Thetownend.com

Guys for those interested in cricket I've set up a 'cricket thread' for all of us cricket lovers!!! (We've had a couple over the winter although the pakistan series was also used for the sri lanka series too!)

So 1st Test Match starts tomorrow against the West Indies...can see us winning the toss sticking them in, bowling them out cheaply and hopefully back in English conditions rack up 400+ where a Strauss ton wouldn't go amiss and winning by an innings!

I think Bairstow will make his debut and Finn will play.

Going to Lords on Saturday, sadly our attempts at fancy dress have been thwarted by the MCC with their usual sense of fun.

Hope the series is fairly competitive. Roach looks bloody good and hopefully will give our batsmen a working over to prepare them for Steyn, Morkel and Philander in the Saffer series.

Don't think the Windies will be as poor as they were last time they were over here, they played the Aussies close recently and their bowling attack in particular seems to have improved quite a bit. Should still be 3-0 to England if we turn up though.

Barring Chanderpaul don't think their batsmen have much experience in English conditions, so with the way pitches seem to be playing so far this season you could see Anderson and Broad having a field day.

I'm going to Lord's tomorrow so hoping the shite weather is done with and we can get a full Test's play in.

Absolutely right to give Bairstow a go. After a poor winter it's important to keep evolving the side. Think you're right about Finn getting the nod but I would prefer Onions. On a pitch that may, at least on day one, nibble about a bit, he's our man.

I only realised this morning that the SA is only 3 tests. A real shame. I'd prefer a 2/4 split. Sadly, the Windies are only a warm up series nowadays.

welcome to the summer.

I'm off to the Oval test match, which is the 1st of the series I believe...I'd like to get to one of the ODI's against Australia though as well and get to 3rd man/fine leg for when Mitchell Johnson is bowling...'He bowls to the left, he bowls to the riiiiiiight....' you know the rest!!

Never realised until this morning that the MCC members start to queue outside the Grace gates from 5am! That is dedication!Guess if you want the best seats it what you have to do,even when your a member of the MCC  :)

Decent effort this from the Windies inexperienced top order after being put in.  Bravo looks a player.

Had a day off today and have been watching / listening to the cricket nearly all day. Even spent an hour in the Garden listening to "Blowers" and "Aggers" on TMS. Timeless.
There is something about listening to Cricket on the radio that makes you proud to be an Englishman.

Broad's just taken his 5th of the day. 231-8.

Lush way to spend an afternoon!Hope you had some pimms too  :)

Watching the highlights now, looks like it's been a good days play.  Looking forward to watching it all day tomorrow.

Strauss is looking good for a 100 here.  Hopefully we can get 450+ then we won't need to bat again.

On for a very good score here, hope Straussy goes through to a ton he's batting very well!

Strauss ton was excellent as was his celebration.  England in a strong position.

And Broad could claim the longest drawn out hatrick ever for a bowler.

England 57-4.  KP and Trott back in the hutch this morning.

Another 134 needed with 6 left.  Though with Swann at 11 I think they should have enough to get home, but boy didnt think this game would get that close!

We'll fucking piss it.

Went to Lords for the first time ever on Saturday, had an excellent day out and saw a lot of very exciting Cricket before tea and the coming of the Chanderpaul. Watching him bat must be like the feeling you get as an Aussie watching Jonathan Trott taking guard.

Wish I wasn't at work today, the game is turning into an absolute pearler today.

Just about to switch Sky Go on at work and sneak some of the action in this afternoon.  This is where being in charge has its advantages.  I've sent the others to do a couple of jobs.

150-4 now nearly there come on boys!!!

Cook and Bell have made this look very easy in all honesty, came in at a tricky time and both have batted well

1-0 England.  The big test will be against SA, but a good start to the summer and I'm amazed the weather let us get a full game in.

1 down 2 to go.

I have £200 on a 3-0 win at 7/4. 

I would imagine an unchanged team for the 2nd test at Trent Bridge and Tim Bresnan now stands at 12-0!!!

Let's pick him for South Africa too and hope the record lasts.

Don't know if I'm in a minority but I'm glad the Windies made it a 5 day-er and even had what proved to be an illusory sniff of a win on the 5th day.

Th better they play the better for cricket and the better we will be prepared for the Saffers.

Good point RedRag, I predicted victory inside 3 days so fair play to the Windies for stepping up in our conditions. They are an improving side who competed with Australia and gave the World's Number 1 test team a fright in the 1st test (especially at 52-4 this morning!)

Onwards to Trent Bridge...!

I had the "pleasure" of watching him play a real Boycott innings in a 1 dayer at Lords a few years ago. When they lost a few wickets and he was in with the lower order, he didn't make any effort to win the game, and just played for himself and his average. He is an absolutely class player, I dont think theres any doubt about that, but he is also a real selfish twat.

Is anyone going to any of the one dayers agaionst the Aussies?

I'd like to, trying to get to Edgbaston for it!

I'm going to the one dayer against the Saffers at Lords 2nd Sept. They are the only one of the big teams that I haven't seen play live, I hardly ever see England win though !

Noticed the Windies have recalled Tino Best. Watch the windows, Tino !!!

Quality bit of sledging by Freddie that was  :girlgiggle:

Looking forward to the 2nd test and to see how Windies do in Notts

Be a real toughie for the Windies I fear.  Always get sideways movement at Trent Bridge so will be tougher than at Lords where it went flat especially in the second innings.

Looks like Rampaul will come in for Gabriel also they will bring in the spinner for Edwards.  Rampaul and Roach will have to bowl like demons because the captain bowls pies and cant see the spinner getting much help.

Anyone play for a cricket team around here???

Oh and 2-0 England, inside 4 days is my prediction for the 2nd test!

nope pretty useless at cricket! I think England will walk the 2nd test tbh

I'm going to say by an innings (especially if they win the toss and rack up some runs on a flat track on a bright sunny day at Trent Bridge, supposed to cloud up over the weekend so I read so swinging around when the Windies bat!)

Jimmy should make hay at Trent Bridge swinging it round corners. Definite chance of winning inside 4 days despite Chanderpaul batting for the normal 2 days.

Yes i do, Swindon United Churches C.C. in Wiltshire League Div 2. You want in?!

Thanks for the offer dph, unfortunately I'm the 1st team captain at Wootton Bassett CC already  :D , would possibly have played against you in the past! It was more a case of who plays for who around the local area

Here we go then...Windies bat and England unchanged (no surprises there)

1 down already, should have been 2

4 down for 84 at lunch.  Which is nice.

Today Im working with an american hip hop act, so Im loving banging out some hardcore TMS in the office.

I love a juxtaposition me!

