Fourth Investec Ashes Test, England v Australia, Chester le Street 9-13 Aug 2013

[Brovion]

In the old days when Australia used to beat us easily they often took their foot off the gas and let us win one when the series was over. I wouldn't like to see too many changes though. Rest Anderson perhaps?

Anyhoo it's a great series performance when you consider we're trying to bed in two new young players (Root and Bairstow), we've got one batsman woefully out of form (Prior) and three others (Cook, Trott and Pietersen) who've all shown flashes but none have really delivered the scores of which they're capable.

 

[Bold Seagull]

This made me laugh, what cricket looks like to Americans....

 

[Billy the Fish]

Any talk of resting people is bonkers. Prior doesn't get selected for ODI's, he doesn't need a rest. The only one you would possibly consider is Anderson just to try and keep him fresh.

 

[spring hall convert]

Any talk of resting people is bonkers. Prior doesn't get selected for ODI's, he doesn't need a rest. The only one you would possibly consider is Anderson just to try and keep him fresh.

Resting might be the wrong word but there are positions where it would be in our interests to have a look at other players in the long term (spinner, wicketkeeper, 1 batsman). TBF, I guess that's what the Lions are for.

 

[Billy the Fish]

Thanks for that, couldn't agree more, I posted about winning 4-0 before I read that. We can all pat them on the back, say 12 tests undefeated, 3 nil up etc. but no one can deny this team is capable of more. Exciting times ahead hopefully. Perhaps the Oval will be a release of some tension and we will see a less inhibited and more expressive performance.

Agree with what you're saying, we haven't really played well this series. I think it's a reflection of how good this group of players are that we're 3-0 and they've been nowhere near their best.

That said, I honestly can't see how you enjoy watching cricket. You've been on this thread moaning about team selection, run rates and captaincy (amongst other things) for the entire 5 days, what is ever going to be good enough for you?

We're not going to win every match by an innings. They have a very good group of bowlers who I'd say are pretty much on a par with ours with the big exception of Swann/Lyon (although Lyon has been decent), with that being the case every test is going to be close if our batsmen aren't performing.
There is no magic wand to make cook a better captain overnight, to make them score quicker on the first morning of a test, to give Joe Root more experience as a test opener, to stop Trott getting out to unexplainable errors, to make Broad bowl that well every match etc.

 

[Billy the Fish]

Resting might be the wrong word but there are positions where it would be in our interests to have a look at other players in the long term (spinner, wicketkeeper, 1 batsman). TBF, I guess that's what the Lions are for.

I think they've been doing that in a way for the whole series by picking Bairstow and playing Root as an opener. Prior doesn't play in ODI's so whoever gets settled in that side will probably end up as the test keeper.

On the bowling side of things we have two bowlers who could play tomorrow in Finn and Tremlett, so happy to rotate any of the bowlers if need be. The batting should be left alone though.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

The only players whose places are under any concievable threat of genuinnely being dropped*, would be Bairstow (and to a lesser extent Root). Having kept faith with them all the time that the series was actually still in the balance, it would be absolute madness to deny either of them the further experience, in the fifth Test, now it is won.

*Bresnan might make way for Finn or Tremlett, but i don't really see that as being 'dropped' - I think they've accepted their lot, that they share the third seamers' slot behind Anderson and Broad, on a horses-for-courses basis.

 

[spring hall convert]

Swann is only 34. Got years in him yet.

I hope you're right but he's just had a major surgery to be ready for this series, I could see him calling it a day after the return series.

 

[spring hall convert]

The only players whose places are under any concievable threat of genuinnely being dropped*, would be Bairstow (and to a lesser extent Root). Having kept faith with them all the time that the series was actually still in the balance, it would be absolute madness to deny either of them the further experience, in the fifth Test, now it is won.

*Bresnan might make way for Finn or Tremlett, but i don't really see that as being 'dropped' - I think they've accepted their lot, that they share the third seamers' slot behind Anderson and Broad, on a horses-for-courses basis.

Hans - absolutely, to me it's imperative that the young'uns get a game here, I just think England might be wise to use the option to give Taylor a go in place of Pietersen, Bell or Trott. Put it this way, if there were any type of fitness concern surrounding a batsman (and Pietersen's been struggling for fitness of late) then I think we should use the opportunity to look at Taylor. After all, there are all important Winter squad places up for grabs & areas I'm not sure we are totally sure about our cover in.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Interesting that the England players are all sitting/standing around chatting to each other except KP. Not that I am trying to stir anything at all.

I was at a benefit dinner at Notts CC. There were 4 players past and present being interviewed. Bresnan, Root, Swann and Strauss all sat in front of the chairman of selectors. Whilst the Q&A was largely banal, there was one great exchange

(Interviewer) ‘’So, Is there any team mates you wouldn’t want to share a room with’’

(Strauss), ‘’Well, (chortal) there is one of the team who is constantly texting, it can be very irritating late at night and for that reason I’ll say him’’

(Root, Looking like a rabbit caught in the headlights and 12 years old to boot), ‘’Er…They are all a great bunch of lads, I’ll happily share with any of them’’

(Bresnan), ‘’Yeah, the texter for me, it is really irritating when you are trying to sleep’’

(Swann), Yeah, Kevin Pieterson, because he is an absolute tw@t

I laughed so much it hurt.

