[Closed] The Ashes

Originally posted by nibbana
So here we go again, Adelaide and another good batting track. Something tells me if we win the toss and bat we won't be declaring on 550 this time around, those horrible memories from 4 years ago should put paid to that !

With the Aussies dropping Johnson I think they'll be little to pick between us and I was going to sit on the fence and say draw until I read that
"Although two of the last three have been drawn, only one of the previous 16 failed to produce a positive result."
and that
"In the last five Tests, first-innings runs have been scored at an average of 48.76 runs per wicket, a figure that plummets to 28.54 in the second innings. In the last eight Adelaide Tests there have been nine first-innings scores in excess of 500."

So I'm going to back whoever bats first !

Get off the fence.....

C'mon England ♦

Strewth

2/3

wtf lol

Originally posted by nibbana

So I'm going to back whoever bats first !

♦

Yea, yea... This is why I'm not a sports bettor

Terrible day today. Sat at work watching the game all day (cruisy job ♦) but fuuuuuuck we were bowling bad >.< one wicket all day?! really guys???

The TV station had to keep playing re-run footage of Don Bradman's batting and Shane Warne's bowling to make the viewers feel good

To be fair I think that both sides are fairly evenly matched and it comes down to form and I think, the Aussies currently just look woefully out of form and a lot of England's players who were getting flack recently like Cook and to a lesser extent Pietersen in this innings, have suddenly found some form.

Also I have to agree with what Geoffrey Boycott said recently that while he thinks Ricky Ponting is an outstanding batsman, fielder and person (and to be fair anyone who doesn't thinkthat needs their head examining in cricket terms), when things aren't going his way on the field he doesn't seem able to change it and seems more interested going on tilt and giving the opposition a good old fashioned gobful (See Ashes 2005 when he was run out by the sub fielder and here at the end of yesterday) especailly now that the Aussies have lost in my opinion 3 of the best bowlers I've seen watching the game in McGrath, Warne and to a slightly lesser but still relevant extent Lee so he doesn't have an easy "turn to" bowler.

England obviously way in the ascendancy this game and if they do managed to go on to get 500-550 and close out the match (which I'd fancy them to do because Swann will come into play with the pitch deteriorating and Adelaide's never been easy to bat on to save a Test) then the Aussies are under severe pressure becasue they know then they're one loss away from failing to regain the Ashes with 3 Test remaining and to be fair aside from the first and third day of the first test they've been pretty much manhandled in this series so far. The great Aussie team of the 90's and 00's I'd expect to come back from that. This group I'm not so sure.

Still a long way to go though.

Isnt cricket a stupid game.

My game got washed out today, so i was thinking, 'oh you beauty, i get to watch some cricket today!'.

Today i did not watch cricket. I watched batting practice for the Englishmen. So bad. If Australia were able to keep england to about 100-150 ahead i would still give us a chance. But now it looks like they are gonna be 300 ahead with teh best resuklt for us being a tie.

The Australian bowling changes have had a huge impact as we can obviosly see (2-300), lol. The dropping of Hilfenhaus was a bit harsh i think. Considering he got the same result as Johnson who hadn't performed for ages.

I'd also like to say. I LOVE DOUG THE RUG!!!!! best guy ever.

Good judgement by Strauss today. lol. it was funny.

This innings has a huge impact on the series. If england can give themselves a huge lead here, therefore making them unable to lose, England are basically 'freerolling' for a win. (see what i did there). If england win this match, then Australia need to WIN 2 out of the next 3 matches to win the ashes back. ANd how hard is that gonna be considering our bowling is rubbish.

I think they need a class off spinner like myself in the side.

Wow that was rant a half. Im sorry but im angry.

edit: how many freaking south africans do u have in your side. its a joke.

edit: how many freaking south africans do u have in your side. its a joke.

Quite a few, in fact of the last 3 full time captains of the Test Team (Vaughan, Hussain and Strauss) only one was born in England.

It does seem rather strange to me, but I guess citizenship and the ICC not putting a "Represented your country at any age can't represent another" rule in place is to blame for that one.

Guess South Africa are just better than pretty much anyone atm, well aside from India if you believe the ICC rankings. I think whoever wins the Ashes goes second IIRC but to be honest there's nothing to choose between 2nd and 5th in those rankings.

... you got a wicket 350 - 3
♦

yay another wicket.

Australia in control

4-492

Originally posted by Boomer2k10

edit: how many freaking south africans do u have in your side. its a joke.

Quite a few, in fact of the last 3 full time captains of the Test Team (Vaughan, Hussain and Strauss) only one was born in England.

It does seem rather strange to me, but I guess citizenship and the ICC not putting a "Represented your country at any age can't represent another" rule in place is to blame for that one.

Guess South Africa are just better than pretty much anyone atm, well aside from India if you believe the ICC rankings. I think whoever wins the Ashes goes second IIRC but to be honest there's nothing to choose between 2nd and 5th in those rankings.

Not sure I like your point about Hussain or Strauss much. Yes, both were born in other countries but moved to England at young ages (7 & 6 respectively) and both were trained through the system here.

This is a far cry from the joke that is Pietersen and Trott playing for England, which I agree is laughable.

... important wicket!!

Now only the rain can save you ♦

weather predictions for tomorrow. early showers and late thunder storms. hopefully we only need to bat for 3 hours during the middle part of the day. or i might just fly over to adelaide tonight and take a shovel to the pitch. ;P

Originally posted by Laggsy
weather predictions for tomorrow. early showers and late thunder storms. hopefully we only need to bat for 3 hours during the middle part of the day. or i might just fly over to adelaide tonight and take a shovel to the pitch. ;P

I believe wicket is turning viciously now!! 3 hours will probably be all we need lol

Originally posted by jass1960

Originally posted by Laggsy
weather predictions for tomorrow. early showers and late thunder storms. hopefully we only need to bat for 3 hours during the middle part of the day. or i might just fly over to adelaide tonight and take a shovel to the pitch. ;P

I believe wicket is turning viciously now!! 3 hours will probably be all we need lol

Make that 1 hour !? Amazing session, really think this is our time. Don't know which commentator said it but "dominating the batting, dominating the bowling and dominating in the field"

295/9, magic.

................... ♦

yes well done poms.

you smashed us. its very depressing.

the newspapers are gonna destroy the team tomorrow. gonna be calling for changes to all parts of the side. its gonna be brutal.

long hard road from here for us Aussies.

Originally posted by Waiboy
Still, lets hope it's a decent watch. What odds of an Ashes hatrick for Punter? 1:10?

FMP

Need moar Ashes now.

Only bish, bash, bosh cricket on domestically in NZ atm, and on the international scene we're either getting smoked at ODIs by everyone, or about to play v the Pakistani sports betting market. This is the only decent watch I've got till the First Class scene starts up again in freakin February.

C'mon you African Wanderers!

Originally posted by Waiboy
Need moar Ashes now.

O

not long now.

Anyone fancy a Beer?