I'm listening to the Test on the radio.

A wonderful distraction.

Oh, Shiv gone on appeal LB to Swanny.  Nice.

Does that sound like I know what Im talking about?

Close but we were looking for..

"Matey boy has got the Caribbean chap out because he lobbed the ball and hit his shinguard which was in the way of the sticks."

Textbook cricket.

More important is knowledge of pigeons, cranes and cakes.  I have knowledge of them.  I think I should go on TMS as the official cake correspondant.  Id soon be 63 stone.

Dare to dream and you'll end up in that other thread.

Bye bye Denesh Ramdin.

watched sussex destroy yorkshire last night at a sun drenched hove. luke wright was immense.

Windies right back in this one, fantastic partnership from Sammy and Samuels.

Jimmy very unlucky not to get another wicket or two

Flat track now, but I think if we can nick Sammy or Samuels early tomorrow the tail will collapse...enter Strauss & Cook on that deck against mediocre bowling...make sure you tuck in boys!!!

Agree.

Unless Sammy 'n Samuels get away again, my money would indeed be on Windies batting to save the match.

Looking forward to seeing what does transpire.

Sammy 'n Samuels both out this morning.  Now just the tail to polish off.

All going quite nicely at the moment.  Disappointing that we didnt get shitloads but the bowlers are doing the job.

Like all the cricket pundits on Sky - all well informed and communicate well apart from . . .

David Gower who prattles on inanely going into the minutiae of whatever it is he's going on about.

Boring old fart

Good day for England.  Didn't get a huge lead but didn't need one.  This game and the series should be wrapped up tomorrow.  Great bowling this afternoon.

Hopefully can wrap up the final 4 wickets tomorrow and chase down the runs by tea at the latest...inside 4 days like I said  ;)

Mixed weekend of cricket for myself, got hammered away at Great Bedwyn but beat Biddestone today (got myself 42) happy days!!!

Incorrect. As per every other time Bedwyn win, you got hammered by Rob Palmer.

Ha ha, I've played against Rob Palmer a few times - he sure can hit a ball. Definitely need to get him early.

Yeah he came out and was on 20 in no time at all, nicked 1 through the slips and was dropped in the covers on about 30...he went on to make 111 before yours truely managed to get him, but the damage was done.

Ooh I know who you are now

Play cricket yourself DMR?

I captain Devizes 2's mate... I'm the big lump who got 70-odd at your place last game of last season - hello agin skip! :)

Ahhhh yes you did , batted very well but a shame nobody stayed with you to get you to the magic 3 figures!

Story of our team - how's the promised land of Glos/Wilts treating you when you're not up with the 1s?

I'm 1st team captain now mate, been promoted after being promoted...the 2s are struggling up there a bit played 4 2 losses and 2 call offs, so they need to start winning soon to stop falling behind...how is the Wilts 2XI standard this season?

Congrats mate good stuff. About the same, I'd say about the same, if anything slightly stronger as the Burbage 2's have been flying and Lechalde who everyone whipped have moved out of the league - good luck for the season and if our 1's don't sort themselves out I'll be in there again as a last resort so may see you in a few weeks!

It's taken alot of years and alot of insulting posts but dmr has finally found a forum friend

I'll have you know I was in the original clique as a 16yo pup!

You may say in the clique,sounds more like grooming to me.

It's been interesting watching DMR grow from being an obnoxious, spotty teen, into an obnoxious twenty something...well interesting might be an exaggeration.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hcTUuzHlvM&feature=fvwrel

High praise indeed

Yes deffo think the first round see your 1s come to us, so may indeed see you then!


On another note...2-0 series win for England and by 9 wickets!

Selection for Test 3 could be interesting. I know we're all in for consistency but it might be worth 'resting' a few players in order to get the reserves a few games and try people.

Specifically I'd 'rest' Cook, Pietersen, Prior and Broad and play Compton, Bopara/Taylor, Davies and Finn. Mostly because I have a recurring nightmare where Prior breaks his finger on the eve of the first Test of a big series and Davies has to debut against someone who's actually quite good. Similar situation for Cook/Strauss with no obvious backup opener (Carberry is good but I'm not sure if he's able to tour yet?)

The other two are because I think Finn offers more threat against the South Africans than Bresnan (who has done nothing to deserve to be dropped but I'm still nervous he's not going to cut it against the best) and Taylor/Bopara because the way Roach worked over Bairstow yesterday would have had Steyn and Morkel creaming their pants in excitement.

I'm not suggesting that we need to drop all these players by any means, but a dead rubber against a fairly poor team seems the perfect opportunity to see what the next cabs off the rank are made of. I'd like to see Onions in too, but we can't make too many chances.

One of the benefits of Bairstow, is that he can keep wicket.  He needs to work on his short ball strategy though. The selectors might give Finna run out if Jimmy has a bit of a niggle, but that will be about it.

Pretty certain the team will remain unchanged - there's enough of a break between tests and you don't start handing out test caps willy nilly

Kemar Roach has gone home and has been replaced by Sunil Narine.  Seen a fair bit of this fella in the IPL.  He bowls mystery spin ala Saeed Ajmal, so will be interesting to see if the England middle order have learnt anything from there summer travails!

KP retires from all limited overs cricket with immediate effect!

I guess he will still pop across to the IPL every year to line his pockets though!

I can imagine that was a fun conversation he had with the ECB.

KP will be a big loss in one day cricket for England, one of the very few players who can change the course of an innings in a few overs. Interesting to see how they cope in the World Cup

KP is big game player and will be a miss. I felt moving him up to open in ODI's was a great move as well!

But before that he'd been mediocre for 3 or 4 years, and lots were calling for his head.  Chance for a younger player, and there are a few about.

Fair point, but I'd rather have KP as a proven ODI player right now and for the next world cup

I love KP (and there are few with his swagger and class when he's in the mood) but the only thing I often wonder is whether the central terms of an ECB cricket contract ought to start at requiring you to be a Brit. 

Kieswetter, Trott, KP, Strauss lining up against the Saffas...great, but is it "international" cricket?

Anyone know when the domestic 20 20 season starts or has it started already?

http://www.ecb.co.uk/stats/fixtures-results/competitions.html?Lc=1327

Cheers!

Surely it's more international.

Just a three day test then, Onions and Finn in with Broad and Anderson left out.

WI batting first, can't see them making more than 160.  England to make 400+ then bowl them out cheap, EASY

My game has been called off today bastad weather...plus point I can sink a few jars watching the Test match!  :pint:

Saves the ECB money as they can all stay with their families!

