In his 54 test matches Giles got 143 wickets at 40.06 with 5 Michelles (Fifer in an innings ). To me that's bordering on pie chucking. As for his batting Ashley scored 1421 runs at 20.89 with a highest score of 59 & 4 50s. For more details check the link. But it must be said that Giles 'did a job' when there wasn't any real alternative in the spin department. If was just a shame that Fletcher went back to Giles once Monty had played. I still think that England would have won the Adelaide test if Panesar had been picked instead of Giles. After that things might have gone differently, although Aus would most likely still have won the series.

http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Pl.../4271/4271.html

I totally agree with what you said Red Star. It's the over-rating thing that riles me cos I literally never met anyone who did rate him (at international level that is).
I think Fletcher defended his decision by stating that Giles was a better option because of his batting in the middle order, this again I feel was misguided somewhat.
I have no idea if 143 wickets would be deemed good, poor, or indeed 'pie chucking' but the bowling average is admittedly bad.

143 wickets is OK. It was the average of over 40 I was refering to as bordering on 'pie chucking'. The run rate of 2.86 shows Giles actual job for England. Ashley was there to 'block up' one end whilst the pace bowlers got wickets at the other end.

Whilst it's true that he didn't take many wickets against australia, 14 in 8 games if you take away his best performance, or indeed india or south africa. he does have a good average against the other 4 leading test playing nations.

ok, he's no panesar, and certainly no warne. but he's better than a pie chucker and certainly the media view that he was a bowler who could only bowl flat from around the wicket always chucking the ball up the batsman's arse is also unfair.

i wish the king of spain well.

Good point Mo. IMHO bowling down the leg side was an England plan rather than what Giles actually wanted to do. But Giles wasn't the only one. I was really anoyed at Fletcher in Aus as after the Perth test Panesar (who'd taken wickets but got some tonk) was also expected to bowl defensively rather than to take wickets. That was like buying a Porche to drive to the shops.

This week Yorks are playing Worcs at Kidderminster whilst Sussex are having a rest. So of course it's raining again. Someone up there has decided that Sussex are going to win the championship this season. It will of course be fine on Sunday as Yorks go to Grace Road for another 1 day dubbing. In ALL 1 day competitions (including 20/20) Yorks have only beaten Leicestershire once in the last 7 years.

Interesting news. Because Younus Khan is leaving for the 20/20 cup Yorks have signed Inzaman for the last 3 championship games. As Yorks already have a run out expert in thier ranks (Anthony McGrath) life could get very interesting when Yorks are batting !!

.........Another Kiwi for Nott's

Good innings for Durham in the FP final - 312 for 5

So these 40 over game's, what time do they finish roughly like? Cheers.

depends what time they start.

the times are either 1.45 - 7.25 or 4.40 - 10.20

Congratualtions to Durham on winning the FP on Sunday. The first major trphy for the county.

p.s. PR0 40 over games only finish at 7:25 if it doesn't rain. It threw it down yesterday at Leic .... 2 overs after one Yorks supporters coach arrived. The M1 was closed for over an hour due to someone threatening to throw themselves off a bridge.

Cheers fella's, but too late a finish and getting away again. Next season maybe.

As well as Inzi (ohh the runs outs with Anthiny McGrath) Yorks have now signed a Pakistan A Leg bowler. Most Yorks watchers thought we needed a pace bowler to replace Dizzy. It will make the conversions/arguemnts before the Warawick game at Scarborough (tomorrow Wed) rather interesting.

p.s. I must admit to feeling sorry for Glamy last night. They played 1 day cricket like Yorks have been doing for the past 3 or 4 season. I just hope that the 'Phoenix' haven't peaked too soon.

There's another one we've missed out on then.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/co...ire/6959535.stm

.....Not all of us

I can't blame him really, Warwickshire have been an absolute shower this season and it's actually worsening. Both on and off the pitch things are worrying.

I got an e - mail from the Lords Taverners saying that coverage of todays match will be available free via ECBTV by going to www.ecbtv.co.uk/page/Taveners and entering the login code FREEACCESS.

Just tried and the page doesn't exist........hopefully it will be activated just before the start

Looking at the ECBTV site it says that live streaming is not available in the UK despite what the e - mail says


Oh well, just have to wait and see I suppose.

Apparently they are airing the current Warwickshire match via the comedy channel.

Jokes aside this is getting embarrassing, our second innings looks like a bowling card ffs.

Greatbatch Out (and quickly)!

ECBTV site says 'access denied'

'Freddie' broken again ?

So Ian Bell puts in a man of the match performance at Edgbaston today, oh the irony.

