comment by Emile Death Rowe (TCM) (U8959)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Sheriff JW Pepper (U1007)
posted 1 hour, 3 minutes ago
Just remembered my excellent joke above from the other day...not one acknowledgment from anyone either... philistines
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It was fantastic work, apologies for not giving it the credit it deserves
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Aww..thanks

comment by GTWI4T- some people deserve to get trolled (U6008)
posted 43 minutes ago
comment by bestoftherest2021 (U22523)
posted 3 days, 22 hours ago
Robinson looks a great talent. Not only his he accurate he does something with the ball.,Hes gets good nip off the wicket.The likes of Curran are just up and down and offer nothing
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Aren't you the poster who wrote Robinson off after one test saying he would disappear like so many other test bowlers (which didn't exist).

----------------------------------------------------------------------
I remember this chat but it wasn't bestoftherest, it's on that article about Ollie Robinson being banned for his racist tweets where JustTrue said he was just another mediocre bowler who would disappear.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

Easy mistake to make as he does slag off the ECB and the batsmen quite a lot which at the moment is pretty fair when it comes to test cricket. However he's pretty complimentary of the bowling and I think has rated Robbo from the start.

Moeen Ali will be England vice-captain for the fourth Test, so well done to him.

comment by Blue Heaven (U20912)
posted 3 minutes ago
Moeen Ali will be England vice-captain for the fourth Test, so well done to him.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeah...whatev's

Well the choice was between him and Burns apparently which really shows that whilst people may think Root is a poor captain, there really are no other options for the role.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

I'm not sure we'll get to see much of Stokes being captain outside the odd test as he's only 6 months or so younger than Root which is a shame as his personality could bring something different to the role. Unless we were going horribly in the wrong direction, like our ODI team went, then nothing drastic is going to happen with the test team.

I think Ed Smith saw Buttler as a potential test captain which was quite an important factor in him returning to the side. I think Buttler has an amazing ability to remain calm in high pressure situations that allows him to bat extremely well amongst the chaos of shorter form cricket although I don't personally see him as a leader. I know he's vice captain for the other sides as well so perhaps he's just an excellent lieutenant.

At least one of the positives with Root right now is the captaincy isn't impacting his batting and if anything appears to be elevating it and to top it off, he's back to number 1 in the world rankings.

I get blamed for eveything on here .. And i don't write players off after one game. be stupid to do so.

Excellent forecast for the game. Could be very warm and sunny on Sunday and especially Monday when it could be 26c.
So be interested to see if the pitch spins later on. who England chose for the test team.
I can see England making and error we need 2 spinners and we only go in with Moeen.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

I like Leach. I think hes an half decent spinner. Not Bess. his ego is 100 times worse than his ability.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

My opinion stands though. if we are bowling last on a 4th/5th day pitch and its turning.Is Moeen the answer? considering he has the personlity of a wasp.. He is being lauded so far. when hes done nothing at all. in the last 2 tests

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

I just think hes emotionless. hes been poor for years..I wouldnt trust him to bowl out an under 8s never mind a test team
He bowls to short in lenght to begin with. and when hes batting. he could careless. he gets caught on the boundry all the time. I hope im proved wrong. but we need a second spinner. because it turns at the Oval.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

Moeen is the classic example of failing upwards. Vice captain of the England team... blimey. There's hope for the rest of us yet.

He has the same body languagee has Vince. another one with a personality of a wasp.
You look at them both and theres no one inside their heads.

I understand being critical of his ability and performances, his short format form has got him back into the test team and the failings of our lower middle order has seen him given another chance.

However I don't understand the attack on his personality, isn't that one of the reasons he is in the squad because he's well liked and seen as quite a funny character to have around. Also has a calm head in the field who Anderson himself said he quite liked to have as someone to talk to whilst he's bowling.

I see the Afridi thread got removed then....just took longer than I envisaged

I guess we'll get bowling conditions on a batting wicket today....the toss is critical, as is the decision

comment by Emile Death Rowe (TCM) (U8959)
posted 42 minutes ago
I understand being critical of his ability and performances, his short format form has got him back into the test team and the failings of our lower middle order has seen him given another chance.

However I don't understand the attack on his personality, isn't that one of the reasons he is in the squad because he's well liked and seen as quite a funny character to have around. Also has a calm head in the field who Anderson himself said he quite liked to have as someone to talk to whilst he's bowling.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm sure he's a lovely bloke but I've seen plenty of coverage that calls his character as a potential skipper into question. It's well publicised that he's laid back to the point of being horizontal - is that what we want in a captain, considering that from the outside looking in, it comes across as not giving a toss?

There's also the stuff about being "willing" to play Test cricket again after his "hiatus" (when he was actually already dropped for being terrible in Tests for an extended period). It just rubs me up the wrong way. Even if he merited selection on form, I still wouldn't be considering him as captain. He comes across to me as an entitled brat, just like Bairstow. Assuming the selectors will come calling without needing to earn it on form. At least Bairstow has shown a genuine improvement since coming back into the side, and he offers fighting spirit as well as being a top class fielder AND a wicket keeping option (and, to his credit, he averages more when keeping).

Then again, I suppose the coaches see more of Moeen than I do

comment by Sheriff JW Pepper (U1007)
posted 47 minutes ago
I see the Afridi thread got removed then....just took longer than I envisaged
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Got removed after a few of us gave some home truths on there … maybe the OP can do abit of basic research next time before posting shhttee