Mine wasn't.....unfortunately! Lost in the last over by 2 wickets. :-(

Looking forward to watching the England batsmen against Narine shortly. Have they learnt anything from this winter?  Though it is freezing as he won't get any help from the pitch!!

Hope you were able to enjoy No 11 bat Tino Best keeping you waiting 3 hours with his 95?

Surrey batsman Tom Maynard 23 has died today. Reports say he was killed by a London underground tube train. Sad news at such a young age. RIP.

That's tragic news and confirmed by British Transport police.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/9338665/Surreys-Tom-Maynard-dies-aged-23.html


As you can imagine this is becoming a developing news story....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-18492564

With the West Indies despatched in the test (2-0), odi (2-0) and t20 (1-0) series, the convicts return to our shores to start a 5 match ODI series tomorrow....I'm going to go 2-2 with 1 abandoned game!

I am going on Sunday.  Forecast is a bit shit!

Looking forward to watching this young Aussie attack of Cummins and Pattinson.  Who together with Brett Lee should ask some serious questions.

Hope we get to see Mitchell Johnson at some point.  Am pretty sure he is in the squad.

Both batting line ups look a tad flimsy to me so a real chance for both attacks to score some points!

Johnson is in the squad, I expect he will get a lot of abuse!  :clap:

Excellent, we will have to wait a while to see him as he certainly isnt in their best 11!

Final Eng v Aus one dayer today but on a more serious note ...

Awful news about Mark Boucher having to retire early after being hit in the eye by a bail and having undergo surgery yesterday.

A good cricketer and a good guy who I met on Saffer last tour here.  Hope he recovers sufficiently and gains 100% vision in his eye.

ravi is loving it tonight!

Poms 4 Aussies 0 - always good but this time the big news is about Mark Boucher having to retire.  He's been the Saffa stickman as long as I can remember and a bloody thorn in the side to many teams who thought they were on the verge of going through the batting.  Good luck to him for the future and what a contributor

So the WIndies and Aussies despatched this summer, with both not winning a game over here....The real test of the summer starts tomorrow against South Africa...how do we see it going?

Only a 3 test series, the best bowling attacks in the world going at it along with 2 solid batting line ups.

On home turf, I am going to say England 2-0!

The amount of rain we have been getting 0-0 looks the most likely result at the moment 

I'm there on Day 4 so hopefully the batters can match the bowlers for the first few days. Weather looks like showers for Day 1 and Day 2 but should get enough play in to make a result possible. Might take Monday off in case of cheap day 5 tickets too.

SA have a formidable batting lineup so i don't think this one will be so easy and we have to make sure to take catches. It said in the paper today that we only took 55% of catches against the Aussies.

Even so, I think we'll have enough to win the series but only just, 2-1.

2-0 England

I am at The Oval on Saturday and Sunday.  Also at Cheltenham on Friday so hope the rain fucks off!

Great start today after Strauss going 4th ball of the match!

Cook on song again with his 20th test match 100!!!

Hopefully rack on the runs 500+ tomorrow on a road and bowl the SAffers out twice in 3 days!

Watched the highlights tonight having not seen the score. Great to see Cook and Trott trundle along before KP got a decent score too. Hopefully we can push on towards 500 tomorrow, although the weather forecast doesn't look too promising.

Great start yesterday and a great toss to win. We really must press home the advantage today. Part of me would love to kick back and watch it over the weekend, but after nearly a month without playing because of this awful weather, cannot wait for 2 solid days of sunshine and 2 games of cricket.

Shit start today!  Cook and Bopara gone, Steyn on form, annoyingly loud saffer on TMS.  Might turn off till he buggers off.

I quite like Manthorpe but he's not the best of their overseas commentators, they usually get cracking ones. Tony Cozier during the Windies series was excellent.

Don't worry, Bresnan will score plenty. 400 total I reckon.

I think its just the extra 5 or 10 decibels he has.  Fine for sky sports not tms.

I know this make me sound like Im 87. 

Bell, you cock.

Prior just gone.  Good 60 though and a competitive total on the cards.

Anderson out.  385 all out.  Bring on the bowlers!

Competitive. We're about to find out exactly how good it is...

385 will be plenty

86-1 in reply so a good start, could do with taking a couple of early ones tomorrow, just to get them a bit edgey!!!

Looking forward to playing myself for the first time in 4 weeks the weather has left me feeling a bit like this>> :badmood:

Now I love watching the cricket and can while away hours but fuck me that was hard work today!

Hope you're right DMR.

Goughie, Irani and others were banging on about this 1st test being easy for England, as 'they'd catch South Africa cold'. Well maybe they did on Day 1 & 2, but SA didn't look too cold today.  Still should be an interest day 4 & 5.

Shame it's only a 3 match series as this could have been a great series, with two top class sides.

Can't blame Surrey for wanting to guarantee 5 days and boost the coffers but what an appalling wicket for a test match. Slow, low featherbed- what's the point? Yes the Saffas will get 700 but over 3 days who cares, game's dead already

Most test match wickets are like this nowadays. And they wonder why people are losing interest in the longer form of the game.

Yup, 5 of the best fast bowlers in the world (and Tim Bresnan) and we get this. Cheers Surrey.

When you said the game was dead, did you mean an easy win for the Saffas?

SA showing why they are currently best team in the world

Glorious afternoon in the sun today at the Cheltenham festival.
This is what an English summer should be like - supping ale and enjoying the cricket.
Just a shame that Glos. weren't close to making it a competitive match!

Finn has to come in for the next game.  Just knew the SA quicks would find more than the English quicks did.  Broad/Bresnan/Anderson all to similar.

I expect a result pitch to be prepared for Headingley.  Problem is the SA bowling and batsmen are better than Englands.

I did think though Morne Morkels set up to knock over KP was class.

South Africa looking good here...I still reckon we are close on skill overall but it will take a HUGE effort to get us out of jail here....something to listen to on a Monday morning....

reardless of what happens today (over by lunch I reckon), England have a huge psychological problem now...have bowled for 2 1/2 days and only managed two SA wickets...I hope they are frantically looking at videos of how these proteas have lost wieckts in the past....could be a long series.

Fuck me here we go again, 2 bad days and everyone's saying England are useless.

World no 1. End of.

point out the word useless for me dmr, I cant see it?

Not strictly true.  England havent been great in Tests this year really.  Smashed in Dubai, scrapped a draw in Sri Lanka and beat a seriously sub standard West Indies side.

You cant hide the fact that in this game with no movement on offer from the air or from the pitch the 3 seamers morphed into one and looked less than average for the best part of 180 overs.  The SA attack with more variety and more pace found considerably more from the same deck.

Thank god they dont have timeless tests anymore ... Kallis and Amla would have going well into this week.

