cricket - how to embarass a nation

[dicko]

agreed. our selectors have a lot to answer for! they should all be sacked. braindead not to have a bowler just made for the conditions sitting out. does beg the qustion of lee's chancs for furthering his career. was disappointed we didn't trun the screws a little more. like to have seen us 2 down max.

yeah the current aus team sure doesn't have the 'killer' of past! you're right on lee, he is a tough one because he may well come back and perform, but he might also break down again in the short-to-medium term as well! been a champ though

hope we bat on tonight!! (nothing sus)

[Bill Hayes]

Must have been a full moon over there in England. The tide has turned.

[Ken Gargett]

Must have been a full moon over there in England. The tide has turned.

just need one more decent game for truth and justice to prevail. nice to see johnson hit form though had he done so a month ago, it might all be over.

must say i have been enjoying the english papers and how they instantly turn their heroes to villians and then tear them apart. if they do win, they'll be back to heroes and all forgiven. if they don't - bloodbath.

[bunburyist]

ahhh, what a disaster.

Perhaps now you see why Flintoff is so highly regarded in England - without him the team lacks fire. Or indeed any ability to apply themselves whatsoever it would seem.

Some light for us in that the Oz bowlers started to labour a bit towards the end, but surely we won't be seeing Bopara and Bell in at the Oval. At least one of them needs to go.

Still, think it'll be close.

[Bill Hayes]

just need one more decent game for truth and justice to prevail. nice to see johnson hit form though had he done so a month ago, it might all be over.

must say i have been enjoying the english papers and how they instantly turn their heroes to villians and then tear them apart. if they do win, they'll be back to heroes and all forgiven. if they don't - bloodbath.

Fredless Chickens was the headline I think.

[Ken Gargett]

Fredless Chickens was the headline I think.

love that. another great line from 'the times' was that england were a little bit of onions and a lot of tripe.

we certainly will still have a fight on our hands at the oval. much will depend on the pitch - and surely we are due some luck with the toss. if we win it and bowl, i'll personally shoot ponting. we have a tough decision with the bowlers - if we need a spinner, who goes? have to be clark but i'd rather use the 3 part timers.

england have selection problems. i don't doubt they are a better team with freddie but he is still, to me, often a below average performer for his talent. one great series and one decent spell in this one. 3 tests for 7 wickets is hardly top shelf, especially as two of those were shocker decisions. of course, if he returns and does knock us off, he is a hero. and he does bolster the batting.

there has been talk of england being unlucky re injuries. i'd suggest that it was not bad luck but bad management. KP and freddie went off to IPL and they are the two that have broken down. if the english management had taken a close look at how australia went in the previous season, i don't think that there was a single aussie player who played IPL that didn't suffer for it with injuries in the tests that followed. england should have put them both in cotton wool and they might just have already won the ashes.

agree bopara and bell must go. surely swann. but who comes in? after the first test, collingwood has been disappointing and he must be scared stiff of johnson. that first ball was vicious and then they way he slowly dragged him across the stumps and fired in the lbw was glorious to watch. he so often starts well in a series and then seems to go downhill.

that said, no sense in dumping someone if there simply is no one any good to replace them. anderson also looked dicey re injury.

if mitchell johnson has recovered full form, and the confidence that the batting side now has, it would be very disappointing to lose the next one.

win the toss and bat for three days. heaven on a stick.

[Bill Hayes]

love that. another great line from 'the times' was that england were a little bit of onions and a lot of tripe.

we certainly will still have a fight on our hands at the oval. much will depend on the pitch - and surely we are due some luck with the toss. if we win it and bowl, i'll personally shoot ponting. we have a tough decision with the bowlers - if we need a spinner, who goes? have to be clark but i'd rather use the 3 part timers.

england have selection problems. i don't doubt they are a better team with freddie but he is still, to me, often a below average performer for his talent. one great series and one decent spell in this one. 3 tests for 7 wickets is hardly top shelf, especially as two of those were shocker decisions. of course, if he returns and does knock us off, he is a hero. and he does bolster the batting.

