*Official* First Test at Swalec Stadium, Cardiff

[Scaly piscine]

A few showers wouldn't be too bad, as long as it's not torrential. Make it better for the bowlers, and also more likely we'll play Onions which I think is the way we should go anyway.

After the OTT abuse that we have had over the years about Ashley Giles, I'm glad to see Hauritz lined up to play. I will be interested to see if he can outperform Giles's 2005 effort.

He'd have to be absolutely awful to be worse than Giles's 2005 effort. It's amazing he came out of that with any credit whatsoever. He was completely useless apart from the last (meaningful) innings of the series.

 

[pup11]

Lee in doubt for Cardiff with rib problem | Cricket News | The Ashes - England v Australia 2009 | Cricinfo.com

With no disrespect to Hilfenhaus, it looks more likely that Hauritz will play.

This is a HUGE blow, Binga was looking in fine form, and more importantly he was the only Aussie bowler who got reverse swing going in the practice game, the more disappointing thing though is that, Binga has been working so hard on his fitness for months now, all for this massive series, and its a shame that he might have to sit-out of the 1st test now.

 

[four_or_six]

He'd have to be absolutely awful to be worse than Giles's 2005 effort. It's amazing he came out of that with any credit whatsoever. He was completely useless apart from the last (meaningful) innings of the series.

I don't know... Giles took a few crucial wickets, and was solid. He was particularly good at Edgbaston, where he took five wickets, and his wicket of Langer in the second innings at Trent Bridge sticks in my mind as one of the crucial turning points of the series. Not in any way a brilliant performance, but he did a job for the team. Didn't some Aussie say at the beginning of the series that if any top order batsman got out to him they should hang themselves, and then every single one of them did?

 

[zaremba]

He'd have to be absolutely awful to be worse than Giles's 2005 effort. It's amazing he came out of that with any credit whatsoever. He was completely useless apart from the last (meaningful) innings of the series.

Well that's a pretty big exception given that without it we may well have lost the Ashes.

And I was grateful for his batting during the squeaky bum time at Trent Bridge as well.

And his bowling at Edgbaston.

His batting and bowling figures overall were pretty shocking, though, I'd have to admit.

 

[pup11]

I think a lot of people undermine Giles' contribution to England winning the Ashes in 2005, yeah he didn't ran through the Aussie batting line-up or anything, but he did carry out the job that was given to him very nicely.

His captain asked him to bowl a negative line, not give away too many runs, and he pretty much did that, and also took a few top-order wickets while doing so.

As for whether Hauritz should play at Cardiff or not, I am pretty clear about one thing, that Hauritz shouldn't have been in this Ashes squad in the first place, but since he's there now, and that too as the only spinner in the team, he should play at Cardiff, it would be pretty diabolical if they repeat the same mistake here, that they made during the Indian tour.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

yeah he didn't ran through

 

[Scaly piscine]

I think a lot of people undermine Giles' contribution to England winning the Ashes in 2005, yeah he didn't ran through the Aussie batting line-up or anything, but he did carry out the job that was given to him very nicely.

His captain asked him to bowl a negative line, not give away too many runs, and he pretty much did that, and also took a few top-order wickets while doing so.

Bollocks. He went for 3.6 an over and took wickets at 58. Absolutely awful. England would have been better off playing Collingwood and just getting him to bowl wide of off stump instead - he couldn't have done any worse with the ball and he was a better batsman and fielder.

He got to bowl on wearing pitches too, particularly against the lower order - Warne in particular just hammered him for fun, then when the roles were reversed he'd just bowl a straight delivery and watch Giles sweep and get out lbw.

Giles was the reason the series went to a final Test.

 

[GIMH]

Gotta say, I kind of agree with Scaly here, Giles should have won us the game at OT

 

[four_or_six]

Lee out for the first two tests, major bad luck for the bloke.

 

[scorpiogal]

This is beyond disappointing! I can't imagine how he's feeling after all that hard work!

 

[four_or_six]

Gotta say, I kind of agree with Scaly here, Giles should have won us the game at OT

Yeah, he should have. But I don't think it's fair to say Hauritz would have to be 'absolutely awful' to be worse than the wheely bin in 2005.

 

[GIMH]

Feel sorry for Lee tbh, but I guess it's good news for us.

 

[NUFAN]

So:
1 P Hughes
2 S Katich
3 R Ponting
4 M Hussey
5 M Clarke
6 M North
7 B Haddin
8 M Johnson
9 N Hauritz
10 S Clark
11 P Siddle

 

[stephen]

So:
1 P Hughes
2 S Katich
3 R Ponting
4 M Hussey
5 M Clarke
6 M North
7 B Haddin
8 M Johnson
9 N Hauritz
10 S Clark
11 P Siddle

I think you nailed it. I can't see them running 4 quicks now and I don't think Hilf should play ahead of Clark.

 

[Noble One]

Bitter news regarding Lee, just when the guy was finding his zip again.

Given his recent history, was bound to happen at some stage during the tour. Tough ask for a near 33 year old 150kph pace bowler to keep coming back from injury. Out for two tests, but a side strain will create a strugle for Lee to be all that effective in any games to follow.

Welcome to Ashes cricket Mr Hauritz.

 

[Jarquis]

Didn't quite know where to post this but..
Opinions on Hughes playing a T20 less than 2 days before the start of the first Ashes test? http://www.cricinfo.com/england/engine/current/match/404477.html

 

[four_or_six]

Didn't quite know where to post this but..
Opinions on Hughes playing a T20 less than 2 days before the start of the first Ashes test? Middlesex v Rajasthan Royals at Lord's, Jul 6, 2009 | Live Scorecard | Cricinfo.com

That has to be a joke, right? They'd never release him for that, both in terms of getting injured and also being away from the team planning and training.

Edit: Lol, yeah, a joke, surely. There's photos of him at Australia's training in Cardiff this morning.

 

[Uppercut]

Huuuuge blow for the Aussies if Lee can't play.

 

[tooextracool]

Australia lost chasing 106 for victory and it's a debutant bowler's fault bwuhahahahahahah

if he hadnt bowled that day, arguably Australia would not even have had to chase 106. Yes the batters were horrific, but it was a pitch that was turning square and they shouldnt have had to have dealt with that situation in the first place given that they had almost a 100 run lead.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Gutted for Lee TBH. Comes across as a top bloke and it is always **** when you are in good form and ruled out by injury. Hope he recovers quickly as well, always prefer watching the two very best teams play each other.