Mark Chilton – LiveCricket.in
Chill discusses cricket
Posts Tagged ‘Andrew Flintoff’
5th
Firstly I must apologise for the absence of Blog material, we have been faced with a few technical difficulties that are hopefully now sorted.
The Ashes now move to Headingley where England have a great opportunity to secure the urn with one test left to play. The series has been evenly matched so far but I think we have just edged it and deserve the 1-0 lead. The England bowling attack has looked more potent than the Australians and I think they are more likely to take the 20 wickets required to win a test match.
Headingley can be an interesting place to play and games can change very quickly depending on the overhead conditions. However, it looks like wickets have been a bit flatter than normal this year with plenty of runs being scored there. It will be another battle of attrition and victory will come to the team that keeps the focus and intensity for the full five days. England will hope that Freddie is fit enough to impact the game, the last two tests have shown how valuable he can be with both bat and ball.
More to follow……….
14th
Looks like an exciting game ahead but i am still backing our boys. Fantastic effort my Andrew Strauss, i think he becomes only the seventh player in history to score a hundred in each innings on the sub continent and the first England player. He hasn’t played much recently and the preparation for this game was so disrupted that it makes the feat even more impressive.
Straussy has clearly thought long and hard about his gameplan, particularly against the spinners where he looked to sweep on a regular basis but he also played the reverse swinging ball extremely well, playing the ball late and not looking for too many big shots.
Sehwag has played a typically aggressive innings to put India in with a sniff but i reckon Englands attack is well equipped to finish the job off….Flintoff 4 wickets. This would be a huge result for us, India have been in good form and are full of confidence so lets hope the boys finish the job off.
15th
The reign of Kevin Pietersen could not have started any better. England have out performed South Africa in all departments, with the Captain immediately stamping his authority on both his side, and the opposition. He has clearly made demand on certain players roles and in my view been very perceptive with his choices. I like the Bell/Prior opening partnership, Shah at number three and also the extra responsibility given to Andrew Flintoff who has been asked to bat at number five.
He has also led from the front with both his demeanor and his own play, looking ultra confident at the crease this will give confidence to those players around him and definitely looks like it has happened with players like Bell and Flintoff both who are playing with renewed confidence. Long may it continue, a whitewash against South Africa would be a fabulous start.