Or Britt or Neuton. They have gone, and we still have a very good team. If Matej Vydra came back and played like he did when he arrived would be good but we need him not now.
Although folk have said we have different strengths I would certainly welcome Vydra back as on his day he is razor sharp...
Morning all from an overcast and slightly chilly bandit country - well, it's chilly compared to Pafos! Thanks for the frothy AK, much appreciated. I do wonder about the competence of the hacks at the Daily Heil - have they just realised we are owned by the same family that own Udi and Granada? Looks like an interesting day at Old Trafford - will England go on a run chase or do a Geoffrey and shut up shop?
Good Lord - they have actually printed my comment. Shouldn't that read 'do a David Cameron'? He's shut up more shops than Geoffrey ever did.. Either way, they're not doing it very well - 15 balls bowled, not a scoring shot attempted and one wicket down. Can't see either team getting a result though...
An interesting interview here with Emanuele Giulianelli. http://fromtherookeryend.blogspot.fr/2013/08/interview-emanuele-giulianelli.html
So yet again the umpires fail to use technology correctly! The third umpire cannot be 100% sure that KP hit that so how can he confirm the on field decision! We have the technology and the technology works. Now we just need to educate the officials how to use it! Its useless if we have donkeys operating it!
welcome back W_Y ( Mlle Yorkie's friend in Nappa... in hospital due to consuming dodgy alcohol ) I didn't know Geoffrey could shut up....
Interesting interview with Simon Hughes on TMS yesterday about the technology. He said that hot spot does not always show nicks because its based on missile technology that picks up something hotter than the bat and there are instances where despite a nick there is not heat signature to pick up. Beats me why they don't use snicko as well. I get the impression that DMS does not seem to be working as well as it used to for some reason but not sure whether its the technology itself, the decision to review or the umpires guidance for using it - probably all 3. It really only should be used for totally plonker umpire decisions really but who decides that? Having umpired a bit it village cricket (old duffers league) its a bloody hard job there, so what it must be like at test level....
A good if sad article here. http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/05/jimmy-davis-danny-webber-united-watford?CMP=twt_gu
But does it? I wouldn't mind betting that if the edge of KP's bat were to be examined, they'd find vaseline smeared down it - that prevents Hot Spot from picking up those fine nicks. That aside, I don't think that there was much wrong with the 3rd umpire's decision - there was audible evidence ergo he couldn't overrule the decision by saying there was no evidence. If I was the England captain, I wouldn't be wasting my breath complaining about the umpires - I'd be berating KP for attempting such a silly shot in the first place....
Brings back sad memories OFH. That said it also brings back a fond one when Manchester united won the FA Cup that year they all changed into tee shirts with his name on the back. A gentle reminder that, in the same way we adopted Gangster's Paradise for the season, now and again the really important things in life aren't entirely forgotten even though big business takes more of a hold on our game by the minute..
My quote of the day. "Before I did it, I believed I was a person who was kind, considerate and believed in free speech. The anger management expert showed me I was a jumped up, obnoxious little git who wouldn't listen" Guesses as to who spoke these words.
Well its not the way anyone would have wanted it to happen, but England have retained the Ashes after the 3rd test ends in a draw due to it being abandoned due to rain.
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the very sad passing of Jimmy Davis - no doubt on a certain message board of that horrible non-league team just down the road they will be gloating again. RIP - JD
What is interesting with the umpires is that 2/3 of the elite panel cannot officiate in this series - what does it say about the umpires from all the other cricketing nations when of the top 12 umpires, 4 are English and 4 are Australian? There'll be exactly the same issue in the reverse series. The one good thing about the Test match championship in 3 years is that we'll have English umpires officiating in Test matches in England again.
