The Ashes - 2010-2011 Thread

[Yorkshire Blue]

It's lucky there was not a single viable alternative over the past year. Carberry never looked test class so was no real competition on Cook, and so when his form was poor the only real suggestion was to shift Trott up to open, and given how hard it has been to find a decent number 3 I don't think it was something they were seriously considering. Even if there was an alternative the main pressure would have come from the press as I think the selectors and management have shown they dont make knee jerk reactions and having identified the TYPE of player they want they show loyalty and back their judgment. So well done to all.

We do suddenly find ourselves with some decent back up now, with Morgan to come in for Colly (though will be interesting who has the better one day series) as well as the likes of Bopara, Lyle, Taylor for batting slots (Id like to see Hildreth make runs for another county as his figures are going to be inflated by batting at Taunton), and a first choice bowling line up of Anderson, Broad, Tremlett and Swann, and back up of Bresnan, Finn, Shazad and Panesar, with Rashid hopefully getting involved at some point. Lets hope injuries are kinder to this squad than 2005.

Hildreth's scores away from home last year

Aren't test pitches more like Taunton anyway?

FWIW, I think Bopara will be the new Owais Shah. Good news for Essex, but I think he's blotted his copybook with England. Not sure entirely why, think it might be the way his fielding has regressed as he use to be good in the field.

 

[number11]

[

FWIW, I think Bopara will be the new Owais Shah. Good news for Essex, but I think he's blotted his copybook with England. Not sure entirely why, think it might be the way his fielding has regressed as he use to be good in the field.

I agree about Bopara. He doesn't seem to have been given the chances of others as soon as he has a bad run (in both one day and tests). Purely my own speculation, but maybe Bopara's strut and perceived self confidence / arrogance does him no favours with the more pragmatic Flower and Strauss who seem to like dependable chaps. KP is given scope due to his already established world class ability (and in any event is widely held to have an outstanding work ethic), but I think Strauss and Flower seem to favour a certain type of solid, mentally strong cricketers.

As you say, good for Essex as with Bopara and Shah batting together we should get some decent middle order runs.

 

[canveyshrimper]

I agree about Bopara. He doesn't seem to have been given the chances of others as soon as he has a bad run (in both one day and tests). Purely my own speculation, but maybe Bopara's strut and perceived self confidence / arrogance does him no favours with the more pragmatic Flower and Strauss who seem to like dependable chaps. KP is given scope due to his already established world class ability (and in any event is widely held to have an outstanding work ethic), but I think Strauss and Flower seem to favour a certain type of solid, mentally strong cricketers.

As you say, good for Essex as with Bopara and Shah batting together we should get some decent middle order runs.

I did read an article (can't remember where now) that stated that Bopara had blotted his copybook with Flower, I believe the issue to be one of time keeping. It would be a shame if he did miss the England bus, but as has been said Essex will benefit.

 

[Uncle Leo]

I know Im going slightly off topic hear, but sticking with the theme of batting feats, well done to Kallis on scoring another century the other day. He has now scored the same number as Ricky Ponting, from less matches. Up to a year ago it was thought by many that Ponting would get close and take over Tendulkars number of tons, but with him having an 'Indian Summer' to his career he is going to leave Ponting far behind. Kallis though is 12 behind him. Also, given their contrast in form over the past year, Kallis's average has gone beyond 56, wheras Ponting is now edging down to 53........ I'm only now starting to get grudging admiration for Kallis, but when you add in his 270 test wickets at an average of around 32, that is an incredible all round achievement, over a sustained period of time!

:off topic:

Kallis is at it again. Just made his 55th (!) Test 50 as South Africa try to give India a decent score to chase down.

