England Cricket

So now it's The Kia Oval on Thursday.  Not to win you understand, just to break the new players in.

Years ago Fred Truman used to aver that " It's harder for batsmen to get dropped, than selected, these days. I don't know whats going off out there "

And things ain't changed a lot, just the individuals. Basically Five front line batsmen drawing straws for the front four positions then any two allrounders and a 'keeper.  The bowlers were often omitted at the selectors whim, just for the 'Flavour of the month' to be selected, then dumped never to be seen again.

Right now I'm wondering if there is an 'O' level GSC for Selectors?

Oops, forgot to say GSC equates to General Selectors Certificate !!

Two ( 2 ) days gone of the Final { 5th } Ashes Test Match and just one ( 1 ) innings left per side.

I do wonder what this game has left in it to torment us 

Brian, there's no doubting your comments re the selectors! How can you keep selecting a Captain who makes poor decisions, makes few runs and drops catches for fun? Ok, Roy too has gone (brilliant one day player) and Woakes in for Whatshisname?

Barmy, (another Trumanism) just plain Barmy!!

Do you think this series has put the traditional Test Match to bed? Look at Stokes' innings at Headingley, Buttlers' fiery session yesterday not to mention all the innings of Steve Smith!!

He has single handedly changed the essence of batting (Truman was no batting coach but what about Boycotts' comments?) Watch any youngsters playing in the park from now on and you will see thousands of mini-Smiths, all with their little idiosyncrasies and not one of them getting their front foot to the pitch of the ball as another off drive is despatched to the boundary!

The game has changed and frustrating as it is, even comical at times, we still watch with renewed hope and expectations. Can't wait to see Archer bowling Down Under on fast pitches - first recorded 100mph ??

I don't wish to know that,  Kindly leave the stage   !

[ Really cannot remember which characters / show that came from, but definitely heard it in my youth  ]

Last night of the Poms?

Ouch !!

 That hurts CY, reeeealy hurts 

JR,

      The thing that worries me most about cricket is the appalling standard of basic coaching. I was able to go through my career ( ! ) without wearing a helmet 'cos Randall Jones, Sports Master, INSISTED that we kept our eyes on the ball. None of this wincing and turning away, just letting the ball hit us where it would. If we'd ever tried that Randall would have made sure it hurt by repeating the whacks with the ball shaped wooden hammer used to break in cricket bats !! Granted nobody tried to bowl at 80+ mph ( 130+ kph ) but the pitches were such that every delivery was expected to "DO" something unexpected. And to see Test Match Players turning square on to the ball and being given out LBW with the ball hitting the outer edge of their back leg would have given him a touch of the screaming abdabs .

Sorry, but no, Brian's happy to be an old and old fashioned cricketer .

Now it's a total of Seven Times - think it might be pickled onion butties for lunch for somebody - don't think he could stomach a nice, custard smothered puddin' 

Allowing for the fact that this Test Series was at home I think they have done well to maintain their appalling standards  == and that's NOT a reference to their taste in music