England v New Zealand, Only T20, Old Trafford, 13th June

Henry wrote:I'm not sure i'm a fan of Luke Wright opening the batting. He seems to feel at the top of the order that he has to try and smash everything for six, and he doesn't give himself a chance to get into his innings. His best innings have come for England when he has worked the ball around for a bit before launching.

His bowling has improved, mind. 89 mph??? Reminds me of Flintoff's sudden increse in pace in 2001*


*- Not that Wright will ever be anywhere near the bowler Fred is, but a bustling, skiddy bowler capable of good pace could be very useful to England in the middle overs.

Is it me, or do bowlers seem to bowl quicker with the white ball? perhaps it's the knowledge that they only have to bowl a maximum of 4 oor 10 overs, so they bend their backs a little more. It just seems to me that average mph for most bowlers is higher in the one-day format.

Yeah it tends to be the case. Broad hit 89mph in the T20 as well. He was never more than about 87mph in the tests.

Well, I have to say I had a particularly poor friday night!

Pub was showing the T20, then switched over after 4 overs of our innings to some stoopid gayball game.

As for the parts of the match I actually saw....

Wright is a waste of space up top. Should be out for less than double figures but for luck and poor judgement when fielding. He IS nothing more than a hacker as JK says.

Bell I understand from someone who was alot closer to him than any of us batted rather pleasantly... but yes, so what LLL. A pretty 60 chased 12o against a bowling attack that is hardly worldbeating means IMO, very very little.

Better him up top than Wright though!

Bumping thread to make the bet easier to find.

If a county qualifies for the Champions League and gets told that it cannot participate because of its players involvement with the ICL - it could all end up in court.

players may have a basis for restraint of trade ...they and the counties could jointly sue...and make a pile that way

Bas, how about a gentlemen's agreement at this point. We both make donations to the McGrath Foundation and let the bet slide?

Zat wrote:Bas, how about a gentlemen's agreement at this point. We both make donations to the McGrath Foundation and let the bet slide?

Sounds like the best plan to me.