NI76

Ervine's wicket was bizarre, he pulled the ball for four, I followed the ball and watched it cross the rope and when I looked back to the middle the Somerset players were crowding round in celebration and Eddie was walking off! Good stuff from Adams in what has been an excellent season for him although he didn't half spend a long time in the nervous nineties.

As I said above, of course it's a place for opinions it's simply the way you put yours across which got my back up and clearly FF's as well. Simple as, no other reason.

Of course it's a place for opinions, it's just the obnoxious and sanctimonious way you put yours across. The fact that most of them end up being proved wrong, i.e. "Wotte will keep us up" and that you base them having not seen many games just makes it worse.

Maybe now you'll stop being so sarcastic then when other posters try and tell you how crap we are and how many signings we need?

Totally agree and if both Rasiak and Saganowski leave then we'd need 2 strikers instead of 1.

That's where we'll have to agree to disagree. I think the manager should absolutely have the final say, in fact the only say, on who comes and goes. That's what he's there for and he then lives or dies by his decisions and his decisions only.

Surely the fact that they'll have more football knowledge is the whole problem, or has the potential to be. At the moment Pardew tells Cortese who he wants and how much he thinks it's worth spending, Cortese has never heard of them so does the deal. A Sporting Director who has footballing knowledge is almost certainly bound to have different opinions on some players to Pardew (let's face it, we all do) and the first time he advises Cortese not to purchase a player that Pardew wants the problems start. Recipe for disaster in my opinion.

Genius. You do realise that Campbell was on £100k per week down the road?

Definitely a midfielder.

Tremlett - please tell me you're joking.

Lumb was dropped, you might rest a 38 year old opening bowler but not a much less than 38 year old batsman. White was quoted before the game as saying that Lumb's figures in the Championship don't stack up this season (he's averaging 23) and that the selectors were unanimous that Vince should come back in after being away with England U-19's so Lumb was the one to drop out. Not surprised about Tremlett being injured, wonder what excuse he came up with this time, he must be running out.

the stick KP got was utterly stupid..why do we do it in this country to our best players Totally agree. The anti-KP feeling is absolutely unbelievable. I couldn't give a toss whether he's the biggest, most arrogant arsehole on the planet, or the nicest bloke on earth, the fact is (and yes, it is a fact, not just my opinion - look at the stats) he is by a million miles our best batsman. Not only that, but he score lots of runs when we are under pressure and rescues poor starts into good scores. Without him our middle order is woeful (Bopara, Bell and Colly v Ponting, Hussey and Clarke is not even a contest) and with Stuart Clark now back for them I can see nothing other than a 2-1 series win for the Aussies. I don't blame the selectors, it's not their fault KP is injured and if you picked Trott, Key and Shah I don't think they'd do any better. Personally, I would play Ramprakash at the Oval as he's the one batsman from the county scene who could potentially get the big hundred or double that we need.

Agree about Tomlinson but don't think Griffiths is good enough yet to open the bowling. Would have played Cork against his old club or Taylor. I thought Balcombe looke decent the few times I saw him earlier in the season but he seems well out of favour now.

Very interesting team selection, no Cork, Tremlett, Taylor or Lumb. Not sure how many, if any, are injured. I don't know what Tremlett's contract situation is, but I have a hunch that if we can sign an opening bowler in the Winter that Tremlett might just get released. I can't remember the last time he produced a match winning performance in any competition for us and I think he needs to go to another County where his Dad isn't involved and work with a coach who'll give him the massive kick up the backside that he needs. Latest score 51/0 - I'm sure some posters will want Carberry and Adams in the Test team as they're both in form!

Where is everyone getting their info about all this expected rain? The met check website has no rain at all in Leeds Fri-Tue and even the ever pessimistic BBC weather has it as being sunny or sunny intervals for Fri-Sun (it doesn't go any further than that). Or are we just winding the Aussie supporters up and I've just ruined the joke? As for the comment about Anderson, how bizarre. He's been our most improved bowler by far over the last 12 months and took 5 wickets in the first innings of the last test - suggesting his place is even remotely in doubt is taking having a short memory to the extreme. Luckily the selectors don't share the views of a lot of posters on here otherwise I dread to think what the team would look like. Surely the Aussies have to play Clark this time although I've already thought that three times so far and thankfully been wrong every time. It will be a gamble if they risk Lee, would have thought he might have to wait until the Oval. If Flintoff is fit, I think England might bring Sidebottom in for Broad. If he's not, I think Trott will come in for him and Harmison for Broad.

