Thetownend.com

Just started, we're batting.

TMS managed to crack me up after 10 words when Agnew described Vaughan as "A useless tosser"

strauss stands on his wicket, then vaughan goes  duck without getting an edge.

bollocks.

golden duck*

oh and it appears vaughan did get the slightest of edges.

and now kp's gone

Vaughan seems to be magnetic to good balls at the moment. He's in trouble though, surely.

KP  :( Oh dear.

Pietersen lbw for 4. This is a bloody disaster!

Cook looks solid mind.

Time for Bell to end everybodies favourite statistic I think.

As good as some of the balls to Vaughan have been, he and some of our batsmen need to learn to leave the fucking ball alone a bit more. Needless edges have cost countless wickets this series.

Neil McKenzie for batting coach, that guy leaves everything.

 :smack:

  Fucking unbelievable...I go out half hour befroe lunch thinking...nice flat track batsdman's  day, looking good for the afternoon.....

That might have been deliberate on Aggers part as the two of them had a bit of a falling out in an interview I heard this morning.

To paraphrse:

Aggers: Under pressure to score runs then?

Vaughn: Yes of course but as ever, there's always pressure etc. etc. You've asked me that question yourself a hundred times

Aggers: Well score some bloody runs and I can stop asking it!

Vaughn: Well you wouldn't know yourself as you weren't a good enough bowler to play test cricket...

Aggers (interrupting): You need to check your Wisden's

Vaughn: Oh you got a couple of games did you

Aggers: 3 acutually

Vaughn laughs at him

Yes, I heard that clip. Vaughan's getting a little bit tetchy.

I don't know why they bother interviewing anybody in the England team apart from Harmison, all they get is platitudes about giving 100% (Read: Not dropping anyone) and it being a team game (Read: KP will save us)

Agnew to Vaughan via Text: How does it feel to score 0 in a test match: I never did.

Awesome. Nothing like a nice side show to events.

On the field, Cook and Bell are looking solid enough.

Oh fer fooks sake, the moment I post that Cook edges to Kallis for 70 some.

starting to swing a bit. if we can hang on until tea like this i'd be quite happy... could get quite ugly though.

Collingwood gone. This is horrendously predictable. Flintoff on his way out, followed by Ambrose.

Stroood has it right when he says this could be ugly.

Tell me again. Collingwood. What is it he's for?

He cried when they left him out last time, so they couldn't bear not to have him around. And he's a good fella, dontcha know.

Seriously though, he's a damned good fielder, if that helps.

an in-form collingwood is irreplaceable, out of form, nigh-on pointless.

Bell gone too, Ambrose and Flintoff to save England from scoring under 200? Feck.

Ambrose wont last for long he never does .. umpteen wicketkeepers are better than him at both the job behind the stumps AND batting - why is he in?

because there's no-one who can bat better than him that is as good with the gloves
because there's no-one who can keeper better than him who is better with the bat

Nice six from Flintoff followed by a four. 

Vaughan makes average deliveries look like good ones.

Tick tock tick tock...

I'm sorry as you know I'm no cricket man but two run outs in three deliveries is awful.  I suppose they want to Saffas in to face the english attack at this time of evening but even so.

Flintoff strikes. Smith gone. Harris is in as Night watchman.

Oh for crying out loud.

Amla gone to Anderson, tidy catch. 118-3. Kallis in, he's worryingly overdue a huge innings.

Virgil is getting desperate,not a good sign when he's being pissy about Aggers asking him perfectly valid questions.

The fact the test started on a Wednesday annoys me,its not right,i don't care how many corporate boxes it means for Edgbaston,needs to be stoped >:(

Anyway rantage over,i reckon the game could go either way at them moment,if we can get another couple out before tea it might give us a bit of an advantage.

Agnew is at pains to explain it was more light hearted than it sounds, but yes, he did seem a bit cross.

Neil Mac's gone, could we keep this respectable?

No, I don't think so. Kalis looks settled, Prince looks like he's just about got in. We can't bowl Freddie all the way through.

Hopefully it will piss down for a couple of days.

kallis gaaahhhnnn

Another slack performance. Collingwood's recall was great wasn't it? What a waste of space. No Broad. Yeah well done selectors. Oh and we're not doing too well again. What a surprise. You never know Vaughan might get more than 20 runs one day.

  Freddie has hauled us back into this, with new ball early tomorrow, then all isn't lost, still need some back up from Sid or Jimmy though.

watching freddy bowl is wonderful

I don't get the whole dropping of Broad because he needs a rest only for him to then play for Nottinghamshire!? verrrrrrrrrrrrry odd.  >:(

Freddie has been the only positive of the game. Someone that actually cares and wears the shirt with pride. Good to see him back.

