Group C - New Zealand, England, Kenya, Canada

[Prince EWS]

Nixon and Plunkett showing good batting form of late would make me tempted to go with:

Ed Joyce
Michael Vaughan
Ian Bell
Kevin Pietersen
Paul Collingwood
Andrew Flintoff
Paul Nixon
Liam Plunkett
Jon Lewis
Monty Panesar
James Anderson

Failing that, I'd have Dalrymple in for Lewis. Wouldn't even consider Bopara tbh.

 

[pasag]

Don't agree with Flintoff's ban personally, being stripped of the VC maybe, maybe not, but as long as players can perform fully, I don't care what they get up to in their time. Agree with Botham on this issue.

 

[Fiery]

Don't agree with Flintoff's ban personally, being stripped of the VC maybe, maybe not, but as long as players can perform fully, I don't care what they get up to in their time. Agree with Botham on this issue.

He got reprimanded no less than 3 times during the CB Series for drinking apparently! English management were too soft on him then and it's led to this. Sounds like he has a bit of a problem

 

[pasag]

He got reprimanded no less than 3 times during the CB Series for drinking apparently! English management were too soft on him then and it's led to this. Sounds like he has a bit of a problem

I disagree, it sounds like he's an awesome guy who likes to have a good time. I don't think he should be punished for that now, or reprimanded for that then either, imo.

 

[Fiery]

I disagree, it sounds like he's an awesome guy who likes to have a good time. I don't think he should be punished for that now, or reprimanded for that then either, imo.

It's obviously affecting his cricket and he's got a job to do for England. He had a poor tour to Aus by his standards and his drinking was probably a factor in that. I love a drink myself but if I was representing my country I think I would be more responsible.

 

[pasag]

There's no evidence or obvious link between his drinking and poor form, so I don't think it's affecting his cricket at all. I think he's always been a big drinker, even when he was on-song, he didn't start his 'drinking' during the CB series, so I doubt, highly doubt, the drinking has affected him in the slightest to the negative.

 

[Fiery]

There's no evidence or obvious link between his drinking and poor form, so I don't think it's affecting his cricket at all. I think he's always been a big drinker, even when he was on-song, he didn't start his 'drinking' during the CB series, so I doubt, highly doubt, the drinking has affected him in the slightest to the negative.

Of course heavy drinking is going to have a detrimental affect on performance. It doesn't matter what you do for a living...it kills brain-cells and reduces mental and physical fitness.

 

[pup11]

After winning the Ashes in 05 English team went to meet Tony Blair and the Queen and most of the English players were intoxicated then, so why was no action taken against them then?

I think Freddie's case could have been dealt with within the team, there was no need to make a huge issue of the incidence and drag it into the public eye [English management could have denied the tabloid's report and they should have let off Fred with a warming].

 

[pup11]

Btw, what the hell was Fred doing in the boat at 4 am in the morning [i think Fiery is right when he says that constant heavy drinking damages your brain cells and Fred has already started to show signs of that] , was he all alone or were some of his mates with him when this incidence took place?

 

[wpdavid]

Oh and I think Vaughan really has to stop bringing Plunkett back for an odd over in the middle of the innings. He needs to bowl when the batsmen are going for it (near the end) or with the new ball. A daft spell of one/two overs in the middle of the innings when the ball isn't swinging is pointless. He'll bowl a bad ball and there'll be little wicket-taking capacity.

Ditto Panesar, who should have bowled his 10 overs in one spell after bowling beautifully in his first five.

 

[wpdavid]

It's a big question.

I'd think that Dalrymple being a spinner will get him the nod in the prevailing conditions, but Bopara has hardly done badly, so maybe they go with just the one spinner and try for more out of KP.

Given that Dalrymple is bowling like a drain, I wonder of Bopara might be a better bet at number 7. He's probably better at coming in and upping the tempo straight away as well. Not so sure about bowling KP though. Vaughan's a better bowler if we really needed some extra overs of spin.

 

[Smudge]

After winning the Ashes in 05 English team went to meet Tony Blair and the Queen and most of the English players were intoxicated then, so why was no action taken against them then?

Because they had just won the Ashes and there wasn't another game in less than two days.

I think Freddie's case could have been dealt with within the team, there was no need to make a huge issue of the incidence and drag it into the public eye [English management could have denied the tabloid's report and they should have let off Fred with a warming].

They could have tried that, but it sounds like a fair few English spectators saw him out.

Appropriate response from the management.

 

[wpdavid]

Appropriate response from the management.

Especially if it's true that he'd been warned several times in Aus. It'll be interesting to see how Fred reacts to this.

 

[_Ed_]

I disagree, it sounds like he's an awesome guy who likes to have a good time. I don't think he should be punished for that now, or reprimanded for that then either, imo.

Agree entirely. Don't think any less of the man after this incident.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Agree entirely. Don't think any less of the man after this incident.

If anything, my respect for him has gone up after this.

 

[_Ed_]

Yeah good call.

 

[Prince EWS]

Given that Dalrymple is bowling like a drain, I wonder of Bopara might be a better bet at number 7. He's probably better at coming in and upping the tempo straight away as well. Not so sure about bowling KP though. Vaughan's a better bowler if we really needed some extra overs of spin.

Vaughan's knee injury could well prevent him from bowling though.

I think Nixon/Plunkett seem to be in good enough form with the bat to cover 7/8 really.

 

[Pup Clarke]

If anything, my respect for him has gone up after this.

You've got to be joking.

 

[pup11]

Freddie has been man enough to accept his mistake and thats what really matters in the end,i can only say one thing to Freddie now "Respect Maan".

But Freddie needs to get rid of his drinking problem as soon as possible for his team and his career's sake (and also for his millions of fans including myself).

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

You've got to be joking.

No way. He's a dead-set legend in my eyes. Wish I was there.