Guess who was there Warwick were unlucky to win the toss. The captain decided to bat which is the 'norm' at Scarborough. Unfortunately it was cold (the coldest day I've been to in the 2007 season) & the ball did a bit. But Warwick should have done better. At 50-3 on the 2nd day Yorks could also have had problems. Unfortunately the sun was out & the Warwick back up bowling was poor (Louden was absolutely awful & some thought his action looked 'dodgy', Streak was buffet bowling) so the lower Yorks batsmen made hey. The 5,000+ in the crowd mainly enjoyed it. We enjoyed it even more on the 3rd morning when Warwick disintigrated. Yes Hoggard & G**gh bowled well but it looked like it does when the Yorks team have a bad day. The shot that Troughton put to Rashid (who caught a very good catch) was awlful. Warwick were 15-2 and the ball was bordering on a 4 day wide. Thankfully for 'U bears' lunch interviened giving Ambrose & the last 3 batsmen time to compose themselves. It was all over by 4pm on day 3 after losing about a full session on the first day.

There were rumours around the ground of 'trouble' in the Warwick camp with Streak being disliked etc. Warwick did have 1 really good fan. At 8 & 9 down one young lad in a Birmingham FC shirt was still shouting 'Come on you Bears'.

At the end of Friday most Yorkies were rather happy. Having a 'dead' Saturday in Scarborough took some of the edge off. Then came 2 Pro 40 games.

The first was against Surrey at Scarborough on Sunday. Yorks soon got to 58-8 in a hail of bad shots. Butcher than put on the slow bowlers which gave the lower order time to get to 145. Surrey had won before the completion of the 30th over ... the captain who was top scorer went off after 2 overs with 'sore shins' looking in some pain

If Sunday was bad Monday was worse. Many Yorkies travelled from Scarborough to Chester Le Street to watch Yorks play Durham. For the 2nd day Yorks won the toss & batted. We were soon 1-3 (Thats 3 wickets for one run which was a wide). Inzaman's dismisal made it 24-4 at under 2 an over. McGrath & Gale 'dug in' but didn't try to score runs. Yorks were all out in the 40th over for 122. It took Durham 15.5 overs Mustard scoring 66. The batting was poor, the running between the wickets worse (Yorks were getting singles for shots that Durham ran 2 for), the Yorks bowling was poor & McGrath (captain because G**gh was injured) dropped a sitter.

Asthey always say after the Lord Mayor's Show comes the dustcart.

I had a funny feeling you'd be there Red Star.

There's big trouble in the Warwick camp at the minute. Our coach is disliked by the majority of the playing staff, the local media and the admin staff at Edgbaston. After an impressive start supporters were prepared to overlook this due to our initial success but we have imploded dramatically. Streak and Greatbatch fell out the first home game of the season, they had a huge row about whether to put Lancs into bat or bat again themselves. One week later, Streak quits as captain.
Loudon and Troughton are the two most over-rated players in the squad.
Young lad, Birmingham shirt, loyal in the face of utter humiliation, he's had plenty of practice watching the Blues no doubt. Top lad tho.

The young un's showed that England cricket has a future last night. As 114-7 England looked beaten. Then Bopara & Broad (jnr) put on 99 to win the game. Well done lads.

New Aussie Twenty20 kit.

Yeah I hate the ODI kit to!

Here is a bigger picture
http://cricketworldwide.co.uk/forums/viewt...p?f=54&t=42
Join today if you want?!

this is possibly the ugliest uniform ever worn by an australian team.

but such an ugly uniform would do justice to an event as silly as a 20/20 world cup

indian cricket authorities were wondering what to do at the lunch break of a 20/20 game to entertain the crowd. They decided to hold an exhibition match , 5 overs a side game.

possibly the ugliest. certainly the most homo-erotic.

Bloody Pieterson

yes , young ricky certainly looks like matt haydens 'boy' ... as for shane watson , he always strikes a pose. pity he cant play cricket.

I'm surpised Moster hasn't been on about 'the Shire' beating Essex in the Pro 40 last night. My only regret watching on Sky was that the carrot topped pace bowler who took 4 wickets for Glouc isn't still playing for Yorks. David Byas (who caused Kirby plus probably Ryan Sidebottom & possibly Chris Silverwood) to leave the White Rose team has a lot to answer for.

Well England was a feckin balls up tonight wasn't it? Now we've already seen examples of my ahem, cricketing knowledge but pushing Monty a bit deeper at fine leg and doing so a bit earlier might have helped. Let em take the twos and singles and stop the boundaries and all that.

That said, if Pieterson and Monty field properly towards the end then we win the game, simple as.

I was at the game yesterday and it was an 'edge of the seat' kind of thing towards the end.
There was a bit of controversy after the Umpire declared Colly' 'Not Out' and then, only after seeing the replay on the big screen, asked for a decision from the Third Umpire. (Colly' wasn't the happiest of men)

(Bloody) Pietersons run - out was farcical, I'm surprised people on here didn't hear Shah call " NO" from the comfort of your own homes before KP even started the second run.

All in all a good day out, what with the contributions of Mascarenhas and Tendulkar, even if the result did go against England.

If i'd been anywhere near an internet connection i would have done.

What a night on TV. The Windes dropped a load of catches to let South Africa win the opening 20/20. Then Surrey ran themselves out to give Somerset a very unexpected win in the Pro 40.

The quote of the night on Sky after Rampers was involved in his 2nd (or was it 3rd run out) for Slurrey.

