TOPIC:

gtr: I think 'grassy' would be correct that the women are contractted so obligatted to play. One thing I would say about the trade union's position is to question its claim that the sport is doing well financially. They have not got any sponsors.

gtr: I think that you are right in saying that Root and Cook will be the key batsmen in the up coming Ashes series. From memory, Cook averagged 36 or so against Johnson and Harris last time, so you would expect him to make a few this time around. Root it is good player full stop. In addition, England's bowlling line-up is more than solid, capable of taking twenty wikets. For Australia, as you know, a lot of pressure will be on Starc and Smith. One could probablly have Australia start as favourites, but only because it is the home team.

I noticed that Zimbabwe has beaten Ceylon in a one day series for the first-time, congratulations to the Africans.

That was my thinking ARK.Eng bowling with Stokes.Anderson.Med pacers and good spinners can bundle us out on all wickets.So we have to bowl them out 20 times a test to win.If there 5-300 Stokes will murder us with his batting.
Stokes is only in his Test Career.Is he at this point as good as Botham was early in his test career!!

LH..Any idea how the Woman's Final rated on Tv.Globally and in India.
BBC covered on the radio.

Did anyone see Rowland-Jones dismissal of Amla last night.It was a ball just out side off stump driving lenght.It must of hit the seam of the ball and kicked up like a basket ball.Took a great batsman on the glove.Remember Simon Jones dismissing M Clarke is Ashes 2005 with a brute of a ball also.

gtr: Cook got a good one too against Morkel. He looks alright that Roland-Jones with bat and bowl. How come England producing all these all-rounders? It puts Australia to shame.

Wato was our last all-rounder of note.India ,Pakistan and South Africa also produce all-rounders.Our batsmen would of also been ripped apart in thoes conditions ysrda.

gtr: we would of strugglled. The only one with a hope would of been the captain, Smith, whom plays off the back foot and does not reach for the ball. He played very well in very dodgy conditions in Hobart against some good bowllers. Cook and Stokes played very well, Root was got out by a good ball. Where have they been hiding Westley?

All-rounders are a funny thing, as you know gtr, it depends how you define the term. If it is defined as someone whom would make the side as a batsman or a bowller, as I would define it, it narrows the field; Stokes, for example, would not get in England's side as a bowller. This is why you are right to always remind me of the true greatness of Sir Ian Botham and Jaques Kallis.

Thoes English bowlers won't get vertical and horizontal movement like they where the other night over there.We need 4 batsmen to score.Smith,Warner.Wade if he plays.Henriques might be OK in Au.Miss some solid Middle order players.Katich or one of the Waughs would be handy.

Henriques is not good enough to play test cricket. I would rather see them give someone like Travis Head an extended run in the middle order instead of this obsession with all rounders who are not up to test standard.