The Cardiff Spill-Over & the Lord's Record
The drama following the Cardiff test has hardly subsided and the next Ashes test is already upon us!
A lot has been said following England's last wicket heroics at Cardiff; there have been pot shots taken, players have reacted, former players have reacted, the media has reacted, retirements have been announced, former coaches have spoken, captains have spoken, bloggers have written, and what not.
All this and all of them missed out on a dramatic Colombo affair.
Before I move on to Lord's, I just want to add my two-bits to the spill-over from Cardiff.
- England played out of their skins to draw a test and it got all of England raving about a sensational performance. Their best is past them now, it is going to be all down hill from here.
- Ricky Ponting is the last person in this world who should be talking about "playing cricket in the right spirit".
- Anything and everything spoken for and against Kevin Pietersen is a load of crap. He plays for his team, he is a great batsman, he looks ugly when he scores, hence he looks ugly when he gets out.
- You tell him Duncan Fletcher! What do you mean he is irrelevant Ricky? He is probably the most important English person related to cricket this decade.
- I wonder what Ricky feels about Nathan Hauritz statement, where he says that "Australia would have done the same".
- I also wonder why Ricky thinks that Flintoff's retirement announcement will make England lose focus. Weren't the 2006 Ashes a farewell series for McGrath, Langer, and Warney?
Coming back to Lord's and the rest of the Ashes series.
Focused or not, I don't think it makes much of a difference to England's chances in the 2009 Ashes.
As I said before the series, I don't think they are going to win anything.
Not till they continue to persist with Stuart Broad. What good is he anyway?
I actually feel that had Flintoff announced his retirement with immediate effect, it would have been better for England.
Flintoff doesn't cut it any more as the 6th batsman and 3rd pacer in the side.
A specialist batsman at 6, coupled with three pacers, none of whom are Flintoff or Broad, will actually give England more balance and strength in my opinion.
But with this being Flintoff's farewell test series, that is not going to happen now, is it?
A lot is being said about Australia's and England's history at Lord's. 75 years since England beat Australia there?
Well even if England had beaten Australia every single time in the last 75 years at Lord's, even then they would not have stood a chance to win the 2nd Ashes test that starts tomorrow.
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Q, just a couple of points, at risk of sounding pedantic.
First, Duncan Fletcher is Zimbabwean.
Second, Matt Prior bats at six for England, not Flintoff. I'm starting to think that the keeper is nowadays basically a batting specialist. Certainly, Prior is in because of his batting, but that's a different debate.
GCW,
I know Fletcher is Zimbabwean; I should have said "the most important person related to English cricket", rather than what I wrote..
As for the number 6.. Prior did bat there in the 1st test but it is because Flintoff is in the XI, is it not?
If Flintoff was not in the XI I'd be sure that England would play a batsman at 6 and Prior at 7, followed by 3 pacers and a spinner.
And I feel that would be a more balanced England.
Well, they may do, although he batted at 6 against West Indies regardless.
I agree that would be a better balance, but as their only batting reserve is Ian Bell, it might be a moot point as far as the Ashes are concerned.
What will be interesting is how they choose to line up in South Africa this winter.
GCW,
You are right abt that, but in the West Indies they did not follow that balance.. they had 6 batsmen, 4 bowlers, and the keeper at 7.. I still feel they should look to use that balance..
No, my lad. Flintoff will do something special. You've got nothing if you don't back your heroes. I believe, much in the same way I believe each time Shoaib runs in. And the fact that this is his last series may liberate him. The shackles will disappear and the big man will roar again.
Tashi,
I am all for keeping the spirits high.. and I hope for cricket's sake that Flintoff does have a great send off.. but I really don't think he can do anything special in this series.. I also doubt his ability to play all the remaining games...