there has been talk of england being unlucky re injuries. i'd suggest that it was not bad luck but bad management. KP and freddie went off to IPL and they are the two that have broken down. if the english management had taken a close look at how australia went in the previous season, i don't think that there was a single aussie player who played IPL that didn't suffer for it with injuries in the tests that followed. england should have put them both in cotton wool and they might just have already won the ashes.

agree bopara and bell must go. surely swann. but who comes in? after the first test, collingwood has been disappointing and he must be scared stiff of johnson. that first ball was vicious and then they way he slowly dragged him across the stumps and fired in the lbw was glorious to watch. he so often starts well in a series and then seems to go downhill.

that said, no sense in dumping someone if there simply is no one any good to replace them. anderson also looked dicey re injury.

if mitchell johnson has recovered full form, and the confidence that the batting side now has, it would be very disappointing to lose the next one.

win the toss and bat for three days. heaven on a stick.

I think they probably have to play Hauritz on that pitch but how can you drop clark? Too bad Michael Clark has a side strain. Katich, north and clark could share the spin from one end. Hope freddie plays and Sir Ricky answers the boos with a double century and we roll em again with a day to spare. Should be a cracker though.

[bunburyist]

Aye - the comment about players in the IPL has come up a few times in the broadsheets. The ECB is ranked about as highly as the RFU so no suprises that they let that happen. It's a real shame though, as it's always better to see both sides at full strength, then there's no room for excuses.

Funnily enough not too worried about Collingwood, deciding tests are a bit like derbies - all form goes out the window and it becomes a test of who wants it more. Will be interesting to see how the younger and more inexperienced players deal with the pressure.

I'd be tempted to drop Bopara and bring in Key, as opposed to bringing in Ramprakash as been aired here....

[MoeCizlak]

I guess that makes the US the red headed step-child in the corner eating the lipstick?

Now wait just a minute. We may not be the best or worst sporting nation in the world, but we've certainly turned out our fair share of "poor sports". If that makes lipstick eaters, then pass the Maybeline.

[dicko]

clark has to stay!! screw the stats...the bloke obviously had an effect last test. its like the footy player who only gets a few kicks but provides some pressure or 'x-factor' to have a negative effect on other team/positive for theirs

brett lee is bowling well in the touring match at the moment (well 1st day he has snagged a couple for bugger all runs at good economy). keep the quicks, keep hauritz out, bowl solidly and hope englands batters dont click

i agree with the comments above re hughes/watson/hussey but abtting changes can wait until after the series.

only time for a monte 4 this weekend, enjoyable 40 minute while having pre-drinks b4 casino

[bunburyist]

aaand we're back. Strauss straight away showing Ponting who's boss by dominating him at the toss.

Let's see how good the Aussie attack really is then. England to have 400 by lunch. I think I'll have a SLR Serie A to get things started.

[bunburyist]

hmmm, so so. Billy's keeping the Aussies in it again I see.

Defo a bowlers wicket, so if they can get to 330-350 that'd be ok.

[ARRV]

hmmm, so so. Billy's keeping the Aussies in it again I see.

Defo a bowlers wicket, so if they can get to 330-350 that'd be ok.

Going to be a close game one way or the other - which is good methinks.

[Bill Hayes]

Defo a bowlers wicket, so if they can get to 330-350 that'd be ok.

I think by about day 3 and Ponting is still in you might change your tone on a bowler's pitch. Aussies clearly in the box seat. Chat again Monday.

[bunburyist]

Defo a bowlers wicket, so if they can get to 330-350 that'd be ok.

I think by about day 3 and Ponting is still in you might change your tone on a bowler's pitch. Aussies clearly in the box seat. Chat again Monday.

That pitch is bone dry already, it'll be like a dusty car park for the 2nd innings. Plus your bowlers seem intent on stomping down the wicket. Is going to be a hard ask for the batsmen methinks. We shall see

[dicko]

That pitch is bone dry already, it'll be like a dusty car park for the 2nd innings. Plus your bowlers seem intent on stomping down the wicket. Is going to be a hard ask for the batsmen methinks. We shall see

well spot on i guess. your batsmen and ours! the pitch is a shocker, even at the start of the day one ball would bounce twice before it got to the keeper and the next ball would fly at the keepers head. 05 and now 09 (hopefully not!). i don't like this sharing business!!

