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[peplow]

Also panesar not english? Born in luton? heard him speak? Parents came over here in 70's but he was born and raised solely here, think thats quite a good reason!

[Tom]

Ok, so what's English, in your opinion? I go by facts usually, and if their passport is British and they want to play for their country (adopted or not) then thats good enough for me.

By your definition I guess they have to be white. But how many ancestors have to have been born here? What religion do they need to be? Do they need to be blonde haired and blue eyed too?

[peplow]

apoligies i thought he said last test!! not every test!! Lets be honest bopara hardly "played" he got out and dropped catches..... thought he was australian myself for those tests

[umz_786]

I was born here! I talk like an englishmen. I support england in the football and the cricket. I like a sunday roast and a cuppa now and again. Im not english though. I dont have a problem with england winning, it just becomes devalued when its players like Lumb, Kieswetter, Pietersen and Morgan are helping you win your first tournament in history.

OK - Do you think england would have won without these 4 players? if so, with who in their places?

[Tom]

And that's your opinion, so you would choose not to play for England. Yet Panesar etc regard themselves as English and consequently want to play for them.

[Talisman]

Ok, so what's English, in your opinion? I go by facts usually, and if their passport is British and they want to play for their country (adopted or not) then thats good enough for me.

By your definition I guess they have to be white. But how many ancestors have to have been born here? What religion do they need to be? Do they need to be blonde haired and blue eyed too?

Strictly speaking true Brits would be Celts, Blonde hair and Blue eyes are traits of the Saxons, Angles and Vikings, in which case only Collingwood makes it in for my money.....

[umz_786]

do you think the irish and the south africans regard themselves as english? do you think speaking in a make-weight english accent and having the 3 lions tattooed on your body makes you english?

[Talisman]

I was born here! I talk like an englishmen. I support england in the football and the cricket. I like a sunday roast and a cuppa now and again. Im not english though. I dont have a problem with england winning, it just becomes devalued when its players like Lumb, Kieswetter, Pietersen and Morgan are helping you win your first tournament in history.

OK - Do you think england would have won without these 4 players? if so, with who in their places?

I'm presuming that you might be Asian in heritage, would you therefore respond if a racist called out an  insult of "go home (No Racism Please)", because I'd think you might retort. I don't think you can enjoy the benefits of any culture without having to accept some of the presumptions that come with them, you grow up and live here, I think that makes you British, it certainly won't make you French....

[peplow]

I for one dislike the french!

I think tom is correct though! Those that qualify and want to play for england let them, many others in their position may not so we must also let them!

Personal opinions and tricky subjects these!!

[Talisman]

do you think the irish and the south africans regard themselves as english? do you think speaking in a make-weight english accent and having the 3 lions tattooed on your body makes you english?

If people didn't settle in foreign lands we would not have been able to call Pietersen South African, as his forefathers would have stayed in Europe, so maybe by your rules he is English completely as his parents etc could not call themselves South African???

[procricket]

many many saffers and zimb fight for this country and if anybody as tom said has the passport and want to get them signed up maybe we need to do this with football.

ps mike did you get the special gn off dan he had one of as in

[Talisman]

No, got it as a swap for a new bat for a Pakistani International, in fact will have a load of Players bats over the next 4 weeks but merely swapping them for signed playing shirts etc.

[procricket]

is it a kransbhuler on the one i saw was and to be honest very light indeed for 2,10

[Coach]

I have a feeling i know what the bleeped out bit of Mikes sentence might be and if so why has it been edited?
Calling a Pakistani an Paki is exactly the same as calling and Australian an Aussie! There is nothing wrong with the phrase Paki, only when it is miss-used and a generic term for a person of any asian origin.
As far as nationality is concerned i was born in Edinburgh and consider myself a proud Scot. However having lived in England for the last 12 years, i am qualified to play for England. However when i enquired about playing for Scotland Under 19's i was told i wasn't qualified! Due to the reason that in the last 3 years i havn't a) lived in Scotland or b) played over 50% of league fixtures in Scotland. I born in Edinburgh am not qualified, yet the captain of the side at the time born in Nottingham is? How does that work?

Umz, it is strange the you are English but dont consider yourself to be, care to explain?

[uknsaunders]

My penny worth...

Split test championship - big 8 in 1 Division and Bang, Zim, Ireland, Afgan, Kenya? in another "Feeder"Division. Feeder teams play each other every 4 years home and away BUT also play 2 tests a year against 1 team from the big 8. This gives approx 8 tests a year for each team allowing for a 3 test series against feeder teams. Only when a feeder team draws or wins 50% of the test fixtures or are ranked number 1 in the feeder division for a period of 2 years or more, do they get given full test status - reviewed every 4 years of course. Anyway, something like that IMHO is fair.

Irelands biggest problem is they don't have a professional league. If they could afford to fund 4 teams, it would make a life alot easier. Let's face it, if you lend your players to another country to give them experience and improve them, how can you not expect that country to pinch some of them? I think they've been lucky to only have 2 pinched, how many irishmen in county cricket now?

Re Bopara and Monty - both born in England, get over it. Any SA playing for England, qualified under ICC rules, fair and square and the same for all countries - get over it. It's freedom of choice - people can live wherever they want and become a citizen of any country they move to. Only people who are moaning are the ones who don't benefit.