The new England captain

Just back from attending all four days of the England V South Africa Test. None of the 4 days were sold out. The attendance Wednesday and Thursday was very embarrassing. The club may like to blame it on a Wednesday start, but that doesn’t explain the poor Thursday attendance or the empty flapping seats that existed even on Friday and Saturday. As a lot of people said in the ground – tickets too expensive and food in the public areas too expensive.

£ 75 per day for the Ashes - far too expensive.

Vaughan has been a fine England captain. His departure on Sunday was sad. A fine ambasador for England. However the reality is that 20 of Vaughan's 26 wins came against either Bangladesh (four), New Zealand (six) and West Indies (10). That leaves four against South Africa and two against Australia. Strangely he failed to win a single Test out of 11 against India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. His time came and went last week sadly.

For me the next captain was going to be Pieterson or Robert Key.

Ps. Why wasn't the ball given to Bell to bowl a few overs late on Saturday ?

Back to domestic affairs..... the hire and fire committee needs to sort out those who consistantly cant achieve or those who are high maintenance (always injured). Some pruning is required.

I think Pietersen will score loads of runs as captain but won't get the best out of his team so they will be wasted.

Have all you Bears fans seen this?

http://www.sundaymercury.net/midlands-sport/midlands-cricket/2008/08/05/michael-powell-looks-to-have-played-his-last-game-for-warwickshire-after-being-released-66331-21471098/

Hmm

Easy to write a snide piece like this when realistically the only options were:

KP.
Andrew Strauss.
Alistair Cook.

Of these only KP could currently be assured of his place. Strauss appears to be a busted flush to me. He shows occasional glimpses of his initial greatness against middling sides but struggles against quality attacks, most of who have figured out how to dry up his runs.

Cook has yet to fulfil his potential and consistently fails to push on from the 40’s and 50’s he regularly makes. Not advocating dropping him but if the likes of Joe Denley continue to push their case he may find retaining his place and contract a little harder over the next couple of years if he doesn’t perform.

So here’s the thing Brian. Leaving aside the journalistic hubris and pressroom sarcasm who would you realistically pick to do the job?

KP is a man who only knows how to play for KP.
Sad to read the club have released Mike Powell may I wish him the very best of luck for the future, a true Bear and true gentleman.Good luck Michael.

Good points you make, Anonymous. Agree with you about Strauss particularly.
I do have a name in mind and I'd be delighted to reveal it if you would care to reveal your identity.

No prizes for guessing my choice from the above list...

Brian - Anonymous here. I did put my name in but your apalling blogging software failed to capture it.

Please expound.....

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Due to the software mentioned in DaveC's message above, for some reason I can't seem to post blogs today so I'll just leave messages here and see how that works.

Northamptonshire won the toss and chose to bat. 16 for 0 from 3 overs (Peters 10, O'Brien 0).
Martin, Woakes and Westwood back for the Bears.

DaveC - I'd go for Key as captain. I know he has not been in the side but I don't think, given a run in it, he would score fewer runs than Strauss. My concern about Pietersen, never mind that, being old-fashioned I'd quite like the England captain to be a decent chap and not a self-driven maverick playing under a flag of convenience, is that not only will his runs dry up as skipper but he will fail to motivate players around him.

Northamptonshire 49 for 0 (14 overs) Peters 19, O'Brien 30.
Martin returned with a modest opening spell of 6-0-30-0. Allan Donald is umpiring until sub ump Jeremy Lloyds arrives to deputise for Vanburn Holder who has a bad back.
It was 15 years ago today that excellent and charismatic Cornish detective Wycliffe first hit out screens.
Little encouragement for Bears on good batting pitch so far.

I saw a lot of Key in Australia in 2002-2003 when he came in after the 2nd test.

To be honest he never convinced. Admittedly he was up against the best side in the world but even at Sydney when McGrath and Warne were out injured his technique let him down.

A couple of 40’s and 50’s and a heavy-hitting, cross-batted style that seemed to wilt under pressure never indicated test class to me.

I know 5 years have passed and most of what I’ve seen of him since has been on TV but I he looks much the same to me and I suspect he’d be another “flatters to deceive” pick and with the added pressure of captaincy to boot.

