If Ponting gets a big century I'm going to get a tattoo of him on my face.
MERGED - The 2010/2011 ASHES tour thread...all Ashes related chat here please!
- Thread starter Sassy Colin
- Start date
Gottimmmmm (about 10 minutes late, stupid stream)
Brilliant test match, can't take eyes off it.
Never seen so much happening in test cricket....every ball is a replay opportunity.
Ponting out...feck off cunto.
Ponting out...feck off cunto.
Punter is punted out. Get in there lol
I just started watching and a wicket.I'm so happy for Peasplease. Think about getting stuck up with Ponting's tattoo in his face. Good on you mate.
three wickets for five or so runs, at the rate we're going we will be done today.
Hughes is gone. Phil Jaques is one of the best openers in Australian cricket yet never gets picked. His batting for Australia was sensational until Langer came back. If the selectors where with it, you'd drop Hughes, Ponting, Clarke, Harris, Siddle, and Johnson.
Regardless of what Siddle has done today, he's bowled absolute shite for the majority of the tournament. You can't just have the occasional good game. You either bowl extremely well or well. You can't have either shit or great.
Regardless of what Siddle has done today, he's bowled absolute shite for the majority of the tournament. You can't just have the occasional good game. You either bowl extremely well or well. You can't have either shit or great.
England really have made their own luck this game. Winning the toss and displaying excellent bowling against rather horrific defence. Hussey edging to Prior and the rain coming down a ball later. Australia bowled out under overcast and rainy conditions then Strauss and Cook walk out to perfect sunshine. Ball doesn't swing a bit on day 2. Prior caught behind on 5 off a no-ball. Ball reverse swings for England after 20 or so overs. England have really played some good cricket at vital times this series and have probably earnt their (virtually) unlosable position.
As for the future, we really need to overhaul the team and revitalise the state of cricket in Australia. Right now everything has stagnated: there are no in form openers apart from Watson, the top and middle orders are aging or losing form fast and the lack of a quality spinner is really showing. Domestically, shield cricket is full of has-beens and also-rans with no real class, save a few. The view I have of the younger stock, both batsmen and bowlers, is that they are a group who are quite capable, but none of whom are budding superstars. We most likely would have to settle for an extended period of mediocrity unless the team, coaching staff and selectors can foster a change in mentality, whether it be changing key personnel, employing a youth policy, revamping the selection panel or whatever. Change needs to happen at the top so that further success at grassroots level can be achieved.
As for the future, we really need to overhaul the team and revitalise the state of cricket in Australia. Right now everything has stagnated: there are no in form openers apart from Watson, the top and middle orders are aging or losing form fast and the lack of a quality spinner is really showing. Domestically, shield cricket is full of has-beens and also-rans with no real class, save a few. The view I have of the younger stock, both batsmen and bowlers, is that they are a group who are quite capable, but none of whom are budding superstars. We most likely would have to settle for an extended period of mediocrity unless the team, coaching staff and selectors can foster a change in mentality, whether it be changing key personnel, employing a youth policy, revamping the selection panel or whatever. Change needs to happen at the top so that further success at grassroots level can be achieved.
Who would you bring in for these 5?
If those were the outs, I'd go for:
Two of Khawaja/Ferguson/White/D Hussey
Bollinger, Hauritz, Copeland/George
That said, none of those will be dropped in the near future. If anything, Ponting may retire. The selectors have groomed Clarke to be Ponting's successor for far too long to backflip on their decision, though I agree that Clarke needs some time away to sort everything out.
Two of Khawaja/Ferguson/White/D Hussey
Bollinger, Hauritz, Copeland/George
That said, none of those will be dropped in the near future. If anything, Ponting may retire. The selectors have groomed Clarke to be Ponting's successor for far too long to backflip on their decision, though I agree that Clarke needs some time away to sort everything out.
Sorry I didn't mean to say Harris I meant that other useless feck smith. The dead wood in the side is ridiculous. Needs a proper clean out.
Thing is, everybody at CA is too buddy buddy to let it happen.
Thing is, everybody at CA is too buddy buddy to let it happen.
Who would you have come in though? The fact is there isn't too much talent in the country to replace the incumbents.
I'd like to see them suck Stuart Clarks dick so hard that he comes out of test retirement. He's a intelligent bowler with a good action. Very similar to Glen McGrath. I'd take him for Siddle. I'd remove Ponting for Jaques and move Hussey up to Number 3 and Watson to number 4. The thing about Ponting was that he was a reliable opener if need be or came in to continue attacking. He's no longer that batsmen. Cameron White in for Smith.
I'd like to invest the rest in some good youth products. Get some 22/24 year olds bedding with the old blokes. You'd have a good mix of youth and experience. Players like Warne and McGrath where not the most outstanding bowlers when they started, but they had players like Boon, Border, Tubs, Waugh x2 Healy etc to aid in their development as players. Ponting now offers nothing but a distraction and poor leadership.
Another great day for England and some quality bowling from Bresnan to justify his selection. It looks to me that he's bowling a good 2 paces quicker than when he first got selected for England. And he does swing it both ways which makes him tough to read. I also enjoyed his alleged come back to some slating by one of the lesser ranked Ozzie batsman in the other test: "I don't miond being slated, just not by the Ozzie team bus driver!"
You mention England making their own luck, then proceed to suggest they have been handed it on a plate. Surely, today's play proves they have been clearly better than Australia in this match, albeit it was a good toss to win at the outset.
