:)

Ravi Bopara has proven himself once again, I hope this will open England's team selector's eyes. They have been ignoring this man for ages. I hope Ravi gets atleast as many chances as Bell had. Then we'll see who's better batsman!! Well done RAVI.

I fully concur. If Pietersen was not dismissed until he completes his hundredth run I was sure he woulda scored a century.........

Brilliant as ever Andy. Any ideas for new XIs yet? Shocking England call-ups XI such as Usman Afzaal, Rob Key, Steve James and Darren Pattison is surely worth a punt?

If I may qualify my thesis slightly in the light of recent events, Pietersen is seldom more dangerous than when he has a point to prove, except when he still has a point to prove but has just been out first ball. And I’m sure if he had not been out first ball, or subsequently, he would have scored a brilliant hundred. My point therefore stands.

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classic andy, I know one when I see it !

Another brilliant piece or should I write, picking up from IPL's DLFed for a six, I have been Zaltzed! Ironic that our national Twenty20 skipper did not even get a look in for a spot in Delhi Devil's Twenty20 playing XI for even one game in South Africa. Hmmmm! What should we expect from the squad in the coming world cup then is anyone's guess. Flower's assessment is also proving wrong that IPL stars are under-prepared as Bopara and Edward proved i.e. if you proved in IPL, you can also perform at test level.

What has the world come to, if the pathetic excuse for cricketers - the upstarts with spiky hairs, flash cars and flashier blades - are allowed to walk the hallowed turf at The Lords, let alone play on that mecca of cricket!!

The beauty of test cricket lies in the fact that the spectator can safely get their fortty winks while a true professional grinds the opposition to dust and then a thoroughbred fast bowler unleashes the venom and skittles England out for under a 100 and following-on, we have the true genius fighting a rareguard, failing heroically running out of partners in the penultimate over of the test.

As for this test match, I predict a Ravi Bopara century will seal the No.3 spot for a while so that he can fail repeatedly till the end of the summer and we can return to our debate over Bell, Shah or Vaughan.

Pieterson is still counting the dollars from IPL. Unfortunately, everytime he reaches 10, he gets a sore itch to switch the currency bundle.

Hilarious stuff about KP's point to prove!!

You can really be funny at times why don't you try it as a career? There is some talent.

This article is the reason English cricket cannot progress . Because people like Mr Zalztman keep on making excuses for the players . KP and by extension the whole English team is the same team that came to the West Indies and I am positive if it were not for the elimination of referrals, the total would have been much less and I am positive that England will not only not regain the Wisden tophy but also be given a severe beating by the Aussies

Comedy gold, Andy.

"England are thus likely to take on Australia with a team largely unencumbered by the scars of that victory."

"on a pitch that offers the tantalising prospect of a high-scoring draw."

"for two main reasons. One: why change his successful drawing formula"

What Petersen and Bopara have in common is a cool temperament. Bopara showed his in the World Cup in West Indies. I remember being amazed as I listened to the radio as he shepherded England home in a precarious situation (I forget the game). Petersen has repeatedly played his own game regardless of the circumstances, effectively winning the Ashes for England in 2005 by riding his luck. He's come unstuck a few times recently but don't write him off yet. Nice sophistry though!

Your right, KP does have a point to prove. I just hope he proves it before the ashes as the longer this slump goes on the more chance i feel of him getting angry against your old enemies and thrashing a big century against us Aussies. He does seem to play his best against us. Were all following this test down here to see how you guys might be. It will be iteresting to see you guys bowl.

I think that pietersen is so over rated his ego is the biggest thing on him...He said that Chanderpaul is a selfish man when he (pietersen)does notin team wise to help out... as a senior player he don't look or act as if he cares so people don't expect notin from him he cares about number 1 himself....

sorry but who really cares bout Petersen. England are wasting his talent by making him captain.

ooh yeah! this blog just hit a sweet spot in my jugular, i'm feeling lilies all over! Yes indeed, I have been Zaltzmaned!!! (zaltzed doesn't roll off the tongue as easy, Minkesh).