Sorry – but at the moment whether we like it or not KP is the only realistic choice.

Northamptonshire 79 for 0 (22 overs) Peters 40, O'Brien 39.

Hard labour for the bowlers. Some sweet drives from both batsmen and 75 minutes elapsed before the first chance for the Bears. Carter drew O'Brien, on 30, into a big drive and Botha just failed to take what would have been an excellent diving catch at slip.

Allan Donald has just left the field to a ripple of applause from the small crowd after his stint as square-leg umpire. Personally, I'd have brought the spinners on to get A.D in the game with a few stumpings.

I think Pietersen will be ok as long as he is not just given carte blanche to do whatever he likes. He needs strong handling in which case is Moores capable of providing that?

Lunch: Northamptonshire 101 for 2 (31.4 overs). White 1.
At 96 for 0, Northants were looking at a great session only for Maddy to throw the ball to Salisbury at 12.48pm. Salisbury's eighth delivery was lifted, rather sieve-headedly, it must be said, to Woakes at deep mid-wicket by O'Brien, who perished for 48. Then, in the final over before scran, Peters was drawn out of his ground, the crimson orb turned past him and Frost executed Warwickshire's second stumping of the season. Wycliffe woould have approved.

Northamptonshire 137 for 3 (38 overs). White 32, Wessels 1.

Northampton-born Salisbury turns a googly inside Sales' defence to win an lbw decision and dismiss him for 4. The spinner has three for 9 in six overs and is on for an all-ten against the county with which he started his career with a couple of 2nd XI games. He is bowling beautifully.
Cloud thickening up. Carter has just come on in search of swing but dropped short and was pulled for six by White.

Northamptonshire 194 for 3 (51 overs). White 63, Wessels 26.

White is batting very fluently, seizing voraciously on any loose stuff, of which there has been a fair bit from the seamers. He reached 50 from 51 balls then took ten in two balls off Salisbury, a cut four to a Rea Bank side boundary so short it's almost defendable then six lifted over long on.

Botha has just come, rather belatedly, for the 51st over.

Northamptonshire 218 for 4 (57 overs). Wessels 36, Klusener 4.

Salsibury likes it when batsmen come at him and over-confidence does for White (73, 79 balls, 9 fours, 3 sixes) as he top-edges a sweep to Botha at short-fine leg. Salisbury has four for 47 and has just greeted Klusener with a long-hop which was summarily clouted for four.

Northamptonshire 266 for 5 (67 overs). Klusener 16, Boje 4.

A post-tea bonus for the Bears as Wessels (61, 96 balls) mispulls Carter and top-edges the ball gently to Poonia at deep mid-wicket. "It was a pretty innocuous ball," comments the man from the Telegraph. "There have been some poor shots," chips in the man from the Times. "They have all pretty much given their wickets away," adds the gentleman from the Post.

Heavy rain - very heavy rain - has intervened at 292 for 5.

Sad news for Micheal Powell and his supporters. Hopefully the lads released will get chances elsewhere. Sadly these cuts each season are essential to help move the team forwards.

Is there any truth that Micheal will be joined the coaching staff ?

Surely it can't be true that you have to pay next years membership to buy an Ashes ticket ?

Hi Brian I'm not sure I agree with you about Pieterson. I believe that you should pick your best eleven then pick your captain from that. The other options Strauss, apart from the big score he made in the final test against New Zelanad over there, has not done much of late, Bell might of been an option but I think the added pressure might not of done him any favours at the moment. Cook is too yooung and inexperienced. If you take Key's double hundred away, he only averages 23 in test cricket. Theres a huge doubt about his credentials to play for England let alone him being capatain.

any prospect of play this morning brian/anyone?

or maybe this afternoon its supposed to be improving but remaining cloudy?

what are the prospects of play this morning brian? anyone?

what are the prospects of play this morning brian? anyone?

Mad - was at a funeral today so sorry i was unable to assist you with prospects of play.

Halford, how are you?

Okay, thanks, Anonymous. Surviving. How are you?
And, for that matter, who are you?!