Ashes predictions

[Wil]

Can't see any other outcome other than England retaining the Ashes. Two mediocre teams, one far more mediocre than the other.

[winelover]

Can't see any other outcome other than England retaining the Ashes. Two mediocre teams, one far more mediocre than the other.

I don't think there's as much latitude in the meaning of the word 'mediocre' to include both Australia and England. I am not saying England are great or very good, but I think mediocre doesn't apply in our case.

If this series becomes totally one sided I will be disappointed because there is nothing more exciting that competitive test cricket such as the 05 Ashes series.

[Ken Gargett]

I don't think there's as much latitude in the meaning of the word 'mediocre' to include both Australia and England. I am not saying England are great or very good, but I think mediocre doesn't apply in our case.

If this series becomes totally one sided I will be disappointed because there is nothing more exciting that competitive test cricket such as the 05 Ashes series.

i am starting to think that mediocore is a little unfair to england, and very generous to us. but i'm still not convinced england is anywhere near the side some think. trott might help take them there if he maintains his form.

the one thing, even as bad as we are, that i never thought i'd see would be the supposed gumbies from england actually fielding, in all respects, better than our alleged athletes. horrendous.

just got back in this morning from four days away (including yesterday at the game - we were doing tastings at the ground. seriously) and saw strauss (talk about don't blink or you'll miss it).

he is clearly a stupid man, though he seems a nice bloke and a decent one. but he is as dumb as ponting.

even from my extremely modest career as an opener, it would never have occurred to me to leave balls that he keeps leaving. so stupid. goes for zip in brizzy, then the proverbial wafer-thin escape in the 2nd dig from a ridiculous shot, or non shot, and here, does the same thing. old dogs are cleverer than that. he is the captain and his stupidity and irresponsibility in those shots suggest he is no brighter than ponting. i don't care how many runs he gets, he could be a better player (just as hayden could have been better if he refrained from hitting so much in the air - and a better hayden would be something to have treasured).

what has impressed me most about england this visit is their disipline. their bowlers are sticking to their task and so are the fieldsmen.

i think aust in for a very long few days. even at 5am this morning in adelaide, it was hot.

[mazolaman]

That is another aspect to this particular match,I bet it is bloody hot there in the field.

I think you are over egging the stupididty factor.He isn't as clever as Vaughan,but Vaughan was a very clever captain.

I would agree that he doesn't have the intuitive nouse required,but the team seem to want to play for him,so that'll do.

But Doug the Rug did for him.

The concept of both teams being mediocre has,thus far,been proved wrong.Currently,there seems to be a long way between them,in all aspects of the game.

Especially pleased for Cook,as he has always looked good but never really come up with the goods.Today,130 0dd,no chances given,and playing all round the ground.

Tough pitch to bowl on though,and should be easy to bat on.

Not good discipline from the Aussie bowlers.

England have now scored 834 runs for their last 3 wickets.

Still,plenty of time to come.........

[winelover]

Especially pleased for Cook,as he has always looked good but never really come up with the goods.Today,130 0dd,no chances given,and playing all round the ground.

Totally agree as in the tests leading up to the Ashes Cook wass really struggling for form and some in the media were questionning his place. I now hope the same can be said for KP and he now goes on to get his first century in 15 tests.

The pitch is flat as you will get so ideally it would be good to get a decent score on the board and then see if we can get 10 wickets in 2 days. I do not think that winning this test is a foregone conclusion as notwithstanding Australia's first innings, they still have plenty of capable batsman but the question is whether they can lift themselves from their cvurrent malaise - hopefully not

[mazolaman]

Well,here we go again.

I don't think I can predict the outcome of this one.

Leaning slightly toward Oz,as the pace attack should pay off.

But will they get any runs?

But more importantly,is Shane Warne really banging Liz Hurley?WTF?

I feel like such a fool,I've been staying up late to watch the Ashes,while Warne's been getting up Hurley!

Sorry about that bad gag....

[mazolaman]

wow,what a turn up.

i cant recall such a poor performance from an Oz team.some serious effort will be required to pick themselves up from this.I suppose heads will roll,but not sure what good Pontings departure will do.

some good bowling by England.