Think our lot have done well, to get up to number 1, but it looks like they've now come up against a much stronger side....there's no disgrace in that.   But it's not over yet, and we've dug out some draws v the Saffas, with rearguard actions, in the recent past...time to summon up the spirit of Rorke's Drift.

Should this series, follow the pattern of the last 3 days, then I'd have thought Andrew Strauss's position will be under serious consideration.

On the upside here .... 20 minutes in and a ball hasnt moved off the straight!  Bell and Bopara need to bat and bat deep!

I'm not sold on Bopara... does it for county, earns the call-up, ultimately disappoints (then cycle repeats)

Completely agree. Isn't the first though and I'm sure he won't be the last.

A lot can be said of the wicket but SA have taken 14 wickets so far and we have taken 2. Kind kf says something about the quality of both bowling attacks.

Good stuff from Bell and Prior.  14 overs till the new ball after lunch!  Need these two to get there!

I hope KP is taking notes off Bell on how to play when trying to save match!

Oh Matthew .... Did you learn nothing during the summer about sweeping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Two overs before the new ball, that could be a killer!

Aaaaaaaaaaaah nuts

The end is near. Hopefully we will come back strong in the next test. This has been so one sided it's unbelievable.

Has it really been that one sided?  We've been weak, but the conditions have helped us in terms of bowling for only one session that was interrupted.  The saffers have had far superior batting conditions and ruthlessly made the most of them to put themselves out of sight and the put a team who have spent 2 days in the field with no success to the sword.  In the way its panned it out proved a very good toss to lose.

Yep just panned out well for the Saffas over 5 days - although they were clearly much the better team during the test.

Roll on Leeds, happy to lay anyone any money we will level the series (assuming we get 5 days play), because despite what the likes of IOB will doubtless come out with after this result, this England team is class.

We will see how class this team is then. Leeds always produces an exciting wicket and if our bowlers are that god they will clean up there. We haven't been very good since the turn of the year to be honest.

The Saffers have showed what a good side they are, now we need to do the same. I've no doubt we're capable but the proof will ultimately be in the pudding. We've done it before but the best sides bounce back. This England side is by far the best side in my lifetime so an hoping / expecting us to do it again.

I'm going to Leeds in the Friday for the next one. Can't wait!

260 for 3......and lose,lets hope we level up for a great final match decider.

Disappointing.

I think one or two critics of the pitch were a bit premature - the better side won taking twenty wickets but had to work very hard indeed.  The Oval is usually a good backing track but England's attack made it look ridiculously easy compared to the Saffas.

Leeds will be a contrast though and usually a very different sort of wicket - the selection will certainly be interesting

Lucky sods who have tickets as this could yet be a great series.

Stuffed indeed in this test match and the first time for quite a while at home when we've been outplayed! (The last one being Headingly 09 when the Aussies cained us!)

South Africa over recent tours have been the ones who seem to come over and get it done, maybe because conditions here and there aren't much different and they can adjust better than a team like India or Sri Lanka can....

....onto Headingly...lets have some of that 2001 Ashes spirit up there again!!

Are you still feeling optimistic DMR?  One of the great things about test cricket, is that the momentum can change, but we look a busted flush...

It's going to rain for 3 days Reg

Think that will be our only chance...

Can't afford to make too many errors against good sides.

Finn having two potential wickets ruled out for running into the stumps and Cook dropping a catch in the slips (where Swann would have been) cost us dear in the morning.

2 wickets!

Amla gone now.

Yeeeeeeeeeha

so 419 ao and 40 odd for 0 in reply....unless there is a mass batting collapse I can see this heading for a draw due to the wet weekend of weather we have again

The thread title is wrong. It should be the summer of "Cricket" thread.  :zzz:

I know nobody is really watching the Cricket at the moment but KP is currently making pate out of Dale Steyn. Beautiful to watch.

Just saw a 'Swindon Town' flag in front of the advertising boards.

Ooops.  Taylor fella just gone for 34.

Went yesterday and was a decent days play. Had a pretty good night out in Leeds after too. Would rather be there today though. KP in audacious form and play till half 7. Lucky sods!

All a bit late but KP has 3 for and is now Englands leading wicket taker in the series!

I imagine Graham Swann might have the odd thought on that, particularly watching the ball that got the Reindeer out.

Broad on a hatrick and suddenly there's some interest back in this, into the tail with Petersen injured...200 is the lead, 200 in a session would be entertaining.

Kallis gone! 7 down, 224 lead and I think we can play till half 7...this could just happen. Broad having one of those bursts!

44 overs left!  Lose 2 for the change of innings.  Need to knock the last 3 over pronto and maybe chase around 260 off 35 overs?  Tough ask especially with Saffers able to shove everyone on the boundary and the bowlers able to slip them down legside and bowl bouncers at will!

We are going to fucking piss it. KP ton batting at 3. Simples as the snappy meercat says.

Tough but it could be the best chance we have to win a test in this series. If KP carries on like he did in the first innings then it could be plain sailing.

Steyn c&b Anderson, it's on.

Smith declares.  39 overs to score 253!

Why the fuck has Smith done that?

COME ON ENGLAND COME ON ENGLAND

No chance of England chasing down 6.5 an over!

Of course there's a chance. It's not the favourite sure but it's a whole fucking lot more likely than South Africa taking ten.

It's KP opening, game on!

Word.

Let them put 8 men out - 6 gimme singles an over straight away.

Come on KP you king

Just the 12 off the first over, no chance of anything happening here.

KP is fucking gun!

I dont know what that means but I probably agree!  This is great.  Im sitting in a hotel in Singapore listening to tms slowly turning back English instead of american.

Well what a last days play, sadly we couldn't chase down 253 and pressure all on us to get a result at Lords to maintain the no.1 test match ranking!

Swann perhaps should have played but we'll never know...as for KP well nothing surprises me, he is the enigma!!!

With KP taking a best ever 4-78 in the match, it looks like Swann should have played.  The talk is of Finn for Bresnan for Lords, not sure about Swanny.

A great finale made possible by "our" saffer enigma.

Let's hope your excellent thread gets the conclusion it deserves with a victory at Lords

Rumours that KP will walk away after Lords.

Would be a huge loss to the team but I don't really see what more the ECB can do, we can't start letting KP pick and choose when he wants to play all forms of Crickets (Suggestions are he'd like to skip the NZ/Future May Series for the IPL and all ODI Cricket). It sets a dangerous precedent.

Great ending to a test match shows why they are still popular in this country ( although not many bothered go yesterday ). KP looks to be on his way, great to watch on occasions but dont think he`s much of a team player. And will want the cash ultimately. Probably pissed off after the captaincy issues....hey ho moving on.

