England v South Africa, 2nd ODI, Nottingham, Aug 26th

Brass Monkey wrote:

Merlin wrote:Again, at the risk of repeating meself .... open with Blob Key.

FFS - he CAN'T be any worse than Dinga......

But something really should be done ... and quick, before the Saffers (and the world) suss out the two card trick
and keep feeding Bell the strike.

IR Bell stat alert:

In the last year:

23 innings(All in the top three), 2 half tons, 0 tons. Ave 31, S/R 75.

Last 3 Series:

18 innings(All in the top three), 1 half ton, 0 tons. Average 26, S/R 66.

The last set of figures is hardly flattering.

At least a guy like Gibbs makes quick low scores, no fussing around. Cook wouldn't be any worse than Bell and he's much more aesthetically pleasing for the box office.

Red wrote:

Brass Monkey wrote:

Merlin wrote:Again, at the risk of repeating meself .... open with Blob Key.

FFS - he CAN'T be any worse than Dinga......

But something really should be done ... and quick, before the Saffers (and the world) suss out the two card trick
and keep feeding Bell the strike.

IR Bell stat alert:

In the last year:

23 innings(All in the top three), 2 half tons, 0 tons. Ave 31, S/R 75.

Last 3 Series:

18 innings(All in the top three), 1 half ton, 0 tons. Average 26, S/R 66.

The last set of figures is hardly flattering.

At least a guy like Gibbs makes quick low scores, no fussing around. Cook wouldn't be any worse than Bell and he's much more aesthetically pleasing for the box office.

Um Gibbs has 20 ODI tons. Care to hazard a guess at how many Hayden or Gilchrist have?

I actually wasn't criticising Gibbs per se, more making reference to Bell's slow scoring and what a handicap it is. At least Gibbs let's you know what the deal is one way or the other. I think that his reign as a very good one day player is over though. I strongly believe that his 'eye' is going meaning that his limited footwork is now a huge hindrance to him.

Nah didn't think you would hazard a guess.

Gibbs 20
Gilchrist 16
Hayden 10

Cook more aesthetically pleasing? You must be joking. Bell is a beautiful batsman when he plays his strokes - the best looking in the England team and probably in the top 5 in the world for exquisite cover drive. He's just a gutless crab

Cook is a bit of a crab, but at least it's because he doesn't seem to have any shots rather than just a refusal to play them. He's certainly not gutless either. Not nearly so easy on the eye as Bell, though, what with him being a bit gangly and all.

I don't find Bell aesthetically pleasing at all, personally. He's pretty enough but he's very orthodox and nudgy most of the time. He reminds me of a very poor version of Rahul Dravid who pretends he can play a few more shots. I'd rather watch a few of the more elegant KP strokes over any he can play. To be honest, I can't think of an orgasmic Ian Bell 'trademark'.

Vaughan has the cover drive.
KP the straight drive or the flick through mid-wicket.
Flintoff the slog over long-on/off!
Ian Bell the dab to first slip.

You're a bit blinded there Gus, Bellys punch square off the back foot is as good as it gets.

Each to their own however...

I won't deny I'm blinded by hatred - I usually turn the telly/radio/internet off whilst Bell's batting.

Augustus wrote:I won't deny I'm blinded by hatred - I usually turn the telly/radio/internet off whilst Bell's batting.

He is a decent player

I don't find Bell very aesthetically pleasing either. He looks a bit like a bleached ginger ferret.

Must be a northern thing.

You prefer things gritty and not exciting

Bell is pretty pleasing on the eye... good call by Lever with the getting donkey punched off the back foot. Nice extra cover drive, little bit weedy but aesthetically it's textbook.

BTW, I'm sure Chas will be rubbing his hands about how his incitement of hatred has rubbed off.

Yeah, batting wise he is. But given the choice between praising Bell or taking the piss out of a ginge in denial, I know what i'd rather post.

Gary 111 wrote:Yeah, batting wise he is. But given the choice between praising Bell or taking the piss out of a ginge in denial, I know what i'd rather post.

Well, gingers in disguises are fair game, fo' sho'. I just meant the weak-hearted chap has one or two crackers. There's not enough 'zing, pa-zow-pa-zow' in his batting to make him great to watch, but there's one or two in there that will raise a 'Tiger' Tim fist pump in your brains.

Yeah, a 'nice' batsman is our Ian.

He can be the new Mike Atherton in ODI's.

Has all the shots in the book, just refuses to play any of them...

Gary 111 wrote:Yeah, a 'nice' batsman is our Ian.

He can be the new Mike Atherton in ODI's.

Has all the shots in the book, just refuses to play any of them...

Yeah, though at least it was Athers back's health that put pay to the cut, the pull and the strong arm cut IIRC.

Wort the fork is Iorn Bell's excuse..........

He's too nice, and doesn't want to hurt the bowlers feelings.

Gary 111 wrote:I don't find Bell very aesthetically pleasing either. He looks a bit like a bleached ginger ferret.

:laule:


Meanwhile Broad makes it to No 4 in the ICC Bowling Rankings.

gadzooks.

Oh yes, was going to mention this... but forgot.

He's also up to number two in the Mark Nicholas "Oh gosh..." blond cricket rankings.

Talking of MCJ - his commentary of Priors drop at Leeds was a joke.

Oh no.... no,no,no,no...............no.

Great stuff.

I hated his "Oh......
.....
.....yoh.......
.......
...HOH!!!"

at Prior's six the other day.

Decent front man, shite commentator.

Winkle Spinner wrote:Cook more aesthetically pleasing? You must be joking. Bell is a beautiful batsman when he plays his strokes - the best looking in the England team and probably in the top 5 in the world for exquisite cover drive. He's just a gutless crab

Cook is a bit of a crab, but at least it's because he doesn't seem to have any shots rather than just a refusal to play them. He's certainly not gutless either. Not nearly so easy on the eye as Bell, though, what with him being a bit gangly and all.

Of course when referring to aesthetics I wasn't confining my comments to their signature shots. If I wanted an aesthetically pleasing shotmaker, I'd always go back to Greg Chappell. Bob Simpson once said that if the world was razed but revived he would nominate having footage of Chappell to teach all future generations about batting.

I agree about Cook, there's nothing particularly memorable about his batting. And you'd take KP over Bell any day of the week.

skully wrote:This Broad lad is starting to show some promise, ay what? Can he be the 09 equivalent of SiJo 05?

What's the bowling equivalent of an FTB?