[El Presidente]

,but not sure what good Pontings departure will do.

His departure certainly won't do any harm

He deserves to say goodbye in the Sydney test match. We don't play another test until August so plenty of time for re-assessments.

Congrats to the English

Any Australian who still says there is not much between the two sides is a blinkered moron. Consistently and completely outplayed, outcaptained, outcoached.

As for the Aussie side

My 2 cents

Ponting...Gone permanently

Clarke....Gone to Shield Cricket for a year or until he scores 300 runs in 3 innings.

Hussey....Gone permanently (only because if we are going to make generational change we might as well go all the way given he is 35).

Johnson Gone to shield cricket for a year.

Hillfenhaus Gone to shield cricket for a year.

Steve Waugh as Australian coach. Alan Border, Rodney Marsh, Dennis Lillee Selectors.

5 years

[mazolaman]

As is the way with all things in life,Deja vue is obvious.

I can recall the English incompetance,quick team shuffles,captains sacked,press sniping,boo-ing crowds,lack of team spirit...etc..

I am amazed to see it come to an Oz team,so rapidly after reaching such great heights.

There are some good players in there,but moral is gone now I think.

Think I'd agree with you Rob on most points,start afresh and think a few years down the line.Maybe a few years in Grade cricket will make some stars realise their true place in the world.

While bemoaning the Australian form,I do have to say that England have played well.

Some good management and captaincy decisions have been made,ie,Bresnan coming in and taking 3 for 26 from15 overs,with 7 maidens.All the top order made good runs also.

Still,it ain't over yet......

[Ken Gargett]

His departure certainly won't do any harm

He deserves to say goodbye in the Sydney test match. We don't play another test until August so plenty of time for re-assessments.

Congrats to the English

Any Australian who still says there is not much between the two sides is a blinkered moron. Consistently and completely outplayed, outcaptained, outcoached.

As for the Aussie side

My 2 cents

Ponting...Gone permanently

Clarke....Gone to Shield Cricket for a year or until he scores 300 runs in 3 innings.

Hussey....Gone permanently (only because if we are going to make generational change we might as well go all the way given he is 35).

Johnson Gone to shield cricket for a year.

Hillfenhaus Gone to shield cricket for a year.

Steve Waugh as Australian coach. Alan Border, Rodney Marsh, Dennis Lillee Selectors.

5 years

in general, ponting not nearly as bad as people claiming but when he makes clangers, he does make some whoppers. sending england in when mcgrath was out injured truly mindbogglingly stupid. as has been said, when waugh and taylor horribly out of form, they had a magnificent winning team around them. ponting now lacks that and it adds to the pressure. think the england domination has papered over some large shortcomings of strauss's captaincy as well, but luck of the draw. and he has seemed to captain far better in this test.

time will claim ponting. probably after the world cup.

clarke must seriously go. for his own sake. last time he was dropped, came back with runs.

who to be captain? watson? something wrong with his head. can't get past 90? 5 out of 7 times, i think, he gets to 90, he doesn't make a ton? and one of those two he got was dropped on 99. think bradman (yes, hardly fair), got to the 90's in test cricket 29 times. never failed to get to 100. watson has graeme wood-like ability in calling runs. a disgrace to run out hughes, just when the kid shows some form. don't forget katich in adelaide. then to waste a referral on that lbw shows him as hopelessly selfish. plays for himself, not the team. at least one never feels that ponting or strauss do that. and seriously, a bloke who slept on brett lee's floor at some stage in the last tour because he was convinced the hotel was haunted? can anyone ever imagine, chappell, border, waugh etc doing that?

if hussey he is scoring runs, he stays. good enough then age irrelevant, especially since we are surely about to lose several players. need some continuity and experience.

johnson our only match winner. in fact, probably no one in cricket today who can be as devastating. must stay. problem is we expect it all the time. shocking in brizzy. brilliant in perth. unlucky in melbourne. but if you said you had a bloke who'd bowl crap in one test and then win you the next, he'd be a dead set guaranteed selection.

