Howard Hughes in BlueSuedeShoes Posted August 7, 2012 Report Share Posted August 7, 2012 The Gulf Stream connects me in Ayr with my brothers in Antigua. Anyway they've been my team ever since they made England's South African captain Tony Greig eat his words about making them grovel in the dust back in the long hot summer of '76, roughly the same time the bug for Saints got the real hold of me. I've followed them both through good times & bad and as Grace Slick said Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now. That WAS extremely funny but what did you expect from a South African in the 70s? Great players inded such as Richards, Lloyd, Garner, etc, but I came to the conclusion they were like the Hungarian team of the 1950s. Mibbe I'm wrong. By the way, Grace Slick hates that song. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud the Baker Posted August 7, 2012 Report Share Posted August 7, 2012 By the way, Grace Slick hates that song. How do you get from Monty Panesar to Grace Slick? One pill makes you larger........................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud the Baker Posted August 19, 2012 Report Share Posted August 19, 2012 (edited) This is what Test cricket is all about - England will have to score 300+ on a 5th day pitch to retain their No. 1 status. **************************** England require 330 runs on the final day with 8 wickets remaining - big day for Imran Tahir tomorrow, a good haul of wickets for him and England's strategy over the final two Tests will be called into question. How soon for Cap'n Cook? Edited August 19, 2012 by Bud the Baker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud the Baker Posted August 19, 2012 Report Share Posted August 19, 2012 Did I call it? OK so it's a couple of minutes before my edit but it's the plank for Strauss and Hurrah for Cap'n Hook! 6.50pm: Is this the end for England's spell at No. 1? And what about Andrew Strauss, with just 107 runs from six innings? What looked like an outside shot at the start of the session has become a freakish ask of England, as South Africa tightened their grip on the match and the series. There was parsimony from Steyn but no philanthropy from Philander; if Morkel finds his mojo in the morning this may not last long. Anyway, for now the dreamers can dream. David Hopps' report will be hit the news stands imminently, and Alex, Gnasher and I will be back from 10am tomorrow to bring you the final reckoning. Night! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickMcD Posted August 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 Did I call it? OK so it's a couple of minutes before my edit but it's the plank for Strauss and Hurrah for Cap'n Hook! It will be real back to the wall stuff today. A big innings from Trott or Bell is badly needed. Should make great viewing but sod it I'm busy all morning so won't see anything until about 3pm. Will it still be a match then? KP has completely vindicated guys like me who have had to acknowledge his huge talent and his pea size brain. He can f**k off to the IPL now and stay there. I somehow can't see Cook being a successful England captain. Don't know why but I have my doubts. Don't no who else, mind you. Vaughn might get a few more chances. Wonder why this is only a three match series. One way or another it's good stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reynard Posted August 20, 2012 Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 This is what Test cricket is all about - England will have to score 300+ on a 5th day pitch to retain their No. 1 status. **************************** England require 330 runs on the final day with 8 wickets remaining - big day for Imran Tahir tomorrow, a good haul of wickets for him and England's strategy over the final two Tests will be called into question. How soon for Cap'n Cook? Strauss is definitely under a lot of pressure now. Some of it from personal performances, some of it from the way the team has played and some of it from the dressing room stuff. I think the KP saga will probably buy him the time during the India tour , but that will be a monumentally difficult series to do anything in. He needs runs first and foremost and he needs his team to be competitive. India will likely win over there as the pitches suit them massively, but Strauss needs to deliver some runs as well as mending whatever is wrong in the dressing room. Maybe with Pieterson out the way, this will happen regardless, who knows. England will lose today and lose their number one spot, its been a fantastic run to get there and stay there but SA are a better side with much better bowlers and although England didnt compete in the first test they havent been miles off it in the other two really but SA look battle hardened and they look like winners. The way their tail fought hard when under severe pressure a few times in this test has been fantastic and they kicked the guts out Englands bowling attack. They also managed to nullify the spin weapon and Amla batted really well against him. Two good sides all the same but SA have just been a better side all round this time. Their bowling attack has been disciplined and generally very decent, Englands has been patchy and has at various times carried a passenger or two which cant happen at this level and against that good a side. Broad hasnt been consistent enough, Anderson has bowled well but hasnt been all that lucky and Swann has been worked out to an extent rendering him less of a threat. You just have to say that SA are the best side around at the moment and deserve their series win. IUts a pity neither test series has been over five tests though as I think that might have changed things a little bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud the Baker Posted August 20, 2012 Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 (edited) Erm, I was just about to post that England had started well & were scoring quickly but by the time I had logged in Bell was out. Great series and like everyone else I've wondered why it's over 3 Tests - I guess the organizers didn't envisage it being a contest for the number 1 slot. ************************* Unlike Reynard I'm not totally convinced Strauss's position is totally safe once England lose the top slot although other than this his analysis is pretty much spot on. Edited August 20, 2012 by Bud the Baker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