'Ramprakash might be able to dance but he can't run'

Congrats to Zimbabwe on beating Aus in the 20/20 ... now just remember to lose to England !!

Does this mean that the political climate in Zimbabwe is ok for us to play them this time?

Sod politics ... if someone beats the Aussies I'm all for them (p.s. The actual problem was playing IN Zimbabwe not AGAINST them)

p.s. Congratulations on Worcestershire for winning the Pro 40 League ... shame that the lights at Bristol went out & then came back on again to make them sweat

Two relegations for the Bears and a Pro 40 Championship for Worcs capped off a wonderful season for me on a personal note.

From what you said it was half expected Rts. I said Warwick made Yorks look good at Scarborough & apart from that game we've been absolutely awful .... even Worcs beat us (Yorks) in the championship. Just hope that the 'problems' are sorted out by next season.

p.s. The Pro 40 shows that winning your first game doesn't show how you'll finish. In their first Pro 40 game of 2007 Yorks (just) beat Somerset. 6 games later Somerset are promoted whilst Yorks cannot even get into the 3rd place playoff if they win on Saturday.

Yes I believe this sort of season has been coming for a while, too many bowlers left Warwick and were never really replaced (Munton, Giddins, Wagg to name just a few). Our youth set up is not producing as many stars as they'd have you believe either, most of the young lads in the squad have been drafted in from other counties or lower level cricket if you look closely.

Local media are saying that Ashley Giles is the 'shock' contender for the coaching job. A source within the club (not Ian Bell) says that Greatbatch wants to see his contract out which finishes next season and the club are unwilling to pay him out. His position is untenable and a recent fan forum at Edgbaston produced scaving feedback from our members.

All in all it's been a tad disappointing for all teams followed by our BBF members I think, roll on next year.

You do realise that Munton left Warwick for Derby at the end of 1999, Giddens for Surrey at the end of 2000 & Wagg at the end of 2004. Cricket Archive is a brilliant tool for checking facts !! I only do this as I can never remember when bowlers left Yorks.

You think Warwick have bowler problems. Since 1999 Yorks have lost Hamilton to the yips (tried but failed again at Durham), White (as a bowler) to old age, Hutchison (went elsewhere but by then it was obvious he was injury prone), Ryan Sidebottom/G**gh at the end of 2003, Kirby & Silverwood. Of those only Hutch (played for England A) & Kirby haven't got at least 1 test cap (1 in the case of Hamilton & Ryan when he left us). .... & Hoggard only plays for Yorks if England let him.

Oh yes England played Aus in the 20/20 competition today .... of course Aus won at a canter. When will the England pace bowlers realise that in this game balls bowled short of a length outside off stump get hit for 4 or 6.

Okay Red Star, you win.

I wasn't trying to top you RTS , just to point out that Warwick aren't the only ones.

Actually if you mentioned Munton to most Yorks fans they'd laugh. Don't get me wrong, Timbo was a good county pro who most counties (including us) would be more than glad to have. It was just that bloke at the other end was far far better. I'll never forget travelling to Edgbaston for the last day of a Warwick vs Yorks game. Yorks had 8 (or even 9) wickets left in their 2nd innings. The match was over before lunch as Yorks had been bowled out. The site of Yorks bastmen shaking in fear as they walked out to the wicket (followed by a brown stain as they sh*t themselves) had to be seen to be believed. The bowler in question wasn't from Brum but married a local lass & has settled there ... name of Allan Donald. Now THAT is one bowler who you've never replaced. But then Donald would leave a massive hole in any attack.

I hope that somoeone has banged a few heads together in the England team after last night's 20/20 game against South Africa. The game was there for the taking. England lost it by dropping (& in one case not even going for) catches that would have hed the Saffers out for around a hundred.

p.s. I'm actually glad that Glouc have stayed up in the Pro 40

Whenever I've been to Bristol, Yorks have lost
Whenever I've been to Cheltenham, Yorks have been absolutely hammered

Yeah Alan Donald has been irreplacable. I have to say that him and Brian Lara were two pretty big factors in my following cricket at all. I think you're right Red Star, batsman genuinely feared him, coincidentally I saw him skittle out Yorks once in a Sunday League match years back, he took a load of wickets for something like fifteen runs. I miss those days, it's difficult to get that excited about Anyon, Tahir and company.

Thankfully I missed the 'Donald' game but it gets mentioned regularly by mates who were there. Saw Lara at Scarborough where he was Alex Wharfe's first wicket (Wharfe is now at Glamorgam) off the worst ball bowled all day.

England lost to NZ today in the 20/20. That's 2 games England should probably have won but didn't. Unless something unusual happens Aus will win the trophy

Greatbatch goes and Ashley Giles is announced as the new Director of Cricket. He's set to announce the coaching staff in the next few days with Alan Donald and Dougie Brown being hot favourites maybe even both to join they say. Not sure how the new set up will work to be honest as it doesn't look too conventional but hey, the grass IS always greener on this occasion.

Come on you Bears.

Oh dear !