NatWest Challenge 2005/2nd match-Lord's Sunday 10 July.

[Seamer]

England are showing Austalia a marked lack of respect by this performance so far. The English top order are way too good for this Aussie bowling attack, and are basically not trying. Giving Kaspa two charity wickets like that, well call me a cynic, but they have done that on purpose in the hope of getting Kaspa into the test team.
They should think about the fans that have payed good money to watch a good game of cricket and stop playing games. They know they can devestate the Aussie bowlers at will and should do so for the benefiet of the fans.

[R W S]

Really Seamer what his game is showing us is that, in ODIs at least, The Bangladesh Tigers are by far an away they best team on the planet and we should be grateful that they have now left us alsorans to play each other. I am sure the ICC will soon rightly demote both these poor teams to the ICC trophy competition.

[Seamer]

Amen to that RWS
But seriously, all those wicket go down to lazy shots - almost as if they had'nt shown up to play. If at least one of those wickets was a beautiful, unplayable delivery, i would be satisfied. Flintoff and Collingwood look like they have shown up ready to play so i may get satisfaction yet.

[John]

I thought Tresco and Strauss early approach was good. Than as always with this Aussie side just as you think you've made a reasonable start bang four overs later the early good work is null and void.
Flnitoff and Collingwood are fighting back but with the supersub it looks like the Aussie's will take this series too Tuesday.

[Maranello]

First Flintoff innings of substance this summer - couldn't have come at a better time!

[greg]

Gillespie has bowled dross again,Kaprowicz has bowled well,Gillespie's place in Test side must be in doubt now?

[R W S]

Kaspa the ghost has bowled impressively from what I can tell on the radio. Lee also and Glenda seems to be as frugal and reliable as ever. Dizzy is a worry - he wont even complete his overs.

Englands top order continue to bemuse and frustrate and the fact that they will not get any practice in the longer form of the game before the Lord's test has to be a potential weakness.

The game today at Lord's is being played on what sounds like a good test match wicket and it will interesting to see how England bowl on it. Does anyone have any views on what type of pitch we will have for the test here next week?

Hooray for Freddie!!

[Chuck Palumbo]

223-8. A reasonable score from where England was at 45-4 but at the start of the innings they would have expected to get 250 at least with conditions suiting the batsman. Now Australia will bring on an extra batsman and it will make it very difficult for England to defend this target.

An impressive innings from Flintoff though. An important one as well because it showed that he can graft which bodes well for the test series. Once again though, the top order failed. Your top order can't keep on getting out for next to nothing and not be punished.

[Mongoose]

Good to see Flintoff finding form. Top order for England is a bit of a worry, although Tres and Vaughan have scored runs at some point recently. Good job we have in-form Bell and quality Thorpe to bolster the ine-up for the tests. Has Pietersen's bubble burst? Not that he's suddenly a bad player, but maybe his run of everything happening for him has come to an end.

[John]

Originally Posted by Mongoose

Has Pietersen's bubble burst? Not that he's suddenly a bad player, but maybe his run of everything happening for him has come to an end.

This is I think what the Aussie's wanted. A couple of low scores from Pietersen get him out of the selectors mind for the Ashes. I think they would like to see the ageing Thorpe then possibly a destructive player like Pietersen's. It means Thorpe will play in the first two Tests for sure they won't replace him before that.
If I were England selectors I would call their bluff and play Pietersen at 5.