2nd Ashes Test: Edgbaston, 4-8 August: Day One

[DaveGillespie]

Quite: is Flintoff going to learn from the let off which Kaspa just gave him?

Is he going to learn from the 48 tests he's played? Possibly not.

[English_Al]

Geoff Boycott (as he would) has just started to voice his concerns on these two attacking. Particularly Flintoff with his hook, just put it away for now Freddie.

Maybe these two will calm down after a while and realise their responsibility...

[The Phantom Ram]

Originally Posted by Occasional Fan

Interesting that Michael Vaughan, a veteran of the lost toss, never seems to be dissatisfied with the opposing captain's choice. "We would have batted if we'd won the toss anyway," so he says. Strange on an overcast day, surely.

Might be a phsycological (really bad spelling I know - I just keep adding letters and it loks worse and worse!) ploy to try and defleat the winning captains mood and lessen the percieved advantage.

[Lemming]

Originally Posted by English_Al

...Maybe these two will calm down after a while and realise their responsibility...

Not only responsibility, but opportunity. This pitch rewards batsmen - who are patient and correct in their strokeplay and shot selection - with runs, and plenty of them. There's no need to try and hook bowlers over men on the boundary, there's loads of chances of runs elsewhere.

[Occasional Fan]

If Pietersen and Flintoff are still together at tea, in about 13 minutes, I do hope Vaughan reminds them that there is still a long way to go in this match. It's great to see the board ticking along at five an over, but we really could do with preserving these two wickets for a while yet.

Flintoff 50 off 48 balls with 4 sixes and 4 fours.

[Notts Exile]

These two are just playing their natural games. They've both got to this level by doing this. The worst thing you can do is try to change your game just because you step up a level. Let them get on with it!!

[Pete]

Lee is getting smashed. Long may it continue

[The Phantom Ram]

Originally Posted by Notts Exile

These two are just playing their natural games. They've both got to this level by doing this. The worst thing you can do is try to change your game just because you step up a level. Let them get on with it!!

Never heard such sense from a Notts fan!!! Very true, no point picking Flintoff and then telling him to bat differently, you wouldn't ask him to bowl spin would you.

Just been wondering, this new ball Warne has been threatening us with in the Times. Is it a special delivery that can easily be despatch to the boundary? 16-1-88-1 indicates it might be!

[Lemming]

Originally Posted by Notts Exile

These two are just playing their natural games. They've both got to this level by doing this. The worst thing you can do is try to change your game just because you step up a level. Let them get on with it!!

That's right. But emphasis should be put on good shot selection. We have seen a few examples of Flintoff playing a hook shot when it's not really been ideal for him to do so. There is nothing wrong with both Flintoff and Pietersen playing their bigger shots, but it must be at the correct time off the correct ball.

These two guys will always be aggressive, but must chose their shots wisely!

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by The Phantom Ram

Never heard such sense from a Notts fan!!!

Watch it, my sheep worrying friend!!

(I'm a Forest fan, too!!)