England vs West Indies @ Headingly

[CHAPPERS]

SECOND NPOWER TEST, HEADINGLEY

England v West Indies

Notts seamer Ryan Sidebottom has been handed a place in the England team for the second Test against the West Indies at Headingley.

The 29-year-old left-armer knows the venue well, having spent seven seasons at the ground with Yorkshire.

He has played only one previous Test, back in 2002, when he took 0-38 and 0-26 against Pakistan at Lord's.

Michael Vaughan returns from injury to lead England as they seek their first win of the summer.

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

I love our world class bowling attack.....

 

[Barrel of Fun]

It just goes to show how we do not have much depth in our bowling ranks, when players like Sidebottom and Saggers can pick up caps. Not good enough.

Maybe I am being a bit harsh and he will be a handy temporary solution - but I very much doubt it.

I realise that they are desperate to get Vaughan back in, but he should really play more games on the county circuit.

 

[Scoffers]

You do wander why Sidebottom has been selected over Anderson, surely not because he had 7 years playing at Headlingly, surely the best bowler should prevail ??

 

[crodonilson]

I guess are we looking long or short term.

Short term the better bet is Sidebottom, he has more control, is handy in early English summer conditions and is in better form than Anderson.

Long term we should have gone for Anderson, lets be honest this Windies team is nothing special and Anderson needs some overs under his belt and perhaps a confidence boost he may be able to get against these average Windies batsmen. He is also more likely to be picked in the Ashes in 3 years and future tours.

 

[CHAPPERS]

It's because he's a left armer innit. Bit of variation like.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

Don't see a problem with him playing. As Max says, bit of variation.

 

[SJ's Love Monkey]

I love our world class bowling attack.....

I didn't know Robert Plant played cricket! Hey hey Mama said the way you move

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

Gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove

 

[Uncle Buck]

Ladies and Gentleman, this years Jon Lewis...

 

[keaton]

Ladies and Gentleman, this years Jon Lewis...

True but i'd rather Jon Lewis was playing than Plunkett, Harmison and Mahmood at the mo

 

[CHAPPERS]

Oooooh it's started and we're BATTING.

England team: Vaughan (capt), Strauss, Cook, Pietersen, Collingwood, Bell, Prior, Plunkett, Harmison, Panesar, Sidebottom.

6/0

 

[The Large One]

28/0 - 5 overs.

 

[Kylies Stunt Arse]

True but i'd rather Jon Lewis was playing than Plunkett, Harmison and Mahmood at the mo

He's injured though

 

[Uncle Buck]

38-1, Strauss gone. More pressure for him when Flintoff is fit again.

 

[Uncle Buck]

1145 BST - Eng 39-1:Collymore to Vaughan, and Skip stays cautious. From this distance at least there's no sign of the complicated combo of gaffer tape, string and brown paper keeping his fragile body together. Maiden over, and sunlight is bouncing off every available surface.

1140 BST - Eng 39-1:Hold onto your seats - here comes Michael Vaughan for his first Test match innings since some time in the early 1960s. Remarkably he makes it to the middle without any body part snapping, twisting or popping, and gets off the mark with a jab down to square leg

 

[Gritt23]

Come on Vaughan, I so desperately want to see the Vaughan of old return, but I fear it's a permanent slide in his ability.

Some stats for you ..... his current average is fully 8 runs down on where it was at the end of that magical year he had, when he finished with that superb innings in Australia (5th Test), and he is currently averaging below 43 in Test cricket for the 1st time since the start of the Test series with India, way back in the summer of 2002.

His average doesn't look all that great these days alongside the rest of our batsmen who are largely averaging 45+.

Please prove me wrong Michael, please show me you still have the skills that we saw 2-4 years back. But I'm more than a little worried that he hasn't.

 

[Everest]

1236 BST - Eng 73-1: A KP Special from Vaughan as he bottom-hands a ball from Taylor on off-stump through midwicket for four. He's moved to 20 off 51 balls, an acceleration as rapid as Mike Gatting falling out of a tree.

 

[Grendel]

His average doesn't look all that great these days alongside the rest of our batsmen who are largely averaging 45+.

Largely? Only Cook, Pietersen and Bell average over 45, and if Bell makes fewer than 25 in his next innings, his average will drop below 45.

 

[Simon Morgan]

Will keep an open mind about Sidebottom, but he does strike me as a bit of a wanker. Not that that has anything to do with his bowling ability.