 

[KZNSeagull]

I was at a benefit dinner at Notts CC. There were 4 players past and present being interviewed. Bresnan, Root, Swann and Strauss all sat in front of the chairman of selectors. Whilst the Q&A was largely banal, there was one great exchange

(Interviewer) ‘’So, Is there any team mates you wouldn’t want to share a room with’’

(Strauss), ‘’Well, (chortal) there is one of the team who is constantly texting, it can be very irritating late at night and for that reason I’ll say him’’

(Root, Looking like a rabbit caught in the headlights and 12 years old to boot), ‘’Er…They are all a great bunch of lads, I’ll happily share with any of them’’

(Bresnan), ‘’Yeah, the texter for me, it is really irritating when you are trying to sleep’’

(Swann), Yeah, Kevin Pieterson, because he is an absolute tw@t

I laughed so much it hurt.

. Trust Swann not to beat around the bush.

I just found it interesting that Trott, Bresnan and Root were inside having a beer and a laugh, Anderson, Bairstow, Bell, Prior and Swann were out on the balcony having a beer and a laugh, Cook and Broad were on the pitch doing interviews and KP was on his own texting then wandered off!

That said, he has contributed as well to this victory and he is a bloody good player. No-one appears to like him, but I'm sure he does not care.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

England would have lost the third AND fourth tests, without Pietersen's contribution. Just because he isn't your ideal 'team player' doesn't make him any less important TO that team, or mean that they would want him in it any less.

 

[Billy the Fish]

The thing about KP is that he tends to make his runs under pressure and at important times, probably because he's not afraid of getting out but like many other things in cricket that strength is also his weakness.

It's no secret that the of the others don't like him, especially Swann and his little crew of Anderson, Broad and Bresnan.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Did they ever get to the bottom of the KP genius Twitter account and who was behind it? I know Broad and Swann used to get involved suggesting it was someone they at least knew.

 

[KZNSeagull]

England would have lost the third AND fourth tests, without Pietersen's contribution. Just because he isn't your ideal 'team player' doesn't make him any less important TO that team, or mean that they would want him in it any less.

Oh absolutely. There are always players no-one likes in the team, but the team misses them when they are not there. Boycott being a good example

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Oh absolutely. There are always players no-one likes in the team, but the team misses them when they are not there. Boycott being a good example

#GlennMurray

 

[spring hall convert]

I was at a benefit dinner at Notts CC. There were 4 players past and present being interviewed. Bresnan, Root, Swann and Strauss all sat in front of the chairman of selectors. Whilst the Q&A was largely banal, there was one great exchange

(Interviewer) ‘’So, Is there any team mates you wouldn’t want to share a room with’’

(Strauss), ‘’Well, (chortal) there is one of the team who is constantly texting, it can be very irritating late at night and for that reason I’ll say him’’

(Root, Looking like a rabbit caught in the headlights and 12 years old to boot), ‘’Er…They are all a great bunch of lads, I’ll happily share with any of them’’

(Bresnan), ‘’Yeah, the texter for me, it is really irritating when you are trying to sleep’’

(Swann), Yeah, Kevin Pieterson, because he is an absolute tw@t

I laughed so much it hurt.

Do you know what? I find Swann's jack the lad schtick extremely tiresome. Does anyone else get the feeling that Pietersen is the dressing room's whipping boy as he doesn't really fit in with the rest? Swann should be disciplined for this kind of insult, how exactly is that engendering an effective team dynamic?

Like it or not KP is already one of England's all time best batsman (he has the highest average of any English batsmen to score 7,000 runs or more.) He is in the side on merit & undoubtedly we are a poorer side without him. If I were KP, I would have told England where to stick it years ago & get on the Chris Gayle "gun for hire" circuit sound in the knowledge that I have made myself a very rich man. It's to his immense credit that he hasn't.

 

[spring hall convert]

Oh absolutely. There are always players no-one likes in the team, but the team misses them when they are not there. Boycott being a good example

Absolutely spot on - Boycott is just the right comparison. Well said that man.

 

[Mellotron]

#GlennMurray

Except Bennett (best man). And Forster (clearly mates). And probably countless others.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Except Bennett (best man). And Forster (clearly mates). And probably countless others.

He and Bennett are good mates, yes, but that's not really relevant to the comparison I'm making. For all I know, KP might be in the throes of a massive bromance with Matt Prior. The point is that all people really base their views of Pietersen on is that he obviously isn't part of the gang, and is often on the sidelines off the pitch. Murray was EXACTLY the same. Never one for BANTS, sat on his own at team parties, etc.