He's currently batting with Boucher - you could have said that many times over the last 15 years, a tribute to the longevity of two very fine cricketers.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I agree about Bopara. He doesn't seem to have been given the chances of others as soon as he has a bad run (in both one day and tests). Purely my own speculation, but maybe Bopara's strut and perceived self confidence / arrogance does him no favours with the more pragmatic Flower and Strauss who seem to like dependable chaps. KP is given scope due to his already established world class ability (and in any event is widely held to have an outstanding work ethic), but I think Strauss and Flower seem to favour a certain type of solid, mentally strong cricketers.

As you say, good for Essex as with Bopara and Shah batting together we should get some decent middle order runs.

I don't think it's his strut, I still think both Strauss and Flower would view that as a positive. Look how they've encouraged Jimmy Anderson to sledge and become more assertive.

I think it may be more of a work and team ethic thing. I don't doubt that Bopara works on his batting, but maybe he doesn't go the extra mile with the other stuff like in the gym and fielding. Players like Cook and Bell have put in a lot of work in the gym, Ravi doesn't look as if he particularly has. Don't get me wrong, he's not Samit Patel/Jesse Ryder/Mark Cosgrove and it doesn't hold him back, but when it comes to England, England are looking for things like fitness and strength conditioning to be an advantage rather than merely neutral. Flower's mentality is more that fit enough isn't good enough, you need to be the fittest you can be and I sort of imagine most of that England team would be in the gym on their holidays without thinking twice about it.

I also gather from Paul Grayson's comments over his contract that he's a bit disorganised. Someone like Trott prepares meticulously the night before each game, has all his kit lined up, whereas I sort of got the impression that Ravi might turn up to nets without his kit and just pick up a random bat. I don't think this type of thing rules him out by any means, it just doesn't work in his favour and I think others have now jumped him in the queue.

Edit: Just seen Canveyshrimper's post - that's the type of thing that doesn't count in your favour.

 

[canveyshrimper]

:off topic:

Kallis is at it again. Just made his 55th (!) Test 50 as South Africa try to give India a decent score to chase down.

He's currently batting with Boucher - you could have said that many times over the last 15 years, a tribute to the longevity of two very fine cricketers.

They could both be playing at test level for a few more years yet, although Kallis seems to becoming susceptible to injuries.

I still can't believe the Saffers dropped Boucher against England in 2004/5 in pursuit of ther ridiculous quota syatem. Without him they lost the 1st test and like as not the series as they never recovered.

 

[number11]

:off topic:

Kallis is at it again. Just made his 55th (!) Test 50 as South Africa try to give India a decent score to chase down.

He's currently batting with Boucher - you could have said that many times over the last 15 years, a tribute to the longevity of two very fine cricketers.

That's looking like a great test match with a vital partnership for South Africa keeping them in the game.

Never been a fan of Boucher though. He can sometimes get runs when it counts (like against us with Smith in 2008 to win the series) but his test average would not keep him in many test teams for long these days. Kallis's allround ability has probably helped Boucher avoid scrutiny......

 

[BrettieAngell]

Don't like kallis but he is a machine!

 

[number11]

They could both be playing at test level for a few more years yet, although Kallis seems to becoming susceptible to injuries.

I still can't believe the Saffers dropped Boucher against England in 2004/5 in pursuit of ther ridiculous quota syatem. Without him they lost the 1st test and like as not the series as they never recovered.

That was a great series win for England, but blimey did the South African selectors give us every opportunity. The first guy they brought in with the gloves was an even worse batsman than Boucher (think he came in at number 9!) and was quota filling at its worst. Given De Villiers the gloves after that was not that bad a move as he didnt have to justify his place on runs alone and I am surprised they never reverted to that policy to get in another batter or bowler....again, without Kallis I think they may well have, but with De Villiers form now they will be reluctant to burden him with the gloves.

 

[canveyshrimper]

That was a great series win for England, but blimey did the South African selectors give us every opportunity. The first guy they brought in with the gloves was an even worse batsman than Boucher (think he came in at number 9!) and was quota filling at its worst. Given De Villiers the gloves after that was not that bad a move as he didnt have to justify his place on runs alone and I am surprised they never reverted to that policy to get in another batter or bowler....again, without Kallis I think they may well have, but with De Villiers form now they will be reluctant to burden him with the gloves.

