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[alba caerulea]

Doping is illegal. Players qualifying for nations they aren't born in isn't

Pretty stupid comparison

[Riddy]

Doping is illegal. Players qualifying for nations they aren't born in isn't

Pretty stupid comparison

yeah agreed.

[ProCricketer1982]

Doping is illegal. Players qualifying for nations they aren't born in isn't

Pretty stupid comparison

Ok so claiming catches when you know they are not out?? Should you just 'deal with it' or look to stamp out cheating?
How about appealing for LBW's when everyone know's it's not out.. Seems to be accepted that it's ok to appeal no matter what when really you should only appeal when you actually think it's out. Rather than just appeal in the hope of applying pressure.
How about 'banter' that goes into the personal abuse zone yet isn't picked up by the umpires.. Should you just 'deal with it' or should it be something that doesn't happen??

Lots of reasons if you really want them but surely you got the point of the opinion without going all technically correct over it.

[alba caerulea]

Ok so claiming catches when you know they are not out?? Should you just 'deal with it' or look to stamp out cheating?
How about appealing for LBW's when everyone know's it's not out.. Seems to be accepted that it's ok to appeal no matter what when really you should only appeal when you actually think it's out. Rather than just appeal in the hope of applying pressure.
How about 'banter' that goes into the personal abuse zone yet isn't picked up by the umpires.. Should you just 'deal with it' or should it be something that doesn't happen??

Lots of reasons if you really want them but surely you got the point of the opinion without going all technically correct over it.

I don't see how any one of those points is related to the point I made

I have never said that I disagree with Vic, I just accept that its happening, has always happened and will continue to happen long into the future. England and Lions rugby players have been battered for many years by Pacific Islanders playing for adopted countries

And I am genuinely interested to hear Vics views on the possibility of Fawad Ahmed playing for Australia, maybe as soon as this summers Ashes!

[The_Bird]

Yeah Alba, don't whatever you do get technical again!!

Pakistan and Portugal are the Aussies scouting grounds as we've got the South African rejects locked down and the New Zealanders have jumped on the bandwagon with Van Wyk, Ronchi and Brownlie. Get over it, it's a small world.

[Vic Nicholas]

Unlike Usman Khawaja who has grown up in Oz and has an Aussie accent, Fawad is a different case.

Personally, I am not happy about him being fast tracked into the team...it smacks of the ECCB policy of doing anything to win.

However, as some have pointed out, it is now a small world, so I better get used to it.

[Vic Nicholas]

What do make of Joe Burns Vic?

Looks a class act doesn't he?

Joe Burns is one of the best young talents coming through.

The other one I like is Nic Maddinson, but he seems to be in a bit of a trough right now.

[alba caerulea]

Vic what has happened to Tim Paine? Seems to have become the forgotten man. Is he still having injury problems?

I thought he had huge potential a few years back, made some runs V England and kept tidily enough

[uknsaunders]

Unlike football, it's not easy to play for your country at the very highest level. I have sympathy for outstanding players who feel the need to change countries. In the current England test team we only have 2 guys born and trained in SA. Both moved because they felt they wouldn't get the chance to play for SA. Nothing wrong with that if they are 100% committed to England, both on and off the pitch (which they are). It's also a good thing for NZ, let's face they need to a bit of bolstering. Likewise if Ireland eventually get test status then a few saffas moving to Dublin isn't a bad thing if it strengthens a weak team, I'd also welcome Rankin and Morgan going back to Ireland. Test cricket is the winner if all the best players are allowed to play. That can't be a bad thing, if everybody knows the rules for qualification. I don't think anybody goes out to poach players, though the practise of Aus fast tracking a visa application seems a bit dubious. At least in England the rules are set and have in fact been tightened, nobody gets a free pass now. I would like to just see all countries play by the same rules.

[Vic Nicholas]

Vic what has happened to Tim Paine? Seems to have become the forgotten man. Is he still having injury problems?

I thought he had huge potential a few years back, made some runs V England and kept tidily enough

Tim Paine is light years ahead of Wade in terms of glove work.

As a batsman, Wade is only slightly better.

Paine's "sliding doors" moment came when he was selected for a meaningless "All Stars T20" game only weeks before the 2010/11 Ashes where Dirk Nannes broke his finger with a brute of a ball.

So badly broken that he missed two years because of it. Has only come back this last summer - but his horse has bolted now that Wade is the incumbent.

Sad victim of CA obsession in meaningless T20 fixtures.

[alba caerulea]

You'd think in their current predicament CA would be trying to look after their most talented players. He's not out in the cold yet surely, he can't be that old

I remain to be convinced by Wade, from his innings I've seen he looks capable but his technique is far from water-tight. Whether he goes the way of Matt Prior or Geraint Jones only time will tell

Other than Taylor and Ballance and possibly Clarke the lions have hugely under-performed in this series, hopefully some lessons have been learned

[Riddy]

the thought of Wade at 6 for aussies still has me in stitches.

[Manormanic]

though his medium pace looked better than some!

[mickyp]

Hard to see any positives coming out of the Lions tour; let's be honest, they've been smashed out of sight in most of the marches (even the warm ups against Victoria). Taylor has already played for the full test side, so not much to learn from him doing OK, and let's be honest, what does it matter to the England setup whether Rikki Clarke has a good tour or not? Add in the disciplinary issues, and you've got a miserable picture that needs a major autopsy.

[Binsy]

It's a shame because the Lions tour of the last few years have generally been heralded as a success and have led to players making the step up to full international honours. Sometimes you learn the most in a defeat though, so in that regard it's still been a good learning experience for all involved.

Great experience for Ben Foakes also, who I hear is meant to have a very bright future.