England v Australia, 1st Test, Cardiff, July 8-12

Brass Monkey wrote:

JKLever wrote:Just reading elsewhere, Cardiff spinning a mile is a bit exaggerated it seems.

In 3 games at Cardiff this year, 69 wickets have fallen and 2263 runs have been scored.

52 wickets have fallen to the seamers (at a cost of 27.79 per wicket)
17 wickets have fallen to the spinners (at a cost of 44.65 per wicket)

Surprise, surprise.... don't let a load of know-nothing hyperbolic shitheads get in the way of the facts, England, or else we're in for a pasting.

Merlin wrote:Of course the 52 seamers wickets probably has nothing to do with the damp overcast conditions most likely influencing greentops during the early part of the season when those 3 games were played, resulting in a seamers paradise.

Stats eh .... where would we be without them ... FFS ...

Strauss, however, gave his full backing to a man who has taken 125 wickets in 38 Tests, at an average of 33.72. "You look at Monty's
record for England, and it's exceptional," he said. "It's up there with some of the best spinners that have played the game. He's gone through
a bit of a tough patch, but we've all been through that - I've been through it myself, and so have others in the squad - and you come back
much better for the experience.

"When you're going through a rough patch you question what you're doing, but I've got a lot of hope he'll come
through this and be an exceptional bowler going forward. Hopefully the other members of the squad will give him the confidence to go out there
against Warwickshire, take a bagful of wickets, and become an important member of the side again. People who've been writing him off are
unwise. He's got a hell of a lot to give England in the future."

Critics have seized on Panesar's lack of variation, particularly when compared to the more adaptable Swann, and
Shane Warne memorably remarked that Panesar had played the same Test 38 times. But Strauss backed his man to showcase the skills that earned
his first cap back in March 2006, and return to the forefront of England's Ashes plans.


"I've spoken to Monty a lot about it, he's been in contact with Mushtaq Ahmed as well, and other members of the England
management. He has been working on variations but the reality is that Monty has taken 99 percent of his wickets by bowling a very good
left-arm spinner that turns and has good pace on it. That's his default and he shouldn't stray too far from it. It's like me triyng to bat like
[Brian] Lara, it doesn't work. He shouldn't stray too far from that, and just do what he does well. If he does that, he's going to be a
handful."

Dello wrote:Although Strauss was hardly going to go on record as saying "this bloke's a bit shitehouse - what's he doing here?".

I'm still saying they'll go with the tried and trusted 4 seamers, 1 spinner attack.

JKLever wrote:

And Monty gets back in on the back of 6 first class wickets @ 86 and his last 20 test victims come at a cost of 41

Henry wrote:Apparently the England players were told to bring their passports to the training camp, and they're flying off to a "secret" overseas location.

Packing up the ganja in Amsterdan can be the only conclusion....

Brass Monkey wrote:

Merlin wrote:Of course the 52 seamers wickets probably has nothing to do with the damp overcast conditions most likely influencing greentops during the early part of the season when those 3 games were played, resulting in a seamers paradise.

Stats eh .... where would we be without them ... FFS ...

Of course it was much hotter and more dry in the early part of this season than it is now.

Invader Zim wrote:Hang on...WTF is the 1st Test doing being played outside England

Henry wrote: The Rose Bowl is due to get its first test soon.