Ask the selectors. I'm not even sure they could give you an answer.

Hmmmmmmmm!

Prince out to Stringfellow, so we're into the tail. Respectability emerging.

And Snorkel's gone to Jimmy A!

Bugger me it looks like we might keep this to under 300!

it's because broad was in the side primarily as a bowler and his test bowling average is 49

If that is the case what the hell are KP,Virgil and Collingwood doing in the team as their primary objection is to score runs! Billy Big bollocks KP is the one that needs to go back to county cricket and stop batting like a tosser.   

is vaughan any good

Frankie Vaughan was better.

  You're showing your age there Fogster....I reckon Norman Vaughan would get more runs in this match  :thumb:

Oh for fucksake!

one of these two needs to score biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig.

Looks like i'll be going to a dead series next week

uh-oh, big trouble.

Bringing this hilarity a bit more up to date then, what about Vince Vaughn? OK he's American with no more understanding of the rules of cricket than I have of that game of fancy rounders they play over there, but it couldn't hurt to ttry could it?

Anyway on my way to Manchester on Monday I'm going via Baslow so that I can scream some choice abuse at our captain's front door as I pass. 

Oh jesus! Can we just stop now?

The smilie is a work of genius there Reg.  A fertile imagination at work - you might even say "roses grow on you "

collingwood is looking like a batsman for the first time in 18 months. scary.

pietersen is a freak.

here's what one my mates said about bell:

looks like he listened.

Looks like he's out...

shit, jinxed that one.

I'm happy that Collingwood has reached 50 though.

Flintoff will hopefully prove me wrong and bat a good steady performance.

or not.

Quelle suprise. Silly.

(yes some glances of old form) in these two test matches Flintoff still hasn't justified his selection.

Prove me wrong Flintoff - prove me wrong.

Flintoff's bowling's been good, his batting less so. As we knew it would be. He's a reverse Broad.

OMG Vaughan actually managed double figures? What the hell is going on? Good knock from KP and Colly (proving me wrong after my rant the other day) but the rest have been shite again as usual. Complete wasters.

We need his batting form today/tomorrow. Shame.

The problem with this team is, whenever anyones on the edge of being dropped (Collingwood) they'll get a big innings so we can't drop them.

Vaughan and Ambrose will undoubtedly manage to scrape something in the Fourth Test.

But that's the point. We shouldn't give them another chance. Colly should never have been recalled for this test.

Awesome, Collingwood just showed Pietersen how getting to 100 with a 6 works :D

Sensible support from Ambrose too.

we're still in with a shot here, if Freddie and Monty can do anything with the ball tomorrow.

At last a bit of resistance!!Would be a great knock by colly at any time but especially when you consider the circumstances its even better.

just watching the highlights on 5, great catch by vaughan for the last wicket.

 All in all England have had a decent day, but still a lot to do to get a winning position, I reckon we need a minimum 60 to 70 more, with a new ball due in the morning.

I was thinking we need 370 to be in with a decent chance too.

why do our batsmen bat like 'tards at times. wtf was cook doing! and alec stewart sounded as if he was going to give himself a hernia when kp got out haha

are you mental? did you see his spell last night?

not only was it one of the best spells of fast bowling you could ever wish to see, but it also turned this back into a game

Yes I am, yes I did and it was just a spell, a very good spell I grant you - I need to see more before I get carried away.

surely to justify his selection he needs to show he can perform at a higher level than any other bowler in england

can you show me anyone else that could have delivered a spell like it?

Anyone is capable of a 'spell' - I want the consistancy. The selection process wouldn't allow anyone else to get a go anyway.

But we are lacking in quality - Flintoff will always be in the mix as long as he wants to be... I've always said I'll be happy to be proved wrong.

no point arguing cricket with boeta.

fair play to collingwood, the transition from woefully out of form to a centurion must have taken immense mental strength. long may it continue.

kp's ego is lethal at times, the silly boy.

I wasnee arguing with the Boeta :)

That's exactly what you get with Collingwood. The man is a Spartan, like myself.

well ambrose lasted long.

all out for under 320

Ambrose lasted a minute.

What I wouldn't do to have Stewie Broad wandering out instead of Stringfellow.

For those without sky, http://cricketonpc.blogspot.com/

sky look to be closing in on these sites, they have been taken off chavster. But they will keep going. Its the future!

we could do this you know.

Need to get Smiffy soon.

Prince will do :D

98-4

How many overs left today?

About 40, and its 93-4 not 98

We need to get rid of Smith and De Villers pretty sharpish.

Those Saffas aren't liking Flintoff very much are they? :D

Kallis' reaction to his lbw was priceless.

