tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251157054005755258.post4141363659519531575..comments2024-03-13T09:17:05.086+00:00Comments on Cricket Burble: Oh dear - psychologist needed urgentlyEdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06755797969506651900noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251157054005755258.post-28332011843269490222008-03-10T22:04:00.000+00:002008-03-10T22:04:00.000+00:00he won us the ODI against the West Indies in the W...he won us the ODI against the West Indies in the World Cup, scored a double hundred in the big Test win v West Indies last summer, and in a low scoring game v Sri Lanka in 2006 he won us that game with 142 in the 1st innings.<BR/><BR/>He also scored a hundred v Pakistan in 2006 that helped us win (Bell and Strauss also scored hundreds). But for bad weather his hundred in the 3rd innings of the Lords Test v India last summer would have won us that game - the only century of the match. And his century in the last innings at The Oval in the same series prevented an India win.<BR/><BR/>He may not be everyone's cup of tea and the way he gets himself out more often than not infuriates me, but we still can't jettison people who average 50!Edhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06755797969506651900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251157054005755258.post-79524870574293355212008-03-10T20:33:00.000+00:002008-03-10T20:33:00.000+00:00When did Pietersen last play a match-winning innin...When did Pietersen last play a match-winning innings? Oval Ashes test. His overblown ego gets in the way of his batting.Peter Lambhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01316786398580772598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251157054005755258.post-33354426261206615392008-03-10T17:40:00.000+00:002008-03-10T17:40:00.000+00:00I thought England had the opportunity to jettison ...I thought England had the opportunity to jettison Harmison before the Sri Lanka series but they chose to go with him in Tests 2 and 3 and he did relatively ok. So it has appeared that no matter how badly he plays he's in and that can't be right. In terms of batting strength the thought of picking a bowler for their batting worries me, but Swann is perceived - rightly or wrongly - to be the better batsman versus Broad.<BR/><BR/>There's a tricky balance to find between keeping players at the top of the game and giving them the confidence to know that one bad game doesn't mean the chop - that scenario did us no favours in the 90s. If we can't get it spot on, I think being too loyal is the better way to go. But Bopara got no loyalty and most people seemed to think that Prior was dealt with pretty harshly so Harmison needs to be treated in the same way.<BR/><BR/>I wouldn't drop Pietersen, no matter what remarks he's made, because he'll then go and play in the IPL and we'd lose our best batsman!Edhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06755797969506651900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251157054005755258.post-48780889650966615312008-03-10T14:20:00.000+00:002008-03-10T14:20:00.000+00:00As an outsider looking in, I feel that English cri...As an outsider looking in, I feel that English cricketers are a complacent lot.<BR/><BR/>There is no real threat to their place in the side.<BR/><BR/>The prime example is Harminson. They should have jettisoned him irrespective of his central contract.Viswanathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03511419586643916500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251157054005755258.post-22262958768918051922008-03-10T14:12:00.000+00:002008-03-10T14:12:00.000+00:00Broad or Anderson for Harmison and Shah for Pieter...Broad or Anderson for Harmison and Shah for Pietersen, then Vaughan would have to bowl himself! Yes, I'd drop both the players who gave ridiculous interviews in the middle of the 1st test, Harmison for displaying a general lack of enthusiasm for being there at all and Pietersen for effectively saying in advance that we wouldn't be able to chase any sort of target on that wicket. It wasn't impossible to score at a reasonable rate on that wicket, as Bell showed. Collingwood's innings was a disgrace allowing himself to become completely bogged down and giving the whole initiative to the Kiwis. Gower, probably the most moderate of the commentators, described the whole England innings as "disgraceful": in fact, that description could have been extended to nearly all the team for nearly all the game, Sidebottom's bowling, Bell's batting, Ambrose's keeping and Cook's fielding being the only exceptions.Peter Lambhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01316786398580772598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251157054005755258.post-47596452875124723382008-03-10T14:07:00.000+00:002008-03-10T14:07:00.000+00:00I suggest Broad. His batting will come in handy.I suggest Broad. His batting will come in handy.Viswanathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03511419586643916500noreply@blogger.com