creeeeeeeekeeeeeet

[Montreal Wanderer]

it's ultimately the only way to know... you wouldn't hesitate to say that in football "match fitness" is very different to training ground fitness..

the series is won - and let's not pretend that it was ever anything other than a warm up for the Ashes...

seems eminently sensible to me...

Good points, but I'm still struggling with the idea of being in a position to force the follow-on and not doing.

I just don't think it's as big a no-brainer as some seem to think. Had they followed on - maybe the game would have been over quicker - but how does that benefit us given this is the last serious competitive action before the Ashes.. do we really want a 3-day test as the second of only two??

I think there was a reasonable chance we could get some more batting out in the middle and STILL win the series 2-0 - for compton - give him one more chance - now we have more data to go on for the Ashes - and it hasn't harmed us for Cook to get a morale/confidence-boosting 130 runs when he's been a bit scratchy.. nothing is certain - he might have got a duck - but I'm not sure how not enforcing the follow-on disadvantages us...

sides don't always enforce follow-ons... more than one way to skin a cat... as Vaughan pointed out - were we one up in the series against the Aussies and this was the last game - in the the same situation - we wouldn't be enforcing the follow-on - we'd be back in trying to bat them into the dust...

Bish I think they are very valid points.

I don't think saying that we are looking ahead to the Ashes is the right way to think though. Not in terms of getting batsmen time in the middle. Shows a disrespect to New Zealand and the fans who paid money for tickets THIS test. I accept it may have played a part, but for me it shouldn't.

As for the rest I agree, enforcing the follow on is not always the right thing. But you have to play the match situation. A final day washout has been predicted by the weather people all week. Chances are now there might be enough time to win the game tomorrow. But I guess we are at the fate of the heavens. Now, in different circumstances, say where we had bowled 90 overs in hot conditions, and the bowlers need a rest I can see why we might opt to bat next. But in this test, you and I know that we'd have more than likely wrapped up a 2-0 win already had we made them follow on. The pitch was spinning, we had their batsmen on the ropes mentally.....

It probably was to give Cook and co some batting practice. But fundamentally I think that was the wrong motive. Winning the test should have been what we wanted to do above that.

And I find it hard to think this gave us a better chance of doing that.

We should be in great shape then and expect a fine day.

[Bruce Rioja]

Pissing it down at Headingley.

[thebish]

Pissing it down at Headingley.

chill! It'll clear up for a couple of hours in th'afternoon - bit overcast - send in the Jimster - swingtastic!

[BWFC_Insane]

Pissing it down at Headingley.

chill! It'll clear up for a couple of hours in th'afternoon - bit overcast - send in the Jimster - swingtastic!

We'll probably only need an hour. Looking at the forecast on the BBC they are saying rain till between 4 and 5. So could be touch and go.

[Bruce Rioja]

Pissing it down at Headingley.

chill! It'll clear up for a couple of hours in th'afternoon - bit overcast - send in the Jimster - swingtastic!

We'll probably only need an hour. Looking at the forecast on the BBC they are saying rain till between 4 and 5. So could be touch and go.

[ChrisC]

Job done! NZ all out for 220.

[BWFC_Insane]

Great. Bring on the Aussies. ( I still agree with Jonathan Agnew's assessment of Cook's captaincy though!)

[William the White]

Great. Bring on the Aussies. ( I still agree with Jonathan Agnew's assessment of Cook's captaincy though!)

What did he say?

[Bruce Rioja]

Great. Bring on the Aussies. ( I still agree with Jonathan Agnew's assessment of Cook's captaincy though!)

It being?

[BWFC_Insane]

Great. Bring on the Aussies. ( I still agree with Jonathan Agnew's assessment of Cook's captaincy though!)

What did he say?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/22679951" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Nothing hugely controversial, just that Cook could be a little less cautious at times!

