MERGED - The 2010/2011 ASHES tour thread...all Ashes related chat here please!

As soon as Strauss went out on the third ball of the series you could see this coming.

Saying that we came back from the brink of oblivion in the first test in Cardiff 18 months ago when after the first innings we were trailing by more than 400 runs though we could always depend on the rain in Britain shortening proceedings. If we are going to scrape a draw out of this we will need the likes of Collingwood to spend about four hours getting a fifty - you can always depend on him to slow down affairs.
 
Sam#1 said:
Anderson's morning spell apart, I thought the bowling was pretty shocking. Didn't even look like taking a wicket.
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England bowled very well before lunch. After 1,5 days in the field at the start of a test series it is to be expected they struggled a bit in the afternoon. The problem was that they didn't post a big enough total to defend.
 
Big day, it's about survival for England, a bit like Cardiff last year. With the ball getting older, it should be easier to bat as the day progresses. I think Doherty will be an important bowler for Australia today, we'll see if he can repay the faith Ponting showed in him.
 
ha_rooney said:
Big day, it's about survival for England, a bit like Cardiff last year. With the ball getting older, it should be easier to bat as the day progresses. I think Doherty will be an important bowler for Australia today, we'll see if he can repay the faith Ponting showed in him.
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All very true, we have the enigma of either chasing down the Australia total quickly and take great risks or play it safe (or Collingwood to play as he normally does - he must drive opposing teams mental) and bank on not losing wickets.
 
Though what we really need is Pietersen to return to the big stage.
 
Good start so far, a bit of luck but a 50 run partnership to start the innings.
 
ha_rooney said:
Good start so far, a bit of luck but a 50 run partnership to start the innings.
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If something happens now I'm blaming you, though I've been watching the run rate over the last hour and it is steadily increasing.
 
So far, so good for England. 116-0 and a record opening wicket partnership for England at Brisbane.

:lol: David Gower just screamed whilst commentating, Nasser put his chair on Gower's foot :lol:
 
My favourite moment of play today so far was Ponting trying to be clever implementing some clever intuitive tactic, two balls, two fours from Strauss, Ponting reverses his decision.

EDIT - forget what I just said.
 
Johnson drops a sitter, England get a bit of luck
 
Gower/chair incident was well funny.

Johnson dropping strauss could be huge! England finally getting some luck this morn.
 
Considering we have been very comfortable this morning you'd like to think so, the only other moment I can think of is when Strauss inadvertently struck a four when it flew off between the bat and the wicket though that aside we've been almost cruising.

We've got to hope this will give inspiration to the rest of the batting order, this would be as good a time as any for Pietersen to give a big contribution on the big stage again.
 
I see Ritchie Benaud still commentates, would've loved to hear his opinions on Sky.
 
Well if ever a situation was nailed on for him this is it... they've seen off the first wave and it's set for KP to roll his wrists over Dont matter who gets out nest KP must be longing to get to teh middle after this start by England
 
Strauss twice trying to sweep Doherty and twice not getting near it. Don't need to do anything stupid now having played so well.
 
Cook 50, looked solid this innings. Other than Johnson's drop and a couple of edges landing short of the slips, England have been very good this morning.
 
That's lunch, 135-0. England have batted very well so far, only 86 runs behind now. Both batters have looked comfortable, although Strauss really should've been out.

Hopefully England can push on in the next session and try to up the run rate further. I think it's been above 3 runs this session, but with batting so comfortable, if they can get a 180 run lead today and bat a 1/1.5 hours tomorrow, they'll have saved the game and that will give themselves 2 sessions to try to get Australia out.

But I think this game has a draw written all over it, unless someone does something special (another hattrick?)
 
ha_rooney said:
That's lunch, 135-0. England have batted very well so far, only 86 runs behind now. Both batters have looked comfortable, although Strauss really should've been out.

Hopefully England can push on in the next session and try to up the run rate further. I think it's been above 3 runs this session, but with batting so comfortable, if they can get a 180 run lead today and bat a 1/1.5 hours tomorrow, they'll have saved the game and that will give themselves 2 sessions to try to get Australia out.

But I think this game has a draw written all over it, unless someone does something special (another hattrick?)
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Much of it will come down to how much the pitch deteriorates.
 
You're getting ahead of yourself there. Even on a flat track the batting collapse must surely be in the back of everyone's minds. Just play it steady, forget the run rate, it's all about occupying the crease.
 
no doubt England will have a tumble or two but they've got to get the big hitters in with quick runs . If we can get to parity with losing say 2 wkts then we could really push them into a decisive last day. I'd fancy us if they needed to get 175 in the last innings
 
MikeUpNorth said:
You're getting ahead of yourself there. Even on a flat track the batting collapse must surely be in the back of everyone's minds. Just play it steady, forget the run rate, it's all about occupying the crease.
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but if we lose 2/3 wickets to get even then we can push it imo - sure play for the draw as first intent but if we get close to being level with 7 wkts in hand we've got to go for it
 
First milestone reached, good.

In a related matter however, there is a boycott of the Gabba in progress today which is why we are a bit short of being a full house. The stadium security is apparently confiscating all bags with more than one zip, which encompasses a lot when you consider it.
 
MikeUpNorth said:
You're getting ahead of yourself there. Even on a flat track the batting collapse must surely be in the back of everyone's minds. Just play it steady, forget the run rate, it's all about occupying the crease.
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I am probably being too hopeful by asking for them to up the run-rate, but batting seems so comfortable at the moment I think if they can get a lead, and Sky have been saying it will be difficult batting last, with Swann in the team England have a chance of snatching a win.

I'm being too optimistic, but if England are in a strong position come the evening session, Bell should be promoted up the order. He's in great form at the moment and he could come in ahead of Colly, who you can always rely on to get you out of trouble. Would love England to try to go for the win, they have Swann who'll get more purchase out of the pitch than the Aussie spinners, but they need a solid lead before that.
 
Jopub said:
but if we lose 2/3 wickets to get even then we can push it imo - sure play for the draw as first intent but if we get close to being level with 7 wkts in hand we've got to go for it
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I wouldn't risk giving wickets away. I can't see any way England can take 10 Aussie wickets in less than a day on this pitch.
 
Mitchlol Johnson...you idiot. Chances at a premium, and he drops that :mad: England with a dream session, they'll need a couple more good ones and this will very much be test match saved.
 
Trouble is it just takes 1 moment of poor judgement or piece of bad luck and you see what happened in the first innings, cruising at 197-4 and then bang bang bang, suddenly your in the shit so to speak.

Big partnership this, both batters are in and they MUST go on, its criminal on these wickets to get in and then give your wicket away, England are still very much behind the game at the moment, they need another good session here to get themselves back on a level playing field, one of these two needs to make a Hussey type score and the other AT LEAST get a 70 or 80.
 
England taking advantage of the drop by Johnson and Strauss is looking a bit wobbly as he crawls towards 100 but the openers are doing what they need to an may have saved the game (or may end up saving the game) for England.
 
Good knock from Strauss...leading from the front, especially when you consider after his 'leave' at the start of his innings, even he thought he was out.....hehe.

From getting a pair, to a real captain's knock, that was probably gone a long way to ensure England won't lose this match.
 
England's looking good now. If Cook and Strauss can push to level the deficit and try add around a 50-75 run lead, it might well be test match saved if the rest of the batters do well.
 
Under normal circumstances you would think we were heading for a draw but either side are quite capable of throwing it away yet.
 
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