English Domestic Cricket

[King Pietersen]

I'll set a little league up!

Right, set it up, not sure what the LPIN is though =/ Anyone know how to find it out?

Edit: Seems you need to invite people via e-mail. Heck of alot of effort!

 

[King Pietersen]

Kev's invited me to his league instead, so I'm guessing he'll invite you to his league now that you've provided your e-mail.

 

[Kev]

Ok, I have a league setup, but the only way you can invite people is via email. Dan and Matt, you have been invited.

For anyone else interested, PM me rather than posting your email here and I'll invite you.

 

[King Pietersen]

Good start for Ian Bell. He managed to battle through losing his touch midway through yesterday, not giving his wicket away, and is now 113* from 210 balls against Somerset. It may not be the strongest of county attacks, but he's made the runs, and that's what he's been asked to do by the selectors. With Bopara and Shah off playing some nice friendly T20 cricket, Bell's massively enhancing his Test chances. Could be some big scores coming from Belly in the lead up to the first Windies Test!

 

[Sureshot]

At the wonderfully difficult pitch at Taunton.

 

[King Pietersen]

At the wonderfully difficult pitch at Taunton, where both openers, and Jonathan Trott failed. Bell's still made the runs, and that's what counts. Flat pitch or not, he's made a hundred, it's certainly more than Shah and Bopara are doing at the minute.

Kabir Ali proving he can do it in the CC 1st Division as well, 3/40 off 13 against Hampshire. Looking like it's going to be a close run, low scorer that one!

 

[Sureshot]

Dan, Somerset don't, and never will produce bowling pitches. Nothing more than a combination of poor shot selection and a new ball in mid April.

Kabir Ali is a very good bowler and has improved since he last played for England, he shouldn't be overlooked as a candidate for the Ashes attack.

 

[evertonfan]

No, he definitely should be overlooked.

 

[manee]

Why? ??????

 

[evertonfan]

Because he's a below par bowler. Now don't bombard me with stats and such because I can't be arsed, but everytime i've seen him bowl he's been garbage.

 

[manee]

Because he's a below par bowler. Now don't bombard me with stats and such because I can't be arsed, but everytime i've seen him bowl he's been garbage.

I'm not going to bombard you with stats, just the simple message that I reckon that you have probably seen him bowl in OD cricket, where few would argue he is anything above an average bowler.

 

[evertonfan]

Fair play actually that is a good point, but you can't really blame my one-eyedness in this particular matter. But nevertheless, until I see enough of him in a white shirt my opinion of him is the same.

 

[King Pietersen]

I'll give you some stats then. His FC record in the last 3 seasons:

Season	 Balls	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	BB	Ave	5wI	10wM
2006	2023	68	1161	40	7-43	29.02 	3	0
2007	2393	75	1369	56	8-50	24.44 	3	2
2008	1869	53	1106	59	6-58	18.74 	4	0

He's been getting better and better, and had 3 incredibly successful seasons. He's up there with Mark Davies, as the best County Bowlers not to be given a chance with England in Test cricket. Picking Harmison on last seasons form was fair enough though, he was class in the CC and Domestic OD competitions last year, and if he does something similar this year, then it'll be pretty unlikely that either Ali or Davies will get a go for England.

Bell finished with 172, and Warwickshire have been reduced to 402/8, so Bell's big innings was pretty key really. Impressive stuff from the bottler. Hopefully he's turned a corner and realised he needs to be more mentally strong. He could have done a typical Bell yesterday afternoon and thrown his wicket away once he got bogged down a little, but he battled through and made a big score. Hopefully his form will continue, I'm a big fan of his.

 

[evertonfan]

Gah, I hate it when stats get brought into it.

 

[King Pietersen]

Because they help disprove your arguments?

Hampshire are at it again. Worcestershire are 10/2. Cork and Tremlett both picking up early wickets. Worcestershire'll be praying that the skipper plays a big innings here. They definitely need it.