*Official* First Test at Swalec Stadium, Cardiff

[pasag]

4am. *groans*

Was worth it though. Top night of cricket watching and haven't seen a match thread so alive in a long time.

 

[GIMH]

Yeah, pretty sure the post count doubled in this thread today!!

All stayed relatively friendly as well

 

[social]

Congrats to Eng for fighting it out

Probably the only positive that they can get out of the match as it was a pretty woeful performance from most of the team

 

[four_or_six]

Just got back from watching at a cricket club bar... was a wonderful atmosphere, and was amusing how the Aussies had been really bolshy all afternoon then suddenly went quiet.

I think I love Jimmy even more than I did before.

 

[GIMH]

Hmm, there are a few positives tbh

Colly is in decent nick
Flintoff looked like he was getting somewhere in the first innings with the bat. Second innings obviously he couldn't play like that, but I'll back him to score some runs in the rest of the series.
Lower order will add runs all night long

The rest is pretty worrying though. a lot of work to do.

 

[GIMH]

First time we've avoided defeat in the opening Test of the Ashes since 97 IIRC

 

[BoyBrumby]

Great denoument the previous 4 days didn't really deserve. Thought we were gone for all money when Colly edged to gully, but hats off to Jimmeh & Monteh. Showed awful lot of ticker that our top 4 sadly lacked.

Positives: Collingwood's batting (and off-cutters, actually, at least as good as anything Swann or Monty served up), Prior's first innings batting and keeping.

Negatives: Everything else. Lack of gumption and application amongst the batters not the least of it. Swann's bowling bitterly disappointing and the way Fred tailed off was worrying too. Onions in for Panesar a must and Harmy for Broad distinct possibility too.

So off to Lords. What could go wrong there?

 

[wfdu_ben91]

Poor Ricky Ponting. Probably deserved to win that match moreso then any other time in his career. Great batting, captaincy and sportsmenship after the match, puzzling as to why he cops so much stick. Class act.

 

[GIMH]

Australia bloody impressive hey. Their only worry from where I'm standing is Johnson's new ball spells, which most of them have commented on.

 

[wpdavid]

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | Cricinfo.com

Ta. So in all tests from & including Edgbaston last year, Colly's average is higher than any England batsman apart from Bopara, 75% of whose 4 games were against WI.

 

[wpdavid]

First time we've avoided defeat in the opening Test of the Ashes since 97 IIRC

Drew the first game in 1998/99 - largely due to rain though.

 

[Goughy]

Really happy that I got to watch the last session today. I fully expected Autralia to win (all the way down to the last ball) because that is what Australia do, right?

I dont think England are a good side but the Aussies certainly have less of an aura about them now.

Ill be amazed if England win a Test but who knows. It is still 0-0 and Project 'Regain Ashes' is still alive.

 

[GIMH]

my bad

 

[four_or_six]

I haven't read the thread because it exploded, and I couldn't hear the commentary in the bar. Was Hilfenhaus injured? I thought they would have bowled him at the end, was a bit confused to see Marcus North.

 

[andruid]

my bad

bad day overall for you memory eh Geraint

 

[GIMH]

bad day overall for you memory eh Geraint

Will be even worse shortly as I am about to start celebrating

 

[GIMH]

Right, gonna get my **** sorted for work tomorrow, then put my feet up with some food and drink, it has been a stressful day, work will be a doddle tomorrow after this. Still chuffed that we got out of jail, bring on Lord's.

 

[Pothas]

Never been the biggest Collingwood fan and like most others never really enjoy watching him bat but once again he has earned complete respect and admiration

 

[BoyBrumby]

He's a fighter: ginger, Mackem, Sunderland fan; it's genetic he likes a scrap.

Just a shame none of the other top 5 showed half his balls.

 

[superkingdave]

Ponting's had a whinge about the England's tactics in the last hour, said they will be complaining about it. Fair enough imo, we ****ed up, should have done something earlier in the hour but only realised towards the end that time was a factor and so it was blatantly obvious....I mean lets face it we allowed them to bowl 15 overs in 50 minutes we should have been able to limit it to less than that without the **** tactics.