 110 years for $7bn Ponzi
Can't believe it's been three years since his arrest and remand.

Funny how the ECB have been incredibly quiet over the whole thing. Not their finest hour.

He'll be 172 when he gets out American sentancing really amuses me.

i know. Amused me that the prosecution was after 240 years as they felt 110 wasn't enough.

Ha!! That's brilliant. Reminds me of that scene from Stir Crazy when Gene Wilder and Richard Prior are given 125 years each for bank robbery - "I'll be 163 when I get out!"

To be fair the ECB weren't to know this was going to happen but you get what you deserve when you're prepared to jump in bed with anyone who flashes a few bucks...

Tragic series of events culminating with Tom Maynard's death today. I didn't know a great deal about him outside of many players and pundits predicting a bright future for the lad. Very sad.

Good T20 win for England yesterday. Hales looks a good addition.

Mr Blue Sky wrote:Good T20 win for England yesterday. Hales looks a good addition.

Didn't see the highlights of it. Did we look good? Certainly seemed like a good result, and a fantastic knock by Hales.