KP dropped for final test for comments made.

Probably would have been two down but for his big ton and four wickets in the second test.

Oh well we will see.

Apparently he was texting the Saffers taking the piss out of his English 'team-mates'.

Of course, him beng dropped has happened less that 24 hours after he reversed his decision on playind ODI's and T20's.
 

We..well it seems that someone in the England team has been stirring,and i am not so sure it is KP.

Personally think you pick your best players and sort the off field spats out..well off field.

Natal, Notts, Hants .... It seems where ever KP goes it ends in ignamy.

FWIW, I think the ECB have made the right call.  A player sending texts slating team mates, or a captain and a coach in a derogotary manner cannot be tolerated.  Ok, he thinks hes the big cheese and to a point he may be over Strauss. but Flower averaged 50+ playing for what could be considered a minor nation.  God I still cringe over the short lived KP as captain era.

I thinnk he needs to grow up and realise its England who have given him the platform to achieve what he has to date.  Will he ..... I DOUBT IT!

Like Leon Clarke you mean.

Sometimes a team is better without even the best player.

How can you play with someone who has been slagging you off to the opposition behind your back?

KP denies it's all about the IPL money...but it really is.

A month ago, he said he'll play ODI's and T20's as long as he can miss the series against the Kiwi's at the beginning of the year...played at the same time as the IPL.

Someone should mention to him that since the IPL has come into being, India have failed to get passed the main group stages. The current T20 champs are of course England....and the only person that plays IPL, who is in the main team, is KP.

IPL is not the main cricket competition. It's the 50 over/T20 World Cup's...and at the moment he's not going to be playing in either.

Easy......if you dropped all your players who fucked around off field you woudnt have a team..you pick your best team regardless off off field goings on in my opinion......top run scorer...top wicket taker in the last match demands that.

Like it or not Hodgson in the Terry case thought exactly the same,would have been easy to drop Terry for his off field fucking around......he didn't because he saw him as one of our better players.

Oh and Posh...i never ever saw Leon as one of our best players :hmmm:

Van Persie and Modric have been ruffling feathers off field......drop them?

Modric is being made to train alone at the moment...

But will be first name on the team sheet .

They were private texts though, not sure what right the ECB have to demand he tells them if he sent them or not and what they said. SA have said they were private texts and that's the end of it, why didn't the ECB view it the same? Did they ask the rest of the England team whether they had ever made a derogatory comment about KP in private?

There's no doubting KP is a bit of a twat with god delusions but at the same time the ECB have made a right mess of dealing with him especially over the last few weeks.

Because SA would 100% leak them to the papers on the first morning at Lords.

Doesnt that situation change though when private text become public?

Totally different but if your wife was having an affair the texts she sends to her lover would technically be private, however once the offended party in this case you, or in the cricket case Strauss/Flower find out the status quo of that relationship totally changes.  Flower or Strauss or in truth any of those other England players in that dressing room couldnt trust KP as far as they could throw him. 

In 2003, Flower took on Mugabe, he isnt going to think twice about taking on KP!

As far as I'm aware the actual content of the texts have not been made public.

I see Stuard Broad has admitted it was one of his friends that was behind the fake KP Twitter account. He denies any involvement in it, but if you were KP would you trust him or anyone else in the dressing room?

As I said before, KP is a bit of a twat at times but I don't see how anyone can argue this is all down to him. The handling of it by the ECB, Strauss and ex-professionals who have close ties to the ECB leaves a lot to be desired.

Spot on.

Agree on the whole Jonny but Strauss?

It's an odd one the whole situation  :hmmm: KP has been a ticking timebomb ever since he lost the captaincy in the Peter Moore bust up a few years ago!

It just makes you think what is going on behind closed doors, especially where we seemed such a tight-knit unit that is the worlds number 1 test team at present!

I'm also going for a South Africa win at Lords, the whole situation with KP has become a mega distraction and I can't see anything but a 2-0 series win, and losing #1 ranking in the process!

He's acted like a wet blanket rather than acting like a captain and taking control of the situation and trying to sort it out. Matt Prior called KP to try and sort it out, Strauss hid behind the ECB until today when he just moaned about how hurt he was by the whole thing.

Interesting article on the KP Genius Twitter account here; http://www.espncricinfo.com/england-v-south-africa-2012/content/current/story/577333.html

Allegedly, the man behind it was Richard Bailey. Who happens to share a house with two Notts players. Another Notts (and England) player Alex Hales was the first to follow the account. Whilst Broad (yet another Notts player) was with Bailey the night the account was setup.

Sounds like relationships are strained but nice to see the power of social media has led to all involved looking like a bunch of kids.

Strauss i'm sure can do without it and has remained as professional and level headed as usual IMO. We don't know he hasn't tried to phone him anyway do we?

Today should be about us trying to level the series and retain our number one spot first (a tough ask) and Strauss' 100th Test second. A celebration of what the man has helped English cricket achieve. Everything else should take a back seat but it won't obviously.

I think the most damaging allegation in that article is that KP is close friends with Piers Morgan.

So who leaked the texts sent to the Saffers?

Saffers play hard, but play dirty...can't say I blame them when half the England team are South African.

They've hung England out to dry like a Craster kipper.

I'd send him back to SA for that alone!

From the tone of Strauss's interview yesterday be a while before KP is back if ever.  The next test tour isnt until November to India.

That Tony Greig has a lot to answer for

Often a good toss to lose at Lords as days 2 and 3 normally better for batting than day 1. Hope so anyway!

Pleased than Finn is retained over Bresnan.

Finn, Bairstow and Taylor all play. The transition begins!

Graeme Smith out on review having edged behind. Not really sure why you wouldn't walk with the review system in place but right decision made.

Maybe something goes wrong with the technology?  I've never understood why anyone walks, after all it is only the umpire that can give you out. 

Two wickets for Finn, 50/3 and now things get interesting.

Kallis caught off Finn, 54/4 and Finn has three for 13. That is the value of a strike bowler.

Ooh, Saffers are not happy at all. No hotspot but a noise, which is exactly what hapenned to Broad (I think) at The Oval

Think it was more because his hand wasn't holding the bat at the time. Kallis' reaction to the decision was priceless!

Great first session for us and a great lunch hour away from work seeing 3 wickets.

I wouldn't disagree, not sure Morgan getting involved has done KP any real favours. But my point was to show a reason why KP might have felt aggrieved with other members of the team, which maybe led to the text messages. Though he needs to man up a bit and not get annoyed over a few joke tweets.

Alice Cooper on TMS being interviewed by Aggers.  This makes me happy.  And he bought a cake.

