Comments on: Onions heralds the new era. Or does he?

By: Alan R

Alan R — Sat, 09 May 2009 06:57:27 +0000

I’m in the camp that thinks it was a good idea to give Swann the new ball. He’s England’s leading wicket-taker in 2009, and according to him the brand new ball was not swinging much until it had a little wear and tear. So it makes sense to give the ball to Jimmy A. when it’s swinging the most.

By: sharon

sharon — Fri, 08 May 2009 18:33:24 +0000

“Why would you leave out your best bowler, James Anderson”

Swann is our best bowler right now. I liked it. It was bonkers, and it could have worked.

The question Aussie batsmen need to ponder right now? “Is Graeme Swann better than Paul Harris?” Because if he is, they are in deep deep doggy doo.

By: richo

richo — Fri, 08 May 2009 12:33:54 +0000

Good to see the Poms looking confident ahead of the Ashes, I think they should be aswell, they have a good advantage by playing their current test series, by the time the first Ashes test rolls around Australia will have had a substantial gap between matches with the red ball (tour mathes aside).
Disappointed that the first test won’t be at Lords (or in England at least), I know traditionally it was always the second test of the series, however I thought it provided a great opening for the series in 2005.

By: vinay verma

vinay verma — Fri, 08 May 2009 11:08:30 +0000

Giles with his sunnies was like Greg mathews with his cap. More style than substance. Swann is a fine offspinner and unlike Botha ,Bhaji and Murali does not suffer from “bendy” This is an affectionate term given to the ICC’s generous 15 degrees .

You dont need a doosra when you have a straight one like the one that bowled Devon S.

He also had appreciable drift and drop. Far better proposition than Monty. Collingwood was superb at slip and the two have a good partnership going.

Swann to open against Katich and Hughes? I think not.

By: Marcus

Marcus — Fri, 08 May 2009 10:46:24 +0000

By the way, I think saying Swann is the new Gilo is a little uncharitable to Swann, and not that accurate. I don’t have anythnig against Giles, but I’ve never seen him bowl nearly as aggressively as Swann has.

By: Rob

Rob — Fri, 08 May 2009 10:36:19 +0000

The side for the Ashes is coming along nicelt. Assume Freddie is fit, the team could be:

1. Strauss
2. Cook
3. Bopara
4. Pietersen
5. Collingwood
6. Prior (w/k)
7. Flintoff
8. Broad
9. Swann
10. Anderson
11. Onions / Harmy / Monty

By: Marcus

Marcus — Fri, 08 May 2009 09:13:38 +0000

I’m sure Onions will have a few batsmen chopping him onto their stumps though.

Seriously, although I think Australia will win, the English attack based around swing could casue our batsmen a few problems, especially Ricky Ponting who I think has been found out a bit in recent years. Anderson, Broad, Onions and Flintoff as an attack could be a handful in English conditions.

From an English point of view, it’s very encouraging to see Broad add five miles to his armoury.

By: vinay verma

vinay verma — Fri, 08 May 2009 02:46:27 +0000

Aussie batsmen licking their lips at the thought of Onion Bhaji. Terms like spring and raw come to mind at the thought of Onions. Philip Hughes could slice,batter and deep fry him.
Early days yet but Bopara perhaps can cancel Ricky Ponting and Pietersen could shade Clarke. Johnson and Siddle will hit the deck harder than anything England have presently. Flintoff if fit will trouble all the Aussie batters. The ball coming in at pace and hip high (think Ambrose,Chris Martin and Ishant Sharma) is the one delivery England lacked yesterday.Broad has it but uses it infrequently.

There is time yet for England to get Freddie right and England need his bowling more than the batting.

Less said about the umpires the better. Where is Simon Taufel?