Tshabalele or some such played in the first test. The Saffers had always been strong with all rounders such as Kallis who warrants a top 5 place in their order, through to Pollock who could always be relied on if runs were needed. Nowadays it isn't the case with Steyn coming in as high as 8 in this match. Therefore Boucher is under more scrutiny to perform with the bat.

 

[Uncle Leo]

That was a great series win for England

I backed England to win that series and Hoggard (12 wickets in Joburg alone) to be top wicket taker. Happy days indeed :happy:

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

if Cook can get his head down and bat a large chunk of tomorrow we should have enough runs (450?) on the board to ensure we don't lose the match

Ahem .... :winking:

I know i'm quite reserved and hardly ever outspoken, but when i do say something please take heed eh :raspberry:

I stopped up till 4 to watch Cook bat last night and was delighted to see him get another biggie, a real shame he couldn't have got another 11 runs but maybe thats just being greedy, Man of the Series by a country mile :clap:

 

[Bluesmanager]

Ended up catching the end of play due to my shoulder giving me jip again - same again thanks lads.

 

[number11]

Don't like kallis but he is a machine!

he brings up his century.....top effort, especially as he was only due to bat if needed!

South Africa move 300 ahead with a day to go.....should be a good final days play.....no doubt determined by whether Sehway can get India off to a flyer.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

he brings up his century.....top effort, especially as he was only due to bat if needed!

South Africa move 300 ahead with a day to go.....should be a good final days play.....no doubt determined by whether Sehway can get India off to a flyer.

Was just about to go looking for this thread to point out that (a) he's injured and (b) he's just got his second century in the match.

Apparently the first South African to score a century in both innings in South Africa - at least for South Africa as I think one or two of them may have done it for England!

I don't like him, but top, top effort in this match.

This is shaping up to be an aboslutely belting game, but will it overshadow the spot-fixing hearing that starts tomorrow?

 

[Uncle Leo]

he brings up his century.....top effort, especially as he was only due to bat if needed!

South Africa move 300 ahead with a day to go.....should be a good final days play.....no doubt determined by whether Sehway can get India off to a flyer.

And he's just moved ahead of Ponting (40-39) in Test match 100s.

Hats off to that man.

 

[BrettieAngell]

And he's just moved ahead of Ponting (40-39) in Test match 100s.

Hats off to that man.

He's just gone up in my estimation a little bit!

 

[Dick Bate's Protege]

2-1 up, game beyond Australia, surely we have to try and bat for as long as possible,try to rack up 650 and rub their noses in it. Especially after that ponce Hilditch made the ever so bias claim that England hadn't scored that heavily in the series; despite having passed 400 on 5 occasions.

Must say I was generally feeling a bit down in the dumps before this series started, but the Aussie bitterness at our superiority has been mood food with a most delicious flavour.

 

[Shrimper]

Bat until we're all out I say. Day left, pitch will be broken, Swann to run riot.

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

What a simply wonderful mornings cricket ONCE AGAIN by England

Where do i begin? Priors century? the 9th by an Englishman this series, the fact we have become the first side IN HISTORY to have century partnerships for the 6th 7th and 8th wickets (ok so it could be argued that is a bit biased due to Anderson coming in as nightwatchmen but its in the book so ner) or the way Swann and Tremlett took 20 off one Mitchell Johnson over?

All of the above and so much more, i dont imagine we'll add too many more to the 636 we've already amassed (1 more will be our highest ever score down under) so we'll have the best part of 5 sessions (around 140 overs?) to get the 10 wickets that'll win the match and a more than deserved 3-1 series win .. that won't be easy as its still a belter of a pitch, i guess it all depends on how much fight the Aussies have left in them