[galpinos]

As much as we whinge about Pietersen, he's is still, unfortunately, our best batsman.

Which is a bit depressing.

[GraemeA]

That's a good piece (de Lisle is usually pretty good.) Anyway, this thread needed something sensible as it's starting to look like a UKC thread! ( )
There's a slightly more controversial view on where England's biggest problem lies here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/theashes/5811998/The-Ashes-Kevin-Pietersen-is-Englands-biggest-problem.html
Let's face it, if Pieterson had emigrated to Australia instead of England he would have been lucky to get a long-term place in our local Murgebulloc 3rds with his attitude let alone seen the inside of the National teams dressing rooms! He is, as the article says, a narcissist of the first order and unless he makes a paradigm shift in his approach he will go down as one of the games great under-achievers!
As far as all the 'time-wasting' crap in the media goes, you won't find many outside the media circus here who agree with Ponting. He should just keep his mouth shut and get on with the next game. If he really wanted to make sure he won the game he should have declared half-an-hour earlier on the 4th day and kept Hilfenhaus bowling longer on the fifth. If Strauss has managed to get up his nose already then I reckon a little time-wasting was well worth it anyway.

It will be interesting to see the shape of England's bowling line-up on Thursday. If Flintoff is fit a Harmison/Flintoff/Onions pace combo would hopefully add a bit more spice to proceedings!

OK, the stuff about Pieterson is a bit of a wind-up.....but only a bit!

I would love to unperform as well as KP does. Average of over 50 in Tests.


And oh yeah, just in case you have forgotten. The Oval 2005, KP 158 

[butters]

I would love to unperform as well as KP does. Average of over 50 in Tests.

And oh yeah, just in case you have forgotten. The Oval 2005, KP 158 

Sure he averages 50+ and he scored that great 158 at the Oval to force the draw and win the Ashes for England. However you can never escape the feeling that he is going to throw his wicket away with an ill thought out shot and while he retains that cavalier streak he will be labelled as under performing and rightly so.   

[butters]

Boyks article in the Telegraph as mentioned earlier.

[galpinos]

I would love to unperform as well as KP does. Average of over 50 in Tests.

And oh yeah, just in case you have forgotten. The Oval 2005, KP 158 

Sure he averages 50+ and he scored that great 158 at the Oval to force the draw and win the Ashes for England. However you can never escape the feeling that he is going to throw his wicket away with an ill thought out shot and while he retains that cavalier streak he will be labelled as under performing and rightly so.   

I agree with all of that Bluebrad, It's just he's the best we've got! Flintoff isn't much cop with the bat, I've got hopw for Bopara, Cook, well, not exactly set the world alight yet and Strauss should be the one hanging his head in shame.

[DaveC]

Graeme, 2005 is now ancient history! What wonderful contribution did Mr Pieterson make down here in 2006/07? (I won't remind you of the result of that series - I still can't say it wothout bursting out laughing! )  He scored well early in the series but a brain fade in the second innings at Adelaide started a downhill slide and he was not a factor for the remaining three tests. I have no doubt he'll pull out at least one of his gems in this series but the Australians do seem to have a plan or two for him and he definitely fell for at least two of them in Cardiff.

PS I'm still tipping a drawn series just because I don't think Australia has the bowling attack to consistently win on your pitches over there (and Cardiff has if anything confirmed that view.) Mind you, if your top order batting doesn't improve I'll be changing my prediction pretty quickly.

PPS I've been looking through the last couple of Wisdens and you really don't have much batting depth to call on do you?

[Aussiegav]

PS I'm still tipping a drawn series just because I don't think Australia has the bowling attack to consistently win on your pitches over there (and Cardiff has if anything confirmed that view.)

to be honest dave, given the nature of the pitch at cardiff, i don't think many bowling attacks would of done well.
it was more like a flat track indian deck.

the curator at cardiff did a really poor job for both teams. Lords will give a true indication for the the rest of the series.

[DaveC]

I can't wait to see if Mitchell Johnson can get his act together bowling down the slope at Lord's. If he does it will be 'goodnight England!'

[Aussiegav]

i was surprised that  he had so many overs with teh Second new ball. especially when siddle got one in his first over.
i think thats when we lost it. Mitch gave away about 20 runs i think???
his girl is well cute though!!!

[butters]

Flintoff to retire after the Ashes concludes

[butters]

2nd Test at Lords.

Aussies lose the toss and England choose to bat first.

Onions is in at the expense of Monty and Flintoff has passed his fitness test to retain his place in the side.

[butters]

Well the 1st session goes England's way - 126/0.

[Jaspersharpe]

Nice to see Cook getting some runs on the board.

Warne's going mental about Ponting's field.

[Jaspersharpe]

Ponting's beginning to chew his bottom lip

[butters]

Ponting's beginning to chew his bottom lip

Was just laughing about that myself - looks like Hauritz has been removed from the game after sustaining damage to his hand fielding a return catch.

[butters]

Second session:

Cook made 95 and then got out, Bopara made a brisk 20 odd but was out thought by all accounts and Pietersen hasn't had an easy time of it since he came to the crease but he is still there. Add that Strauss reaching three figure off the penultimate ball of the session and I would say that it is pretty much honours even though England might just have shaded it if you add in a bit of Ponting frustration.

[Drew]

Just a shame that this test is going to be marred by the weather

[DaveC]

364-6. Great opening stand and a superb captain's knock from Strauss but WTF are the rest of the English batsmen doing? 500 is barely a par score on this pitch so the skipper is going to have to work hard to get them there tommorrow (or later today if you;re sitting where I am!) If Australia get out of this one with a draw they'll not be unhappy but if they finish things quickly they'll still fancy they have a chance.
England up on points but not by as much as they should be!

[n_man]

Cook did well and Mitchell Johnson is shit. England should have put the Aussies to the sword.

Still I'm worried about the England tail without Monty 

[butters]

364-6. Great opening stand and a superb captain's knock from Strauss but WTF are the rest of the English batsmen doing? 500 is barely a par score on this pitch...

Bopara got out thought and Peitersen apparently having another rush of blood to the head:

"The prodigiously talented batsmen tried mightily to surrender his wicket before the tea break, and succeeded just after by playing inside a shorter Siddle delivery."

After that the ball started to move a lot more and the Aussie bowlers started to figure out how to bowl at Lords - there was even mutterings of such things as reverse swing going on. They also managed to tidy up their terrible fielding.

Think that is going to be as good as it gets though - there is rain forecast for the next three days so it is really a bit of a blown chance for England with Hauritz unlikely to play much of a part in the rest of this test IMO.

[butters]

Well we might make 380 if we are lucky if present form is anything to go by 0 3 overs and three wickets have gone down.

As strange as this seems though I am not overly bothered at the minute - the weather is perfect for bowling and getting some movement on the ball - could be another interesting day.   

[Jaspersharpe]

Great stuff from Onions and Anderson.

[butters]

Great stuff from Onions and Anderson.

and hopefully more great stuff to come...

[Jaspersharpe]

Indeed. Let's hope the bowlers can give em some grief in these conditions. Come on England.

[Jaspersharpe]

Good start!