Ashes - First Test

arbeitsscheuer · 24-07-2005 04:51PM

Yep. Pietersen was brilliant, but it was his debut (and English debutantes are full of false promise - Kirtley, Ed Smith, Bell

)

Definitely drop Bell. Flintoff has been one of England's best players in the last two years, and this was his first time playing against the Aussies. So. Keep him in.
And as for Vaughn - I wasn't aware that Captains could be dropped. If so, then yeah, drop him. Otherwise keep him, he's been at the forefront of England's resurgence in the last 16 months, there's no other Captaincy material in the squad.
Replace Geraint Jones with Chris Read.
Replace Ian Bell with Robert Key.

mike65 · 24-07-2005 04:58PM

Vaughan is suffering a classic case of "England Captain" syndrome, I think they have to stop selecting top order batsmen for the job.

Mike.

Harry2001 · 24-07-2005 05:53PM

Most think Australia are going to win the series but all we wanted was for England to at least compete with the best side in the world and they have failed.

England’s bowlers did their job and bowled Australia out twice but were badly let down by the batters apart from Pietersen. McGrath and Warne are just too good it’s as simple as that.

Flintoff is purely a bowler now (and a very good one) his batting is abysmal.

Vaughan is an excellent captain but is being captain good enough when you contribute nothing with the bat?

Very disappointing overall, but not entirely unexpected

DMC · 24-07-2005 05:53PM

I think part of Vaughan's problem is he's batting at No. 3..... I'd like to see his averages before and after Strauss joined the squad last summer.

DMC · 24-07-2005 05:54PM

Harry2001 wrote:

Vaughan is an excellent captain but is being captain good enough when you contribute nothing with the bat?

Only Mike Brearley could pull that off.... and Vaughan's no Mike Brearley...

Harry2001 · 24-07-2005 06:06PM

DMC wrote:

I think part of Vaughan's problem is he's batting at No. 3..... I'd like to see his averages before and after Strauss joined the squad last summer.

You can pull some good stats from here

Career Batting - Innings by Innings Progress

Performance Analysis by Batting Position

RuggieBear · 24-07-2005 06:10PM

Wonder what Australia will do once McGrath and Warne retire?

Harry2001 · 24-07-2005 06:15PM

RuggieBear wrote:

Wonder what Australia will do once McGrath and Warne retire?

Badly hopefully

Hope they realise how lucky they are to have two of the finest bowlers ever playing at the same time, irreplaceable!

RuggieBear · 24-07-2005 06:21PM

Harry2001 wrote:

Badly hopefully

Hope they realise how lucky they are to have two of the finest bowlers ever playing at the same time, irreplaceable!

That's what i'm thinking too.:)

But i can't but help feel that Gillespie, Kaspowitz, Lee or one of their other bowlers will stand up and take on the responsibility of being the lead attack and perhaps McGill might take over Warnes boots

DMC · 24-07-2005 06:33PM

McGill is as old as Warne, so that won't happen.

Shane "it wasn't gay porn, it was art!" Watson would be useful if he wasnt so injury prone.

They will need one of Warne or McGrath to shuffle off during the next Aussie summer... the selectors always shaft some player each year to rebuild for the future....

BTW thanks for the link, Harry, I'll try working them out later, but you can see that at 3 and 4, his average is not as good as before. Plus, those innings at 3 and 4 were against WI, SA and NZ.

RuggieBear · 24-07-2005 06:44PM

quite forgotton McGill is so old...once watched him take 6-7 wickets in Provincial match at the North Sydney oval. So unfortunate that Warne was around at the same time.

andyman · 24-07-2005 10:33PM

RuggieBear wrote:

have been very unimpressed by jones at WK....he really doesn't inspire confidence at all.

Pieterson seriously needs to learn how to catch. I was embarrassed for him. Vaughn has looked out of sorts all season to me.

I like Geraint Jones at WK. I think he does well.

As for Pieterson. He should spend more time learning to catch the ball. He was appaling in the field. Paul Collingwood, now he can catch!!

Michael Vaughen is just going through a bad patch imo. Same with Strauss.

I think the selectors should replace Hoggard for Tremlett for the next test.

Joyce for the next test anyone?

RuggieBear · 24-07-2005 10:46PM

andyman wrote:

I like Geraint Jones at WK. I think he does well.

As for Pieterson. He should spend more time learning to catch the ball. He was appaling in the field. Paul Collingwood, now he can catch!!

Michael Vaughen is just going through a bad patch imo. Same with Strauss.

I think the selectors should replace Hoggard for Tremlett for the next test.

Joyce for the next test anyone?

Bad patch.... or complete slump in form and how long can england carry him?

I'd love ed joyce to be capped (fellow bray lad and my best friend's next door neighbour

)

andyman · 25-07-2005 10:48AM

You're a right boaster aren't you.

But, if Joyce is capped does that mean he can't represent Ireland in the WC if he doesn't get picked for the WC squad.

RuggieBear · 25-07-2005 11:00AM

andyman wrote:

You're a right boaster aren't you.

TBH, i reckon i've mentioned it about 8 times already on this board

andyman wrote:

But, if Joyce is capped does that mean he can't represent Ireland in the WC if he doesn't get picked for the WC squad.

I'm not sure he is allowed represent us if he gets capped for england.

andyman · 25-07-2005 03:05PM

Joyce is from BRAY?!?. I can't believe I didn't know that. I used to live there meself.

Played Cricket for NWCC aswell. I'm great.

county · 25-07-2005 11:48PM

so if he is irish,how can he play for england,a great great grandfather or hes drank a few pint of john smiths,i suppose it worked the the irish football team :rolleyes:

RuggieBear · 26-07-2005 12:10AM

county wrote:

so if he is irish,how can he play for england,a great great grandfather or hes drank a few pint of john smiths,i suppose it worked the the irish football team :rolleyes:

residency...and england probably need him

county · 26-07-2005 12:14AM

sorry but ive never heard of him,what county does he play for?and why would an irish man play for england

RuggieBear · 26-07-2005 09:03AM

county wrote:

sorry but ive never heard of him,what county does he play for?and why would an irish man play for england

hmmm....admitedly not a household name yet.

Have a gander here . See E C Joyce....that's him. He plays for Middlesex. Have you heard of them

. Here are his career stats. Have alook at his relations.....they are all excellent players.

Actually Middlesex have another Irishman on the books who has the potential to be very very good. Eoin Morgan is seen as one for the future.

As for why an Irishman would want to play for England.....well do you see any other Test playing nations in Europe?

Nobody objected to Pietersen, G. O. Jones or Strauss playing and they came from Test playing countries but couldn't make their own national teams, so why not an Irishman who wants to and is capable of playing cricket at the highest level.

county · 26-07-2005 12:29PM

i have no problem with him playing for england,and hopefully he is as good as you say

RuggieBear · 26-07-2005 12:42PM

county wrote:

....hopefully he is as good as you say

I hope so too

Ashes - First Test

Comments