England end of series numbers.

Code:

BATTING

Player      Mat Inns NO Runs  HS    Ave  100 50
AJ Strauss  3  4  0  266  106  66.50  1  2
MP Vaughan  3  4  0  200  106  50.00  1  0 
KP Pietersen 3  4  0  186  115  46.50  1  0
SCJ Broad    3  3  0  119  64  39.66  0  1 
JM Anderson  3  3  2    31  28  31.00  0  0
AN Cook      3  4  0  114  61  28.50  0  1
TR Ambrose  3  3  0    70  67  23.33  0  1
IR Bell      3  4  1    45  21* 15.00  0  0
Sidebottom  3  3  1    27  16  13.50  0  0
Collingwood  3  4  1    32  24* 10.66  0  0 
MS Panesar  3  3  0    1    1  0.33  0  0

BOWLING

Player      Mat Inns Overs Mdns Runs Wkts  BBI  BBM  Ave  Econ
JM Anderson  3  6  103.3  22  367  19  7/43  9/98 19.31 3.54
Sidebottom  3  6  130.0  38  348  17  6/67 7/116 20.47 2.67 
MS Panesar  3  5    85.0  20  245  9  6/37 7/138 27.22 2.88 
SCJ Broad    3  6    92.0  18  305  7  2/10  4/87 43.57 3.31
KP Pietersen 3  1    5.0  0    21  0    -    -    -  4.20
Collingwood  3  4    8.0  2    22  0    -    -    -  2.75

Bell and Collingwood's contributions are totally inflated by a not-out each. They should have their champagne taken away.

Interesting that Sidebottom, even though he was never quite at his best, still bowled a whole session's worth of overs more than anyone else.

And the myth that England's number six must be able to bowl is somewhat refuted, on this evidence. Must be able to bat, I'd say.

Bloody hell. Ambrose gets 67 in one innings and 3 in the other two. Bit all or nothing.

S'not great from Broad. He's not even that economical. At least when Tremlett wasn't taking wickets, he was economical as hell.

Broad's just a little too expensive and bowls a little too short and a little too slow and is a little too inexperienced.

Lara Lara Laughs wrote:Bloody hell. Ambrose gets 67 in one innings and 3 in the other two. Bit all or nothing.

S'not great from Broad. He's not even that economical. At least when Tremlett wasn't taking wickets, he was economical as hell.

Broad's just a little too expensive and bowls a little too short and a little too slow and is a little too inexperienced.

You would like Trembles in the team?

If he's picked, we just have to accept that Broady is inexperienced and raw rather than expecting the 'real deal' at this stage.

As for SideBottom, interesting that he shat all over Mills given the raps that PJ was giving him before the series

I'm no fan of Broad's but he did bowl better than his figures suggest and it would be silly to drop him now. He can go for a few runs at times because he tries a few different things to try and make chances.

I think the main thing to take from these figures is that Anderson and Sidebottom had 36 wickets between them. Its potentially a very good opening ball partnership

Bell and Collingwood have been shit

Carpet Monster wrote: Its potentially a very good opening ball partnership if it could play against NZ every test

Fixed

I like the way Sidebottom bounces back with wickets when he's had a poor day.

I like the way he's a total miserable barsteward when things aren't going his way.

England, as individuals, have not covered themselves in glory in this series. I think that the team for the Ashes is looking very patchy indeed:

1. Alastair Cook
2. Andrew Strauss
3. Michael Vaughan*
4. Kevin Pietersen
5. Paul Collingwood vs Ian Bell vs Ravi Bopara vs Owais Shah
6. Likewise but vs Andrew Flintoff too
7. Tim Ambrose vs Matt Prior with the possible addition of Stephen Davies
8.
9. Ryan Sidebottom
10.
11. Monty Panesar

Not that I'm infatuated with the Ashes, it just seems as if England consider that as a logical point in the future to aim towards. The emboldened few are the definites, fitness pending. Those in smaller text are players I would say are likely to be in the side, but could find themselves in trouble if they lose their form. The italics denote potential battles for places, whereas the empty spots are so up-for-grabs that I wouldn't yet discount anyone. I fancy Simon Jones has beens pencilled in for the number 10 spot and Flintoff the number 6 if they're both fit enough, whether rightly or wrongly...

The stats for such a short and one-sided series don't mean bo squat.

Augustus wrote: I fancy Simon Jones has beens pencilled in for the number 10 spot and Flintoff the number 6 if they're both fit enough, whether rightly or wrongly...

Interesting to hear Vaughan mention SiJo's name on C5.

As an aside, isn't it obvious most of the England team think Mark Nicholarse is a total cock?

They've got one thing right.

Except he's only half one.

What's worse than finding a Mark Nicholas in your apple?

What exactly was said about SiJo? Just a casual mention of his name or something more substantial?

Re: MN - I think it's obvious that most of England thinks Mark Nicholas is a cock.

Okay, team for Safrica:

6. Ambrose
7. Flintoff
8. Jones
9. Harmison
10. Hoggard
11. Giles

Hmmm, I think Alastair Cook's flying under the radar a bit at the moment.

Of his last six series, four have been mediocre and one of the rare successful series was against the pap that is the West Indies.

Vs Aus: 27.60
Vs WI: 56.86
Vs Ind: 37.17
Vs SrL: 46.33
Vs NZ: 32.33
Vs NZ: 28.50

Averaging 30.80 in 2008.

Technically, he looks all over the show too. Very loose and proddy.