Surely the series will be England

Donald would have had a field day against our top order

 

Goodness. Mike Atherton said he's glad he retired when he looks at the southh African attack. This team aren't scared of anyone. Donald tried to scare Atherton right with short balls. You aren't guarenteed to get anyone out bowling short. I'd love it if every team comes and tries to bowl short at the England guys. Cook would be licking his lips and going out to bat with a smile of glee. Alistair Cooks record against fast bowlers is brilliant. Slow bowlers mid 30's. was it high 70's against quicks.

 

Hemsy - do you think Cook is the best we've ever produced?
Just wondered.

 

Different bowling regulations 20 year's ago.
Only one bouncer per over now permitted.

Check the records of Donald Ntini or Kallis.

 

Mentally he's brilliant. Fitness wise, brilliant. Don't think he sweats. Unlike Atherton, he can get out of the way. I think he's not had or got any major injuries. He's still Englands fittest player on the yoyo test.

I think it was in one of the UAE Test. He was on the field constantly for 4 days.

I never want him to stop. I think he might only play for 2/3 years but I hope he plays until he's 38 plus and beat Sachins total.

 

Don't want to sound like patronising old git but I don't think it is fair to compare a current batsman with any of more than 15/20 years ago as conditions and regs are so loaded in the batsmans' favour compared with back then.
I do think the very best of today would find a way to adapt to those harder conditions but don't underestimate how different cricket was and I truly believe it's hard to evaluate the quality of the West Indies pace bowling attack of the 70's and 80's and of Wasim and Younis in the early 90's.
Cook is a very good player but I don't see any current Test bowlers of that quality around right now.

 

Goodness! Not guaranteed to bowl anyone out with short balls - never heard of Bodyline? You never saw the West Indies in their prime did you? This attack comes nowhere near Donald in his prime.


Why has top order struggled but middle order hasn't?

 

Exactly!

 

Because that's where the new players are. 6 years ago it was number 6 that was the problem. Cook Strauss Trott KP Bell ------ Prior Broad Swann Finn/Bres and Anderson

They either moved bell up or was it collingwood retired? Morgan Bairstow Taylor and maybe others played it until Root came in and made the position settled until he moved upto three in Australia.

Saying that he went through a bad period and he's set for maybe the greats of English cricket with Len Hutton and that if he keeps going.

NZ away him and Bairstow looked awful from what I remember. I remember England on the drop in pitches. The problem for England is that the players will struggle to play any first class cricket until the tests start. Not saying most will want to play but some might.

 

Phil have you watched Fire in Babylon? If not then you should but first try to put your silly preconceptions to one side and watch it with an open mind.

This is a good read:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/8477945/Fire-in-Babylon-revenge-of-the-West-Indies.html

 

The point of drop in pitches is to make for a uniform more placid surface - before this NZ and sometimes in Australia wickets were being prepared from the middle of Rugby and Aussie Rules Football pitches.

 

I haven't but I look at all sorts on youtube if I want to look at anything.

People love criticising the modern. Flintoff and Atherton say it totally different. Atherton totally respects this attack and like I say said he glad he retired.

 

Goodness. You've swallowed some more crap from Sky and are way out again. Goodness me. More fake news than Trump. Goodness, gracious me.

Cook averages 39 against South Africa and 35 against Australia, the more seam-oriented attacks. He averages 54 against Sri Lanka and 50 against both India and Pakistan, the predominantly spin based attacks. As of the end of 2016, before the start of the India series he averaged 42 against seam and 60 against spin.

Like most on here, I suspect, I have a high regard for Cook but he's not some kind of nemesis for hostile fast bowlers, relatively few of which are around these days anyway.

 

Sky are trying to sell their own product of course they big things up - this South African attack is very, very average.

 

No they don't Phil. You come on here with a very short sighted view of sport which is deliberately pitched to get a reaction. You are constantly disrespectful towards great players from a different era because you are unable to see past the gloss and polish of Sky.

Most on here accept there are some top class players in the current game. You are the one who is full of petty criticism and an intransigence that makes reasonable debate almost impossible.

Nobody, not one person, who knows anything about cricket would be so dismissive about the West Indian pace attack from the 70's / 80's, Dennis Lillee, Donald, Boycott, Botham, the list goes on.

I now believe you're doing it on purpose.

 

Speaking of commentators - didn't Vaughan question England's batting. Brought their technique into question? Does he count even though he's on BBC and not Sky?

 

Yes. he did. Nasser called the south African attack lethal too.

If you watch old video's, the first thing I notice is the technique. It's awful from the bats man. bent over with bat on the ground.

 

Shocking technique - look at the state - test average 99.9

 

Is this the same Cook who averaged 33 in the series without making a century? The same Cook who got bounced out at the Oval?

 

Uncovered pitches, pah.