England in India

[Englishandproud]

Nothing wrong with that attack, two promising youngsters and one oldie who has got something to prove on a spinners pitch.

 

[aditya123]

More bad news , Harmisson ruled out for the 3rd test . Jimmy Anderson or Plunkett expected to replace him .
It now gets really really tough for England.
I feel for them now.

 

[Stephen Bailey]

This is beyond a joke now. What have we got to do to get something to go our way?!

 

[cricket_lover]

Hope that Strauss, Pieterson and Flintoff can score big, and put up a big score in their first innings.

 

[Bala]

I would rather have Jimmy Anderson instead of Plunkett. Anderson atleast has the experience in international cricket.

 

[Sureshot]

Well, Sureshot, I'm too lazy to find and quote your post, but here is my response to it.

How good a cricket team you are does not depend on the XI you field on the field. If that was the case, then we wouldn't have 14 or 15-men squads. Take an example of the sport of basketball--bench strength is an extremely important factor in determining the greatness of a team. England lost one opener, one middle order batsman and one bowler. Are you saying that the English talent is such that in their whole country, they have only 2 decent openers, 4 decent middle order batsmen and 4 decent bowlers (and a semi-decent wicketkeeper)? If that is the case, then I will certainly say the Indian team is better.

We have a competition between three classy players for a spot in the middle order--Yuvraj, Kaif and Laxman. We have a long line of openers who have had more than moderate success at the international level: Sehwag, Gambhir, Jaffer, Chopra, heck we even have SS Das who continues to tonk centuries for Orissa day-in and day-out. And our pace bowling department is bursting at the seams, so to speak. So depth is extremely important in test cricket, and indeed to gage the strength of a side.

When we toured Australia in 2004 and drew the series 1-1, no Aussie cricketer complained that India got close just because Australia fielded a depleted side. They respected the fact that bench strength must be accountable for how good a cricket team a country is. Hence, if India win this series, they definitely deserve to be #2 in the world. And if, in our next tour, about 5 of our players get injured and we lose the series, then we don't deserve to be number 2. How good a player you are also depends on how your fitness affects your performance. There have been players like Boon and Ranatunga who excelled despite being very fit.

Anyhow that's all for today. When's the next test start?

5 of our first 11 now out.

Take out 5 of your first 11 when you come next year and I'll guarantee that you won't be happy.

Sorry but the country that deserves no.2 spot should have a good squad not a good team.

England thus dont deserve if thats the case that they dont have a good enough bench.

It's the team that does the business not the squad. :

This is beyond a joke now. What have we got to do to get something to go our way?!

Hold up the Indian tacticians hostage with Machetes?

 

[Englishandproud]

I would rather have Jimmy Anderson instead of Plunkett. Anderson atleast has the experience in international cricket.

So has Plunkett, infact he is the one to probably have more of an impact having played more recently then Andersen, Plunkett is also handy with the bat as was seen in India.
Andersen has never really seemed to have recovered just when he seemed to be at his peek a couple of years ago.

 

[JamesyJames3]

Both Plunkett and Anderson will play so stop bickering over which is better and which will play!

If you remember correctly, Plunkett played in the 2nd test. The injury to Harmisson I expect to be a straight swap for Anderson. No other changes.

 

[Englishandproud]

Wasn't there talk of Udal being recalled in place of Plunkett, if true then he wil probably just replace Hamrision now.
Anyway i wasnt bickering, just having a conversationa bout who might play.

 

[harishankar]

Take out 5 of your first 11 when you come next year and I'll guarantee that you won't be happy.

We won't be happy, but at least we won't be constantly complaining about it. Forgive me for saying so, but the impression that England always give when they go overseas is that they always complain about:

1. Pitches.
2. Weather.
3. Lack of form/fitness.
4. Facilities.
5. Grounds.
6. Food.
7. Hotels.
8. Travel.
9. Umpires (whether nuetral or otherwise)
10. Anything else which comes to mind.

This is an attitude I've not seen in any other side in the world except England. Forgive me for the frankness with which I speak, but I haven't heard any other side over the years complain so much about the subcontinent as England have.

Their commentators are also always prepared to make excuses rather than credit the opposition. Especially Ian Botham.

I agree that they have some genuine complaints this time regarding their playing 11 and fitness etc. etc. but their past attitudes have always left everybody else feel that they are just complaining again as usual.

Not that they are, but that's the impression we all get.

 

[Sureshot]

2 spinners is a certainty.

 

[JamesyJames3]

2 spinners is a certainty.

I disagree, It's no certainty. England traditionally only go with one spinner, whether the pitch favours spin or not. I dont expect Udal to play.

We won't be happy, but at least we won't be constantly complaining about it. Forgive me for saying so, but the impression that England always give when they go overseas is that they always complain about:

1. Pitches.
2. Weather.
3. Lack of form/fitness.
4. Facilities.
5. Grounds.
6. Food.
7. Hotels.
8. Travel.
9. Anything else which comes to mind.

This is an attitude I've not seen in any other side in the world except England. Forgive me for the frankness with which I speak, but I haven't heard any other side over the years complain so much about the subcontinent as England have.

I agree that they have some genuine complaints this time regarding their playing 11 and fitness etc. etc. but their past attitudes have always left everybody else feel that they are just complaining again as usual.

Not that they are, but that's the impression we all get.

Have you been living in a shell?

England have had bad luckk so their complaints are valid. Secondly, Austalia and South Africa are the biggest whingers in cricket. Saying it's just England is an absolute joke!

 

[harishankar]

Have you been living in a shell?

Is that supposed to be a response? What am I supposed to say to that, sir?

I don't dispute your point about Australia and SA. But England have topped the list in complaining about the subcontinent in my opinion. If only because their commentators always seem so biased and their press always keeps highlighting the problems rather than giving credit where it's due.

I'm not saying that things haven't improved in recent years. They've got tougher, yes, but over a period of time, they've earned the tag as complainers.

 

[Englishandproud]

I disagree, It's no certainty. England traditionally only go with one spinner, whether the pitch favours spin or not. I dont expect Udal to play.

First test in India ? They played two spinners.

 

[barmyarmy]

We won't be happy, but at least we won't be constantly complaining about it. Forgive me for saying so, but the impression that England always give when they go overseas is that they always complain about:

1. Pitches.
2. Weather.
3. Lack of form/fitness.
4. Facilities.
5. Grounds.
6. Food.
7. Hotels.
8. Travel.
9. Umpires (whether nuetral or otherwise)
10. Anything else which comes to mind.

This is an attitude I've not seen in any other side in the world except England. Forgive me for the frankness with which I speak, but I haven't heard any other side over the years complain so much about the subcontinent as England have.

Their commentators are also always prepared to make excuses rather than credit the opposition. Especially Ian Botham.

I agree that they have some genuine complaints this time regarding their playing 11 and fitness etc. etc. but their past attitudes have always left everybody else feel that they are just complaining again as usual.

Not that they are, but that's the impression we all get.

I don't think it's unique to England and I also think that, despite that, the members on this forum have been giving credit to India where due.