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

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Kirsty Harris

Gough is a tough call, now days when he bowls poorly it is very poorly, yet at times this summer, he has still bowled well. Every time people suggest he should perhaps retire, he seems to pull a rabbit out of the hat!!

Which would mean that, IMO, we'd need to get rid of. We need more consistant performances from the guy, if he can't deliver then he has to go.

[Aussie-Yank]

Originally Posted by Kirsty Harris

I would point out that in games played so far this summer, it is England 3, Australia 2, tied one, no result one, so overall England still have the edge. The next game could be important, obviously in terms of who wins the Natwest Challenge, but in terms of who starts on a postive note in the test matches.

You must be getting desperate if you are including the 20/20 game in your stats.

ODI its 2 a piece with one tie and one no result, with the last game - like the two before it will be decided by the flip of the coin.

Really on that stat, no one has the edge - all you could say is anything England has done to Australia, Australia can turn it around and do it right back to England

[Beny]

So are we going to leave Ponting alone now?

[Trescothick]

Originally Posted by Beny

So are we going to leave Ponting alone now?

Nope.. Hes still a useless tosser

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by Beny

So are we going to leave Ponting alone now?

Nope he has to do it at the Oval also, Vaughan got a decent score last time, but continues to look out of his depth as a top order player.

Mind you Ponting got his hundred against one of the worlds poorest rated teams .England.

[Irish Left Armer]

Vaughan's early form in one dayers was so poor that I think it's better to look at his average over the last couple of years. He has improved and makes more runs now but I don't think he is a good one day player and I'm possibly his biggest fan. He doesn't have the brute force of Flintoff or the ability to manufacture shots and work the ball around of Collingwood. He's stuck in the middle and I'm not sure he even knows what his role is sometimes. Also if anyone can find stats of how how he fares in one dayers with white balls versus red balls I'd be very interested. I think he struggles big time with the white ball.

I think he's worth his place in the team at the moment, he's a good captain and his form is slowly improving. However if by the end of the world cup in 2007 and he's still not scoring heavily I expect he would be hounded out.

[Seamer]

Originally Posted by Trescothick

Nope.. Hes still a useless tosser

Yeah, for a guy with the nickname of Punter, he certainly seems to lose a lot with the coin.
The thing about Ponting is once he finds form, he stays in form. The only player to score a ton this series, it is a very good sign with the tests around the corner. On the English side, the same can be said for Flintoff, great innings from him and has found form at the right time. He has kept the same pattern though. Only once in tests has he performed with both bat and ball. If he does well in one sphere, he struggles in the other. I don't think that will change either. England will have to decide whether they need him as a batter or bowler because he will not be able to perform in both.
All in all, honours are even with one more game to go. Looks like it will be a great test series.

[Beny]

The only player to score a ton this series, it is a very good sign with the tests around the corner

What about Tresco?

[Seamer]

Originally Posted by Beny

What about Tresco?

Oh yeah. Selective memory there

[Victor Frankenstein]

I actually hope we lose the next one dayer, not by too much, but enough to make us have to think about the first test properly, as we seem to have a habit of believing what the papers say. One win over australia and it's "easy victory over has beens", and then the next game we don't turn up for, we get beaten, take it to heart and come back to win the next game, and then follow the same pattern again. I actually think it's the same with the aussies, they beat us in one game and think "yeah, this is the england we know and love to beat, easy collapse, end of", then we do the opposite in the next game and beat them.

I really hope it's a good competitive summer, it's going to be interesting to see what the difference is in the test teams as both sides currently have better test sides. Which additions will make the difference, langer and warne for oz, or hoggard bell and thorpe for england. I'd have to say on past test and current county form, the australian additions will give them the edge as warne is not only spinning hampshire to victories he's also batting them to it too, and considering in recent years one of the biggest problems england has had is getting australias tail out, that could be a crucial factor.

the excitement of it all!!

forgot to say, brett lee, not taking anything away from the bloke, but his five wickets were nothing special and the nature of them weren't something that would immediately make me want to drag him into the test team. Like gough, he's actually picked up wickets to uncessary one day shots and then gone for runs inbetween, so i'd actually happily see him in the test side over gillespie who i just don't believe will be a bad test bowler.