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[steyn92]

Kp's proved he's the best batsman in the team with this knock

[PedalsMcgrew]

I'd put Cook and Trott ahead of him to be honest....more reliable...

[steyn92]

Yeah they're a bit more reliable, but KP takes attacks apart. Cook and Trott don't do that, my opinion he's the most talented of the England batting order

[roco]

Different type of players which you need

Trout and cook blunted the attack then kp destroys it perfect situation for all of them really

You could not have a team of trotts as you would put people to sleep but equally you can't have a team full of kp's as could get 500 in a day or all out for 50

Good balance

[Red Ink Cricket]

Bell out so sorted that

A mate just put this on twitter

 Dilshan who plays the DIL-SCOOP is unhappy with someone entertaining the crowd and playing an unorthodox shot ... hmmm!!!

my theory is that if a bowler sees a batsman coming he has time to adjust so why cant dilshan adjust what he is going to bowl when kp decides to become a leftie for a ball? i think the umpires are wrong to warn kp for time wasting. at the end of the day its dilshans choice to stop and start again. its not as if Kp is actually pulling away as if he has something in his eye or the crowd behind the arm are moving. Kp is ready to receive the delivery so get on with it! lol

[roco]

Exactly

So if I see someone coming down track at me do I pull out repeatedly will the umps stop them doing it or same if they sweep if so I'll do it as takes a fair few shots away from the batsmen

[steyn92]

Only thing with Trott is against the short ball...

[johnnyw]

I dont see the problem with the switch hit. Bowlers can bowl balls that turn the other way ie googly and doosra so there should be no problem with a batsman changing his stance slightly

[tim2000s]

I think it's a bit of a farce. If the batsman changes position before the bowler has completed his run up, the bowler is perfectly entitled to stop and mention to the umpire that the batsman is now left handed so he would like to change his field. He can do this for as long as the batsman does the same. In this case I can understand where the bowler's complaint of time wasting comes from.

If the batsman changes after ball release, then, well, that's innovation and not really an issue.

If he does it before the ball is released, and the bowler doesn't stop, as in this case, then I'd argue that it is a cse of sour grapes from the bowler, and it's his own fault for not stopping. It's not like Dilshan is bowling with his head down so can't see it happening...

[Simmy]

then u might as well say bowler cant change angle of his run up or he cant change the way he holds the ball mid run up etc.

end of day i cant see a problem with it and he should be allowed to do it.

[roco]

If there going to limit the batsmen shots like this then why not make the bowler declare which way he will turn it as an off spinner bowling a doosra is unfair to me then

[tim2000s]

then u might as well say bowler cant change angle of his run up or he cant change the way he holds the ball mid run up etc.

end of day i cant see a problem with it and he should be allowed to do it.

It's an interesting one with regard to field setting. With three fielders on the leg side and the remainder on the off, if the bowler is bowling to his field, swapping to left handed means that you have 3 offside fielders but crucially the ball will be coming on to your leg side where all the fielders are.

The question is, if the bowler bowls to the field, does he get called for a wide if the ball goes too far down leg in the switched position? And can the batsman gain with having 5 fielders on the leg side now, especially if it is speared in on the leg stump? Additionally, as the batsman has switched, if you pitch it outside the (original) off stump and hit the pads in front of the stumps, is there a possibility of LBW? Or do you need to bowl a different line to allow for that?

This is why the bowler gets very annoyed.

I don't think there is anything wrong with switching in delivery stride/post delivery, however during the run up is more of an issue. It doesn't change the fact that Dilshan should have stopped if he thought it was unfair.

The MCC interpretation that was just read out on TMS is that "switching in delivery stride/post delivery" is fine, or the batsman must be set before the bowler starts his run up, but during the run up is not allowed.

[steyn92]

Statement from MCC taken from BBC sport live feed:
"Law 42.10 states that a batsman should be ready to take strike once the bowler is ready to start his run up (which Pietersen clearly was). If he is not then the umpire should warn him as the first and final warning. If he isn't ready again then the umpire should award five penalty runs to the fielding side."
"If the bowler has entered his delivery stride i.e. his back foot has landed, then, according to the Laws, the batsman is within his rights to change his grip. Of course, the bowler, on seeing the change of grip or stance, may still want to bowl at the striker - he may feel his chances of taking a wicket are increased and that he should not be prevented from delivering the ball. The umpires should allow him to have this option.

"In summary, therefore, MCC's interpretation is that a batsman is still entitled to play the switch-hit stroke but he is only allowed to alter from one stance or grip to another once the bowler has entered his delivery stride."

[tim2000s]

Statement from MCC taken from BBC sport live feed:
"Law 42.10 states that a batsman should be ready to take strike once the bowler is ready to start his run up (which Pietersen clearly was). If he is not then the umpire should warn him as the first and final warning. If he isn't ready again then the umpire should award five penalty runs to the fielding side."
"If the bowler has entered his delivery stride i.e. his back foot has landed, then, according to the Laws, the batsman is within his rights to change his grip. Of course, the bowler, on seeing the change of grip or stance, may still want to bowl at the striker - he may feel his chances of taking a wicket are increased and that he should not be prevented from delivering the ball. The umpires should allow him to have this option.

"In summary, therefore, MCC's interpretation is that a batsman is still entitled to play the switch-hit stroke but he is only allowed to alter from one stance or grip to another once the bowler has entered his delivery stride."

Fair in my view. A bowler is not allowed to swap from right to left handed without informing the umpire, which is the nearest similar thing.

[Number4]

The top four batted brilliantly... Luckily... The rest were terrible