South Africa in England

[Collingwood50]

hmmm, but didn't prior make lots of mistakes keeping, and make a 100 on his first innings and then low score after low score???

 

[WestIndian]

I think Harmison's well up for this Test match. With Anderson and Sidebottom in the squad he won't have to worry about taking the new ball and he'll also be able to play alongside his best mate Flintoff again. Good selection but a week too late.

So base on Harmison in the eleven I guess then Broad becomes the sacrificial lamb!! And of course Collinwood still misses out!!

 

[Simbazz]

It makes you wonder if Collingwood had a over-run in the side. I mean before the Ashes, he was around the side and hardly in it. Freddie gets injured and so does Vaughan and seemingly everyone else so Collingwood gets a perminant place. Freddie stays out so he's still in the side.

As soon as Fred is back, Collys place is now none-exsistant. I suppose its back to the battle of Bell/Collingwood now!

 

[Themer]

hmmm, but didn't prior make lots of mistakes keeping, and make a 100 on his first innings and then low score after low score???

Not paticularly he still averaged 40 in Tests when he was dropped he did make a lot of mistakes in Sri Lanka with the gloves which is why he was dropped.

 

[Collingwood50]

Not paticularly he still averaged 40 in Tests when he was dropped he did make a lot of mistakes in Sri Lanka with the gloves which is why he was dropped.

oh



As for the Bell/Collingwood battle - i love it and though im a massive colly fan its a great thing to expierience. There both under pressure, meaning every run is more important and every duck more agonising.

Shame bell doesn't bowl any more, i liked his gentle out swingers

 

[Will_NA]

I completely forgot that Bell used to bowl part-time! He was decent.

 

[evertonfan]

He was class. I dunno why he isn't used anymore.

 

[Ollie_H]

Cos Vaughans a ..... great captain

 

[angryangy]

Ive seen Smith bowl once or twice, he isnt to bad, better than pietersen, nearly as good as clarke.


Has any onc else noticed, it's allways the "hard men" who bowl gentle off spin?

The athetic types are often more all-round.

In terms of Harmison, I think it is a an unintuitive selection. Unintersting.

 

[Collingwood50]

Cos Vaughans a ..... great captain

wot do u mean? only the best captains introduce Alistair Cook into the attack


Bell / Collingwood tbh comparing there bowling is like splitting hairs and even i don't think there's much between there bowling at test level, though Colly does seem to be Excelent in ODI's...

 

[Valaskjalf]

Hmmm not sure what the big deal about Flintoff is though....his international stats look pretty mediocre and seems to still be judged on his one-off good series in the 2005 ashes. Perhaps its his whole stature or something...not very sure.

However i do feel Collingwood is a bit unlucky hes a real good player, personally think hes way better than Bell who Im still not convinced about. Think hes gonna turn out like Dippenaar for South Africa....one of those under the radar perfermers - he'll get a big score now and then but wont really ever been seen as much of a class-act. Quite a setback for us with Steyn being ruled out though....happy to see Nel back but would have loved to see him replace Ntini instead. Now our bowling is looking a damn side weaker!

 

[Will_NA]

Flintoff had a horrible start to his international career which explains his average stats. Before the Ashes series even began, Flintoff was averaging 40 with the bat in 2003. However, it wasn't until 2004 that his bowling caught up and he averaged 25.77 with the ball as well as a whopping 52 with the bat.

After the Ashes, he averaged 31 with the bat and 33.79 with the ball in 2006. I've ignored 2007/2008 because in those 2 years, he's played 2 Tests.

His batting average was only 30 in 2005 although his bowling average was 24. As these stats show, although, he flourished in the 2005 Ashes, he started the upward trend at leats 2 years prior and continued it until injury.

You're not the only one to think Andrew Flintoff is a one-series wonder but it still boggles me when people make that assumption.

 

[Collingwood50]

Hmmm not sure what the big deal about Flintoff is though....his international stats look pretty mediocre and seems to still be judged on his one-off good series in the 2005 ashes. Perhaps its his whole stature or something...not very sure.

However i do feel Collingwood is a bit unlucky hes a real good player, personally think hes way better than Bell who Im still not convinced about. Think hes gonna turn out like Dippenaar for South Africa....one of those under the radar perfermers - he'll get a big score now and then but wont really ever been seen as much of a class-act. Quite a setback for us with Steyn being ruled out though....happy to see Nel back but would have loved to see him replace Ntini instead. Now our bowling is looking a damn side weaker!

Totaly Agree with everything

 

[manee]

I'd go with one of two XIs.

If it is a flat/spinners pitch:
Strauss
Cook
Vaughan
Pietersen
Bell
Broad
Ambrose
Flintoff
Sidebottom
Anderson
Panesar

If it is a seaming wicket:
Strauss
Cook
Vaughan
Pietersen
Bell
Collingwood
Ambrose
Flintoff
Sidebottom
Anderson
Harmison

 

[Collingwood50]

I'd go with one of two XIs.

If it is a flat/spinners pitch:
Strauss
Cook
Vaughan
Pietersen
Bell
Broad
Ambrose
Flintoff
Sidebottom
Anderson
Panesar

Excelent - im not the only one who thinks broad should bat above Ambrose