Re: Gareth Batty's Back....

by Eric Air Emu on Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:12 am

Matthew Spriegel is literally one of 18 viable alternatives to Gareth Batty.

by Dello on Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:56 am

Too fat. That's the only conclusion we can draw: all other spinners that weren't selected ahead of Gareth Batty were discounted on grounds of fatness.

Or conveniently timed elbow operations just as they were starting to develop a paunch.

by Basil on Wed Mar 04, 2009 1:38 pm

Eric Air Emu wrote:Matthew Spriegel is literally one of 18 viable alternatives to Gareth Batty.

by Big_Bad_Bob on Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:37 pm

It'll hopefully give Fat Sam the kick up the arse that he needs.

His selection clearly allowed his arrogance to win the battle of the saint and sinner on either shoulder.

Up to him now. Does he learn from it, or throw it all away?

Even so, would be interesting to see him and Gareth Batty go head-to-head on the bleep test...the Batty Boy is hardly the personification of athleticism himself!

by taipan on Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:42 pm

And some here have temerity to criticise Kallis.

by Henry on Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:46 pm

There is one person Patel needs to talk to- Andrew Flintoff. Fred had the same problem in 2000, and he came back a year later fit, lean and a completely different cricketer.

by taipan on Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:48 pm

Henry wrote:There is one person Patel needs to talk to- Andrew Flintoff. Fred had the same problem in 2000, and he came back a year later fit, lean and a completely different cricketer.

Did he take the same pills as Warne?

by lardbucket on Wed Mar 04, 2009 11:57 pm

Sheesh, if so, I hope Warnie took them first.

by JKLever on Thu Mar 05, 2009 1:46 am

Big_Bad_Bob wrote:It'll hopefully give Fat Sam the kick up the arse that he needs.

His selection clearly allowed his arrogance to win the battle of the saint and sinner on either shoulder.

Up to him now. Does he learn from it, or throw it all away?

Even so, would be interesting to see him and Gareth Batty go head-to-head on the bleep test...the Batty Boy is hardly the personification of athleticism himself!

Being the resident Fattist, It still strikes me as completely hypocritical that they deliver this ultimatum to Samit Patel a few days after picking a clearly not 100% Sidebottom in the last test.

by S F Barnes on Thu Mar 05, 2009 2:10 am

Samit's getting a rap across the knuckle's because he hasn't done what sir asked him to do. Whereas the mediocre yes men like Bell, Batty etc will always be in with a shout for selection. The "team England" philosophy is still in place so the faces that fit keep getting picked ahead of the players with most talent/potential.

by WIFAN on Thu Mar 05, 2009 3:01 am

England exposing their batty in the ODI series. Fantastic...................

by Chivalry Augustus on Thu Mar 05, 2009 4:24 am

JKLever wrote:
Big_Bad_Bob wrote:It'll hopefully give Fat Sam the kick up the arse that he needs.

His selection clearly allowed his arrogance to win the battle of the saint and sinner on either shoulder.

Up to him now. Does he learn from it, or throw it all away?

Even so, would be interesting to see him and Gareth Batty go head-to-head on the bleep test...the Batty Boy is hardly the personification of athleticism himself!

Being the resident Fattist, It still strikes me as completely hypocritical that they deliver this ultimatum to Samit Patel a few days after picking a clearly not 100% Sidebottom in the last test.

And when Steve Harmison has rocked up unfit for consecutive tours.

by holcs on Thu Mar 05, 2009 6:46 am

What an absolutely shocking selection.

I mean, apart from the obvious that he is farking useless, there must be a OD spinner better than him in the country, or a youngster that has the promise to be better than him which ain't hard.

What he was on the lions tour for I have no idea anyway!