Integrating ODI and Test Teams

[Kirsty Harris]

Originally Posted by Mark Kidger

Do not play Harmison, Flintoff and Jones in unnecessary ODIs because you will burn them out if you do. Give Harmison especially as much rest as possible because he is turning into a true great who we do not want to wreck as Anderson was wrecked last year by overbowling him.

On that note, am I the only one to think it's crazy for Flintoff to be playing in this game, even just as a batsmen? If he was supposed to be resting his ankle, surely he shouldn't be risking playing AT ALL - he could still injure his ankle batting today and we might then be missing one of our key players for the rest of the summer. Are we that desperate to win a ODI? (well apparently yes!)

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Kirsty Harris

On that note, am I the only one to think it's crazy for Flintoff to be playing in this game, even just as a batsmen? If he was supposed to be resting his ankle, surely he shouldn't be risking playing AT ALL - he could still injure his ankle batting today and we might then be missing one of our key players for the rest of the summer. Are we that desperate to win a ODI? (well apparently yes!)

Well look what his just being on the field has done,he is their insperation,proof is what is happening.

[Kirsty Harris]

Originally Posted by ernest

Well look what his just being on the field has done,he is their insperation,proof is what is happening.

There's no denying that, ernest - having a great player like Flintoff out on the field will lift the spirits. However, it wouldn't have been so inspiring if he had damaged his ankle and been carried off the field!

My point is that the risk taken has been too great - it may work out well, it may be that he doesn't even have to bat... but I really don't think it was worth the risk, regaurdless of the outcome of the game.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Kirsty Harris

There's no denying that, ernest - having a great player like Flintoff out on the field will lift the spirits. However, it wouldn't have been so inspiring if he had damaged his ankle and been carried off the field!
My point is that the risk taken has been too great - it may work out well, it may be that he doesn't even have to bat... but I really don't think it was worth the risk, regaurdless of the outcome of the game.

I agree I would have played more specialist batsmen instead,Vaughan is just out,Rob Key coming in,my fingers are crossed.

But the selectors will point to the fact it appears to have worked,silly vaugham played at a ball that would have been called wide if he had left it.

Key has just got 4,hope he and Tresco can keep Freddy in the dressing room.

[Oliver]

Originally Posted by Kirsty Harris

There's no denying that, ernest - having a great player like Flintoff out on the field will lift the spirits. However, it wouldn't have been so inspiring if he had damaged his ankle and been carried off the field!

My point is that the risk taken has been too great - it may work out well, it may be that he doesn't even have to bat... but I really don't think it was worth the risk, regaurdless of the outcome of the game.

It may be that there is nothing really wrong with Flintoff and they are trying to keep him wrapped up for Test cricket, but Fletcher is intent on seeing McGrath bowl in ODIs under pressure.
Just to see if he can cut the mustard.

I think even after today's performance the jury is still out on McGrath. Though there's no denying his bowling is awfully similar to a stack of New Zealander pie throwers who practically won the World Cup eight years ago?

Can't remember...I can remember Astle, Harris and a semi-final berth.

I would like to see Blackwell make it...he's a better hitter than Giles...I'd like to see his bowling tested. Are his pies any softer than McGrath's? Does he spin it?

Nevertheless it does seem odd that Flintoff's place didn't go to another young batsman. Very odd indeed.

[Kirsty Harris]

Originally Posted by ernest

I agree I would have played more specialist batsmen instead,Vaughan is just out,Rob Key coming in,my fingers are crossed.

But the selectors will point to the fact it appears to have worked,silly vaugham played at a ball that would have been called wide if he had left it.

Key has just got 4,hope he and Tresco can keep Freddy in the dressing room.

Yes, time for Key to put his money where his mouth is!!!

The selectors may argue it has worked, but it was pretty foolish, IMO!
Anyway, this may be the only time I am proposing that Flintoff should have been left out of the side!!

The problem is they didn't pick enough batsmen in their squad! When I saw the list of players in the squad the other day I couldn't belive how few specialist batsmen there were !!

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Kirsty Harris

Yes, time for Key to put his money where his mouth is!!!

The problem is they didn't pick enough batsmen in their squad! When I saw the list of players in the squad the other day I couldn't belive how few specialist batsmen there were !!

Keys out,shame he was looking good.lenty of batting to come,just thinking there have been some good bowling tracks of late.
Strauss lucky of the mark,top order struggling these days,still a better show today.

[Kirsty Harris]

Originally Posted by ernest

Keys out,shame he was looking good.lenty of batting to come,just thinking there have been some good bowling tracks of late.

Yep, it was just like old times..Key comes in to bat for England, looks in good touch and then gets out

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by ernest

Well look what his just being on the field has done,he is their insperation,proof is what is happening.

God only knows what you are talking about here Ernest: I certainly don't. Do you have even the slightest bit of evidence to warrant the above suggestion? Seems to me that you could make as much of a case that the win had something to do with the alignment of the planets or "fate" as it has had to do with bloody Freddie.

This is the sort of sentiment that really gets Freddie a bad name: the obvious difference between this match and the last is that we got to bowl first, the WI batsmen didn't bother to turn up and Collingwod took a blinder just as the game was getting away from us. End of story. It's got no more to do with Freddie than it has to do with Kermit the Frog.

Give Freddie his due when he actually does something constructive: don't turn him into a laughing stock by hailing him a hero when he's done **** all.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Kirsty Harris

Yep, it was just like old times..Key comes in to bat for England, looks in good touch and then gets out

Yep
its a public forum so I wont say what I am thinking,he had not played for 3 weeks though,he should have been in from the start.