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*Official* Fifth Test at The Oval

sledger

Spanish_Vicente
Well, gotta give it to the umpires. They are showcasing beautifully why this is the last series without referrals.



Short memory? :p



Good luck with that. The standard of umpiring is actually pretty good, and while it could be better, it's almost impossible to get a lot more right than they do using the naked eye in real time.
Yeah, this. Though there have been some absolute shockers dropped in this match and throughout the series, I do sympathise with the umpires, as I think a lot of the time they do a good job.
 

Matt79

Hall of Fame Member
:laugh: It's probably the Australian bias coming through but to me this series - match after match - has had consistently worse umpiring than that Aus v India series, or any other I can ever remember.
This.

It's just been consistent incompetence this series - you yourself have said you haven't been watching it til today, but there's been poor decisions and simple errors throughout, as opposed to simply a couple of outrageous howlers at crucial times or especially bad sessions (we've had that as well). It's been fairly even between the two sides however, so hasn't been as disruptive.
 
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Uppercut

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It's been mediocre at times, very mediocre. Not the standard you'd expect. I've found it hard to get overly excited for the most part as the quality hasn't been there like it was in 2005 or 06/07 (from one team at least).
Yeah, I see where you're coming from. It's not that the quality hasn't been there- Michael Clarke and Marcus North have both batted better than any player ever did in 2005, and there's been some lethal spells of bowling too. It's just that only one team has ever played well at a time. You don't have the excitement of two quality sides facing off against each other for the Ashes.
 

Pratters

Cricket, Lovely Cricket
@ Jono and some other neutrals - I have seen other people celebrate Australia's downfall but why by so happy that Australia is losing as a neutral. I can understand that Australia's dominance over the decade and a half gives people this feeling - to support any one against Australia but Australia no longer is the force it used to be. They lost a test series v South Africa not that long ago. I don't mind if either team wins personally.
 

Johnners

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
:laugh: It's probably the Australian bias coming through but to me this series - match after match - has had consistently worse umpiring than that Aus v India series, or any other I can ever remember.
Fact that it's a 5 match series only makes it worse.
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
:laugh: It's probably the Australian bias coming through but to me this series - match after match - has had consistently worse umpiring than that Aus v India series, or any other I can ever remember.
No. Just no. I still fume when thinking about that match - that was beyond horrendous. Could be the Indian bias coming through though - it's amplified a lot when your team is the one doing badly.
 

Uppercut

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@ Jono and some other neutrals - I have seen other people celebrate Australia's downfall but why by so happy that Australia is losing as a neutral. I can understand that Australia's dominance over the decade and a half gives people this feeling - to support any one against Australia but Australia no longer is the force it used to be. They lost a test series v South Africa not that long ago. I don't mind if either team wins personally.
It's just because the Aussies always laugh at England after a collapse :p
 

subshakerz

International Coach
England have always handled the position of the underdog better, but it is apparent now that this Aussie side can't handle being the favorites as they used to. They were favorites against SA in Australia and lost, and found it easier to win in SA once they were underdogs.

Nevertheless, how is it possible for a class team to go from totally dominant in one test to utterly pedestrian is beyond me.
 

tooextracool

International Coach
@ Jono and some other neutrals - I have seen other people celebrate Australia's downfall but why by so happy that Australia is losing as a neutral. I can understand that Australia's dominance over the decade and a half gives people this feeling - to support any one against Australia but Australia no longer is the force it used to be. They lost a test series v South Africa not that long ago. I don't mind if either team wins personally.
Tbf, they are still ranked number 1 and I think a lot of people would like to at least see them lose that tag for a little bit if only for the sake of the game if for anything else. Used to be a big Aussie fan myself in the 90s, but after they've completely destroyed every team and left no trophy untouched, can't help but want them to lose these days.
 
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Burgey

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No. Just no. I still fume when thinking about that match - that was beyond horrendous. Could be the Indian bias coming through though - it's amplified a lot when your team is the one doing badly.
Yeah it is. For all the shockers in that test, India did what Australia have done today and capitulated, losing all 10 wickets in less than 2 sessions.
 

The Sean

Cricketer Of The Year
No. Just no. I still fume when thinking about that match - that was beyond horrendous. Could be the Indian bias coming through though - it's amplified a lot when your team is the one doing badly.
Yep, that match was diabolical and India were robbed - you'll get no argument from me about that. But this has been five Tests of consistently shocking decisions affecting both sides.
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
@ Jono and some other neutrals - I have seen other people celebrate Australia's downfall but why by so happy that Australia is losing as a neutral. I can understand that Australia's dominance over the decade and a half gives people this feeling - to support any one against Australia but Australia no longer is the force it used to be. They lost a test series v South Africa not that long ago. I don't mind if either team wins personally.
Love seeing Ponting and Clarke loose. And since McGrath & Gilchrist retired, and Lee isn't playing, there is no one for me to cheer for. The perfect villains IMO - more attitude than ability. The bullies who you actually have a chance of punching out. It's pretty awesome.

And England are by far my second favorite team after India (If India don't play much Test cricket, I might switch my allegiance :p), so I am not actually a neutral here.
 

pup11

International Coach
With Uppercut on this. We could have batted better, and its when the opposition is playing well that players can make their reputation by withstanding it, but in the two sessions with the bat I'm referring to, England bowled very well, and we weren't good enough to withstand it. The third session was the last at Cardiff when Jimmy and Monty held us out - again, they played well, but we should have been able to get those wickets.
I think Warne said this, that this pitch is not the one where you as a batsman can ever feel set, there would be one ball which would have your name on it, and as a batsman you need to stay positive and play your shots till you are out there, rather than looking to be too cautious, and I agree with this completely.

Post lunch we just went into our shells, of course Broad bowled a few good balls, but we should have been slightly more postive, but by not doing so we just played into their hands and allowed them to dictate terms.

I know a lot of people were criticising the English batsmen for throwing their wickets away yesterday, but atleast there were no half measure with them, they were either playing an aggressive or a defensive shot, and apparently that method worked quite nicely on a deck like this.


Matt79 said:
You can't stop watching just cause we're losing!
Nah, its just the frustration boiling over, I'm gonna watch, but it would be painful nonetheless.
 

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