In reply to Post #76
I was privileged to be keeping to nadeem ikbal, a pakistania A bowler standing more than 25yrds back when he took 5 wickets in an over.... the buzz you get is unreal!! but also facing Les Taylor in the nets once... when I kept tracking him as he was bowling big away swingers was priceless!! After the third time of "swing and miss" he politely said to me... "Do that again!! you'll loose your front teeth!" Yeah I stayed put and still missed the fooking thing!
I was privileged to be keeping to nadeem ikbal, a pakistania A bowler standing more than 25yrds back when he took 5 wickets in an over.... the buzz you get is unreal!! but also facing Les Taylor in the nets once... when I kept tracking him as he was bowling big away swingers was priceless!! After the third time of "swing and miss" he politely said to me... "Do that again!! you'll loose your front teeth!" Yeah I stayed put and still missed the fooking thing!
In reply to Post #76
Are they the boys at Somerset?
Are they the boys at Somerset?
In reply to Post #78
That's them. Jaimie's.the quicker of the two, Craig's more the all rounder but still not exactly slow!. We also had Glenn Querl at the club, well until his bouncer was investigated! Matt Allin's there too, more so now he's not with Warc's, Chris Rogers played here in the late 90's and to top it off, it's David Shepherd's old club. Pretty much the oldest cricket pavilion in the country and the best looking ground - not bad for north devon lol!
I did once face the first team bowlers in the nets, ok against the short stuff, but couldn't hit it when pitched up. Trying to ramp them probably wasn't the best move......
My lads the one with the talent in the family though, even if my dad was on the Yorcs books whilst at school many, many moons ago.
That's them. Jaimie's.the quicker of the two, Craig's more the all rounder but still not exactly slow!. We also had Glenn Querl at the club, well until his bouncer was investigated! Matt Allin's there too, more so now he's not with Warc's, Chris Rogers played here in the late 90's and to top it off, it's David Shepherd's old club. Pretty much the oldest cricket pavilion in the country and the best looking ground - not bad for north devon lol!
I did once face the first team bowlers in the nets, ok against the short stuff, but couldn't hit it when pitched up. Trying to ramp them probably wasn't the best move......
My lads the one with the talent in the family though, even if my dad was on the Yorcs books whilst at school many, many moons ago.
Fingers crossed for tonight!! Hopefully can save the embarrassment of a white wash 
In reply to Post #80
We won a toss!
If we can't get wickets on that strip, we are really in trouble......
We won a toss!
If we can't get wickets on that strip, we are really in trouble......
In reply to Post #81
Was at the game. Good to see stokes get a 5 for. Carberry has to go. Cook looked devoid of tactics during the afternoon with Smith and Haddin at the crease. We need to polish up on how to get teams out efficiently and effectively.
Was at the game. Good to see stokes get a 5 for. Carberry has to go. Cook looked devoid of tactics during the afternoon with Smith and Haddin at the crease. We need to polish up on how to get teams out efficiently and effectively.
What was the reason for dropping root? Cook has struggled since becoming captain and by the looks of it the senior players don't seem to help him out much?
In reply to Post #83
It seemed to me that swanny and prior were his main advisors on the field, he looks even more lost without them.
Well done to stokes, he has a big future, but needs to learn to control better. That comes with experience though.
Painful watching again, throwing away a position of dominance, didn't help being a bowler down but it's happened in every test so far
It seemed to me that swanny and prior were his main advisors on the field, he looks even more lost without them.
Well done to stokes, he has a big future, but needs to learn to control better. That comes with experience though.
Painful watching again, throwing away a position of dominance, didn't help being a bowler down but it's happened in every test so far
Lets hope our batting stands up to be counted tonight for once. Fingers crosssed.
In reply to Post #83
He didn't struggle in India, but that was the patient attritional cricket he / flower likes. When teams play aggressively he struggles - like in NZ earlier and now in Aus.
Maybe the Windies series will be another line in the sand, losing last time over there was the kick in the arse the team needed - not sure it's a bad thing that there's no tests though!
He didn't struggle in India, but that was the patient attritional cricket he / flower likes. When teams play aggressively he struggles - like in NZ earlier and now in Aus.
