The Ashes Build Up Thread

[Zainub]

I've just finished reading Lawrence Booth's latest Spin, and he's very right about Kevin Pietersen aka: You-Know-Who, Bam Bam, KP, 600 and God knows what not. Whether you hate this guy or love him you just can't seem to ignore him. I was inclined to read his interview to Brian Viner in the Independent (appeared yeseterday). If you already love KP, this article will make you love him more, and if you dislike him, it will probably make you dislike him even more. In any case, a link is as follows:

http://news.independent.co.uk/people...p?story=636882

Originally Posted by Mr Kevin "I think I'm soo smart and everyone else is so dumb" Pietersen

Warney has already said that he wouldn't give me any stick. If I play he says he hopes I score 1,000 runs and Australia win the Ashes. He also says that he thinks the best way for England to beat them is by blooding some young players who aren't brainwashed. He says he knows he'll knock Graham Thorpe over, for instance, and that maybe England should choose some batters who aren't used to being dominated by Australia.

........

And some more news for everyone to reflect on, Shane Warne is in the news again...the latest swipe at England's Ashes prospects come by virtue of writing off the threat posed by Andrew Strauss, whose disappointing start to the season continued at the Rose Bowl yesterday. Strauss could only make 19 in Middlesex's second innings, before being bowled by Warne to precipitate a 64-run defeat, which took his tally for the season to a paltry 81 runs from six innings.

Originally Posted by Shane "I'm over excited about the Ashes (but I'm a genius so that's ok)" Warne

I wanted to have a look at him and see if he had a game-plan against me, but I don't really see it as a psychological boost [to get him out], that was the first time I've ever bowled against him and I liked what I saw. He walked across to let balls go, and when he tried to reverse-sweep I thought it was a sign that he wasn't sure what to do.

[Pete]

Who are these batsmen that have been dominated by Australia? Apart from Trescothick, they've either done ok or never played against the Aussies.

What pills Warney been taking now, eh?

[Milo]

I know Thorpe is in pretty horrendous form at the moment (there is talk that his eyesight has gone), but I will be very happy if he performs to the standard of his previous performances against the Aussies (over 1200 runs at 46).

Warne may have taken his wicket 9 times, but his scores at the time of those dismissals were 60, 28, 67, 51, 26, 123, 3, 7, 53. Should be a good contest.

[Zainub]

Actually he said batters and not batsmen ...

But seriously, I actually consider this to be a straight forward swipe by KP at Thorpey...indirectly he's probably saying ...Thropey's too old ...drop him..and pick me

[Pete]

batters, batsmen, all the same to me

[Zainub]

Just that I've got the OF pendenticity (is that a word OF ?) bugg ...

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

No actually Pete its BATSMEN ! Batters sounds suspiciously like an americanism to me !

[Teatime FatCat]

Dear God! Why can't we just ignore what the Aussie players have to say and just get on with it.

Let's be honest, for the first test against Bangladesh, our side will probably be - Stauss, Tresco, Vaughn, Thorpe, Bell, Flintoff, Jones, Gilo, Hoggy, Jones, Harmy

The only question mark there is whether Freddy will play as a batter, if not KP will probably get the spot. Key will feel hard done by I'm sure, but Bell offers little wobbly seamers and great fielding. In any case, there's one slot up for grabs, and it's got Bell, Key, KP and Collingwood up for it.

If we were all to be really honest, Collingwood will slot into the one day side. No-one is really convinced by Key, so it's a straight race between KP and Bell, which KP is currently losing on form. Thorpey would have to have an atrocious series against the Bango's to be dropped.

[Zainub]

Dear God! Why can't we just ignore what the Aussie players have to say and just get on with it.

Well , actually that bit about Thorpe, KP said all that, not Warnie. Warne this time took a swipe at Strauss. But I do not agree with you about Rob Key, I think he's still in contention.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Zainub Razvi

I think he's still in contention.

Maybe he could eat all of the Aussies and we might win by default?