James the Foster called up to the Lions. GRrrrrr.

As Steve Davies has hurt his knee(s).

Also called up: Charlie Shreck (until he actually has to bowl and his body implodes) and Steve Kirby (!) because Kabir Ali is injured and for some reason it takes two player to replace him.

Shreck and Kirby? I wonder what Mahmood did to upset everyone. Seems amazing that he's gone from a promising young fast bowler opening the attack for England at the World Cup to not even being considered above Steve Kirby in the pecking order for the reserve reserve spot on the kiddies tour. He wasn't that bad.

Although I did read somewhere that he was off to spend his winter at some fast bowling clinic over in India or somewhere, so at least he's not spending the off season in his stable, filling up on hay.

Steve Kirby............ FOR. FARKS. SAKE

JKLever wrote:Steve Kirby............ FOR. FARKS. SAKE

INT. ENGLAND HQ - DAY

The selectors are looking at PHOTOGRAPHS of the current "Lions" squad. DAVID GRAVENEY, a reddish man in his fifties, is STROKING A CAT.



Co-selector GEOFF MILLER - a mysterious-looking character in a hood and cape - is LURKING IN THE SHADOWS.



Graveney is trying to pretend that he hasn't noticed Miller's trouser protrusion, but has started stroking his cat with a great deal more vigour.

Thank god you faded out when you did, Dello.

Quality Dello, quality...

In all seriousness, he isn't the worst. Used to have good pace, should've maybe picked him when he was more raw and sh!t and hoped for the best. Shreck is always good when he's fit but he's as big a crock as they come. Pulls off these ridiculously blinding spells but he's lollipop pace and would probs be fodder if the conditions didn't help.

Foster. Good.

As if fat Jamble isn't better than those batsmen. Asif.

Seriously though. I'd rather they had taken a punt on Steve Finn

eowyn wrote:Thank god you faded out when you did, Dello.

That was the PG version.

The un-rated DVD is a horror show...

What about James Bruce - a tall hit the deck bowler like Shreck - or is he crocked too! Finn would also be a good call.

Basil wrote:What about James Bruce - a tall hit the deck bowler like Shreck - or is he crocked too! Finn would also be a good call.

I concur about Finn. Bruce - not sure. He might stink of Warnie. He was a fat pie-tosser. Did well last year tho, gratned. I meant granted but thought gratned looked better.

I think they've decided to punt on curly haired bowlers since Sidebo came good.

Batfink Begins wrote:

Basil wrote:What about James Bruce - a tall hit the deck bowler like Shreck - or is he crocked too! Finn would also be a good call.

I concur about Finn. Bruce - not sure. He might stink of Warnie. He was a fat pie-tosser. Did well last year tho, gratned. I meant granted but thought gratned looked better.

Or, call Chris Jordan's bluff and pick him!

Basil wrote:

Batfink Begins wrote:

Basil wrote:What about James Bruce - a tall hit the deck bowler like Shreck - or is he crocked too! Finn would also be a good call.

I concur about Finn. Bruce - not sure. He might stink of Warnie. He was a fat pie-tosser. Did well last year tho, gratned. I meant granted but thought gratned looked better.

Or, call Chris Jordan's bluff and pick him!

I'd still feel a bit bad about the Windows

Batfink Begins wrote:

Basil wrote:

Batfink Begins wrote:

Basil wrote:What about James Bruce - a tall hit the deck bowler like Shreck - or is he crocked too! Finn would also be a good call.

I concur about Finn. Bruce - not sure. He might stink of Warnie. He was a fat pie-tosser. Did well last year tho, gratned. I meant granted but thought gratned looked better.

Or, call Chris Jordan's bluff and pick him!

I'd still feel a bit bad about the Windows

I'd feel less bad about it with England sinking down the rankings like an inflatable turd with a puncture.

Dello wrote:
I'd feel less bad about it with England sinking down the rankings like an inflatable turd with a puncture.

True Herr Dello. Still.

Batfink Begins wrote:

Dello wrote:
I'd feel less bad about it with England sinking down the rankings like an inflatable turd with a puncture.

True Herr Dello. Still.

Surrey (And Jordan) can't have it both ways - he's signed for them as a non-overseas player and yet I read somewhere (Beeb website I think) that he regards himself as being 100% Barbadian. Good for him, but it would be good to know where his loyalties lie.

I've seen a fair bit of Bruce. He's more or less the same as Jon Lewis, but seams it more than he swings it. Probably wouldn't be of the standard for international cricket, but more than capable against county batsmen on english wickets.

Basil wrote:What about James Bruce - a tall hit the deck bowler like Shreck - or is he crocked too! Finn would also be a good call.

Bruce 6'1
Shreck 6.7



Finn will be with the Under 19s

Steve Kirby? F*ck a barrel of metaphorical pigs.

Naively I always thought there was a decent level of talent in the English game but I fear the selection of Kirby for English representative cricket could well be the beginning of the end.

Eric Air Emu wrote:Steve Kirby? F*ck a barrel of metaphorical pigs.

Naively I always thought there was a decent level of talent in the English game but I fear the selection of Kirby for English representative cricket could well be the beginning of the end.

Yep. It's fooking worrying is what it is.
Watching the 1989 B&H final on ESPN yesterday - all the players were English apart from Mark Waugh and Franklyn Stephenson. Nowadays the counties are taking the easy options.

Yeah, woulda preferred a few more to Kirby. For instance, Mark Davies, but I expect with him they be gambling on two crocks who may not play a game at all.

Kabir Ali is seriously unimpressed at not going to India. According to our local rag, he claims he is not injured. An ECB spokesman reckons that an examination has picked up an injury to his ankle, which it is suggested will stop him playing a full part on the tour

Basil wrote:Kabir Ali is seriously unimpressed at not going to India. According to our local rag, he claims he is not injured. An ECB spokesman reckons that an examination has picked up an injury to his ankle, which it is suggested will stop him playing a full part on the tour

Bizarre if true.

"You're injured."

"No I'm not."

"Look into my eyes, look into my eyes, the eyes, the eyes, not around the eyes, don't look around the eyes, look into my eyes... You're under. You. Are. Injured. Three, two, one... You're back in the room."

"Ouch!"

Dello wrote:

Basil wrote:Kabir Ali is seriously unimpressed at not going to India. According to our local rag, he claims he is not injured. An ECB spokesman reckons that an examination has picked up an injury to his ankle, which it is suggested will stop him playing a full part on the tour

Bizarre if true.

"You're injured."

"No I'm not."

"Look into my eyes, look into my eyes, the eyes, the eyes, not around the eyes, don't look around the eyes, look into my eyes... You're under. You. Are. Injured. Three, two, one... You're back in the room."

"Ouch!"

He has in the past acquired a reputation for not being the hardiest of souls. But he was the only one out our seam bowling attack that stood up for the whole season last year - I can understand his frustration - especially when a non-entity like Richardson gets picked.