Ramps Watch

Aye Augustus, investing time's helped us immensely these past few years. We're number one in the world and have been undefeated since God knows when. Further to that, all the people who've had time invested in them have come up trumps. I say we stick Samit Patel in. He's a legend.

And in what way was it different when we invested 52 TEST MATCHES in Mark Ramprakash? We were bloody brilliant back then as well, with Ramprakash devastating bowling attacks the world over with his breathtaking talent. The man has had his time and lost it.

We're a damn sight better now for sticking with talented young(ish) players.

Well. An outstanding achievement, to say the least. All humor to one side, he has put in a brilliant performance the last two summers. All those who went on and on about how it was only 2nd division, bowling was really rubbish etc last year have had their noses rubbed firmly in it. This may well be an immortal achievement.

And I still reckon he'd score more runs in Sri Lanka than Bell, Cook, Collingwood or Shah. Sadly it won't happen, but there you go.

Phurt . . . Ramps isn't even as good as Boof FFS!

If a player remains head and shoulders above everyone else for a prolonged period you have to pick him regardless of how old he is and what happened half a decade ago when he last played.

The fact that Ramps' county form is not seen as an automatic entry to test cricket is a huge endictment of the county game. He is dominating to a degree that puts him in the Bradman class. If this is only explained by the poor quality of county cricket then the whole thing should be scrapped and started again.

"Rosy days are few" - that's a line from The Jam.

ten years after wrote:If a player remains head and shoulders above everyone else for a prolonged period you have to pick him regardless of how old he is and what happened half a decade ago when he last played.

The fact that Ramps' county form is not seen as an automatic entry to test cricket is a huge endictment of the county game...

Who gets dropped to make way for him though? Strauss? Vaughan? Bell? Cook? All of those players have done enough to hold down their places IMHO. Although Strauss is in dire form ATM.

Might be worth dropping Johann and shoving Mick back up to open, to make room for Ramps.

More likely that Ace will be first reserve in SL.

S F Barnes wrote:

ten years after wrote:If a player remains head and shoulders above everyone else for a prolonged period you have to pick him regardless of how old he is and what happened half a decade ago when he last played.

The fact that Ramps' county form is not seen as an automatic entry to test cricket is a huge endictment of the county game...

Who gets dropped to make way for him though? Strauss? Vaughan? Bell? Cook? All of those players have done enough to hold down their places IMHO. Although Strauss is in dire form ATM.

Strauss is junk. England have to drop him.

Neither Bell nor Strauss has been exactly phenomenal over the last twelve months. Bell averaging below 40, Strauss below 30.

But I tilt at windmills, I know.

And to think Ramps got dropped for the RSA tour in 1999 when he averaged 41 during that stint in the team, and above 50 outside England. Adams and Maddy went ahead of him FFS.

Leo wrote:And to think Ramps got dropped for the RSA tour in 1999 when he averaged 41 during that stint in the team, and above 50 outside England. Adams and Maddy went ahead of him FFS.

Funny, I though it was because he'd scored 127 runs all summer in 4 tests against New Zealand. But fear not, he was recalled for the next 4 tests against Zimbabwe and WI the next summer after SA. He averaged 14.

Strauss has got away with averaging 25 or so against all comers over 12 long months.

And Ramps couldn't even make runs for Middlesex as an opener. It's BS to count his 2000 test appearances against him. As unfair as bashing Nick Knight, who got shoved down to no. 6, for struggling in an unnatural position that summer. Funcwit's work I believe.

Read Rob's post just above. *sigh*

Vaughan doesn't want to open the batting. Strauss may well survive because of a lack of viable replacements.

It's in the Times, it must be true.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/cricket/article2604183.ece

On tenterhooks.

Here's hoping!


Great dancer.

The skipper doesn't sound keen.

"I am not a selector but I am sure his (Ramprakash's) name will get a mention because he is a fine player."

But he (Vaughan) added: "You have to ask whether he will be there for the next Ashes. And you have to remember that we have young players already averaging 40, while his average is only 27."

Leos wet dreams crushed!

Strauss, Shah, Bopara, Ramprakash ... in that order of merit.

Vaughan should shut his face. Useless git. You have to ask whether his knee will last through the first test. And if it does I'll go over there and smash it myself with a hammer.

Leo wrote:Vaughan should shut his face. Useless git. You have to ask whether his knee will last through the first test. And if it does I'll go over there and smash it myself with a hammer.

I agree. Not with the useless thing or the knee thing. But that he should shut the f**k up. He obviously doesn't want old people in the side which is fine, but to try and bring up Ramps' average in comparison to the 'young players' is so myopic. Fact is Ramps is a different person and not only that, the game is totally different - better pitches, worse bowlers.

Yeah okay, I was OTT.

But the argument is silly, when the only reason Ramps' name is conceivable in play is that Bell and Strauss (particularly Strauss, who is hardly a spring chicken himself) are NOT averaging 40, and cannot be expected to improve on recent performance on a subcontinent tour. Strauss has really been very moderate for 2 years now (since Ashes '05), with the exception of his murdering the depleted Pakistani attack last year.

And I mean - what are the chances of Andrew Flintoff being fully fit for Ashes '09? No better than Ramps chances of being an effective batsman at 40 I would have thought. It wouldn't be a sensible reason to keep him out if he WERE fit now. Does Vaughan want to win in Sri Lanka or not?

It seems English cricket is constantly looking to the future rather than concentrating on the here and now.

I was called a farkwit the other day for suggesting that Ramps would probably make more runs in SL than Strauss.

Not that I don't rate Strauss, I do (i'd have had him captain during the Ashes)- but he's been in no sort of form the last year.