hilfenhaus made this test because the selectors didn't want to break up a succcesful pace combo from perth. which shows the first people up against a pockmarked wall with blindfolds must be the selectors. it was not a successful pace attack. it was harris and johnson. the others were awful. to go into melbourne without a spinner suggests these selectors are dumber than politicians.

all well and good re waugh as coach but don't forget our most successful coach was buchanan and he played a few average shield games. these days, need more than just determination. has waugh got that?

and christ on a stick, if aussie test players need a past hero to gee them up to play for australia today and don't value their spot enough to do it themselves, they should never be there in the first place.

and deserved congrats to the poms.

[El Presidente]

In defence of Watson he still averages 50+ including this series unless I am mistaken. Plenty of flaws in his game but the bloke makes runs at the top order (the only one).

We do need at least one experienced player as leader for two years. In retrospect it would need to be Hussey as continuing with Ponting as Captain (or heaven forbid Clark) sends the wrong message.

Johnson is a connundrum. Devastating or innefectual. His action is flawed. His mind moreso. Complete current inability to bowl fast good line and length when the ball is not swinging. Inexcusable at this level as the Poms have shown.

As for the change in coaching it is really to bring in a change in attitude if we are going to have 6 young players brought in and Johnson who needs major mentoring. If we can't be the best then we need to be the mentally toughest and regain the mantle as the best fielding side in the world (we are currently down there with bangladesh in fielding stakes). We shouldn't need the mental steel of a Steve Waugh as coach but the reality is we do. A Waugh/Buchanen parternship would be ideal.

The highest compliment that can be paid to the English Cricket side is that they have destroyed careers and broken the back of Australian cricket on this tour. Ruthless.....and I love ruthless.

[Ken Gargett]

In defence of Watson he still averages 50+ including this series unless I am mistaken. Plenty of flaws in his game but the bloke makes runs at the top order (the only one).

We do need at least one experienced player as leader for two years. In retrospect it would need to be Hussey as continuing with Ponting as Captain (or heaven forbid Clark) sends the wrong message.

Johnson is a connundrum. Devastating or innefectual. His action is flawed. His mind moreso. Complete current inability to bowl fast good line and length when the ball is not swinging. Inexcusable at this level as the Poms have shown.

As for the change in coaching it is really to bring in a change in attitude if we are going to have 6 young players brought in and Johnson who needs major mentoring. If we can't be the best then we need to be the mentally toughest and regain the mantle as the best fielding side in the world (we are currently down there with bangladesh in fielding stakes). We shouldn't need the mental steel of a Steve Waugh as coach but the reality is we do. A Waugh/Buchanen parternship would be ideal.

The highest compliment that can be paid to the English Cricket side is that they have destroyed careers and broken the back of Australian cricket on this tour. Ruthless.....and I love ruthless.

true re watson to an extent. hence why i mentioned him as the alternative, and no one else. but he is selfish - witness the run outs and referrals - and that is unacceptable in a captain. hence why tony greig got the job ahead of boycott for england way back when. or at least a good part of the reason.

johnson is like thommo. shocking or stunning but he wins games. seriously, peter george going to do that (did i even get his name right?). thommo's first test figures were something like 0-200. then next test, he cleans up the poms with 6-40. that is what he is and will be. and he has never been a swing bowler. perth ws the first time he has swung the ball for two years. he apparently has no idea how to do it - it happens or not. there is a degree of campo in this. no idea what you'll get but it could be exquisite or mud. if we had lillee, mcgrath, and a host of others around at the moment, fine. but we don't.

sadly, they won't drop 6 or anything like it. we'll continue with musical chairs for the spinner, rotation for quicks and life tenure for out of form, ageing bats.

re your quote "The highest compliment that can be paid to the English Cricket side is that they have destroyed careers and broken the back of Australian cricket on this tour. Ruthless.....and I love ruthless.", i'd say that the aussies' ineptness had far more to do with destroying careers. even if he went now, ponting will be included in any all time great aussie team. everyone has down periods, bar bradman but even he was dropped. i still maintain that this is at best a good but far from great english side whose achievements will outstrip their actual ability but you'd take that any day of the week. if they were a true ruthless side (the aussies mid 70's under chappell, the west indies, from then on, the aussies over the mid 90's to mid this decade - think 5-0), perth would never have happened. they are a good side which came up against a dire one. when they beat india in india, let me know.

less than a year ago, they drew a series with south africa which included two incredibly lucky escapes, 9 down in the fourth. could so easily have lost it 3-1.