A bit of a message from Graham Onions to the selecters, with 9 wickets and a run out agaisnt Notts.

A fairly good day for England, especially after the week and KP incidents that have gone on!

To lose the toss and take 7 wickets in the field allows a great basis! If we can bowl them out for under 300 and take a 100+run lead then a victory may very well be on the cards!

Hello Everyone from Lords!

All set fair and having just passed James Taylor I can officially confirm he is the size of a 10 year old!  Jeez I thought I was short!

Knock the first 3 over pronto and get batting .... Dull and overcast though so may be tricky .... Englands top 4 are key!

Especially if the third umpire is still onside!!!

What's the view like from where you're sitting FCB? Never been to Lords and I am trying to make sure I get Ashes tickets next summer!

I saw a picture of James Taylor driving Swanny home last night and I can also confirm (via twitter) he is the size of a 10 year old!

I am sat just to the right of the media centre.  3 seats in, on the top tier.  Excellent view!

Ball doing a bit this morning.  I do have a slight fear that if the Saffers knock 2 or 3 over early England could get rolled here ..... Come on Sun!

Expensive behind the bowlers arm?

Need these tail enders out ASAP as I see they have just passed 300!

I've paid £90.  But the view is brilliant!  The view is decent anywhere though.  Its a great place and somewhere I would encourage anyone cricket fan or not to go.

This is getting annoying!

Big 45 mins to lunch coming up!

Come on Straussy! Stick it up that South African Cunt!

Hurray 309 ao....nipping around much??

Yep it's something I'll deffo have to do...I paid £60 for the ODI next Friday at Cardiff, hope the weather stays bright!!!

We're going to that and staying over for the 20/20 finals day on saturday!

Anyone know what Cardiffs like for a Friday night out?

This Bell/Cook partnership is massive.  With the two kids to come if Saffers break this quick England will be in some strife with the kids next!

On the upside the Pork Baguettes are of an excellent quality!

Fucking hell

Reckon we'll be all out before the close, I can sense a collapse after the next wicket.

There will be a lot of pressure on Taylor and Bairstow if Bell or Cook go cheaply.

Well, there you go

I'm sensing we're in a bit of trouble, just need a big partnership or 2 and 2 of the top 6 to get a couple of big scores and we're right back in it

Just seen we are 3 down now....

Balls!  I wonder if KP is watching with a smile on his face!

In other news ... Thew old couple in fornt of me are having a full blown picnic ... Hope they offer me a glass of bubbles soon!

Fuck.  Not looking good unless one of these new boys comes good.

Must be South African bringing that, they'll be having plenty to celebrate!

I take it that's not really what I think it is?

It surprised me how many people watched very little of the play at Lords when I went to see England v SA in 2008... some bloke near me slept for an entire session

I went to a cricket match at Lords last summer. Due to rain and general lack of interest we spent most of the time in the bar.

I am assuming that is where the bloke who is supposed to be sat next to me is ... He turned up 20 mins before play started.  Read his paper for 15 minutes.  Went off as the players came out and not seen him since!

This is probably going to sound like a comment from a 10 year old girl. But I struggled to see the ball being bowled. Could have been down to the alcohol perhaps!!

Is that a fat lady I hear clearing out her throat?

Bit worrying that the remaining batsmen to come in (after Bell and Taylor) have scored a grand total of 228 runs in the last two tests and Prior got 175 of those. Highest score from them (other than Prior) was 16. I'd say we're fucked.

I'd imagine Piertersen is the only one seeing a funny side to this at present.

Keep the faith but not looking good at the moment

That's perfectly normal, especially if you're watching square of the wicket and not behind the bowler's arm, and just emphasises quite how quick the bowling is.

When I was at Uni, we used to net once a week at the Rose Bowl.

Watching Chris Tremlett bowl 2 nets down, it was quite something.

I've played (and still do play with) a couple of lads, Owen Alsop and Jake Roberts who both play for Wilts and get up to about 77-78mph. I can (sort of) get a bat on it and keep it out but to face 90+ would probably put me off for life.

Flipping heck, you don't check the score for a minute or 2 and bam, Taylor out, Bairstow in....shades of The Ashes 05' when Australia ran through the top order but a certain KP (on test debut) managed to smash a 50 and get us to a reasonable total....all downhill from there!

Slapped them around Rylands Way a few times as a young lad!

Could I just point out there is only one county still involved for all 3 titles this year.......








good old sussex by the sea

Cracking session coming up ....

Bell and Bairstow did a great job to steady the ship and Bairstow in paritcular having been subjected to a short ball bombardment!  Keep going boys!

Well batted Jonny Bairstow, lets hope he can convert! Just the tonic this partnership and hope the runs keep flowing!

Expect FCB to be steaming on the Pimms by now...

That's the 200 up.  Fair play to Bairstow, he's doing well.  :clap:

Aaaaah Bristow.

Looks a very good prospect.

Hopefully Bairstow and Prior can bat the first session and put us up somewhere near SA and hopefully past them....either that or all out 250!

The seniors let us down again and we have to rely on a rookie to get us out of trouble. We've been poor in this series to be honest. There's no way we're the best in the world. This series and the winter tours have proved it sadly.

I think that we have thrived over the last couple of years with some ferocious and hostile bowlers. Our batting has been frail, but propped up by 1 or two batsmen going through periods of top form.

In this series, our bowling has not looked threatening and we haven't had any batsmen look a class above the Saffer bowling attack, which has looked very threatening with every delivery.

As for Pietersen: He's been too big for his boots for years. I hope that's the end of his international career now.

I wish David Gower would fuck right off

The most boring, tedious commentator on the box

he bowls some darts I hear

I only ever listen to it on the radio (don't have Sky). Yesterday they spent more time discussing food than the cricket.

Bell gone early!

If thet fat lady isnt singing shes warming up!

Trotty 180* and job done by tea, simples  :toocool:

Terrific counter attack by Bairstow!  Mind you though Taylor being stuffed by Trott going for a fourth was criminal!!

has anyone got a stream for this?

200 up, 6 down

Fat Lady, in the wings, starting to get a little impatient.

Let's hope she won't be needed.

All three results still possible, though Saffas still favourites

Oh balls!!!!

Boo .... That could well be that!

The Fat Lady is warming her voice.....

100 to win with 3 wickets left!  Swann has just thumped Tahir into the stands .....

7 overs till the new ball ..... Brilliant entertainment .... Wish I had gone!

91runs required now.  SA still favorites but as long as Prior and Swann  are in we have a chance.

