Idle cricket musing

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Now that's how to get a century in style. Well done, Mr Collingwood.

[Keef]

Real up and down match, if England can bat out tomorrow morning, they could be in with a shout... So long as South Africa's batsmen don't do that pesky stubborn thing again!

[Keef]

Now this is looking like an interesting match!

[Keef]

Well done Collingwoord! Shame got out, he deserved to be left standing.

280 lead, come on you bowlers!

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

All's ill that ends ill.

[Keef]

That was a good match though. Thought it would go in to the last morning.

[Marmora Man]

Now Vaughan has resigned. Will he be in the squad for Thursday? If he's not captain his batting isn't up to Test match standard.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Wow - I hadn't heard that. Good man, falling on his sword. Should make for an interesting test for your birthday!

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Just read the blurbs - it seems the bookies favour Pietersen. Don't fancy him myself - he's far too arrogant. And he's not English! (I know that never stopped Greig and Lamb, but you know what I mean).

[Keef]

Colly has resigned as one day captain too, and Vaughan has confirmed he won't play in the final test, or lead England again. He is taking a break, then trying to regain his form at county level and hopes to be selected as a batsman for England again in the future...

BBC Story, and press conference vid here.

[Michael Palaeologus]

Oh Joy. I have tickets for The Oval next Sunday. Might just have a free day then.

[Marmora Man]

Is it Strauss's time?

[Brendan]

Bloody hell I go away for a weekend and all hell breaks loose!

Pity England didn?t manage to win that as having a final test worth playing for would have been good. Although now it seems that England have everything to prove in the next match. Well at least one of them will.

I would have thought Strauss is the next natural captain and definitely the sensible choice. There is a part of me that feels that Pietersen will win you more matches. But let?s face it, that doesn?t seem to be the top priority in English cricket.

[Marmora Man]

Pietersen has been identified on BBC as likley successor - which is ironic given that, had he batted with more concentration and made his century rather than going for glory England might have had another 50 runs in the bag and more time to bowl out S. Africa and not lost the 3rd Test. Vaughan wouldn't have resigned and ........

Still that's the fun of cricket - so many "what if's" "might have beens" "should have been" - and that's just the morning seesion of the first day!

[Brendan]

I wonder of any consideration has been given to giving Freddy another chance or if he would even be interested in the job.

[Marmora Man]

I doubt if Freddie wants the job. It didn't work out too well last time and he's still finding his feet having just returned.

As Vaughan has opted out of playing in next test what will the side look like?

Cook

Straus

Pietersen

Collingwood

Ambrose

Flintoff

Panesar

Are I'd suggest givens.

The choose from

Anderson / Sidebottom (probably not - injured) / Harmison (interesting gamble) / Simon Jones (interesting gamble - but good if it works in preparation for te Ashes next year)/ Bhopara / ??? / ???

[Brendan]

Rob Key could perhaps come in as a top order batsman. I would like to see them give Broad another go. Or is he also injured at the moment? Then they can bring in Jones perhaps or even Hoggard for the specific reason that in the past he has been the one English bowler who has consistently got the better of Graeme Smith.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Alec Stewart was touting Rob Key this morning. Good to have a Kent man.

I'd like to see Panesar have a go at captain - looks the jolly type who'd always go over the top first.

[Keef]

Monty would be cool!

Seriously, why is Hoggard so out of the picture, he's in the top 5 English wicket takers and he will usually remove a couple of top order batsmen. I would have him in my team any day.

[Brendan]

Well here we have it. Now it just remains to see who they field.

Kevin Pietersen (captain), Tim Ambrose, James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison, Monty Panesar, Ryan Sidebottom, Andrew Strauss.

[Keef]

Well Bopara doesn't have a lot of experience, but is averaging over 60 for his county, so fingers crossed he can pick up some runs if he gets to play...

[Keef]

Just saw this interesting point/question raised on the BBC 606 board.

this debate is pointless, pieterson is THE CAPTAIN so lets get used to it.

what interests me is where will he field, listening to TMS on the radio his name is hardly mentioned when england are fielding, he is usually well away from the action. is this because vaughan had doubts about his ability.

at mid-off, the usual position for a captain, the ability to field and catch well is often tested.

also will he bowl himself.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Are we really going to hand the captaincy to a man who buys silk sheets?

[Brendan]

I?m starting to think that the only reason they chose him is because at least South Africans know that men don?t start blubbing like little girls if they forget how to play down the correct line. I mean for gods sake Michelle what?s wrong? Need a cuddle?

[Keef]

Smith dropped off the first ball of the day damn it! He also got one in the nuts in the same over. Good to have Harmy back >:D