[thebish]

Great. Bring on the Aussies. ( I still agree with Jonathan Agnew's assessment of Cook's captaincy though!)

so you didn't really mean it when you said "Anyhow ultimately the result of the test is how the decision will be judged."

you now judge Cook's decision not to enforce the follow-on to be the right one, I presume?? in which case - why judge him as too cautious??

we won the test match by over 200 runs having lost a whole day and a half to rain...

I reckon that's a decent performance...

[BWFC_Insane]

Great. Bring on the Aussies. ( I still agree with Jonathan Agnew's assessment of Cook's captaincy though!)

so you didn't really mean it when you said "Anyhow ultimately the result of the test is how the decision will be judged."

you now judge Cook's decision not to enforce the follow-on to be the right one, I presume?? in which case - why judge him as too cautious??

we won the test match by over 200 runs having lost a whole day and a half to rain...

I reckon that's a decent performance...

Agreed. The decision worked out. I still agree with what Agnew says.

I'm not totally convinced by Cook as a captain. Not unconvinced either. But those questions raised in the article are legitimate I think.

[thebish]

Great. Bring on the Aussies. ( I still agree with Jonathan Agnew's assessment of Cook's captaincy though!)

so you didn't really mean it when you said "Anyhow ultimately the result of the test is how the decision will be judged."

you now judge Cook's decision not to enforce the follow-on to be the right one, I presume?? in which case - why judge him as too cautious??

we won the test match by over 200 runs having lost a whole day and a half to rain...

I reckon that's a decent performance...

Agreed. The decision worked out. I still agree with what Agnew says.

I'm not totally convinced by Cook as a captain. Not unconvinced either. But those questions raised in the article are legitimate I think.

it was the right decision then?

[TANGODANCER]

I'm not totally convinced by Cook as a captain. Not unconvinced either. But those questions raised in the article are legitimate I think.

Aye, a captain who scores 130 and his team win by a mile is definitely a worry.

[thebish]

I'm not totally convinced by Cook as a captain. Not unconvinced either. But those questions raised in the article are legitimate I think.

Aye, a captain who scores 130 and his team win by a mile is definitely a worry.

Cook did captain us to our first test series victory on Indian soil in nearly 30 years!! he's been test captain for less than a year... given that BWFCi is not going to offer an opinion on Freedman until he's been in the job for 2 years - maybe the same kind of patience and courtesy should be offered to Cook...?

[BWFC_Insane]

I'm not totally convinced by Cook as a captain. Not unconvinced either. But those questions raised in the article are legitimate I think.

Aye, a captain who scores 130 and his team win by a mile is definitely a worry.

Cook did captain us to our first test series victory on Indian soil in nearly 30 years!! he's been test captain for less than a year... given that BWFCi is not going to offer an opinion on Freedman until he's been in the job for 2 years - maybe the same kind of patience and courtesy should be offered to Cook...?

Woah this is all becoming a bit black and white. I like Cook. I just think at times he is a bit too cautious. But as you say, early days. And as Agnew says the same was said about Strauss.

And yes he got the decision right.

[thebish]

I'm not totally convinced by Cook as a captain. Not unconvinced either. But those questions raised in the article are legitimate I think.

Aye, a captain who scores 130 and his team win by a mile is definitely a worry.

Cook did captain us to our first test series victory on Indian soil in nearly 30 years!! he's been test captain for less than a year... given that BWFCi is not going to offer an opinion on Freedman until he's been in the job for 2 years - maybe the same kind of patience and courtesy should be offered to Cook...?

Woah this is all becoming a bit black and white. I like Cook. I just think at times he is a bit too cautious. But as you say, early days. And as Agnew says the same was said about Strauss.

And yes he got the decision right.

I think you should write a personal letter of grovelling apology to Mr Cook, for calling his decision "pathetic"... only then will you feel better...

[Dujon]

Bring back Mike Brearley I sez.

[thebish]

NZ should walk it from here....

[BWFC_Insane]

Embarrassing one day performance this from England. We really are a very poor ODI side.