This is true
However, playing against a full strength Indian team, in India, with frenzied home support and helpful pitches would be a totally different proposition.
(Reverend Fister "a disciplined fuckwit", Tue 2 Aug 2011, 11:13, 1 reply, 15 years ago)

Absolutely true
It does make a wonderful change to see an England team replete with world-class players though, as opposed to lobbying for a test to be called off if Gooch/Botham/Gower/Thorpe was injured (delete according to period)
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 2 Aug 2011, 11:17, Reply)

Yes they're playing very well at the moment
My (minor) concerns at the moment are that the openers seem incapable of putting on a decent stand, and Swanny seems to be a bit below par, by his standards.

On the plus side, they're batting well as a team - right down the order, and we seem to have selection problems with the bowlers for the next test in that we have more than 5 competing for 4 slots.
(Reverend Fister "a disciplined fuckwit", Tue 2 Aug 2011, 11:25, Reply)

I've been worried about Straussy for a while
He really seems to be struggling, but is doing a great job as captain. Once upon a time it might have been prudent to think about who should be captain come the next Ashes series, but we're so far ahead of the Aussies at the moment that it's scarcely a concern.

God that felt good.
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Tue 2 Aug 2011, 11:29, Reply)

he wasn't below par.
He was bowling well on the second day, and was decent at Lords. When you can't get the pacemen away, you attack the spinners, and when you don't need long spells from your spinner to skittle a team then it's inevitable that you won't bowl him if he takes some tonk. Swann's game has always been about luring the batsmen into shots, so he's bound to take a bit of hammer every now and again.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Tue 2 Aug 2011, 11:30, Reply)