[mazolaman]

Having watched the extended highlights,I would agree to a certain extent with your comment re strauss' captaincy.Too conservative,too defensive!we could have been further through if we had third slip.

there has been a certain ruthlesness to Englands play.But we still fall to pieces now and again.by no means a finished team.

So roll on India......

[Ken Gargett]

So roll on India......

purely as a cricket fan, it would be the series that would hold the most interest at the moment.

[El Presidente]

You are too tough on the English side Ken (IMHO).

They are a very good side with the potential to be a better still. It is up to them. They need to beat India in India to be a great side. We have only done it once in the past 40 years.

They can only play (and beat) what was in front of them. Admitedly not much however

Ashes won on Australian soil for the first time since the 80's (and no schism this time with breakaway cricket .....Tick

The end of the Ponting captaincy/career......Likely Tick

The showing up of Clark for what he is .........tick

The revealing that Australian cricket "the emperor has no clothes"......tick

The silencing of the MCG Aussie crowd (and good on them for 250,0000 attendance over 4 days) .....Tick

To come back from Perth for this performance shows steel.........Tick

On any measure it has been ruthless. One hiccup in Perth against a maurauding inswinging Johnson when they were 0-78 (thereabouts). Their second innings shows they are short of a great side as yet but they have something to aim for.

On the other hand we can only aspire to mediocrity right now. Another chapter begins!

[Ken Gargett]

<br />You are too tough on the English side Ken (IMHO). <br /><br />They are a very good side with the potential to be a better still. It is up to them. They need to beat India in India to be a great side. We have only done it once in the past 40 years. <br /><br />They can only play (and beat) what was in front of them. Admitedly not much however<br /><br />Ashes won on Australian soil for the first time since the 80's (and no schism this time with breakaway cricket <b>.....Tick</b><br /><br />The end of the Ponting captaincy/career......<b>Likely Tick</b><br /><br />The showing up of Clark for what he is <b>.........tick</b><br /><br />The revealing that Australian cricket "the emperor has no clothes".<b>.....tick</b><br /><br />The silencing of the MCG Aussie crowd (and good on them for 250,0000 attendance over 4 days) <b>.....Tick</b><br /><br />To <b>come back</b> from Perth for this performance shows steel<b>.........Tick</b><br /><br /><br />On any measure it has been ruthless. One hiccup in Perth against a maurauding inswinging Johnson when they were 0-78 (thereabouts). Their second innings shows they are short of a great side as yet but they have something to aim for. <br /><br />On the other hand we can only aspire to mediocrity right now. Another chapter begins!<br />

<br /><br /><br />

i would argue you are too kind. no question we have copped a deserved thrashing and that they are the better side. agreed re potential but i'll again ask, if you had our 5 zip side from the last tour, who from this current english side would make it? possibly pietersen in form and i'll add one to what i thoughtt at the start of the series, possibly anderson as third bowler. he has done very well. bugger all else, despite their runs. ditto the current indian side. not too many poms would force their way in. this is a side that even got beaten by pakistan in england in a recent test. outplayed by south africa. true they can only play what is in front of them but at the moment, they are up against crap. their record aside from this does not suggest world beaters. but there is undoubted potential.

india in india, not just beating india, is key.

don't agree with a couple of comments.

emporer's clothers? no, can't see how that applies - look back at the comments pre series. not at all complimentary re aussies. we knew what we had. we are in decline or hopefully at the bottom but no one seriously thought of this as anything special.

surely the aussie comeback in perth is at least as meritorious as the england one here? possibly more so given we were up against a better team than the one they faced.

and i simply do not see them as ruthless in the way top sporting teams define that term. think all blacks. think the cricket teams i mentioned. these guys nothing like that.

first test, they were outplayed until a huge 3rd innings saved them.