This is getting interesting!  :clap:

I had a cheeky £10 on England at 20/1 this morning! ....... C'Monnnnnnnn

Spinners must go

4 overs to the new ball!

cricket battys

Whos this cunt?

got bored and went on a comment spree peeps
safe

Come on lads...shades of Edgbaston 05', shoe is on the other foot...come on!!!!!!!!

Run Out :-(

Fuck!

Prior still in, still have a sniff, come on boys

No ball!  Fucking come on!

Bet he's out next ball!!

i came home early from work as i feel crap, this cricket is interfering with my nap!

All over...SA win

Cunting new ball! They've used it better all series so fair play to em. Deserve it - just had a glimmer of hope we might pull off the great escape there!

We'll be back!

Aaaaah nuts.

KP would have been the difference...

Straussy has been a legend but maybe it's time to move on. We need KP, and never mind the captaincy, Strauss's batting against top class bowlers has been poor for 2 years

Agree DMR, Strauss has scored 2 hundreds since the 1 he scored in the 1st test of The Ashes down under, both this summer against the West Indies, who's bowling attack is by no means up there with the South Africans. A legend in his own right and a great captain. He did say in the interview he hopes he'd be the guy to lead England back to the top, although I'm not so sure. Playing at home to SA has seen a few captaincy changes over the last few series (Hussain/Vaughan, then Vaughan/Pietersen) so I wouldn't be surprised if Strauss stands down.

The whole KP incident needs sorting out before the end of our season, we have a massively tough trip to India this winter before entertaining Australia next year in The Ashes. I don't think Taylor is ready yet, although he is a classy batsman. Fair play to Jonny Bairstow, a great couple of knocks and would prefer him over Taylor. I'm not sure what the score is with Bopara but he's had far too many chances and just isn't good enough IMO at test match level. I still don't know why this series was only a 3 match test series, but SA deserved the series and look a class outfit. We don't play them again until 2015/16 so it could be a long wait if we are to return to World Number 1 in the test rankings!

ODI's start Friday, looking forward to going to Cardiff *weather please hold*!

get chris nash in

 I'd agree with DMR, that it's probably time put Strauss out to pasture.  This seems like a natural point in the cycle....and I'd be very surprised if KP gets another game...both Taylor and Bairstow should be given a go now, with Cook as captain.  Ravi has had a fair crack of the whip in Tests and shouldn't play again.

Having to find another opener though is a bit of a problem atm...the summer has been so dismal, and the fixture list so strange, that very few players have had much of a chance to put their foot in the door....for this reason I think Strauss will take it to the end of  next summer.

What stand you in on Friday?

I dont think India is the place to blood a new opener and new captain.  Remember what happened to the one day squad in India last year?  But after the new year in New Zealand I expect someone to be given a go as someone rests.  Maybe Joe Root.

Strauss is the weak link in the batting order, even Prior has a higher average over the last two years. I still think he has to take some of the blame for the problems with KP, it must have been building up over the previous months and a good captain would have diffused it earlier rather than letting it blow up. I'd say we've been successful despite Strauss rather than because of him.

He's not going to go though, unlike KP who barring a miracle won't be playing international cricket ever again.

I reckon Prior will bat at 6 in India and they will play Samit Patel as a spinning all rounder to bat 7.

The Spar stand block 28...should be a good view at 'cow' or backward point depending on your take!

Yeah it's going to be a tough challenge whatever happens between now and then, we have the ODI series and then the t20 world cup in Sri Lanka as well before then, so lots of cricket and perhaps more importantly time available to make key decisions for the next chapter in English cricket!

T20 Finals Day today, anyone going?

Sussex look strong, although I fancy Yorkshire. Somerset are my side but will no doubt come second somehow and Hants aren't too shabby either, an excellent finals day. That said, last year the team that looked like the whipping boys won so predictions seem a little silly.

Somerset to lose in the final.  That's my only prediction...

 Somerset have been playing recently with as many as 9 players unavailable because of injury or international commitments...missing Compton, Keiswetter, Alfonso Thomas, Gregory, Waller, Meschede, Craig Overton, Jamie Overton, Dockerell....no idea who's playing today

Yeah, injuries/internationals have not been ideal for us this season, nor our continuing overseas player fiasco.

Believe Levi and Kevin O'Brien are overseas today, Kieswetter and Buttler are available from England and Tresco, Gregory and Kirby definitely fit. Not 100% sure on Thomas and Waller, hope the latter is fit or we have no spinner.

Has the Summer of cricket finished yet?

Hampshire v Yorkshire final, Hampshire made hard work of chasing a tiny total but Thomas looks disappointingly past it.

I am here!

My £30 on Yorkshire at 3/1 looking like money well spent thus far!

My man of the semis was Bairstow. My let down was Levi.  Although running him close was the Gloucestershire mascot in the mascot race!  Hants probably favourites in the final due to the better bowling attack but come on Yorkshire!

 At least Somerset didn't bottle it in the Final this time...

Come on Yorkshire!!!!

Bloody weather, absolutely pissed it down in Cardiff yesterday waited around for hours and match abandoned...but more than a few pints sunk  :pint:

Get in - Hampshire are my team. Not really sure why other than I went with a mate to watch them play back when I was in school. His bird and her dad were members.

Was the first time I met Mike Spearman. Then chairman - he was there too for some reason. Came over and introduced himself as I had been brave enough to wear a town shirt!

Hampshire were deserving winners in the final and congrats to them, I thought David Miller would take Yorkshire home but sadly too much to do and lost wickets at valuble times. 10 years of t20 cricket as well!!!!

ECB press conference tomorrow. Rumours that Strauss might be retiring, but nobody seems to know for sure, just that it's big.

Would be a huge shame to see Strauss go but he is being carried a bit as a player now.

Looks likely to be confirmed today. It's the curse of those South Africans touring here, in a previous post them coming here and beating us has seen Hussain & Vaughan resign from the job....they're next here in 2016!

Cook has to be favourite to get the job, and it looks as though KP will have a route back into the side. Will Strauss retire as he hasn't been contributing big runs against the top teams for a while?!

What if the England players with KP issues conclude the KP saga has driven Strauss through the door and therefore the anomosity towards KP increases making it difficult for him to return.

I think Strauss will retire as well as resign.  KP will not tour India.  England will go to India with Cook and Trott opening.  Then along with Bell will have 3 batting rookies.

Not sure Strauss can really stay on as a player because he has such status in the dressing room that it might well stymie Cook a bit (and Cook would definitely be the next cab).

Wonder if England might consider a Compton/Carberry call up so that we're not looking at 3 very young players in the middle order. Keep Trott and 3 and use either of them to open or Trott up to open and play Patel at 7 (Not a major fan but in India perhaps).