Ramps is on 96 on his quest for the hundredth hundred.

What price him trying a KP?

do tms know something we dont? 100 to get with 5 wickets in hand, and they are still saying we have a chance

It reminded me of Sean Pollocks reaction when Gough got Donald lbw in the 1997 series clincher. And I thought that they would lose it after that. But unfortunately we are up against a man who is made of some stuff.

It was great (and refreshing) to see England go out and really fight for a test match. We didnt win, but at least we were always in it. Test match cricket needs 3 of these a summer, not just the one.

   I suppose we made a game of it, first time I've seen us lose at home to the Saffas since 1965.

   Where do we go from here?  Ideal time for a change of captain.

Ideal time to get rid of Moores otherwise we will have the humilation of a defeat in the Carribean

 I wouldn't necessarily disagree....maybe he should be given an opportunity to pick his own captain though.

If you mean in the Stanford match, I would love them to lose that.

I want England to win every other game they play in, but if they lost the winner takes all mercenary match, that would amuse me greatly.

It's almost like going back to the dark days of the 90s under Atherton. OK it's not quite that bad but if it carries on it will be. We need change. The only problem is if we don't change now (ie this summer) then it will be too late for next summer's Ashes. There is clearly a problem with selection and Vaughan has clearly now had his time. He's had 3 years since the Ashes triumph of 2005 and he's done nothing since whilst his batting gets worse. Then there is the issue of Moores. Dare i say the Duncan Fletcher days were a lot better than these.

Some chap on radio from a paper reckons Vaughan will resign tomorrow.

I reckon that's just wishful thinking on his part, he didn't sound too keen. I'm mixed, I've grown up with Michael Vaughan being a classy player and captain, but he's just not been the same since he returned from injury really.

Got to be ruthless - Vaughan has got to go, for the sake of both himself and English cricket... His legacy could've/should've been all about the 2005 Ashes but this downward spiral will not be forgotten.

Who should be the next captain? (if Vaughan was to do the right thing here and stand down)

He's fucking shocking. Does he even care anymore? Tbh he's been pretty wank for most of his career bar a few really good summers and a few decent winter tours. Lost the plot after he got the captaincy role and was number 1 in the world rankings.

Totally agree and that's the next problem. Who the hell should get a go next. I wouldn't choose any of them tbh.

Strauss for a few years until Cook is ready.

If it goes to Flintoff or KP i'll cry.

Collingwood for me....a fighter and not afraid to say what he feels,think KP will get the nod though.

Should be Strauss.We don't really want to be putting any more pressure on Kp or Freddie and Cook is too young for the moment.Colly was on the verge of being dropped before his century so wouldn't make any sense to make him skipper.

 Of course its all presuming Vaughan gets dropped[which i doubt] I'd love to see Shah get a chance in his place,not many other options out there??

I really hope that this morning Michael Vaughan announces his retirement from International cricket.
He's been a good captain,but his time has passed as a player and he needs to do the honourable thing.
My choice would be Strauss,he'd have the final test at the Oval and then the tour to the West Indies.

We need to rebuild the side,which should have been done after the debacle of the tour to Australia.
There are problems in all areas of the side,but i'd start with the batting and bring in Owais Shah and
Joe Denly.Although he'll probably stay in the side i'm not convinced with Ambrose.Steve Davies (Worcs)
looks a good prospect as a keeper/batsman and i hope he makes the winter tour.

It was interesting to hear Goughie on Five Live's cricket night last thursday.He said that there is a
clique within the England team and as much as he likes him,Vaughan's best mates are Colly and
Ashley Giles (National Selector) and that hasn't helped,when making hard choices about team selections.

Well done to Ramps,you finally got there!

ECB have called a press conference for Sunday 1pm!

Rob Key to replace Vaughan .. and as captain

Shah definitely. Joe Denly has had some decent innings in the county game this season, but then so has Tim Ambrose! I think Denly is worth looking at though as he is someone who could potentially play Test, ODI's and T20 too.

How frustrating is Ian Bell? All the ability in the world and an absolute dream to watch, but constantly doing stupid things to get himself out.

hahahahahhahahahah

So Vaughan has quit then (thank fuck for that) and Colly has quite the one day captaincy as well. So Vaughan won't play at The Oval. Perfect chance to bring someone like Denly in.

Well we're going to India at the end of the year so hopefully the captain for the Oval test will be the same for that not just for Windies next Feb!

Well blow me down, Fatters has finally spoken sense. Take a bow that man.

I'd have some tissues ready if I was you

I'd go for Eugene from Big Brother 6.  Failing that Ant or Dec, not sure which one though.