Cricket

[Mattyblue]

For me, he should without doubt be a shoe in for the World T20 coming up, however Strauss hates the bloke, so that's that.

Edited January 28, 2016 by Mattyblue

[onlyonejackwalker]

As much as I loved watching KP batting his time with England has gone now. The arrogance that made him dynamite on the field, ultimately became his undoing off it. Disappointing really as we could have enjoyed him for a lot longer. When you see the likes of Hales and Lyth and Compton getting a game, often averaging below 25, it frustrates knowing he is sat around watching. All teams require standards of behaviour however and KP acted like a fool.

Liking the current emphasis on youth, mixed with seasoned campaigners. Enjoying the positive mindset and attacking new approach as well. Great that we can now change a test in a session wth both bat and ball.

Need a top quality opener with the technique to survive and bat for long periods. Cook can normally hold one end up but needs some support. No good your number three coming in at 15 for 1 all the time.

Hoping Bell scores early runs this season and challenges for his place. Form is temporary....

[Mattyblue]

They were obviously hoping that Hales could do the David Warner tee off opener role, however he just doesn't seem to have what it takes.

[onlyonetugay]

England going well in the 1st ODI at 213 -2 off 28 overs . Butler batting with sublime power and Root palying the "anchor " role . I'm hoping for a score of 400 or thereabouts .

Two powerful batting line ups.This could be the day AB forgets his 3 ducks in a row and leads the South African chase !

Edited February 3, 2016 by onlyonetugay

[Iceman]

we are not afraid of chasing 400 +, just ask Australia

[onlyonetugay]

I know !! Gibbs got a big score in that one from memory . Root out !

[onlyonetugay]

.....but when you thought it was safe to bring the fielders in a bit, Morgan arrives at the crease

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

I don't see how you can differentiate between amateur, professional or elite sport.

Amateur sport is all about fun, so if someone is a good player but a total prat then get him out, you'll lose more but have more fun. Professional sport is at least 50% about winning, so if someone's a good player then attempts should be made to tolerate them. If someone's an elite player then big efforts should be made.

You mentioned Higgins and Best as examples, but I expect sport is rife with thousands, even tens of thousands, of objectionable d-heads who their team-mates extremely dislike but who are kept in a team for their performance level. Take Bellamy at Rovers for example, constantly moaned at everyone and apparently gave Pedersen a torrid time with verbals. And when you consider the list of things he's been in court for (although admittedly never convicted), I imagine he was a piece of work. But Hughesy played on his ego and no doubt made allowances and he was beyond phenomenal that season, a level above McCarthy and Santa Cruz even in my opinion.

Just hope all the management/psychological techniques were tried with KP before he was thrown out. The Aussies wouldn't have become the best in the 90s without tolerating pillocks like Warne, McGrath, the Waughs, Healy...actually most of the team.

[onlyonetugay]

we are not afraid of chasing 400 +, just ask Australia

Well at 399 for 9 , now's your chance . Over to you AB !

Amateur sport is all about fun, so if someone is a good player but a total prat then get him out, you'll lose more but have more fun. Professional sport is at least 50% about winning, so if someone's a good player then attempts should be made to tolerate them. If someone's an elite player then big efforts should be made.

You mentioned Higgins and Best as examples, but I expect sport is rife with thousands, even tens of thousands, of objectionable d-heads who their team-mates extremely dislike but who are kept in a team for their performance level. Take Bellamy at Rovers for example, constantly moaned at everyone and apparently gave Pedersen a torrid time with verbals. And when you consider the list of things he's been in court for (although admittedly never convicted), I imagine he was a piece of work. But Hughesy played on his ego and no doubt made allowances and he was beyond phenomenal that season, a level above McCarthy and Santa Cruz even in my opinion.

Just hope all the management/psychological techniques were tried with KP before he was thrown out. The Aussies wouldn't have become the best in the 90s without tolerating pillocks like Warne, McGrath, the Waughs, Healy...actually most of the team.

The way England are playing one day cricket , KP wouldn't get in the side ! The bit about the Aussies made me smile. Hasn't that applied to all Austrailian teams throughout their history ? Good to hear they got walloped by New Zealand yesterday !