The weather conditions being favourable to England were only favourable because you were able to get yourselves into that position. Eg, if Anderson hadn't bowled that beauty to dismiss Hussey, he most likely would've stayed at the crease longer and perhaps could mount another fightback. The first day really set up the game and put immense pressure on Australia and they duly faltered.
Is that not making their own luck?
Meh, Irony from a bitter. Don't let it stop you enjoying the win, it's making it sweeter for me.
How have I come across as bitter? I've clearly stated that England have played the better cricket and deserve their position.
Also, clearly the notion of pressure in sports is lost on you. If you are capable of putting out a consistently high level of performance, you place the opponent under pressure, making them more prone to making mistakes (and thus in the case of cricket, speeding up the game). Nothing ironic about that.
How have I come across as bitter? I've clearly stated that England have played the better cricket and deserve their position.
Also, clearly the notion of pressure in sports is lost on you. If you are capable of putting out a consistently high level of performance, you place the opponent under pressure, making them more prone to making mistakes (and thus in the case of cricket, speeding up the game). Nothing ironic about that.
You've balanced your post out with some recognition to the excellent work done by England but it would be ridiculous if you hadn't when it looks like England are set to win by around an innings and 200 runs. But you've looked to discredit us at every opertunity.
To me it comes across as bitter when you are doing everything to discredit the excellent Cricket played by England by factoring luck into everything. "Made their own luck" being ironic.
Tremlett, Anderson and now Bresnan have bowled some fantastic stuff this match and Swann has been very economical. Strauss, Cook and Prior batted well and Trott very well.
Siddle managed to get 6 fer, while Johnson, Harris and Hilfenhaus bowl the odd good ball but generally very uninspiring stuff. Perhaps if someone other than Siddle turned up for this then there might have been a match. To suggest it was the weather, the toss, no balls and humidity/wind for the swing doesn't quite give the magnitude in quality between the two teams in this match.
I currently live next to some proud Aussie's and this is hurting, i can see it in their eyes.
And yes according to him, its the worst aus team ever, the weather, the ball, the planets have not lined up in the correct order...etc. Any excuse other than the obvious, "England have played very and beaten us good and proper" ive had to listen to.
And yes according to him, its the worst aus team ever, the weather, the ball, the planets have not lined up in the correct order...etc. Any excuse other than the obvious, "England have played very and beaten us good and proper" ive had to listen to.
Well, I'll admit it, Bresnan has surprised me.
If you look at the English bowling options (when all fit) I think we have a huge pool of talent to choose from:
Tremlett
Bresnan
Onions
Broad
Anderson
Finn
Shehzad
Panesar
Swann
Add to this the fabled Rashid, we could have a bright future!
If you look at the English bowling options (when all fit) I think we have a huge pool of talent to choose from:
Tremlett
Bresnan
Onions
Broad
Anderson
Finn
Shehzad
Panesar
Swann
Add to this the fabled Rashid, we could have a bright future!
It is a poor Australia team
Doherty? Smith at 6? Bollinger? No Hauritz? Very very strange selections. Siddle looks quality though.
Doherty? Smith at 6? Bollinger? No Hauritz? Very very strange selections. Siddle looks quality though.
Anybody know what the Sidney pitch will be like? From what I can recall is that they are usually relatively slow spinner friendly pitches that should suit England more than Australia.
One thing this series has made clear is that the supposed differences in national character are mainly down to circumstance.
England win one game, and immediately we become cocky buggers. Australia look like losing the ashes, and moan and whine like bitches pretty much non-stop.
England win one game, and immediately we become cocky buggers. Australia look like losing the ashes, and moan and whine like bitches pretty much non-stop.
Always the possibility of playing two spinners at Sydney if the pitch is like it has been in years gone by.
I think Morgan may get the nod at 6, replacing Collingwood. Bell would move up to 5.
Can someone explain to me (I get a lot of cricket but I don't understand everything) how England retain the Ashes if we win here? I thought it was 1-1 with 2 tests to go including the current one. So surely if we win here it's 2-1, then if they win at Sydney it's 2-2? How would we win?
Cheers.
Cheers.
You have to win it outright to take it away from the current holder of the Ashes
The holders keep the Urn in case of a draw, as holding champions we keep the ashes.
That said a series win is still what we really want.
That said a series win is still what we really want.
Australia have to win the series to regain the ashes. As England are already holding the ashes, as long as they don't lose the series they retain the ashes.
Awesome, thanks.
Which is why I really want England to win the final test to not only retain the Ashes but also win the Series in Australia.
What happened to Shaun Tait? He can't be that old, out injured?
I thought he retired or went on indefinate hiatus from Test Cricket a long while back?
Yeh, he definitely can't do Test cricket and I believe he doesn't even play the four day first class stuff either, think he's just concentrating on OD cricket
He makes Ryan Harris look durable
Bowled the second fastest ball of all time in our summer in a OD match
As I mentioned previously in this thread; I watched him in the 20/20 club tournament in South Africa a couple of months ago and he was easily the most impressive bowler on show. I know it's only 20/20, but he was bowling well excess of 90mph and playing a large number of matches in a short period. Looked pretty fit to me.
Yeh, he's a very good bowler, but as I say, he makes Ryan Harris look durable. Just can't bowl the long or repeated spells required for first class and Test cricket...I guess he may become the freelance T20 specialist that Flintoff was aiming to be before his knee finally gave way
Tait is made of biscuits, and there's really not much else out there apart from maybe Ferguson?