[bunburyist]

well spot on i guess. your batsmen and ours! the pitch is a shocker, even at the start of the day one ball would bounce twice before it got to the keeper and the next ball would fly at the keepers head. 05 and now 09 (hopefully not!). i don't like this sharing business!!

Looks like it'll take one hell of a knock from the Aussie batsmen now, although it ain't over yet. Talk me through the selectors leaving out your spin bowlers...?? From what I've seen so far, Shane Watson has a great test career ahead of him, but not convinced by Mitchell Johnson. Not at all.

Just got back from watching the tri-nations match as well...oh dear

[dicko]

Looks like it'll take one hell of a knock from the Aussie batsmen now, although it ain't over yet. Talk me through the selectors leaving out your spin bowlers...?? From what I've seen so far, Shane Watson has a great test career ahead of him, but not convinced by Mitchell Johnson. Not at all.

Just got back from watching the tri-nations match as well...oh dear

look i think hauritz could feel stiff being left out, but when you having solid alternative spin options like north and clarke/katich you might as well go with 4 quicks, and i love seeing stu clark in the team.

mitchell johnson will be treated like an endangered species, he has shown too much promise (and actual performace) to drop him, he is in aus long term plans

I also like shane watson its just keeping him fit! especially if he is opening and having to bowl overs. and although he is batting great opening i hope for his sake he stays there and they don't jiggle him around in the middle order

bloody kiwis! whens the next world cup anyway?? *cough* CHOKE *cough* oh wait, so did we :-(

[Bill Hayes]

Looks like it'll take one hell of a knock from the Aussie batsmen now, although it ain't over yet. Talk me through the selectors leaving out your spin bowlers...?? From what I've seen so far, Shane Watson has a great test career ahead of him, but not convinced by Mitchell Johnson. Not at all.

Just got back from watching the tri-nations match as well...oh dear

Health Warning to all travellers entering Melbourne, Victoria. On top of concerns amid swine flu epidemics, another potentially lethal disease has hit our shores - 'Foot in Mouth' disease. Colloquelly known as having an attack of the Husseys, there is only one known antidote - liberal servings of humble pie over an extended 4 year period. When 'Broadsided' by this terrible disease, perfectly normal people have been known to suffer from an immediate case of tourettes syndrome, followed by a deep hollow feeling in the pit of one's stomach. The disease tends to attack the individuals structure at a DNA level with an extra Clark chromosome attaching itself and consuming the Hauritz chromosome. 'Humble Pie' serum is being administered nationally in response to this outbreak and all those feeling some symptoms have beeen urged to take it easy and help their immune system recover by getting good doses of World Athletics Championships, Football finals of all codes, horse-racing, fishing and of course always keep up fluids, prefferably of the amber variety. Herbal treatments have also been considered. Bolivar, Cohiba and Partagas are all good alternatives.

Well done Old Blighty. One of the best spells of bowling I've seen from Broad on day 2. And the short cover field position to M.Clarke's ego was a ripper by Strauss. Now to save face in the one-dayers!

[El Presidente]

congratulations to England on winning the Ashes

What a remarkable series and continuation of a series with over a century of history!

Australia were out played and out though both on and off the field.

The only minor consolation is that I pick up a Cohiba Gran Reserva from Ken on a side bet at the beginning of the series that Ben Hilfenhaus would end up being Australia's leading wicket taker

[bunburyist]

was a pretty good series huh? Not quite the nail-biter of 2005 but it's always good when it goes down to the last test.

Can't excuse not picking Hauritz for the final test. Letting batsmen 'have a go' at spin just doesn't cut it at test level IMO. Mind you, we persisted with Bopara for most of the series, which probably prevented us getting a white wash.

Pretty even otherwise - both teams were one great player short I felt. Would have liked to have seen Lee feature, as he can move the ball a bit. Also thought the last test was a great example of the importance of fielding - how to do it (Katich) and how not to do it (Collingwood).

Shame to see so much battering of Ponting in the press though, I thought he did a fine job under considerable pressure. Hopefully he'll stick around for a bit.

Can't wait till the next series. Players like Broad, Pietersen, Watson and Johnson (if he turns out any good) will be in their prime.