Originally Posted by Vash the Stampede (Post 7821270)

I must confess to being astonished by Strauss' decision to bat. Surely it would make perfect sense to take advantage of the swing conditions and hammer the Aussies down by lunch? :confused:

He has two excellent bowlers (Onions and Anderson) who have wreaked havoc with our lineup. So why bat first? :blink:

Originally Posted by Broad Shoulders (Post 7821280)

Easy to say now though. If I were in Strauss' position I would have batted too, especially considering that your wicketkeeper suffered a back spasm 30 mins before play. Deciding to bat would have been made hoping that it would be the best part of a day before he has to come into bat and hopefully the best part of two before he has to keep, therefore giving his back enough time to recover.

Ponting said he'd have had a bat too

Originally Posted by Burbage (Post 7821286)

I didn't say it now, I said it then. I'm just pointing out now that I said it then.

Originally Posted by Broad Shoulders (Post 7821282)

and send your injured wicketkeeper straight out to keep?????????????????????????

Originally Posted by Broad Shoulders (Post 7821292)

Yeah but he would have been a genius if they were 100-0 by now! He's either a genius or an idiot

Originally Posted by Burbage (Post 7821298)

Well since they aren't 100-0 then he's an idiot.

Anderson would have had a five for by now.

Originally Posted by Broad Shoulders (Post 7821307)

As Botham was saying earlier, you can win the toss and decide to bowl at headingly at around 10.30 with perfect bowling conditions and by 11.30 a bit of sun and the pitch is a batsmen's paradise.

Originally Posted by Burbage (Post 7821317)

You can if you get 4 wickets between 11 and 12.

Originally Posted by Broad Shoulders (Post 7821280)

Ponting said he'd have had a bat too

Originally Posted by Vash the Stampede (Post 7821320)

It's much of a muchness for Ponting, since he doesn't have any swing bowlers. The Headingley pitch offers nothing for Australia except potential agony at the hands of Onions and Anderson.



Why not? If he can bat, he can keep. And just how "injured" is he, really? I don't see anyone replacing him on the team, so what's the big deal?

Originally Posted by Vash the Stampede (Post 7821320)

It's much of a muchness for Ponting, since he doesn't have any swing bowlers. The Headingley pitch offers nothing for Australia except potential agony at the hands of Onions and Anderson.



Why not? If he can bat, he can keep. And just how "injured" is he, really? I don't see anyone replacing him on the team, so what's the big deal?

Originally Posted by Broad Shoulders (Post 7821333)

Onions isn't really a swing bowler anymore than Clark is. Hilfenhaus is a swing bowler. Johnson swings it more than Broad and Harmy do. So I don't really see how that comment is valid.

the pressures on the body are vastly different between keeping and batting

Originally Posted by Burbage (Post 7821325)

5 down now. Bet Ponting is ecstatic he lost the toss.