2nd test, we gave them a dream start and they certainly capitalised.

3rd test, they were thrashed.

4th test, as per the 2nd test.

it is hardly the resume of a truly ruthless team (and if i was a pommy supporter, i couldn't care less - winning the series/ashes was the aim and they've done it, but this is about something different).

[mazolaman]

Having watched the extended highlights,I would say in one way you're right Ken,we Poms aren't bothered,so long as we won.

Your assessment of the matches is out though,you didn't give us much,we bowled you out with good bowling,which you struggled to replicate,and your batting,with Hussey/Hadden/Watson aside was no match for ours

Sydney will be an indicator of the Australian state of mind.

[Ken Gargett]

Having watched the extended highlights,I would say in one way you're right Ken,we Poms aren't bothered,so long as we won.

Your assessment of the matches is out though,you didn't give us much,we bowled you out with good bowling,which you struggled to replicate,and your batting,with Hussey/Hadden/Watson aside was no match for ours

Sydney will be an indicator of the Australian state of mind.

not sure that what you say is really any different to what i have said, in a different way. we have been thrashed in all aspects. fielding most disappointing of all.

sydney will first depend very much on the selectors. that will tell us a lot about the state of mind.

[dicko]

fielding most disappointing of all.

very good point KG. fielding's a good indicator of all round attitude and ability. England were sharp in the field, ran down 4's and took chances. We looked flat, quiet and sloppy. Aussie teams of a few years ago were ravenous for the ball in the field.

[mazolaman]

<br /><br /><br />

first test, they were outplayed until a huge 3rd innings saved them.

2nd test, we gave them a dream start and they certainly capitalised.

3rd test, they were thrashed.

4th test, as per the 2nd test.

The bit about you giving us a dream start.

While Australians are generous folk,I can't see you saying,"after you,no please,you have this victory".

While we all recognise the current Oz team isn't playing well,they still don't want to loose,so were beaten by skilled play,that they couldn't replicate.

[winelover]

Ken, I think a lot of emphasis is put on beating India in India. Of course to do so would be a remarkable achievement and would be a crowning moment for the England team. Still we have them next summer in England and it will make for a great series as you've rightfully acknowledged. Also if India are surely so great they should beat us on home soil as we are required to do of them. We will see.

BTW - Did anyone see the pics in the tabloid papers of of our boys enjoying their cigars? For me as a pommie fan I'm just very pleased all over irrespective of the ups and downs of our tour thus far. Now just really want a series win.

[adic88]

Sports is like economics. There are cycles. The Aussie team of several years ago, i think 2004? 2005? was awesome. Blew the poms away in the Ashes.

Ups and downs, ups and downs.

[mazolaman]

Yep ups and downs......

As a true English pessimist,I'd say we'll be beaten heavily in our next series against Sri Lanka!

Well,you never know.Just in case we thought we were great......

[mazolaman]

well,another Queenslander played a blinder today,hats off to Shane Watson,for his fantastic innings.

Won the match for Australia.

[Ken Gargett]

Ken, I think a lot of emphasis is put on beating India in India. Of course to do so would be a remarkable achievement and would be a crowning moment for the England team. Still we have them next summer in England and it will make for a great series as you've rightfully acknowledged. Also if India are surely so great they should beat us on home soil as we are required to do of them. We will see.

BTW - Did anyone see the pics in the tabloid papers of of our boys enjoying their cigars? For me as a pommie fan I'm just very pleased all over irrespective of the ups and downs of our tour thus far. Now just really want a series win.

we have india here at the end of the year for a 4 test series. usually just two or three so that is exciting. india are a very different proposition at home than they are away, though you are correct - to be a truly great side, they should win at home and away. both series should be interesting and might tell us more about india than you or us.

nice to finally get some sort of win last night (only saw a bit of the aussie innings). clarke still looked lost and how can watson score tons in one dayers and not tests????