Ashes 2011

booth70

Finally somebody calls it as he sees it....

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/sorry-skippers-but-test-cricket-doesnt-need-great-matches-like-this-20101129-18dyc.html

'Great' test match indeed!!

Maybe the pitch curators have been brought over from India for this series!.....Better wickets please for the next few tests...for the sake of test cricket!!

Cremated

booth70 wrote: »

Maybe the pitch curators have been brought over from India for this series!.....Better wickets please for the next few tests...for the sake of test cricket!!

Despite what people think of Harbhajan Singh, I think this quote by him during the India-NZ Series is good,

He was critical of the curator, saying he "deserves to be given the contract to build national highways''...

booth70

JustinDee wrote: »

Quelle surprise . . .

Thought that was kinda obvious from my signature......probably wasn't to you;)

JustinDee

booth70 wrote: »

Thought that was kinda obvious from my signature......probably wasn't to you;)

I don't have signatures showing mate

booth70

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/theashes/8168299/Shane-Warne-Ricky-Pontings-leadership-will-be-tested-after-Australias-hammering.html

Australia had a lead of 221 after an innings each for crying out loud!!!.....Maybe Warney definition of the word 'hammering' is different to most peoples!!....Agreed Australia struggled to take any wickets but England did no better either with the ball

Lets be honest even Steyn would have struggled to take any wickets on that pitch

Beasty

booth70 wrote: »

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/theashes/8168299/Shane-Warne-Ricky-Pontings-leadership-will-be-tested-after-Australias-hammering.html

Australia had a lead of 221 after an innings each for crying out loud!!!.....Maybe Warney definition of the word 'hammering' is different to most peoples!!....Agreed Australia struggled to take any wickets but England did no better either with the ball

Lets be honest even Steyn would have struggled to take any wickets on that pitch

Got to agree with Warne - Australia dominated the first 3 days, but even then if Anderson in particular had had a bit of luck early in the Aussie innings it could have been pretty much even after the first innings.

Thereafter it was all England, and Australia really do not look like they have much in the bowling department - yes things went well for Siddle in the 1st innings, but I think he will struggle to repeat that performance. I think England go into the 2nd Test with a massive confidence boost, and the Aussies are on a bit of a downer.

JustinDee

Beasty wrote: »

Got to agree with Warne - Australia dominated the first 3 days, but even then if Anderson in particular had had a bit of luck early in the Aussie innings it could have been pretty much even after the first innings.

Thereafter it was all England, and Australia really do not look like they have much in the bowling department - yes things went well for Siddle in the 1st innings, but I think he will struggle to repeat that performance. I think England go into the 2nd Test with a massive confidence boost, and the Aussies are on a bit of a downer.

England are also under pressure to get the wickets required. It will take an almighty bowling performance to break Adelaide.

crackit

I doubt it will make a blind bit of difference for the 2nd test but Hauritz responds to being dropped with match figures of 47 - 16 - 104 - 7 including a 5 wicket haul on the 4th day and the man of the match award.

It looks as though Mitch is on his way out anyway

Dozen Wicked Words

England unchanged for 2nd test according to SSN, Johnson dropped for Australia.

JustinDee

dooferoaks wrote: »

England unchanged for 2nd test according to SSN, Johnson dropped for Australia.

Cricket Australia do a good video update service on YouTube.
Don't have the link handy but their twitter address is @CricketAus

wicorthered

What a start for England just shows how good South Africa are in the field!!!

Mothman

What a mad start to the test. First over, Aus 2 wickets down! :eek:

but1er

0-2 unreal

Mothman

And Clarke is gone, more wickets than runs....

wicorthered

England 12/5 easy money!! wow Australia are awful Trent Johnson would run right through them:D

wicorthered

Aus wont make 125

riffmongous

This is pretty amazing alright, come on record low score!:D

crackit

It's not like you couldn't see it coming. Giving away a sloppy run out when you're under pressure is no way to start a game but your captain and vice captain both getting a blob leaves you deep in it.

