Being an England cricket fan

[voodooflux]

Nice early wicket - South Africa are 17 for 1.

[Ruprect]

Make Pieterson the captain.

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Pietersen can't even think beyond the next ball, let alone a strategy for an innings. Nope, I think we persevere with Vaughan for the moment, drop Collingwood for Broad, play Bell at 3, Vaughan at 5 and Freddie and Broad at 6 and 7. Can't be any worse than we have at the moment.

[voodooflux]

...drop Collingwood for Broad, play Bell at 3, Vaughan at 5 and Freddie and Broad at 6 and 7.

Spot on.

[oracleslave]

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Pietersen can't even think beyond the next ball, let alone a strategy for an innings. Nope, I think we persevere with Vaughan for the moment, drop Collingwood for Broad, play Bell at 3, Vaughan at 5 and Freddie and Broad at 6 and 7. Can't be any worse than we have at the moment.

Agree with most of that actually. Except the Collingwood for Broad bit. I don't think Broad has proved himself sufficiently as a batsmen yet

[PM-Junkie]

Agree with most of that actually. Except the Collingwood for Broad bit. I don't think Broad has proved himself sufficiently as a batsmen yet

Agreed - Broad has an unfortunate habit of scoring runs so he has no business being in this England team. I can't understand how Bell keeps slipping through the net either - he seems to get at least 50 everytime he bats so what the hell do they keep picking him for?

[voodooflux]

Agreed - Broad has an unfortunate habit of scoring runs so he has no business being in this England team. I can't understand how Bell keeps slipping through the net either - he seems to get at least 50 everytime he bats so what the hell do they keep picking him for?

[oracleslave]

Agreed - Broad has an unfortunate habit of scoring runs

Doesn't mean he should sub for an out and out batsmen, a proven run-scorer, an exciting talent and young up and comer....like Collingwood though.

Seriously though for me the verdict is still out on Broad. Let's see how many runs he gets in the sub-continent etc before touting him as good enough a batsmen to be picked on that basis alone.

[BA to the Stars]

If you are going to pick a batting replacement for Collingwood (his bowling contribution in test cricket would preclude from being classed as a genuine all rounder (such as Kallis or Flintoff), then instead of Broad you would look at a genuine batsman. Potential candidates would include Key (Kent), Shah (Middlesex) or Bopara (Essex). Selection of any of these may mean adjusting the batting order, for example Key would probably bat at 3, meaning that Vaughan would move down the order.

It is just a shame that Broad was not taking wickets (as he was selected primarily as a bowler).

[cailin maith]

I watched the highlights last night on 5 - there was a South African fella - his accent was just like OS...... when he talked fast, I couldn't understand him either....

[oracleslave]

If you are going to pick a batting replacement for Collingwood (his bowling contribution in test cricket would preclude from being classed as a genuine all rounder (such as Kallis or Flintoff), then instead of Broad you would look at a genuine batsman. Potential candidates would include Key (Kent), Shah (Middlesex) or Bopara (Essex). Selection of any of these may mean adjusting the batting order, for example Key would probably bat at 3, meaning that Vaughan would move down the order.

It is just a shame that Broad was not taking wickets (as he was selected primarily as a bowler).

A more eloquent version of what I was trying to say. I would pick Shah personally.