*Official* Fifth Test at The Oval

[subshakerz]

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.
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Haha, I kinda agree with this. Before, you might not like them dominating, but you could accept and respect given the quality of their players. Not now.

For me, it's just a bit satisfying to see that despite all that talk of their greatness being due to their cricket system, attitude, this or that, in the end they lucked out by having a few key legends in the team at the same time, like the West Indies. I don't think their decline will be as pronounced as West Indies, and they still have players who can keep the team competitive, but I'm rooting for England just to put the nail in the coffin of Australia berth at the top.

It's hard to believe, but after this loss, Australia will have lost pretty much every glory they earned in the last 15 year. No Ashes, no Border-Gavaskar trophy, no unbeaten streak at home, no number 1 status in tests or one days. All thats left is the World Cup.

 

[Woodster]

There is little point in looking at both sides to decide how one batted. For one, Australia didn't pick a spinner, which may just go on to eat at Ponting's mind for the rest of his career. And Australia just didn't bowl that well to dismiss England for 332 tbh. England gifted a lot of their wickets away with poor strokes or pokes at deliveries that didn't need to be played with.

There is when you are attempting to predict what a decent score is! I am not suggesting England batted outstandingly, but Bell played the kind of scruffy innings that he rarely does, and that no Australian outside of Katich could do. Of course you assess how both sides have bowled, but 330 odd was always going to be useful on this track!

 

[Pratters]

If England had collapsed for sub 200, I would have ed as well.

What's the difference between laughing at England collapse, and Australia?

It's not like Australia have done any thing wrong. Sledger gave the Man U example. If Man U is playing Tottenham and Tottenham are 3-0 up courtesy 3 absolute superb goals, would you still laugh. I wouldn't. I can see that some would still laugh at that but that's not the way I look at it.

 

[four_or_six]

Well then take out Edgbaston......

I would if I could work out how to on Statsguru... that ridiculous pair of centuries that we gave Clarke and North with Bopara bowling rubbish at them.

Edit: Can only do it when this match is completed, I think, otherwise this is in with the draws.

 

[NUFAN]

I just went to see a film with Australia 1 down and have come back to this, this is unbelievable.

I don't get why anyone who goes onto a cricket forum would watch a film when a live Cricket match is on.

 

[tooextracool]

Have to say that Stuart Clark decision was horrendous, that has to be up there with the Symonds decision. How do you not see that? Wow, you could tell it missed the bat by miles with real-time on tv.

 

[sledger]

Yeah poor Chanderpaul, he's an exceptionally talented man with thousands of international runs to his name. Tough gig.

Never disputed that, I totally agree, it's too bad he's been stuck in a team of no hopers for the majority of his career, esspecially when he would have gotten into near enough any other team in the world.

 

[Woodster]

I wouldn't put it past our lot to get rolled for 100 or something silly.

Your positive outlook must be what keeps you going. What you going to do should we actually we this series ? Start supporting Bangladesh?

 

[NUFAN]

It's not like Australia have done any thing wrong. Sledger gave the Man U example. If Man U is playing Tottenham and Tottenham are 3-0 up courtesy 3 absolute superb goals, would you still laugh. I wouldn't. I can see that some would still laugh at that but that's not the way I look at it.

I would explode in excitement at your example.

 

[The Sean]

If Man U is playing Tottenham and Tottenham are 3-0 up courtesy 3 absolute superb goals, would you still laugh. I wouldn't.

Then (excluding United fans) you'd be in a minority of about one I'd reckon mate.

 

[four_or_six]

Haha huddle... it is bad!

 

[sledger]

Cripes, here we go, bit nervous about this tstl.

 

[Burgey]

I would if I could work out how to on Statsguru... that ridiculous pair of centuries that we gave Clarke and North with Bopara bowling rubbish at them.

Edit: Can only do it when this match is completed, I think, otherwise this is in with the draws.

Take out day one at Lord's then, when we gifted Strauss a ton and Cook (Cook FFS!!) 90.

My point is you can't do that, otherwise this'll turn into a Lara v Tendulkar/ Warne v Murali/ Ponting v Whoever thread and we'll have Ikki and a few other (I was going to say putz's but won't) in here making 3 page long posts boring the **** out of us.

Please, don't go there

 

[tooextracool]

There is when you are attempting to predict what a decent score is! I am not suggesting England batted outstandingly, but Bell played the kind of scruffy innings that he rarely does, and that no Australian outside of Katich could do. Of course you assess how both sides have bowled, but 330 odd was always going to be useful on this track!

Bell faced an entirely different set of bowlers and an entirely different set of conditions. Arguably, Bell's job was much much easier than Katich's or any of the other Australians. Whether or not 330 was a decent score or not on this pitch maybe debatable, but there is little question that England batted poorly and have done so all series long. Dont care if they win or lose the Ashes, but a serious inquest needs to be done on their top 7.

 

[four_or_six]

So... what do we need here? I'd like to see us at least make Australia's 160... but a lead of 450 would be ideal, so that's 275ish.

 

[wpdavid]

Johnnesr to take 9 this session.

Either way it's going to be a very lively couple of hours from the Aus boys.

 

[S Chanderpaul]

Time for Cook to get a decent score.

 

[Pratters]

Then (excluding United fans) you'd be in a minority of about one I'd reckon mate.

Yeah you can very well be true here. Personally, I enjoy watching quality sport or a quality movie and cherish the experience, feeling privileged to have watched it and that's all there is to it.

 

[Matt79]

Haha, I kinda agree with this. Before, you might not like them dominating, but you could accept and respect given the quality of their players. Not now.

For me, it's just a bit satisfying to see that despite all that talk of their greatness being due to their cricket system, attitude, this or that, in the end they lucked out by having a few key legends in the team at the same time, like the West Indies. I don't think their decline will be as pronounced as West Indies, and they still have players who can keep the team competitive, but I'm rooting for England just to put the nail in the coffin of Australia berth at the top.

It's hard to believe, but after this loss, Australia will have lost pretty much every glory they earned in the last 15 year. No Ashes, no Border-Gavaskar trophy, no unbeaten streak at home, no number 1 status in tests or one days. All thats left is the World Cup.

What bs. We're a team in transition and we've lost a couple of tight series against good competition. If it wasn't for our system, we wouldn't have what is still one of the best two teams in the world. You want to see what happens without a system like that, look at the WIs, they won't even be a test team in another 10 years at the current rate.

To put Australia's stint at the top down to 2-3 legends coinciding is stupid. First, there were at least half a dozen great players (Hayden, Ponting, Waugh, Gilchrist, Warne, McGrath), but equally as importantly several more generally durable, consistent very very good players (Langer, Slater, Mark Waugh, Martyn, Gillespie, Kasprowicz, McGill, Lee). And the fringe players meant that when we did have injuries or retirements, guys like Lehmann, Katich, Clark, and Johnson came in.

That number of quality players is not luck and it smacks of sour grapes to say it is, especially in the timing of such crowing.

 

[four_or_six]

Take out day one at Lord's then, when we gifted Strauss a ton and Cook (Cook FFS!!) 90.

My point is you can't do that, otherwise this'll turn into a Lara v Tendulkar/ Warne v Murali/ Ponting v Whoever thread and we'll have Ikki and a few other (I was going to say putz's but won't) in here making 3 page loing posts boring the **** out of us.

Please, don't go there

Oh no... definitely don't want that.

More just wanting to make sure how good we're playing is being taken note of. I want us to be seen at the end of the series as deserving winners.