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Re: South Africa v Australia
Roger ivanhoe 04 March, 2014 20:21
Smith signed a Three year deal with Surrey (as Captain)

Be interesting to see how he handles KP, after the Honeymoon.

Re: South Africa v Australia
Bobstan 04 March, 2014 21:45
Sarcastic, moi?

I haven't been on Grockles since just after my post of this morning. My comment was intended as airy persiflage, not as in any way hurtful. I hope nobody's feelings were hurt by it.

Smith, Pietersen and AN Other? I don't believe it, unless most of the others have offered to give freely of their services to Surrey.

Re: South Africa v Australia
Loyal of Lhasa. 04 March, 2014 21:53
Are you saying, Bobstan, that Airey Percy Flage has signed terms for Surrey, as the Third Man. His great grand dad was, as I recall, a dazzler on the wing for Kennington Reserves in the Twenties.



LoL

Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Re: South Africa v Australia
Bobstan 05 March, 2014 07:58
You're getting muddled and befuddled again. That was his granddad (or grandad), Algernon, known as Hairy to his friend - he wasn't universally popular.

Re: South Africa v Australia
Loyal of Lhasa. 05 March, 2014 10:44
It seems there are only two contributors on the site today and both of them are certifiable. I just wish I could remember who the other one was.



LoL

Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Re: South Africa v Australia
AGod 05 March, 2014 11:26
A fine rebuttal, thus far, by the world's number one rated Test batsman of the (IMO) utterly foolish nonsense which is often trotted out about batsmen and how they should "always play their natural game," (the implication being that they should do so without regard to the match situation.)

AB now has two of the slowest innings of all time to his name as per cricinfo (innings of more than 200 balls faced).

I bet, somewhere, Andy Flower is thinking "You see, KP (and other England players) I told you that it's perfectly possible for naturally attacking players to do what the team needs a player to do in a given situation versus shrugging your shoulders and saying 'I play how I play.'



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/2014 11:32 by AGod.

Re: South Africa v Australia
Loyal of Lhasa. 05 March, 2014 11:40
Nice article by one former Somerset player on another here: [www.espncricinfo.com]

(Could have put this on the Somerset in South Africa thread!)



LoL

Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Re: South Africa v Australia
AGod 05 March, 2014 11:50
Whoops, I hexed AB out....

Re: South Africa v Australia
AGod 05 March, 2014 11:54
I wonder, LoL, what the ECB coaches would make of an approach to coaching which said "This guy doesn't have a cover drive, and probably does not have the grip to play it, so we won't try to teach him one".................

(I suspect I might be able to guess)...

Re: South Africa v Australia
Frome Exile 05 March, 2014 12:18
Great insights there into two of my all-time favourite cricketers.

Re: South Africa v Australia
Bagpuss 05 March, 2014 12:38
Surrey will have a year to work out how to manipulate their salary cap to allow for another overseas player as the ECB regulations mean Irish passport holder Graeme O'Smith must still play as an overseas player until 12 months have passed since his final appearance representing an ICC full member national side.

Regulation 2 for those who really want to read it

[www.thepca.co.uk]

Re: South Africa v Australia
Loyal of Lhasa. 05 March, 2014 12:41
There was a tennis coach in Torquay who nurtured the young Sue Barker; in her day was a very fine player indeed, winning the Paris Open when she was still in her teens. She had a particularly strong forehand which continued to improve and her coach's view was "I'll work on her strengths and let her weaknesses take care of themselves."



LoL

Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Re: South Africa v Australia
AGod 05 March, 2014 13:12
There was a story a few years ago about Rory Hamilton Brown in which (the story went) his dad was paying the lions' share of his salary (his dad being a rich businessman and Surrey supporter) and that (supposedly) this brought significant salary cap relief to Surrey on the grounds that they were only paying x or y amount of money out of their own pocket for his services.

If it's really true that such an arrangement could exist and provide salary cap in that way, then I'd anticipate Surrey looking for a sponsor either for Smith, KP, or next year's extra overseas player:

"Opening the batting for Surrey this morning are Rory Burns and Vodafone Graeme Smith." (or what have you).

Re: South Africa v Australia
chunkyinargyll 05 March, 2014 13:25
AGod=

I've long since suspected this sort of thing.

Overseas player wants 140k a year. Club can't afford it and/or salary cap. Solution- club players 90k, and local luxury car dealer pays 50k in exchange for 2 or 3 days publicity work by the star. The two things are entirely separate. How could it ever be proved?

Cynical me.

Re: South Africa v Australia
AGod 05 March, 2014 14:31
Completely agree this comment from cricinfo (from an Aussie) other than the bit about their desired outcome, in terms of the contrast with the spineless drivel we saw from England when they were supposed to be batting for a draw in the winter:

"People said Broad and Stokes swinging merrily in the second innings in Sydney was "going down fighting". What tosh. That was them already having given up. This is going down fighting. Tremendous effort from the Saffers. I hope they fail miserably of course, but fantastic to see this effort and commitment. The contrast with England could not be greater."

Re: South Africa v Australia
AGod 05 March, 2014 15:05
Sounds like poor and juvenile behaviour (to go with the Jimmy A breaking arm thing) from Clarke after Philander's successful review to annual a wicket.

Re: South Africa v Australia
Frome Exile 05 March, 2014 15:16
Totally different context in Sydney: already 4-0 down in a 5 match series.

This is a decider. Save this, share the series. And maintain a 5 year unbeaten run.

Re: South Africa v Australia
AGod 05 March, 2014 15:22
True, but doesn't change the fact that the guy is right that it was nonsense to describe (as some did) what happened in Sydney as 'going down fighting,' in any meaningful sense of the term.

I suspect (but obviously cannot prove) that his wider comment about the lack of fight from England also applied to Tests other than Sydney in that debacle of a series, particularly in the second digs of games where the goal was (or should have been) to try as hard as humanly possible to bat out for draws.

Re: South Africa v Australia
Clarence Parker 05 March, 2014 16:41
This series, and in particular the Test just finished, has been a great advertisement for Test cricket.

Well played indeed to both teams.

Re: South Africa v Australia
sheffieldsabre 06 March, 2014 08:58
A great series which I enjoyed very much. Now, can they cancel all the T20s and play two more tests instead please?

Re: South Africa v Australia
SheptonPaul 06 March, 2014 09:09
Hear hear ss

Re: South Africa v Australia
AGod 06 March, 2014 11:13
Yep, agree.

Re: South Africa v Australia
Bobstan 06 March, 2014 20:31
I heard ss and I agree with her totally.

Re: South Africa v Australia
Loyal of Lhasa. 07 March, 2014 11:07
ss is, as usual, indisputably right. When will they see sense?



LoL

Sixty-six Seasons a Somerset Supporter

Re: South Africa v Australia
Grockle 07 March, 2014 18:13
But the answer will still be "no" guys and gals



(Sm72)

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