Cricket season

New Zealand take on the Commonwealth at Lords in the first test on Thursday. Looking forward to see what Cook says when they ask him if he wanted Pieterson in the team or not. He will obviously avoid answering the question with some excuse or other. If Boult and Southee turn up then there will be only one winner and that will be the groundsman at Lords as he will only have to work for the first three days. He can take a holiday on day 4 and 5 as there will be no or very little cricket. Hope that the weather stays fair for this match.

Pity that its just a two match series. Big Ashes series starts on July 8 at Cardiff. That should be a cracking series with Pieterson making his come back in the 2nd or 3rd Test.

After been 4/30 England fought back well to end day one on 7/354. We learnt that Cook is still crap and Bell is in bad form. Stokes, Root and Buttler all played beautifully. Should be an interesting 2nd days play.

Wow just viewed a programme on Kallis. Even the Aussies think that he is the best all round player the world has seen. Funny that we don't appreciate class when its on show. We all had a go at him for his slow scoring yet we now hear the reason is that he was instructed to by his 5 international coaches. He is one of those people who let his record speak for himself, unlike some cricketers who are shouting from the rooftops reminding all and sundry how good they are or were.

Well they did have an Aussie in their team last season. The only coaches that have made England better have been the foreign ones. But who cares so long as the Ashes is a hard fought series with the side who performs best taking the urn.

Bob Brogan wrote: Can't be true that an Ozzie is going to lead the English in the ashes this year ?

That's worse than having coke in your whisky or Mayo on your chips

Will the barmy army still follow the Engelsmen ?

well Scotland did have a German football manager and England a Swede and an Italian as managers. The English fans will embrace whoever the coach is until he farks up.

and we have had half a team filled with foreign born players

don't give a hoot where the coach is from, still the England team

great test match vs NZ and I only listened to it... but then again, the Test Match Special team is so far ahead of any other sports commentary team I know of that it is always a pleasure tuning in, you get at least double the entertainment. Top class.

the kiwis are taking batting in test cricket to a different level as they just look for runs all the time. 3 short of 300 on day one after just 65 overs. Their batting has moved the game along but unfortunately Sunday appears that it will be a washout. Monday and Tuesday don't look good either. Chris Gayle was once again at his brilliant best in a 20/20 for Somerset scoring 92 and Amla with 51 helped Derbyshire win their 20/20 against Lancashire (sorry Englander)

Aussies to win the first test, 10/11... a gift....

Just read cricinfo and I see that Bangladesh beat SA with ease the otherday. Oh dear the wheels are coming off and with the Kiwis and the Aussies on the horizon not forgetting a resurgent England I can only see snot en tears coming from us fans

Australia have to at least avoid defeat in the 2nd test. If Johnson turns up then they will win. Lords will give him more bounce. Cant see Clarke, Warner and Smith not getting runs again. They must drop Watson as he has now become a passenger in the team (just like those Du Plessis brothers who both somehow have managed to play for the Boks for such a long time)