I'd say they would take 250 now if you offered it to them. They better pray Bollinger and Harris bowl out of their skin when it comes to it.

dfx-

Watson is lucky enough and Hussey good enough to survive 20 overs and then cash in. Watson if he gets going could be hitting this well, already notching up boundaries...

Corsendonk

When did Australia turn into 1990s England? Ageing team, no confidence, press depressed and looking for blood, it brings back the memories:D

crackit

Yeah that's fair enough dfx. It's still a good pitch but imagine being one of those 2. Knowing if you make 1 mistake you're almost done for. I mean North might make 200 but if you were an Aussie batsman would you be thinking 'oh it's okay Marcus will sort it out'. If he goes cheap you're into Haddin and Australia are relying on a 2 man innings again.

Australian selectors reluctance to change is coming back to bite them now.

What do you do with Clarke now? He has about 60 runs in his last 8 at bats. I don't give a monkeys if he is supposed to be the next captain you just can't keep picking someone that horribly out of nick. Hes looked dreadful 3 times out of 3 so far.

EDIT

Also, the only reason Ponting survives beyond this series as skipper is because they have no one else to do the job.

dfx-

Do you throw out Clarke and North? Both is very dodgy - sure it might come off, but North in my opinion has to go, 400 not out in this game irrespective..

I don't see much behind to validate both being taken out.

It feels strange to exceptionally dislike Watson, but he has to do well to make a game of it unfortunately...

crackit

I don't think you can throw both out but they both deserve to go. There is no one legitimately waiting in the wings that can come in. Smith and Uwaja are a gamble. You might get lucky or you might not.

Someone like Brad Hodge (or whoever) always should have been in and around the team. It's okay to have 10 batsmen who play for Australia on a regular basis. I mean you'll have your preferred 7 but if you don't have other players getting at least a bit of test match exposure you end up in this situation.

So no you can't drop North and Clarke but neither of them is playing well enough to deserve a place. It just really highlights my point about selection policy coming back to haunt them.

dfx-

Hughes in for Clarke maybe, Watson down the order?

They really are stuck for batting and the hence the other batsmen are safe while North continues to be at the front of the firing line, I think they do have bowling options to play with.

Watson playing Finn very well.

Danger_dave1

dfx- wrote: »

Hughes in for Clarke maybe, Watson down the order?

Hughes will only come in for an opener , Khawaja will come in for a middle order batsmen . To be honest im surprised they didnt drop north , risk johnson for one more test .

great start for england, hussey is looking good though.

wicorthered

No way can you drop Clarke watch him come good!! North on the other hand should make way for Ferguson

crackit

Watson won't drop down and has stated as much he has no desire to do so. Now they could make him but would making one of the few in form players bat somewhere in the order he doesn't want to be get you far?

Ferguson for North is just another gamble. I think Ferguson is a good player but it's just roll the dice time. Aussie have no reliable back ups to be called upon.

If anyone uncapped gets called up then surely it should be Blizzard who is the hot hand (excuse the pun) in Shield cricket at the moment?

crackit

So at tea it's up to the same 2 men, who saved an embarrasing Australian batting lineup from being exposed in the first test, to come to the rescue again.

They will probably need to put on 300 again to be competitive. And what if they don't reproduce that unbelievable level of performance?

JustinDee

Corsendonk wrote: »

When did Australia turn into 1990s England? Ageing team, no confidence, press depressed and looking for blood, it brings back the memories:D

They're playing more like 1980s Australia at the moment.
England's problem in the 90s was its constant dropping of players.
Just woke up to read about the start. I knew it was a new ball wicket at best but what the hell!

booth70

Wonder what Lillee & Thommo and McGrath & Gillespie are thinking watching a trundler like Harris opening the attack for Australia!!

But...

