[Ian J]

Pretty bold selection that seemed to defy all of the speculation. There was much media talk about whether Bell or Vaughan would be brought in to replace Shah at number 3 and I guess that most of the media pundits were surprised when they plumped for Bopara instead.

I think that Shah might regret having taken the rupee and gone to the IPL where he sat on the balcony without playing a game as he hasn't been in a position to show the selectors that he's in form.

Collingwood is another involved in the IPL who hasn't played a game so will come back to England and be thrust straight into a trst match with no time to acclimatise to English conditions with a practice game.

Graham Onions is an inspired choice as a bowler as he is the man in form on the county circuit and we just have to hope that he can manage the step up

[coops233]

Do you know when this starts?

Cheers

[ste v p]

Originally Posted by Ian J

Graham Onions is an inspired choice as a bowler as he is the man in form on the county circuit and we just have to hope that he can manage the step up

The headline writers are licking their lips at the prospect of him having a good game. "England have the Onions" etc....

[Ian J]

Originally Posted by coops233

Do you know when this starts?

Next week

Headline writers in the North East have had a wonderful time in the last couple of years as Durham's wicketkeeper is Mustard and there have been a large number of "bowled Onions caught Mustard"

[Leej]

Good job I'm not a gambling man. I would have put money on Bopara batting at number three being a mistake.

[Ian J]

As a Durham supporter i would guess that we've now lost Graham Onions for a while. Let's hope that the Engand coaching hierarchy don't ruiibycochiot his natural talent like they did with Liam Plunkett

[Leej]

When they went off for bad light earlier, after scoring at 5 runs per over, I thought it would serve them right if they lost/drew due to it. Then they opened with Swann in the first innings and I thought they'd completely lost the plot.

I need to give up thinking as it must have been some cunning plot to completely bamboozle the opposition

[Ian J]

Originally Posted by leej

it must have been some cunning plot to completely bamboozle the opposition

It also bamboozled the Sky commentators including a couple of ex England captains

[kopchoir]

Turning into a rout this

that 5th wicket nearly broke the middle stump

[plazmoid]

i was hoping that i might see the end of this as i won't be home until late tonight. i'm not very hopeful anymore.

England are smashing the west indies.

[RPupkin]

What the Duce!?! Fantastic few days cricket by England (although another worrying performance by Pietersen. I suppose it just goes to show that we are up there with the best of them when playing at home in suitable conditions but struggle everywhere else.

I was saying after previous performances we were going to be humiliated in the ashes, I don't want to get ahead of myself and jinx it but if we continue like this we could make it a very interesting summer.

[Ian J]

Originally Posted by RPupkin

I suppose it just goes to show that we are up there with the best of them when playing at home in suitable conditions.

I don't really think that a home victory over a very poor West Indies side proves anything as if they hadn't dropped so many catches we wouldn't have anywhere near the first innings score that we ended up with. Let's also not forget that three of our top order batsmen failed too.

The Australians will be a completely different kettle of fish

[kopchoir]

Mr onion looks like a good thing do you think i dont really follow cricket but watch sky sports enough to know whats going on that pieterson flintoff our golden generation so to speak think that they have made it and dont care what happens as long as they coin it in.

Is it time to clear the decks and start a fresh strauss as captain seems a good appointment, with the press clambering for a vaughan recall he goes and names bapara and onion and a few other folk i have never heard of