Maybe the Windies series will be another line in the sand, losing last time over there was the kick in the arse the team needed - not sure it's a bad thing that there's no tests though!
well thats a good start , 2nd ball
I am simply lost for words. 
IMO Flowers. KP (controversial!) and Cooke must step down. Bring on Lehmann and bring back Strauss. Get hold of players with fire in their guts. Stop pampering our bowlers at home with favorable pitches. Stop the time wasting. Stop the sledging - it just looks stupid if you cannot back it up. Bring back good aggressive cricket as practiced by the Aussies this series and by the England Ashes 2005 squad. Only ray of light in this lot is Ben Stokes.
IMO Flowers. KP (controversial!) and Cooke must step down. Bring on Lehmann and bring back Strauss. Get hold of players with fire in their guts. Stop pampering our bowlers at home with favorable pitches. Stop the time wasting. Stop the sledging - it just looks stupid if you cannot back it up. Bring back good aggressive cricket as practiced by the Aussies this series and by the England Ashes 2005 squad. Only ray of light in this lot is Ben Stokes.
In reply to Post #88
100% agree with all of those sensible words Ken. Especially Cooke; watching him get out last night was just embarrassing to watch. It made me cringe and want to turn over.
Anyone like to bet that KP's performances would improve if he was paid what he got in the IPL?
100% agree with all of those sensible words Ken. Especially Cooke; watching him get out last night was just embarrassing to watch. It made me cringe and want to turn over.
Anyone like to bet that KP's performances would improve if he was paid what he got in the IPL?
In reply to Post #88
agree,
The Cricket Board have already stated that Flowers job is safe, He needs to do the decent thing and resign.
Cook and Bell surprised me this tour with their performances( of lack of )
K.P time is up, he has to step aside.
I think im right in saying that none of our batsman has made a ton this series......
The Aussie bowlers were pitching full on this morning, thats why so many wickets fell to slip catches and caught behind, along with the lbw of Cook. yet our bowlers continued to pitch the ball short
There has been a lack of passion throughout the entire ashes series.
Bring back boycott, Botham and co....
agree, The Cricket Board have already stated that Flowers job is safe, He needs to do the decent thing and resign.
Cook and Bell surprised me this tour with their performances( of lack of )
K.P time is up, he has to step aside.
I think im right in saying that none of our batsman has made a ton this series......
The Aussie bowlers were pitching full on this morning, thats why so many wickets fell to slip catches and caught behind, along with the lbw of Cook. yet our bowlers continued to pitch the ball short
There has been a lack of passion throughout the entire ashes series.
Bring back boycott, Botham and co....
In reply to Post #88
A year ago everyone was praising Cook - he's still young and has had one bad series. The pitches we prepared for the England part of the ashes didn't suit, our pace bowlers - low, slow and didn't really swing. I seem to remember people calling for Strauss to go as he wasn't performing with the bat and couldn't control the team. KP I agree with, his average hides the fact that he scores big every now and then, the way he got out to obvious traps just show his ego. Who would replace him though?
It's one (very) bad series for the batsmen, by and large the bowlers did ok and we're let down by the batsmen. Let's not go back to the 90's where people got one chance and then we're dropped as the selectors pandered to public opinion.
Flowers and the ECB's mistake has been to micromanage and play the game too safely - the big difference with Lehman is that he got the guys playing for fun (it's a game after all) added to the fact that Australia had everything to prove whereas the England team were jaded and done it all before
A year ago everyone was praising Cook - he's still young and has had one bad series. The pitches we prepared for the England part of the ashes didn't suit, our pace bowlers - low, slow and didn't really swing. I seem to remember people calling for Strauss to go as he wasn't performing with the bat and couldn't control the team. KP I agree with, his average hides the fact that he scores big every now and then, the way he got out to obvious traps just show his ego. Who would replace him though?
It's one (very) bad series for the batsmen, by and large the bowlers did ok and we're let down by the batsmen. Let's not go back to the 90's where people got one chance and then we're dropped as the selectors pandered to public opinion.
Flowers and the ECB's mistake has been to micromanage and play the game too safely - the big difference with Lehman is that he got the guys playing for fun (it's a game after all) added to the fact that Australia had everything to prove whereas the England team were jaded and done it all before