Dougie Bolly will bowl Australia back into the match tomorrow

JustinDee

booth70 wrote: »

Wonder what Lillee & Thommo and McGrath & Gillespie are thinking watching a trundler like Harris opening the attack for Australia!!
But...
Dougie Bolly will bowl Australia back into the match tomorrow

A "trundler"??
He'll be the quickest on that oval out of both sides. Moves the ball both ways off pitch at pace. An opening bowler with zip and bags of aggression.

booth70

JustinDee wrote: »

A "trundler"??
He'll be the quickest on that oval out of both sides. Moves the ball both ways off pitch at pace. An opening bowler with zip and bags of aggression.

Harris 20-1-110-0

JustinDee

booth70 wrote: »

Harris 20-1-110-0

He has bowled one over. He'll be one to watch in Perth too, I'd say.
'Trundler' indeed ...

Corsendonk

For years Australia had strength in depth in batting now all the likely replacements have achilles heels to exploit. North is only in the side because the possible replacements Hughes, Callum Ferguson, Smith and Khawaja haven't exactly been run machines this season. Even existing first teamers wouldn't have lasted as long as they have now.


Australia Newspaper Today

Shane Watson (51) made another half-century opening the batting, his 12th in 24 Tests to go with two centuries, but he has the worst conversion rate of turning fifties into hundreds of any Australian batsman, including wicket-keepers Ian Healy and Rod Marsh.

JustinDee

Should be interesting tonight all the same to see how this Aussie attack goes.
Weather forecast not good for parts of Sunday or of Monday afternoon by the way.

Beefy78

JustinDee wrote: »

Should be interesting tonight all the same to see how this Aussie attack goes.
Weather forecast not good for parts of Sunday or of Monday afternoon by the way.

I guess England will be hoping that they don't need the second innings. Put on 550 in a day and a half and then try to rattle through the Australians on a (hopefully) deteriorating pitch.

JustinDee

Beefy78 wrote: »

I guess England will be hoping that they don't need the second innings. Put on 550 in a day and a half and then try to rattle through the Australians on a (hopefully) deteriorating pitch.

That pitch doesn't really break up per se. Bounce certainly varies towards the end but thats about it really, as it slows right up.
I'd just love to see England skittled in a match which I can't see as a result.
Would make Perth very tasty.

Beefy78

"Deteriorating" was the wrong word. Sorry. "More bowler-friendly" may be better. I'm well aware that this isn't generally a result pitch.

Rjd2

Shame Australia never looked at David Hussey or even White when it comes to considering middle order test batting. :(

booth70

What this series needs is for England to be bowled out today

Dozen Wicked Words

booth70 wrote: »

What this series needs is for England to be bowled out today

No, it needs 500 plus then skittling Australia out for under 100

mike65

Half expecting England to conspire to get out for 250

Dozen Wicked Words

mike65 wrote: »

Half expecting England to conspire to get out for 250

They have an uncanny knack for that don't they?

kryogen

the wicket is excellent for batting, i expect England to really turn the screw today

dfx-

mike65 wrote: »

Half expecting England to conspire to get out for 250

Maybe, but I don't see Australia being able to take advantage anyway.

In 480 + 245 in completed innings, 300+ and 140+ for Haddin and Hussey alone...

JustinDee

Well bowled The Rug!

Mr. Guappa

JustinDee wrote: »

Well bowled The Rug!

What the hell was Strauss at leaving that one?

wicorthered

SOS to Warne, McGrath and Gillespie, you might be long retired but you could still do a better job then the current lot! McGrath didn't bowl as many poor balls in an Ashes series as Siddle has in the first session!!

crackit

What is the point in Doherty. Reluctance to bowl him. Why pick him then? Then set a sh*te field for him when he does bowl

He's as dangerous as wet meringue. There must be some truth in the rumour that Ponting just wanted a spinner who would not argue with his shi*e field placings.

Also, he is a rubbish fielder

booth70

Boy....is there a FLATTER wicket in test cricket!....expect this to go the way of the Gabba.....Australia to bat this one out to safety like England did......I reckon Australia will be 2/609 at the end of Day 5 after England declare sometime tomorrow at 4/695:p