Just got back, they bowled quite superbly at the end, every ball was in the blockhole. The most accurate "death" bowling I have seen in a while. We on the other hand had Tremlett bowling at the death. Whilst Dimi was in we had a chance but once he went that was that. Still, can't win them all and I wouldn't swap Lord's last Saturday for a T20 win - doesn't even come close for me.

Totally dismayed when I read this yesterday. The 5 best moments of my Hampshire supporting life have been the 5 final victories at Lord's and yet next season there won't be a Lord's final. I can't believe the players will be happy with this, both Dawson and Benham said after Saturday that they want to play in more Lord's finals and Hamilton-Brown for them was talking about how the defeat has made him even more determined to get back to a Lord's final and win it next time. I hope we get to T20 finals day and win it but even if we do it wont be a patch on any of those finals. The ECB say they have had extensive consultation with the fans - I know loads of Hampshire members and don't know a single one that has received a questionnaire or anything. Sadly, for the first time in almost 30 years I wont renew my membership next season. I only get to CC games after work so it's free to get in anyway and I'm not paying £150+ to watch them muck about with some stupid 40 over competition with teams batting twice and no restriction on how many overs a bowler can bowl. What is the point - it is not played at international level or anywhere else in the world so how will it help the players.

Abandoned already, must be bad up there. Good decision to stay at home! Bring it on tomorrow.

Ditto, decided against it due to the forecast as I thought if it does go ahead at least I can watch it on Sky. Forecast looks much better for tomorrow so will definitely make the trip assuming it is rained off tonight. Good news that Harvey is out for them - he is their leading wicket taker, run scorer and has most catches for them in T20 this season! Surely they can't have a 5 over thrash tonight if there's a reserve day?

You can't pick a test team on who has scored the most runs and taken the most wickets in the last 2 or 3 matches otherwise we'd have a different XI every game. Before his recent three centuries, Carbs had not scored one for two years so to suggest he should go straight into the middle of an Ashes series simply bacause of one hot streak in a two year period is utterly ridiculous. Bell deserves his place and I hope he makes the most of it. He's certainly got the talent but has he got the temperament - similar to Ramps maybe? The one thing in his favour is that all his previous mental scars were against an Aussie side containing Warne, McGrath etc. Not only two of the finest bowlers cricket has ever seen but also two of the best sledgers with Warne admitting that they targeted Bell - they called him the Sherminator after the character in American Pie! Their current bowling attack must be their weakest for 20 years and they have had a directive from CA to cut the sledging. Let's just hope they keep leaving Stuart Clark out as he's the one bowler they've got who I really worry about, especially in English conditions. Quite how they've left him out for Johnson, Siddle and Hilfenhaus I'll never know

Delighted to see Billy and the other squad players involved and in the dressing room and on the lap of honour unlike in 2007 when he was sat forlornly in the stands under arsehole Terry. Hats off to Giles White, the difference in team spirit since Terry left and Giles took over has been so noticeable. Also, having just watched some of the highlights you've got to love Warney. Hawkeye showed Nash's LBW going over but even after seeing that Warney just says that was hitting the stumps, definitely out. Fantastic to have a true legend of the game on your side and he must deserve a lot of the credit for starting the ball rolling for the positive cricket we now play. Still, the decisions evened themselves out as Adams' LBW was an absolute shocker, pitched so far outside leg-stump it was unreal. Just gutted the day is over, I want to do it all again!

Each to their own. I've been a massive Saints and Hampshire fan for 30 years but football was always more important to me than the cricket. Have to say that view has changed as football has changed over the years and can now honestly say it's the other way round.

Awesome, awesome day. Fantastic performance and fantastic support. I now have the hangover from hell and no voice but it was worth it and the fact that it was S****x and we stuffed them just makes it even sweeter. Only slight negative was the fact that there were plenty of empty seats, both teams sent over 1,000 tickets back of an allocation of just 4,500 although a lot of fans just got them direct from Lord's. Special mention to Jimmy Adams, he doesn't get any of the headlines but he has been our unsung hero for me this season. I've never seen a batsman transform himself so much in one season. Looking forward to Northants on Wednesday now. By the way, if anyone taped the final and are able to do me a copy I will be eternally greatful and happy to pay. My Sky+ didn't work, just says failed due to a technical fault.