Those thoughts are for the selectors though, Strauss should be praised for his achievements as a player and particularly as a captain: those who complain about the South Africa series would do well to remember the mess we were in when Andy and Andy took over in the West Indies.

Would also not be surprised to see Flower gone within 12 months.

Tim to fuck Strauss off, we need KP in India

Don't think it's that simple at all. Think if KP was to come back we'd be looking at a lot more than Strauss being unhappy...Flower, Anderson and Swann don't seem like his best pals either.

KP has to go/stay gone. In any sport, at any time, no player is bigger than the team.

I think it's very simple. KP is our best player. They don't have to be mates. Are you mates with everyone you work with? You can't go to India with 3 guys in the top 6 who have never played Test cricket (or barely any).

No, but occasionally someone at work gets so disruptive that a line is crossed and they have to removed from the environment: it's not like this is the first time KP has been remotely difficult. I think suggesting that the issue with Pietersen is that he's not "mates" is a bit disingenuous really, it's clearly a bit more severe than that: if the (continuing, embarrassing) leaks are anything to go by, KP has as much chance of being on the India tour as I do.

You do play spin with delightful soft hands!

I couldn't do much worse than Bell did against Ajmal!

Latest from rumours from Lords suggest Strauss is calling it a day completely, first class and all.

Officially retired from all professional Cricket, Cook takes over. Time will tell if it's the right time to go, but this makes the India tour very, very interesting. Also very sad, have nothing but respect for Strauss.

Hes done a great job.  You have to remember the mess he inherited from the KP era.  Taken England to the top of the test tree.

Cant see KP been taken to India though.

Seems almost a sad way to end things. Well done to Strauss for the job he has done, where he has taken the team and for being one of the top English batsmen of all time. Sadly it was his time to go, a new era dawns.....arise Captain Cook!!!!!

From the way Cook spoke at the press conference it does seems as though KP has a lot of work, grovelling to do before he is involved again with England...I for one hope it is sorted out as IMO he is a player that should be in the team for the tour to India, just because of the experience he has and the fact he will score big runs if he gets in!

 Think it's the right decision.....but without KP, who I don't think will come back, leaves us a bit inexperienced in the batting. However time for some young uns to step up.  The Indians will also have some young players as their legends gradually go.

 Speaking of which, watched the U 19's final t'other day, and they've a lad Unmukt Chand, who looks seriously good and I suppose might be thrown in.

Strauss has been a good captain with some very memorable victories...he will go down in the history books as being a captain who regained England`s status as being worthwhile opposition. Time to move on though as long as KP doesn`t get back in as a result of his retirement. That would be seen as a victory for KP and whilst England need a player of his quality - we dont need his personnality.

What would DiCanio do with KP? doesn`t bear thinking about.

Thoughts on Mankading?

http://www.espncricinfo.com/county-cricket-2012/content/story/580074.html

http://www.ecbtv.co.uk/video/20120831/somerset-v-surrey-day-3_2276246_2905657 - video about 2mins in.

Kartik runs out the non-striker during a LV County Championship game at Taunton (against his old side) - to me, when Kartik got into his delivery stride Barrow was in and Kartik stopped too late to run him out.

Always the sign of: a) dickhead; and/or b) someone getting the better of you, when bowlers revert to this. If it were a club game I'd like to think they would have sorted it out the proper way.

I bowl a bit of terrible off spin and do this frequently.

If the cunt's halfway down, run him out.

I agree that if they're looking to steal a yard or two then it's worth doing, but often it's the batsman's momentum taking him out of the crease when the ball would've been bowled by the bowler who stopped (illegally) in their delivery stride.

Barrow was warned so he should've been aware, but still reckon Kartik pulled up too late and was being a bit of a tit. Plus he's at Surrey with Batty and some more gobshites.

It just seems a bit unnecessary, the match was going absolutely nowhere and Barrow averages notably less with the bat in FC Cricket as Kartik does.

Well within the rules but when you have a reputation like Surrey do it doesn't help.

And he'd entered the delivery stride, so it shouldn't have been out anyway- that detail doesn't really change the debate though.

http://www.ecbtv.co.uk/video/20120831/somerset-v-surrey-day-3_2276246_2905657

Video of it at about 2:15- clearly in his delivery stride and barely out of his ground.

Back to ODI#1 tonight...bowlers bowled really well and Morgan/Trott batted with confidence as well!

I am pleased about this as I am off to Trent Bridge on Wednesday and it means there will still be something to play for.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/current/story/581478.html

This isnt going to end well for KP!

"The account, which suggested Pietersen was vainglorious and obsessed by money"

but... it's true.

I noticed that the England players that were following him, don't anymore. No way back, if half/all the team don't like him.

Why is it on the last day of the season I have my first decent innings of the entire season

Bowlers thinking about the end of season piss up and couldn't be bothered?

:)

crush my fragile ego why don't you

Well you asked, thought you were looking for TEF suggestions :nerner:

Maybe we need to begin a 'winter of cricket' thread but ....

England test squad for India named in an hour ... It looks like ....

Joe Root and Nick Compton will be named in it.  Also Monty Panesar will miss out.  Monty's ommision is an odd one as it must be down to the lack of trust in his fielding as he is by a country mile the 2nd best spinner in the country.  So it appears in the test series Swann will be back up by a bit of left arm twirl from Samit Patel with Tredwell in reserve.

..........................................................................

Also T20 world cup starts tomorrow will about as open a field as I can remember. 

As much as I want India to win the bowling is dross so the batting against most decents sides will have to make in excess of 180 just to be in the game.

Pakistan are the other way around.  Great bowling especially Ajmal but will they make enough runs? 

I do like Sri Lanka especially with Malinga.

West Indies are my wildcard.  With Gayle and Pollard they xcould turn a game in seconds but dont fancy the bowling much.

England as defending champions .... Good unit.  Much will depend on how Morgan/Buttler/Bairstow play the spinners during the middle/late overs.

I think the Aussies have no hope (So lump on them)

Saffers are good, but I cant bring myself to back them!

Also Englands opener is on Friday v Afghanistan.  They aint bad.  The batting is dodgy especially against extreme pace but they have a decent bowling attack with a mix of slow bowlers potentially suited to the Sri Lankan pitches.  Either way they are a great story and I expect them to be better than Bangladesh in most formats in due course.

Joe Root is overrated. Nick Compton is gun and must play.

Squad for India:

Cook Anderson Bairstow Bell Bresnan Broad Compton Finn Onions Morgan Panesar Patel Prior Root Swann Trott

Panesar, Root, Morgan, Compton in.  Taylor misses out.  Looks like Bairstow reserve wicketkeeper.