braidmeister Posted August 20, 2012 Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 Outplayed fair and square. England have not been at their best in this series. One wonders how much the whole Pietersen thing has affected the team. The bottom line is England don't have a bowler as good as Stein or a batsman as good as Kallis(or Amla for that matter). A 5 test series would have been nice though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud the Baker Posted August 20, 2012 Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 Well that was a lot closer than I thought it was gonna be - there was 5 minutes or se at about 275-7 when I felt England were gonna do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickMcD Posted August 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 Well that was a lot closer than I thought it was gonna be - there was 5 minutes or se at about 275-7 when I felt England were gonna do it. I thought the same. It was a creditable performance and it made for a good couple of hours viewing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reynard Posted August 21, 2012 Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 Well that was a lot closer than I thought it was gonna be - there was 5 minutes or se at about 275-7 when I felt England were gonna do it. I though the Saffies arses were collapsing for a spell yesterday. A really good test match and a good series. Hopefully they can give SA a five test series next time as they always put on a decent show in England, three tests against a side like them isn't enough. I know it will f**k up the one day nonsense which does make the money, but test cricket should be sacrosanct as far as I'm concerned and needs to be protected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud the Baker Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 England captain Andrew Strauss has retired from all forms of cricket. Batsman Strauss played 100 Tests and skippered his country in 50 of them. One-day captain Alastair Cook is taking over from Strauss, 35, and will lead his country in the four-Test series against India in November. Strauss said: "It has clearly been a tough decision to make, but I believe that it is both in the best interests of the England cricket team and myself to step down at this stage." During his time in charge, England were ranked the world's best Test team for the first time. Cook, 27, said: "I'm very excited by this new challenge, it is a huge honour to be appointed Test captain and I am very much looking forward to captaining the side in India this winter and beyond." more to follow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reynard Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 England captain Andrew Strauss has retired from all forms of cricket. more to follow... There you go! Surprised at the total retiral from cricket all the same. That leaves England looking very inexperienced in the batting department if Pietersen has completely burned his bridges. Two top players out the side to be replaced with the likes of Taylor and Bairstow out in India will be making a tough job even tougher. Strauss was a very decent captain, and he was also a tremendous batsman. By the sounds of things he feels like he will never get his batting back to the levels he was once at so if he thinks that then its best he does chuck test cricket, maybe he has something lined up for apres cricketing career? Guido reckons he will stand for the Tories in Corby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
braidmeister Posted November 18, 2012 Report Share Posted November 18, 2012 A fine rearguard performance by young master Cook this morning. Another 3 or 4 hour of that and the test should be saved. The England middle order looks soft as shite at the moment though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qarsaan Posted November 24, 2012 Report Share Posted November 24, 2012 Well done Monty to take 5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud the Baker Posted November 24, 2012 Report Share Posted November 24, 2012 Yeah coupla good Innings by Cook in difficult circumstances - if he keeps it up I'll have to revise my opinion of him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
braidmeister Posted November 24, 2012 Report Share Posted November 24, 2012 I've got a feeling that if England are to get a lead, Cook and KP will need to score the runs. An early wicket tomorrow and they could collapse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stmirren#1 Posted November 25, 2012 Report Share Posted November 25, 2012 Nice to see the wee beady eyed hamster again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickMcD Posted November 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2012 Great stuff in Mumbai. Terrific comeback after that first test. I had been thinking that maybe this thread should be renamed the cricket thread but after Montys eleven wickets let's just leave it for a bit longer.Great from Swann too with eight. Fair to say Cook and Pietersen batted brilliantly. Good call, Braidmeister. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud the Baker Posted December 6, 2012 Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 Yeah coupla good Innings by Cook in difficult circumstances - if he keeps it up I'll have to revise my opinion of him. He's on a roll right now - be an amazing turnaround but you'd have to say Enland look the stronger team and more likely to win the series at this moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
braidmeister Posted December 7, 2012 Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 Another fine daddy ton by the boy wonder. It could be a fine end to the test. I can see India rolling over if their 250 behind though. Should be good viewing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickMcD Posted December 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 Another fine daddy ton by the boy wonder. It could be a fine end to the test. I can see India rolling over if their 250 behind though. Should be good viewing. Great knock but what was he doing trying to get out of the way of the ball. If it's hitting him it ain't hitting the wicket. He should have got two hundred but I suppose it's a bit boorish to criticise him. Hope they win but I almost wouldn't mind too much if Tendulkar got a ton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickMcD Posted December 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2012 I hope India wins by 700. Why not? By the way,nice name. Suits you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud the Baker Posted December 8, 2012 Report Share Posted December 8, 2012 Well whatta session - India started of at 86-0 but Sehwagg fell first ball to Swann, shortly after Pujara was run out and the momentum was fully in England's favour, with the pressure on India craked and finished the session on 145-6. With India's tail only one wicket away it's hard to see anything but another large Indian victory. Will Tendulkar be following the other two big stars of the noughties into retirement shortly? Well Cap'n Cook - how are ye? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud the Baker Posted December 17, 2012 Report Share Posted December 17, 2012 Whodathunkit? Not me anyway, but England defy their inability to play spin and a disastrous First Test to come back and win the series 2-1. Great credit to Alastair Cook who has lead from the front and done better than I thought he ever would - I'd still quibble with the stats - runs are easier to come by these days than they were say 20/30 years ago and he's generally had the benefit of playing in a strong team, to me he still doesn't measure up to David Gower but I'll admit that since becoming Cap'n he's done good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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