Australia in England

[bassit]

I think Giles should be dropped from the test side for matches played on home turf and his record also proves it. His batting is fragile, and his bowlin is negative. He doesnot attack the opposition, just tries frustrating them to play a foul shot and aussies don't play many rash shots!

Bell should not have been in the startin lineup. He is a very good player, very composed and technically correct, but its not easy to face the aussies first up! Thorpe should have played!

 

[muhammad_inzi]

When is the next match?

 

[angryangy]

Australia will play Worcestershire Sat-Mon, then the second Test is at Edgebaston on Thursday, August 4. Contrary to not quite popular belief, there is no Test at Headingley.

 

[Jarryd]

Who England need to drop:
Ian Bell: He's no good. Don't bring up County stats, thats facing Englishmen not good enough for the test team for the most part, so hardly quality opposition. Hugely bloated average due to series v Windies and Deshies. Was made to look a lot better then he is. England not playing Thorpe in the 1st Test could seriously come back to haunt them.

Geriant Jones: I can see Englands theory in picking him, they need a batter at 7 with the all-rounder in Freddie at 6. But it backfired terribly. Freddies a decent bat as it is, so play Read who is CLEARLY a better glovesman. If a keeper has one bad test it takes 3-4 perfect tests to make up for it. But Jones wasn't bad, he was absolutely terrible. Seeing the ball missed/dropped by the keeper not only costs runs and wickets, it'll lower team morale. Drop him.

Ashley Giles: Why is he facing the Australian? He's a boring, defensive bowler who doesn't attack the batsman at all. Warnie'll make the batsman have a go to get wickets. Giles'll bowl boring, defensive crap that just tries to make the batsman go after it. He tries to make them go after it, Warnie MAKES them go after it. Giles is not effective against the Aussies as unlike the Windies and Deshies (Why did England think they were any good after beating them anyway?) they won't go after him. They're happy to sit back and wait for a bad ball.

 

[Sureshot]

Jones has a test hundred so won't be dropped. His glovework is better than it was in the 1st test. He's our NO1 keeper I agree with Giles but the selectors wont drop him due to last seasons performances. Ian Bell is a good player. He has averaged 60+ over the last 3 seasons.

Collingwood in for Giles for the next test. Read isn't an option as keeper imo as his batting isn't good enough. prior would be second in line.

Our batting is a problem our Bowling is our strength and we proved that by bowling them out for 190. harmison is only behind McGrath in fast bowlers imo. Maybe level pegging with Lee.

Harmison, Jones and Flintoff have all bowled superbly over the last 18 months. Hoggard took 30 wickets in RSA but has been poor in CC this season.Sitll see Aus winning the Ashes but it won't be a whitewash, 3-1 imo. And with that our test rating will still go up

 

[squiz]

Jones has a test hundred so won't be dropped. His glovework is better than it was in the 1st test. He's our NO1 keeper

He's dropped 8 or 9 catches in 16 matches. Sure his "glovework" is better than the first test, but it's still VERY ORDINARY compared to every other test keeper in the world.

 

[Sureshot]

Yep, but he's our best option. His keeping in the ODIs was very good. Lords is probably the hardest place to keep.

 

[muhammad_inzi]

Australia will play Worcestershire Sat-Mon, then the second Test is at Edgebaston on Thursday, August 4. Contrary to not quite popular belief, there is no Test at Headingley.

thanks.

 

[jonah]

Gilo feeling the heat
Another 'them and us' situation brewing between the players and the media (ex-players), like under the Atherton captaincy?

 

[woodzy]

I disagree. Jones should be dropped. There is no way u can afford to drop 8 or so catches against the Aussies. Chris Read should be brought in immediately. Surely he could make a 20-30

 

[Sureshot]

He dropped 2 catches. McGrath and Gillespie hardly a crime! Thye didn't cost us. Read wouldn't make 10 vs Aus.

 

[woodzy]

Well it is cause how many runs did gillespie/katich put on and mcgrath/katich as well. Read is a finner gloveman surely the must pick him

 

[Sureshot]

Read can't bat though. Jones can. Jones drops cost us about 20 runs max. Pietersens drops cost us 120 no one is talking about dropping him!

 

[woodzy]

no one would dare drop pietersen after his performance with the bat at Lords. What about Warren Hegg. Is he still around?

 

[andrew_nixon]

no one would dare drop pietersen after his performance with the bat at Lords. What about Warren Hegg. Is he still around?

Still around, but retiring at the end of the year.

Note that Chris Read is averaging 45 in first class cricket this year, and his average last year was 50.43