The Official Cricket Thread

[Champ]

I'm sure they'll try and get him, just a bit nervous it doesn't fuck the balance up.

He doesnt come across as being hugely dynamic on camera....but maybe this doesnt do him justice because the comments about his presence in the dressing room seemed genuinely heartfelt

[lifetime fan]

They could always kick Nasser off...

 

So now we have a Captain Cook, lets hope he doesn't have a mutiny.....**

 

**KP is gone like, but will he be back???

 

 

I actually don't mind Nasser, it works well having a beating boy for the chemistry of the group.

 

 

Would be interesting if Cook didn't want kev back.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

I actually don't mind Nasser, it works well having a beating boy for the chemistry of the group.

 

 

Would be interesting if Cook didn't want kev back.

 

I'm sure we will hear more about that situation as and when the squads for the winter tour are named. Rite, gotta pic little J up from the KG. laters.

[TheBitch]

Little bit disappointed in this news, I've got a lot of time for Strauss, he's done a real good job for us and has always been open and honest.

 

Two ways of looking at it I suppose, did he know his time was up and he felt within himself that he couldn't regain those heady heights of a few years ago so threw his hand in now. If so then fair play to him, if not and he wasn't up for the fight of trying to get us back to number 1 then it's a bit disappointing, it's not as though the team needs a full overhaul.

 

Does pose a few interesting questions.

 

Who to open with Cook? Personally I wouldn't wanna fuck about with the order too much, as Lifetime fan says, I wouldn't wanna move Bell as he looks pretty settled there. Bairstow looks a gem and will keep that prick KP out of the side, really not sure who on the county scene looks a good opener. Will be interesting.

 

Can Cook be a good captain? He's got some shoes to fill, that's fo' sho. I think he's in a similar mould to Strauss, calm, well spoken in interviews, hope he's got the fight and aggression that you need to really make it as a successful Test captain.

[Yozzer]

Not a lot of choice for openers in the county scene, you're looking at a list of these probably:

 

Root, Carberry, Hales erm after that I'm struggling.

 

To be honest Trott is probably our best bet, with Strauss being so poor recently he may as well have been opening anyway.

[TheBitch]

 

To be honest Trott is probably our best bet' date=' with Strauss being so poor recently he may as well have been opening anyway.[/quote']

 

Fair point that.

[Spy Bee]

I think Bell will open. He's shown he can do it in ODI's and he's really established in the side. We have a lot more choice of players to bring in down the order too, and I think that will tilt the balance.

[lifetime fan]

Not a lot of choice for openers in the county scene, you're looking at a list of these probably:

 

Root, Carberry, Hales erm after that I'm struggling.

 

To be honest Trott is probably our best bet, with Strauss being so poor recently he may as well have been opening anyway.

 

 

Trott is a good shout.

[Ian Sea]

Disappointed that Strauss has gone but I could see it coming. Ideally he'd have stayed for the upcoming back-to-back Ashes series, he could have won 4 series in a row as skipper, but his form has resulted in him going now. The forthcoming series in India may have had some bearing in his retirement as I don't think we'll do too well over there and another series defeat would harm Strauss's legacy. A defeat for Cook will be seen in completely different light than a defeat for Strauss would.

 

With regards to a replacement, I think we'll push an existing batsman up the order for the India series. To bring in a rookie for a series away to India would be a real baptism of fire and it could ruin a career before it gets off the ground. I can see Trott opening before a new guy is possibly brought in for the New Zealand games in the new year.

[A_S]

One thing I am looking forward to seeing more of is Cook's DRS 'request' signal. So aggressive, especially from a fairly placid looking bloke most of the time. It's ace!

 

On a serious note though, Strauss will definitely be remembered in my parts as the man who fronted those back-to-back Ashes wins, especially dismantling Australia on home soil. That will linger long in the memory, unfortunately. Generally a tough guy to remove, he forged a very respectable career of being an opening batsman and, a bit like Mike Hussey, you wonder if he could have been given a go at it earlier than his late-20's because once given his chance, he showed he was well and truly good enough at the highest level.

 

Personally, I think Trott has the technique and temperament of all the current batsmen in that line-up to be promoted to open and give Ian Bell the important No. 3 spot, something he has had to earn the hard way, but it's put him in good stead. Unless of course there is some up-and-coming young-gun opener in the county scene I'm not aware of?

 

Although I did hear that Phil Hughes has an English grandmother. Interesting.....

[lifetime fan]

England need 113 off 25 overs with 7 wickets in hand to win the second ODI.

[lifetime fan]

Morkel can't dive forward quick enough to catch Morgan and ends up rolling over the ball with his arse.

 

His Saffa team mates aren't giving him any sympathy.

[lifetime fan]

Trott and Morgan playing nicely.

 

Need 52 to win off 81 balls still with 7 wickets left.

[Champ]

Trott and Morgan playing nicely.

 

Need 52 to win off 81 balls still with 7 wickets left.

Dare I say do-able?

[lifetime fan]

I'll be fucked off if we don't do it.

 

Will take us back to #1 too.

[Champ]

Didn't see SA batting. Had they taken the foot off the gas or were England better. Or was the difference Amla's stand in the previous match?

[Champ]

Bloody hell , its dark there

[lifetime fan]

Didn't see SA batting. Had they taken the foot off the gas or were England better. Or was the difference Amla's stand in the previous match?

 

 

Losing wickets and we bowled them out cut their score Champ. Didn't even bat the 50 overs.

[Champ]

Losing wickets and we bowled them out cut their score Champ. Didn't even bat the 50 overs.

Oh, all right. Good to stop the rot, though

[lifetime fan]

5 to win from 19 balls with 4 wickets left.

[lifetime fan]

Bopara was out for 0.

[lifetime fan]

England win and back to #1 in the world.

[Champ]

Bopara was out for 0.

This isn't doing anyone any good is it? SA had been all over him the previous game

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Good win yesterday albeit we made harder work of it than we should have once Morgan was out. We bowled well and in the main batted well. Ravi Bopara was unlucky with his dismissal but he really should be replaced with Bairstow. Kieswetter was not brilliant behind the stumps again and i'd rather have Prior.

[lifetime fan]

Good win yesterday albeit we made harder work of it than we should have once Morgan was out. We bowled well and in the main batted well. Ravi Bopara was unlucky with his dismissal but he really should be replaced with Bairstow. Kieswetter was not brilliant behind the stumps again and i'd rather have Prior.

 

 

Reckon he'll be gone after this series mate.