Game 11: Bangalore v Kings XI, Durban, April 24

Bangalore Royal Challengers v Kings XI Punjab

Blob for Pietersen.

Bangalore have spent a lot on a specialist bowler...

Will Bopara score anything other than 15-25?

4.3
Kallis to Bopara,
1 run,
gets a thick inside and the ball dribbles in front of the stumps and he sets off

4.6
Kallis to Bopara,
1 run,
gets beside the line and squirts it to the off side for a single

Vinay Kumar to Bopara,
1 run,
leading edge

Classy batting...

Ravi bringing the Essex wide-boy flava...

Bout time some Essex spunk was introduced. Now they should get Napier off his arse for some sexy six slapping.

85 off 59 balls, 4x4,5x6

Bops an outside shot to bat at 3 for England....?

In tests? Bit loose...

But look at the alternatives.

Vaughan: bit past it.
Bell: bit totally weak.
Shah: bit tense.
Key: bit Kent.

Everyone's flawed in their own special way. I like that Bopara is quite cocky and self-assured. Seems to like the big stage.

He'll mess up plenty of times along the way, I'm sure, but I feel like he'd probably have the confidence to at least be himself and play his own game, which is something England have lacked at three for quite some time.

Anyway, just throwing it out there. Can't see what's going to be remotely different between the Ian Bell who wasn't good enough to bat at three a couple of months ago and the Ian Bell who is likely to come back into the side to bat at three on the back of a hundred against Somerset.

And a good win for Punjab, Essex-style.

Dello wrote:But look at the alternatives.

Vaughan: bit past it.
Bell: bit totally weak.
Shah: bit tense.
Key: bit Kent.

Everyone's flawed in their own special way. I like that Bopara is quite cocky and self-assured. Seems to like the big stage.

He'll mess up plenty of times along the way, I'm sure, but I feel like he'd probably have the confidence to at least be himself and play his own game, which is something England have lacked at three for quite some time.

Anyway, just throwing it out there. Can't see what's going to be remotely different between the Ian Bell who wasn't good enough to bat at three a couple of months ago and the Ian Bell who is likely to come back into the side to bat at three on the back of a hundred against Somerset.

Vaughan is the only one i'd back to make a ton against the Aussies. Bops, though huggably Essex is a bit too laid back

Bopara has more talent than Bell, imo. I can't imagine Bell has ever hit 80 off 50 balls in any form of cricket. Whether Bopara is stronger mentally is the question.


And i'm sick of all the talk about England's number 3 having to have a perfect technique. It's so backwards and old fashioned. Look at Ponting. Hardly technically perfect, but he averages 60 at number 3 because he's an aggresive counter-attacker who scares bowlers and messes up their lengths.

Henry wrote:Bopara has more talent than Bell, imo. I can't imagine Bell has ever hit 80 off 50 balls in any form of cricket. Whether Bopara is stronger mentally is the question.


And i'm sick of all the talk about England's number 3 having to have a perfect technique. It's so backwards and old fashioned. Look at Ponting. Hardly technically perfect, but he averages 60 at number 3 because he's an aggresive counter-attacker who scares bowlers and messes up their lengths.

Enough about your personal life Trev....

Bops looked classy for the 2nd part of his innings. Seemed to just stumble along in the first part.