Ashley Giles

[Paoli]

While watching the Aus vs. Pak game today, during the Cricket Show Simon O'Donnell and Mark Nicholas were talking about the Ashes. Nicholas (who seems quite switched on i might add) was talking about the usual things, such as can England reclaim it and so on. Then S O'D mentioned Ashley Giles. "Ashley Giles will play in the Ashes, he will bowl over the wicket and he will consistently bowl at leg stump", was Nicholas' reply. Mark didn't seem overly convinced with Ashley Giles.

Now, is Ash Giles playing simply because he is the best spinner in England, or is he playing because he is of international class?

[Pete]

Pretty much because he's the best in England. Everyone wants a wrist spinner, but the ones we have are crap.

[flanflinger]

Ashley is probably the best spinner in England. Which does not say a huge amount. He is effective, he works hard, but he is not Shane Warne, nor a Murali, nor even a Habarjan. He is a good hard working player who has probably over-achived in terms of talent.

[Zainub]

First things first, does it really matter to us what Mr. Mark Ridiclously Annoying Nicholas says anout his Royal Highness, the King of Spain, most certainly no, a big fat and emphatic NO!!!! All cricket fans, as matter of solodarity with the mental ineptness of Mr. Mark Ridiclously Annoying Nicholas should not pay any attention what so ever to what he says...

Now to the proper sense talk, Ashley Giles might actually do well, even with those tactics Nicholas menions - most Aussies are free scoing batsmen who don't like being bogged down - I said yesterday in another post that in theory one of the easiest and most effective ways to have any chance of bowling out Australia cheap is to frustrate them via not allowing 'em to score - there are not many scoring options when you are attacking leg stump...this tactic too can work...

ps: I also tip Ashley Giles to score his highest batting test score in the Ashes...75* I would say, just have this strange suspician ...

[Chuck Palumbo]

Giles is a very underrated performer for England- When England have needed an end tied up or to give the fast bowlers a rest Gilo is your man and his performance over the English summer have been nothing short of sensational. Unless a real good wrist spinner puts their hand up soon, Giles will be the England spinner for the next 5 years.

[Paoli]

I think you're being quite harsh on Mark Nicholas there Zainub!!!! I reckon he is, without the cult following of Greig or Lawry, the best commentator in the commentary team. I am of quite high praise of his commentary work and believe he should be the next Richie Benaud.

Anyway, Ash Giles in my mind will play a role in the Ashes, although as Nicholas said, he will bowl one consistent line.

[Moss]

I was previously a Gilo slater, but his performances this year have been great. Maybe not in the Warne class (!) but certainly showing confidence with both bat (as much as a near tail ender should) and ball. He's even won us a few matches, at the risk of sounding foolish.

Interested to hear Mark Charles Jefford Nicholas getting his bouffant hair on Australian screens.
He must be worried about where to go when his C4 contract expires...

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by Paoli69

I am of quite high praise of his commentary work and believe he should be the next Richie Benaud.

You mean the next great exported Commentator ? You're welcome to him.

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by Moss

He must be worried about where to go when his C4 contract expires...

He must have had an early tip off

C4 exec "Mark, we are going to try and pay bugger all for the Test match rites. We ain't going to get them this time around, so you better find a Saturday job"

[Goatman]

Giles is the best spinner in ENG, and is selected on that basis.

However, Giles has been a reasonably effective negative bowler for a few seasons now and every time he has been to Asia he has actually done very creditably. A few years back, Giles bowled a world class spell that won a game against PAK in PAK. The ball he bowled Inzi with was an absolute jaffa - it floated, dipped, beat him all ends up and then turned square and zoomed into his off stump having pitched outside leg. But he'd never made a ball turn much outside of Asia, so none of us paid much attention.

Post-Vaughan, he has been allowed to attack outside of Asia, as he has been in it in the past, and we have all been absolutely amazed to see him taking wickets - good wickets - and doing it cheaply. The ball he bowled Lara in his 9 wicket haul in the third test last summer was another absolute Jaffa - it floated, dipped beat him in the air and came in from well outside off to break the stumps. Same as the Inzi ball, but to a leftie. The point is that Edgbaston, though it is Gilo's home ground, is not a raging spinner of any kind. So now we are all thinking - wait on? Is Gilo actually a decent spinner - not a great one, but a test class one - who has been poorly captained all these years?

He remains a negaitve bowler, but he is now mixing some attacking balls in which the stodge. SA have been totally unable to get after him in this series, and when they have tried they have lost wickets - as in thier first innings in this test.

In current form, you'd have to say Gilo was test class. His battings improved too. Maybe he just needed a bit of confidence and for his skipper to show a bit of faith in him.