Different format, same story!

Hashim Amla is better than any bowler in the world at the moment, even his own lot! A bit like Chanderpaul, except he scores shed-loads of runs and you can't get him out.

Anyone care to wager how many runs short England will fall of the total required?

I reckon 80.

On the plus side, he gets team-mates run out.

80 is exactly the sort of deficit I would have said. That we'll just break the 200 mark.

He runs team-mates out, but usually ones that are scoring slowly, allowing another crazed power-hitter the chance to partner him.

Oh dear. And then Cook goes and gets out second ball.

Its all because Yorkshire lost the T20. Strong Yorkshire = Strong England.

My thoughts exactly. Had I not been baling out my basement after flash flooding on Saturday, I'd have been cheering Yorkshire on. Bloody Southern weather...

Yeah, saw you tweeting something about that. Bummer. Time to move, I think. Your house sounds like a constant nightmare.

Back to the Cricket, Yorkshire were really good in the Semi, but just never quite got going in the run chase in the Final. They bowled well enough, and I very much fancied our chances between innings, when only set 151. I guess they don't like chasing - something like 8 of their 9 wins this season were batting first, which is the opposite of conventional T20 wisdom.

And on the ODI, something less than 6/over really should be do-able, but I fear it won't be.

Pffft.

We need someone who can take the game to them! Instead he's hitting centuries for Surrey!

I'm not sure a divisive influence like KP Genius would help, to be honest. Unquestionably he is a massively talented player, but I feel that England have sometimes performed in spite of him - or perhaps alongside him - rather than thanks to his inspiration. He hasn't helped the team catch better or place a higher value on their wicket.

Feels like a return to normal service...!

Fair play, least you were close and didn't embarrass yourself

Looks like Strauss is away. Can't say I blame him - 2 Ashes and World number 1, we have much to be grateful for. Must be hard to stay motivated when you have things like the KP saga going on.

Interesting and uncertain times ahead.

Retired from all forms of cricket with immediate effect.

Blimey. Didn't see immediate and total retirement coming.

Strauss - absolute legend, thank you for bringing cricket home

I'm also sorry Straussy has gone with the shadow of KP forever lingering behind him. On a positive note his record number of catches, run milestones and 2 Ashes victories, not to mention the team spirit and respect he has been responsible for are worthy of further mention IMHO, ahem your ma'amness....

Also he's in that twilight zone of cricketing career and chances are he's not seeing the ball quite as well now. Probably a good move in the end and a characteristically decisive one.

So Cooky, whose dad I was at school with [eek], steps up, having faced his critics with the only retort, i.e. score runs especially in ODI's, and deservedly so. Here's hoping the spirit [and winning] develops under him.