Slick Mongoose Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 It's OK. I have every faith in Ian Bell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoë Sumra Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 ... to get himself out in new and amusing ways? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereward Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 It's OK. I have every faith in Ian Bell.You're on a roll now, aren't you?I'm actually pleased by this news. Now I can return to the default mindset of the England supporter, untroubled by strange sensations of optimism, which are doomed to be ultimately shattered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Mongoose Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 You're on a roll now, aren't you?Notice how I left it ambiguous as to what I have faith in Ian Bell to do.That way I can be right whatever happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubby Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Langer Becomes Australia's Greatest 1st Class Run ScorerFormer WA skipper Justin Langer has broken Don Bradman’s long-standing record for the most first class runs by an Australian.The prolific left-hander moved beyond Bradman’s mark of 28,067 runs playing for Somerset against Worcestershire at New Road in an English county match at Worcester on Thursday.I have a few observations about this story.The first is that it seems that JL passed the record in his usual stoical fashion. The second is that I had no idea he was still playing 1st class cricket.Finally, if anyone doubted Bradman's awesomeness, this would confirm it:Langer compiled his first class runs playing for Australia, Western Australia, Middlesex and Somerset and has played 120 more first class games than Bradman.(my emphasis) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Got back from my vacation!Well, England caught a few lucky breaks in that Test (with the weather and some of the umpiring decisions) but ultimately they outplayed us enough to deserve the win, so well done to England. I place most of the defeat squarely on the shoulders of Mitchell Johnson's complete misfiring! That, and some of the batting in that first innings.This definitely does have a bit of a 1997 tour feel to it though. Australia 1-0 down after two Tests and their bowling spearhead out of form. McGrath had a horrible start to that 1997 tour and then (in the second match at Lords) ended up taking 8 wickets in an innings, I think. From an Aussie perspective I hope Johnson can rebound in a similar fashion. Hopefully another similarity of the 1997 tour is that at this point, the fortunes of the two teams start to diverge as Australia get stronger. Hussey was showing some signs of life, the middle order is still in good form, and England are now going to be missing Pietersen. I'm also not entirely convinced they'll have a fully fit Flintoff for the rest of the series.Either way I think Stuart Clark absolutely must come in the team for the next Test. Siddle will be the fall guy (I don't see Australia ditching the spinner role yet). Hilfenhaus was clearly the best bowler at Lords and has probably been Australia's best bowler of the series so far. While Siddle has proved useful in fulfilling the 'enforcer' role, you really can't afford to have an expensive 'enforcer' in a four man attack when you take into account Johnson's complete uselessness. Clark is a steady, controlled wicket taker, and has the perfect sort of game for English conditions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereward Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 But the obvious answer to your bowling (and indeed batting) dilemma is staring you in the face. :wideeyed: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horza Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 But the obvious answer to your bowling (and indeed batting) dilemma is staring you in the face. :wideeyed:You just shut your mouth frigging selectors :tantrum: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereward Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Watson nearly got a century today. Pick him. Go on. I dare you. :smoking: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Watson nearly got a century today. Pick him. Go on. I dare you. :smoking:If Watson does get selected, scores a double century and takes five wickets I'm blaming this message for it... surely you should realise by now that being dismissive of an Australian player's potential is just tempting fate ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljkeane Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Watson nearly got a century today. Pick him. Go on. I dare you. :smoking:I remember seeing Watson score a pretty impressive double hundred once, I'd agree with williamjm about the risks of disparaging the potential of Australian players. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubby Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I remember seeing Watson score a pretty impressive double hundred once, ...Was he batting with a runner? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Was he batting with a runner?Either that, or all his runs were scored from overthrows (since overthrows are credited to the batsman's account).Seriously though...he may put in a good performance but I do not trust his fitness in a five day Test match. ODIs he can play in, but the amount of times he has broken down - and not just withdrawn due to fitness, but actually broken down on the field of play - requires more than just one game of good performances to instil confidence in a player. He has never played so much as a single season of cricket without breaking down, and I'd be surprised if in the last five years he has ever played more than 5 matches in a row without going down with some injury.Historically, the Australian selectors have not done well in getting teams out of trouble. In this case I think they should still stick with Hughes for one more match, and get Stuart Clark in the attack - either in place of Siddle or Hauritz. If Johnson goes wayward again, I would almost consider replacing him with Brett Lee in the fourth Test. Barring some uncharacteristic performance from Stuart Clark, I think Hilfenhaus and Clark should be the first two men picked in the attack for the rest of the series. Johnson's meltdown at Lords mean he is no longer untouchable; he was a huge liability in the last Test, and Brett Lee (fitness willing) should get a chance to take his place (and it isn't too much of a double standard, Lee has had a long Test career and played many gruelling matches as opposed to Watson). Even Lee in England couldn't have bowled worse than Johnson did in the latest match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maltaran Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Even Lee in England couldn't have bowled worse than Johnson did in the latest match.I think I mentioned earlier that even though Johnson scored 60, his batting average for the series is still less than his bowling average. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereward Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 If Watson does get selected, scores a double century and takes five wickets I'm blaming this message for it... surely you should realise by now that being dismissive of an Australian player's potential is just tempting fate ;)I am ashamed. Drink is a terrible thing. :| Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 I think I mentioned earlier that even though Johnson scored 60, his batting average for the series is still less than his bowling average.I see that things don't seem to be going any better in their tour match against Northamptonshire where he bowled 7 overs for 42 runs and no wickets against a batting line-up with only a single international player in it, which isn't very impressive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereward Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Now, you see what you've done? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted July 25, 2009 Share Posted July 25, 2009 Now, you see what you've done?I am merely reporting on events that have already occurred, I'm not making any predictions about future events or saying that it's not possible that Mitchell Johnston can make a miraculous recovery in form and decimate England's batting line-up in the next Test, because making such a prediction would definitely be tempting fate ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paxter Posted July 26, 2009 Author Share Posted July 26, 2009 At the risk of stating the bleeding obvious, Johnson is in a lot of trouble here. Match figures of 14-0-87-0 so far in the Northants game coupled with the horrendous performance at Lord's and the indifferent display at Cardiff...I would say his head is on the chopping block. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubby Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 At the risk of stating the bleeding obvious, Johnson is in a lot of trouble here. Match figures of 14-0-87-0 so far in the Northants game coupled with the horrendous performance at Lord's and the indifferent display at Cardiff...I would say his head is on the chopping block.If the selectors do decide to play an all-rounder and another seamer in Edgbaston, they should pick Johnson as the all-rounder and Clark as the seamer. The Clown has done nothing with the bat except look goofy and Twatson will just pull a hammy. At least Johnson can make some runs and have a few overs to try and buy a wicket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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