Also, Satish's advice for Andy, to try comedy as a career has to qualify as one of the funniest responses I've ever read on this here board. Good cricket all around - well played & well fielded!

Btw, I predict that all the IPL stars (including gayle) are going to do horribly well in this game thus giving old english test cricket snoots one less tut to tut.

Nice work as usual Andy. The real problem is that KP is obviously still upset with Allan Border's comments about him during England's last tour down under (I can verify it did occur ... it's the '05 series I'm not sure about). How can you expect the man to score runs when he has to cope with issues such as an ex-player making a justified remark about him years back? He'll be OK once he finds his dummy and puts it back in his sooky gob.

As a South african looking obejectively at English cricket I can only see a sorry mess, sad though cause it is evident that you guys have an amazingly talented bunch, and the 2005 ashes proved that you guys can be world beaters...... I read and interesting piece the other day about the IPL being generally shunned back in England, wake up and smell the coffee, get a move on or lose out......enjoy it for what it is , get as many of your guys to play there and just roll with the times.......good luck..

England’s key batsman appears to have played himself completely out of form, and did little to justify his bulging wage packet. My theory is that Pietersen is seldom more dangerous than when he has a point to prove – and is therefore almost certain to smash a brilliant century. If I may qualify my thesis slightly in the light of recent events, Pietersen is seldom more dangerous than when he has a point to prove, except when he still has a point to prove but has just been out first ball. And I’m sure if he had not been out first ball, or subsequently, he would have scored a brilliant hundred. My point therefore stands.

You remind me of Douglas Adams also..

i think strauss's english team must have thought their batsman will dominate the 1st test but only Bopara was the pure lucky batsman. Gayle will now try to draw the lord's match which is badluck venue for england.Inform player is that which themshelves try to adjust in any form of the game.

Two things are getting a bit tiring now that England are playing a test match:

1. Gayle's late arrival for the series - everyone from Andrew (Strauss) to Zaltzman has a view on it. It seems to have affected the England team more than it did Gayle.

2. The Ashes: Agreed, Australia are not looking as strong as they did in 2007, but England are worse. But considering that England and its fans, and writers have, have been building up for this since the last Ashes, and given England's "form", the noise levels might yet be disproportionately high for what may yet prove to be a damp squib.

I am happy that Ravi Bopara used the opportunity to prove himself. This hundred of his should have rung bells within Bell and Vaughan. If Ravi proves to be consistent then the selectors will have tough choice when it comes for the No.3 spot.

KP is a lot of froth. It is disappointing to see how a few seasons ago, we all thought that he was world class. He is a selfish person who is using the game for his own benefit without contributing to it. Given the way English cricket operates, he will remain a hangover on the current team, so much that the team itself stands as the best example of over rated under achievers.

Well,
If KP and Gayle are under-prepared because of IPL, what explanation do you give for Bopara's century and Edwards 4 for? Didnt they play in IPL too?
Stop blaming IPL for everything. Will you tell Lampard or Gerrard to stop playing 80 games per season for their clubs and rather concentrate on their England Career? I am a huge fan of test and one-day cricket but i would rather watch Sachin face Kumble, Sanath face Murali or Gilly/hayden face Warne.

No doubt if few more selections goes to RB's way he would def become the right contestant to fit in the shoes of Naseer Hussain . As far as KP is concerned that man has had so many chances and its time for him to either perform or step back and give a chance to a youngster.

PEITERSEN IS A HYPOCRITE. HE WAS TOO TIRED TO GO TO WEST INDIES BUT IT IS OK FOR HIM TO GO TO IPL STRAIGHT AFTER???

nothing related to this blog but do you have statistics of number of catches dropped, misfielding, comical runouts in the IPL.The quality of cricket is really gone down and these are the number that should be highlighted instead of whos getting richer by how much

Now that's satire.

looks like KP wont need to bat again in this match! let alone score a hundred
i think England would have had better Ashes preparation if the original Zimbabwe tour went ahead instead of this pathetic West Indian side!