Fourth one-day international, Cape Town:6th Febuary. >

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

I'd try and help him get through it first off , OFs right maybe get a shrinjk in (I'm amazed the england managment havent brought one in already). Yes it is a privalage to play for england, but lets not forget that Bergkamp picks and chooses when or more importantly where he palys for holland and arsenal because he cant/wont fly.

But like it or not, when he clicks harmo is world class. If he isnt in form who will open the bowling against the aussies ? Hoggard and who ? Anderson ? Kirtly? Saggers ? They might end up wheeling out bloody Martin Bicknell. Send him home and get him sorted for the ashes. As for the PAK/IND tour, who cares ? Fred can open the bowling then we need to find backup/replacement for giles in the spin department which is a whole new argument altogether .

<<<a whole new argument!>>>> Geddit ?? airplane ?? Never mind...wheres Oliver when you need him....

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by Richie Benauds Love Child

As for the PAK/IND tour, who cares ? Fred can open the bowling then we need to find backup/replacement for giles in the spin department which is a whole new argument altogether .

India maybe, in Pakistan these days quick bowlers seem to do well.

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Richie Benauds Love Child

Too true about harmison. Found this on cricinfo.
So why dont you just bugger off home now Steve. Put your feet up, visit freddie as he recuperates, watch your beloved Newcastle play average football - what ever. But aout in SA you've done **** all and in the coming ODIs you're unlikely to do much more. So go home and put this god-awful couple of months behind you.

He should have gone home when Freddie did, he had a bad shin then I think, he is worse than Anderson, and dare I say Wharf at the moment.

Originally Posted by Occasional Fan

I still incline towards having only one captain. I am not convinced that the possible benefits of having two bosses would outweigh the confusion and possible divided loyalties.

I take your point OF, but confusion would be better than what is happening, the Test players could be having a rest, vaughan must be tired mentaly as well as physicaly, to much of a strain IMHO.
Plus if we had a seperate one day set up, we would be able to see emerging players, I don't think it will happen, but to me, it would be desireble.

Originally Posted by Notts Exile

Potentially career over for GBH. A shame but that's the ways it goes.

But England won't do that, will they?, who would they put in his place, Caddick?,Bicknall?, or even Saggers, truth is, we have no replacment for him.
They need to find out, why he can't tour, there has to be a reason.

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

True enough. I ca't think of pakistans spinner at the moment so they havent got adecent one or I know nowt. Hmmmm, we need an extra spinner in india, could that be a job for Captain Kev ???????? Or do Notts have a quality spinner we dont know about yet ?

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by Richie Benauds Love Child

Or do Notts have a quality spinner we dont know about yet ?

They signed Graeme Swann. He'd do ok. Additional batting too!

I wouldn't trust Kev's "off-spin".

Essex fans will hate you: Pakistan's best spinner is Danish Kaneria.

[Trigger]

What about Derbishire Richie Benauds Love Child,

We were talking about you at the Nags Head, and we(me dave and Del) notice you never put up any players from Derbishire, you must have a spinner, what's his name?,how good is he?.

People keep mentioning Batty, but you have more chance of getting a car that works of Boycie.

[Occasional Fan]

Originally Posted by Ernest

They need to find out why [Harmison] can't tour, there has to be a reason.

Quite. And if it takes a trick cyclist to help him work it out, then why hasn't the ECB wheeled one in yet?

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Occasional Fan

Quite. And if it takes a trick cyclist to help him work it out, then why hasn't the ECB wheeled one in yet?

Hey OF, this is the ECB we are talking about, he is worth the trouble because on form, he is devastating, maybe if he was coached/helped on a one to one.

Scary when we are so near the ashes, that Flintoff an all-rounder is our best bowler.

[Occasional Fan]

The ECB needs to get with modern day employment practices. If the opening position is that Harmison is a valuable employee whom we want to keep, then it must be worth making the investment to see if he can be helped to perform. Personally I think he is valuable, and I guess the ECB must also think that because they have selected him. So, action steps:

1. Ask Harmison if he is prepared to seek/accept help for his admitted touring problem. If YES - deliver it and go to 2. If NO - can him.

2. See if he actually can be helped. If YES - celebrate his success, and maybe even celebrate his ten-fer in the deciding Ashes test. If NO - can him.

This management consulting stuff is easy, isn't it? That's five grand, please, to the usual account.**

** For another five grand, I can make this into a multi-coloured powerpoint presentation. Just let me know.

[Alison]

Aargh! I go away for the weekend and we promptly go and lose, then people want to drop half the team! (ok, slight exagerration there)