Second test antigua;w indies v england

[Mendoza]

the commentators said at the last match that there was more backroom staff than England Squad players checking into the hotel!

That probably is about right. thats were confusion comes in during net sessions and training, and we fall apart in style on the pitch.

Who do you speak to when you need advice? We have all those backroom staff employed, yet we dont have a manager.

What more do you need other than a manager, bowling coach and batting coach? Surely all the jobs can be covered by three key positions?

 

[Billy the Fish]

Agree about the backroom staff. What they are missing at the moment is a strong leader. You can have as many coaches as you want, but at the moment they are a rudderless ship. Whoever comes in as coach needs to knock a few heads togeather, to do that he must have the respect of all the players, unfortunately morres just didn't have that.

The central contract system needs to be revised. There needs to be more flexability to change the team. I think a two tier system might work, where you have a number of fringe players on 2nd tier contracts ready to come in. They then need to shorten the length to 6 months so they can add or remove (or promote and relegate) players according to form. I can't see the players or the counties going for that though.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Agree about the backroom staff. What they are missing at the moment is a strong leader. You can have as many coaches as you want, but at the moment they are a rudderless ship. Whoever comes in as coach needs to knock a few heads togeather, to do that he must have the respect of all the players, unfortunately morres just didn't have that.

The central contract system needs to be revised. There needs to be more flexability to change the team. I think a two tier system might work, where you have a number of fringe players on 2nd tier contracts ready to come in. They then need to shorten the length to 6 months so they can add or remove (or promote and relegate) players according to form. I can't see the players or the counties going for that though.

The central contracts are only for 6 months.

 

[sten_super]

The central contracts are only for 6 months.

Didn't know that, but in response to Billy's other point, there already are second-tier 'incremental' contracts. That's what Prior and Wright, amongst others, are on.

Sounds like it's not so much a revision as maintaining the status quo!

 

[Billy the Fish]

Well that's just pissed on my bonfire

 

[Mackenzie]

My team would be:

Cook
Strauss
Pieterson
Shah
Flintoff
Prior
Collingwood
Swann
Broad
Sidebottom
Anderson

We can bat all the way down (sort of) and would have enough variation of bowling (swing, pace and spin) to cause problems.

 

[Simster]

For years & years we have wanted a world class spinner. Why on earth drop him?

Have you seen him at all in the past year? He's been no better than Ashley Giles, but at least Giles could swing the bat a bit (and field).

He even struggles to get turn sometimes. He's really very badly out of touch.

 

[Was not Was]

What more do you need other than a manager, bowling coach and batting coach?

Wicket-keeper coach?

 

[Uncle Buck]

My team would be:

Cook
Strauss
Pieterson
Shah
Flintoff
Prior
Collingwood
Swann
Broad
Sidebottom
Anderson

We can bat all the way down (sort of) and would have enough variation of bowling (swing, pace and spin) to cause problems.

Switch Prior and Freddie round and that might well be it.

 

[Seagull over NZ]

The central contracts argument is a bit of a red herring. When we won the Ashes in 205 they were heralded as a great success.

 

[Trigger]

It's official...

Shah for Bell
Anderson for Harmison
Monty stays


Strauss
Cook
Shah
Pietersen
Collingwood
Flintoff
Prior
Broad
Sidebottom
Anderson
Panesar

 

[sten_super]

Panesar is IN.

 

[Marc]

is Antigua in a different timezone to Jamaica? as its starting at 2pm as apposed to 3pm last time....

 

[Titanic]

My team would be:

Cook
Strauss
Pieterson
Shah
Flintoff
Prior
Collingwood
Swann
Broad
Sidebottom
Anderson

We can bat all the way down (sort of) and would have enough variation of bowling (swing, pace and spin) to cause problems.

Flintoff at 5 ?? You must be kidding!

 

[Titanic]

WI won the toss and elected to field.

Strauss continues the run of England captains who are useless tossers.

 

[Titanic]

Andrew Strauss "We would have batted anyway - now we have got an opportunity to take control of the game."

 

[crodonilson]

Surprising they've put us in on a batters paradise. I'd have thought their plan would have been to get 500+ and then watch us crumble under the pressure of chasing such a large score. They've missed a trick here the Windies.

 

[Marc]

Surprising they've put us in on a batters paradise. I'd have thought their plan would have been to get 500+ and then watch us crumble under the pressure of chasing such a large score. They've missed a trick here the Windies.

depends what the track is like, I'm sure they know more being there and not sitting watching TV in Lyme Regis

 

[Titanic]

Blimey - the outfield looks like a beach

 

[the viscount]

Gayle was saying at the toss he perfers to bowl as there was a bit of dampness on the wicket !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!