Twenty-20 England Vs Australia

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by Richie Benauds Love Child

Didnt see Clarkes misfield, or the crowd reaction but do think it would have been different if tresco had mis-fielded in front of bay 13 ??

Wonderful school boy error by Mr Clarke. Ball went through the gap in his Long Barrier... But tehre would lots of fumbles and mis-fields, more than I have ever seen by an Aussie team.

The crowd behaviour was to cheer the next time Clarke actually stopped the ball. Not really to bad, and nowhere near as bad as some of the stick and England player would get had he mis-fielded at the MCG

[Seamer]

Originally Posted by Richie Benauds Love Child

If Mcgrath wants to make Harmison his bunny thats fine by me !

Seriously though do you think it might have the sort of effect where McGrath will try too hard ? Didnt see Clarkes misfield, or the crowd reaction but do think it would have been different if tresco had mis-fielded in front of bay 13 ??

As far as Clarkes misfield went, the crowd reacted as any crowd would around the world. I did'nt mean it like that, the English crowd is a model for us all, are knowledgable and contribute greatly to the charm of an Ashes tour to England. What i mean is incidents like that, and in fact the way the whole game went, can only have a galvinising effect on the Aussie team by giving them a wakeup call that a tour game will not give them.
McGrath's body language struck me a one that was determined that he will not allow Australia to see the same Harmison celebration at the conclusion of a test match. I think the way that Australia were to thouroughly flogged may have the same effect as what Pearl Harbour did on the US in 1941.
Good that England won but the humiliating fashion in which they did so will have a galvinising effect on Aus as opposed to a demoralising one.

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

So go for the aussie siege mentality a la Man Utd ? Well it works for Alex feerguson !

[Oliver]

Originally Posted by Richie Benauds Love Child

So go for the aussie siege mentality a la Man Utd ? Well it works for Alex feerguson !

Well I personally will not be selling my shares in the ACB to Malcolm Glazer. Incidentally, have you looked at a picture of that bloke... he looks as though his face is inside out, or upside down, or something. Perhaps his real face is on John Tavolta. Presumably he's grown that silly ruff-like beard to hide the operation scars!

I like Alex Feerguson... (well I don't actually like the man)... was that a misprunt(?) or were you just trying to illustrate exactly how Scottish he is?

[Victor Frankenstein]

I agree with seamer that humiliating them like that is just more likely to unleash the beast as it were, but i'm still glad they did it as it will also have a very positive effect on us, we can play in any game this summer knowing that it is possible to bowl the australian team out, yes they were slogging etc.. but not one of them wanted to get out, so they can take heart that a game of cricket can change completely in one good session.

I know you've already clarified your crowd comments, but as others have said, english crowds always take the **** out of miss-fielding, if it had been one of our players they would have got the same ironic cheers when they managed to stop/catch one, it's just our sarcastic nature and nothing mean or unsporting is meant by it.

[rineet]

England should include Pietersen in the team in both tests and ODIs. We saw how well he performed in the 20-20 match. He played a cameo and then took 3 -4 catches. He is always in the thick of things. Aussies are scared of this ever improving cricketer. Though I`m not supporting Eng or Aus, I was happy to see England beat Australia and i hope that such performances can be repeated in the Natwest series. Only that will curb the aussie arrogance! It will ensure that the results of Aus matches are not decided before the match starts (ie. not a mismatch).

[Kirsty Harris]

I agree that Pieterson has a big role to play in the forthcoming ODI's, Rineet. As you say, he has the happy knack of being in the thick of things - which is a good skill to have in 50 over cricket. However, I don't think he is necessarily going to make it into the Ashes test squad, at least not at the start of the series. If he has another great one day series with the bat, he will make it a tough choice for selectors.

The thing is that Bell, in his less showy way, has done every bit as well as Pieterson in his first three test matches for England. Bell also looks the kind of batsmen who has the technique and attitude to deal with the Aussie attack. I think that at least initally England are likely to opt for Bell over Pieterson in the tests, but things may change.

[Rachael]

Surely the one benefit of having the 1 day series first is that it gives the selectors a chance to see how Pietersen shapes up against a classier attack.. and it has to be said that if Pietersen starts taking the Aussie attack in his stride (say a century in one match and two other big innings)... some room will have to be found for him SOME how.

It's always possible that someone will have a really bad run of form from now until the Ashes and look vulnerable... but if they don't it could become a very interesting selection meeting. My guess would be that Bell would end up taking a temporary back seat (safe in the knowledge that he would be straight back in to the side in the event of injury / retirement).... but it would be as tough a call as when Clarke suddenly made an unanswerable case for a run in the Aussie Test side.

[flanflinger]

Rach,

Intresting thought that Bell would be moved aside... I doubt it..

Even if KP does score runs, he will have to wait until a space opens up - very poor form or injury, that is the way the England managment work. You get a run in the side..

This is one of the reasons Strauss has done so well*. In previous years you would make a debut and if you did no succeed you were dropped, now you get a run, the pressure is off and you can enjoy the game and bat as naturally as you can on debut.

Even if KP makes runs the batting side will remain as Tresco, Strauss, Vaughan, Bell, Thorpe, Flintoff and Jones...As the series progresses should one of the middle order look out of place or suffer an injury then KP may get his chance...

*along with good coaching, proffesional set-up, being introduced at the right time and in a winning, confident, team....

[Rachael]

I was talking about a quite unanswerable case from Pietersen: let's take it to extreme and suggest he emerges as the "man of the series" fromt he ODI series.. having destroyed Warne... never once been dismissed by McGrath... milked Lee... and completely eclipsed Tresco, Strauss, Vaughan and Flitnoff.

Extreme case.. but for the sake of argument.

When Clarke was making that sort of case... Lehman said he would step aside. Caused quite a stink. Would Thorpe do the same? Offer to retire just ahead of the one great chance he's got to beat the Aussies? If he's in form... would the selectors want that? He's the only experienced player in the side!

Strauss was player of the year last year and Tresco's Fletcher's main man: so long as he does OK int he ODI series he's considered Vaughan's trusty lieutenant. Then there's the captain himself (whose surely safe in his Test place even if he does bugger all in the ODI.

Options might open up if Flitoff is injured or Giles is out... but otherwise I'd suggest Bell would be told that his "long run" is being deferred until Thorpe retires. What else could they do?