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The Cricket Thread

Saw some of the Proteas at the de Vere in Southampton yesterday when we took Miss funster swimming. They looked VERY relaxed. Large win tonight will get them even more relaxed I imagine. Bodes well for my viewing at The Oval on Friday - in a manner of speaking.

I think tonight's result puts SA top of the ICC rankings in all three forms of the game?
 
Looks like Strauss will be stepping down as captain later today. Press conference at lunchtime. I guess Cook will be taking over.
Pity his reign has ended with such whimper, hope history remembers what he achieved. A hard act to follow, but right time to move on.
 
Looks like Strauss will be stepping down as captain later today. Press conference at lunchtime. I guess Cook will be taking over.
Pity his reign has ended with such whimper, hope history remembers what he achieved. A hard act to follow, but right time to move on.

Agreed, been fantastic for us over the years, feel we need a change, some good young openers about to be given a go in his place too
 
I think England have done extremely well with captains in the recent past. Hussain, Vaughn, Strauss. All captains of very high calibre in my view.

We'll say nothing of KP's stint...

Shame that Strauss will be stepping down if true. Was exactly the character needed after the disastrous KP spell. Be interesting to see how Cook goes about the job if it is him. Hasn't yet struck me as having the gravitas to skipper the side - although I think I thought something similar when Strauss was first named captain too.
 
Will be interesting to see if Strauss gets picked for India. On pure form I dont think he should be but will be useful to help bed in Cook for a series or 2.

I know Cook has been groomed for this role for a long time but he doesnt strike me as someone who would relish it, wouldnt be surprised to see a dip in form for next 1/2 years.
 
I'm always worried about making your best player captain. Cook already has a heavy load to bear as our best batsman, I'd be worried that adding the pressure of Test captaincy could result in a loss of form
 
I suppose once he's done in Test cricket, not much point going from England captain to county player. To be fair he's been a weak link in the batting lineup for a while, just sad for his last test series to be a loss.

When it's all said and done, he was an excellent captain.
 
Won two Ashes series as captain,one of those in Australia where we have a poor record. Took England to number 1. Always acted with class and dignity.
 
I thought I'd have a quick gander at the win percentages of the England captains I remember. The notable ones. Ones who I consider to have skippered the side for an extended period during my lifetime. Strauss really does have a lot to be proud about, even if he is bowing out with a series loss against SA.

Look at Fat Gatt and Gower's records really does remind me how far the team as a whole has come. Of course, the numbers don't really tell the whole story. I mean Fat Gatt was always, in my view, a pretty good captain (although I reckon my Middlesex bias has something to do with that as does his finger pointing with Shakoor Rana!). Strauss has been blessed with a really decent side, while the likes of Gatting had, what I'd say, was a pretty average bowling attack.

But, all that said, Strauss, in my view, takes a lot of credit for continuing the really good work that Hussain started, Vaughn brought to some form of conclusion, and that Strauss himself has taken probably further than a lot of people thought possible.

Fair play.

Strauss - 51.06%
Vaughn - 50.98%
Hussain - 37.78%
Atherton - 24.07%
Gooch - 29.41%
Gatting - 8.70%
Gower - 15.63%
 
I can't bring myself to praise Hussain, he was a crap captain and is now a worse commentator. Decent batsman mind, even if he did like to get his teammates run out
 
We just love dropping Amla dont we, he has scored something like 300 extra runs after being dropped this summer
 
Great win from England, number 1 till January now

Kieswetter ends up with a massive straight 6 of Steyn !!!
 
Just beaten NZ 2-0, Kohli is developing nicely but Raina looks really poor. Technique just isnt there and seems too stubborn to work on it.
 
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