Edited February 3, 2016 by onlyonetugay

[oldjamfan1]

Amateur sport is all about fun, so if someone is a good player but a total prat then get him out, you'll lose more but have more fun. Professional sport is at least 50% about winning, so if someone's a good player then attempts should be made to tolerate them. If someone's an elite player then big efforts should be made.

You mentioned Higgins and Best as examples, but I expect sport is rife with thousands, even tens of thousands, of objectionable d-heads who their team-mates extremely dislike but who are kept in a team for their performance level. Take Bellamy at Rovers for example, constantly moaned at everyone and apparently gave Pedersen a torrid time with verbals. And when you consider the list of things he's been in court for (although admittedly never convicted), I imagine he was a piece of work. But Hughesy played on his ego and no doubt made allowances and he was beyond phenomenal that season, a level above McCarthy and Santa Cruz even in my opinion.

Just hope all the management/psychological techniques were tried with KP before he was thrown out. The Aussies wouldn't have become the best in the 90s without tolerating pillocks like Warne, McGrath, the Waughs, Healy...actually most of the team.

My point was, whether amateur, professional or elite, when a member of the team breaches the trust of his team mates there's no coming back from it. This wasn't just a bit of high jinks, being a prat or moaning we were talking about.

PS - Amateur sport is not all about fun, at least it wasn't when I played it. It was about winning, whether that be football, cricket, snooker or pool. We got our fun from winning things.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Good to see Buttler the magnificent doing the business again!

[oldjamfan1]

Good to see Buttler the magnificent doing the business again!

Amazing to think that England had only scored 350+ twice in their first 650 ODIs and now they've done it 5 times in their last 15!!

Edited February 4, 2016 by oldjamfan1

[onlyonetugay]

Amazing to think that England had only scored 350+ twice in their first 650 ODIs and now they've done it 5 times in their last 15!!

It's amazing how they've changed their mindset as far as limited overs are concerned. Having said that Hales , Roy and Root were always going to score faster than Cook , Balance and Bell. Buttler is a phenomenon and the fact that Willey bats at number 10 shows the depth in the batting. The bowling isn't as good and I think yesterday we could have done with Broad for experience. De Kocks innings was even better than Buttler's. I rate him, a very good wicketkeeper / batsman. I still think England would have won despite the rain , but if Stokes hadn't taken that amazing catch to get De Villiers, it could have been close even on Duckworth /Lewis. That's 3 ducks and an 8 for AB in his last 4 innings. He's due a big score soon soon !

[onlyonetugay]

Good to see Buttler the magnificent doing the business again!

Yep our adopted Lancastrian. He's priceless in this form of the game and will take the IPL by storm !

[BiggusLaddus]

Can't believe we lost to England. T20 and ODI's will be different though.

...

[Baz]

Seems that the captaincy may be affecting DeVilliers game as much as it did Amlas.

[onlyonetugay]

Another good all round performance by England . De Villiers did come good with the bat , but like in the previous game was out to a magnificent catch. As one of my old captains in the Lancashire League used to say " catches win matches"

Edited February 8, 2016 by onlyonetugay

[onlyonetugay]

318 for 8

I think we might be 20 to 30 runs below par

[onlyonetugay]

Josh Buttler is their nemesis ( well apart from that unlucky dismissal yesterday - catches win matches! ) but Quinton De Kock is ours. His knock yesterday was world class. He's one of those batters that seem to have all the time in the world to play his shots and never looks like he's going to get out. How South Africa must regret starting with AB as wicketkeeper in the Test series

Although I'd have liked a 5 - 0 whitewash , South Africa's win yesterday sets up the series nicely .

[Iceman]

Josh Buttler is their nemesis ( well apart from that unlucky dismissal yesterday - catches win matches! ) but Quinton De Kock is ours. His knock yesterday was world class. He's one of those batters that seem to have all the time in the world to play his shots and never looks like he's going to get out. How South Africa must regret starting with AB as wicketkeeper in the Test series

Although I'd have liked a 5 - 0 whitewash , South Africa's win yesterday sets up the series nicely .

Go on Saffers

[onlyonetugay]

Go on Saffers

4 - 1 ?

[Iceman]

4 - 1 ?

it was 5-0 now 4-1 next it will be 3-2 lol

[onlyonetugay]

it was 5-0 now 4-1 next it will be 3-2 lol

As long as it doesn't end at 2-3 !

[Iceman]

Saffers are back

[Iceman]

Few more wickets boys