*Official* Fifth Test at The Oval

[stumpski]

English cricket needs to get over medals.

They get one after every series, not just the Ashes. Seriously, where's the harm in it? Something for the players to treasure in their retirement after all.


Harmison seems very non-committal about going to South Africa, interesting.

 

[JBH001]

Woke up at 4.15am here to go to the toilet, and went down to watch the last hour and a bit of play. Good timing by my bladder, it must be said.

Just want to say hard luck to the Aussie fans and players, but very well played.

And also to England, fantastic win, and well played. Congratulations!

Its been a really enjoyable series for a semi-neutral like myself.

Right, back to bed!

 

[Ikki]

Congrats England but I am gutted. As Mark Waugh questioned with a baffled tone: "How did we lose this, seriously?". We lost it in essentially 3 sessions. When we were good, we were all good. When we were bad, we were atrocious collectively. As well as England may have bowled at certain times, those collapses were disgraceful from an Aussie point of view and the quality of bowling certainly did not justify wickets falling like rain. I borrow Mark Waugh again: when basically he said: "Broad bowled well, but I've seen much better bowling not get near that many wickets".

The leading wicket takers and run scorer but a lost series. What a tragedy from an Aussie perspective. To lose to THIS England side as I said weeks back would be explainable largely due to our own failings rather than the English side being superlative. And yes, I know that sounds arrogant, but that's my opinion of the two sides. Besides Strauss, I don't think anyone from their side was really consistently good.

 

[oitoitoi]

Congrats England but I am gutted. As Mark Waugh questioned with a baffled tone: "How did we lose this, seriously?". We lost it in essentially 3 sessions. When we were good, we were all good. When we were bad, we were atrocious collectively. As well as England may have bowled at certain times, those collapses were disgraceful from an Aussie point of view and the quality of bowling certainly did not justify wickets falling like rain. I borrow Mark Waugh again: when basically he said: "Broad bowled well, but I've seen much better bowling not get near that many wickets".

The leading wicket takers and run scorer but a lost series. What a tragedy from an Aussie perspective. To lose to THIS England side as I said weeks back would be explainable largely due to our own failings rather than the English side being superlative. And yes, I know that sounds arrogant, but that's my opinion of the two sides. Besides Strauss, I don't think anyone from their side was really consistently good.

AWTA. Strauss was fantastic with the bat but will probably be overshadowed in the media by the ladyboy.

 

[Ikki]

Swann had to bowl to far better batting-lineup. Without KP aggression, Hauritz had an easy time. Swann did his role as expected in the Ashes.

Swann>>Haurtiz againts good players of spin.

Swann was poor regardless. End of story. Without the wickets turning for him, he is harmless.

 

[JBH001]

Congrats England but I am gutted. As Mark Waugh questioned with a baffled tone: "How did we lose this, seriously?". We lost it in essentially 3 sessions. When we were good, we were all good. When we were bad, we were atrocious collectively. As well as England may have bowled at certain times, those collapses were disgraceful from an Aussie point of view and the quality of bowling certainly did not justify wickets falling like rain. I borrow Mark Waugh again: when basically he said: "Broad bowled well, but I've seen much better bowling not get near that many wickets".

The leading wicket takers and run scorer but a lost series. What a tragedy from an Aussie perspective. To lose to THIS England side as I said weeks back would be explainable largely due to our own failings rather than the English side being superlative. And yes, I know that sounds arrogant, but that's my opinion of the two sides. Besides Strauss, I don't think anyone from their side was really consistently good.

Hahaha, Ikki. Sour grapes, mate? Not the time bud, not the time (if ever).

 

[oitoitoi]

They get one after every series, not just the Ashes. Seriously, where's the harm in it? Something for the players to treasure in their retirement after all.


Harmison seems very non-committal about going to South Africa, interesting.

He's probably realised better to jump than to be pushed, don't think his career could survive another away tour.

 

[stumpski]

I take your point, but remember our best batsman only played in two Tests. How would Australia have fared in three Tests without Ponting?

 

[aussie]

Swann was poor regardless. End of story. Without the wickets turning for him, he is harmless.

Thats Swann role for ENG. Plus add his batting, he is useful player. He isn't expected to be the next Jim Laker.

 

[oitoitoi]

I take your point, but remember our best batsman only played in two Tests. How would Australia have fared in three Tests without Ponting?

If they'd picked Brad Hodge as a replacement, I reckon they would have been alright, also bear in mind Pietersen's form slump. Still amazed Sidearse never got a look in.

 

[subshakerz]

Dont see Ponting losing the captaincy unless he gives it up. He's still their best bat, has 2-3 years left, and should be able to reclaim some victories against the West Indies and Pakistan in the next few months to get some confidence back.

 

[aussie]

Congrats England but I am gutted. As Mark Waugh questioned with a baffled tone: "How did we lose this, seriously?". We lost it in essentially 3 sessions. When we were good, we were all good. When we were bad, we were atrocious collectively. As well as England may have bowled at certain times, those collapses were disgraceful from an Aussie point of view and the quality of bowling certainly did not justify wickets falling like rain. I borrow Mark Waugh again: when basically he said: "Broad bowled well, but I've seen much better bowling not get near that many wickets".

The leading wicket takers and run scorer but a lost series. What a tragedy from an Aussie perspective. To lose to THIS England side as I said weeks back would be explainable largely due to our own failings rather than the English side being superlative. And yes, I know that sounds arrogant, but that's my opinion of the two sides. Besides Strauss, I don't think anyone from their side was really consistently good.

100% right. ENG could still go to SA & get spanked. But AUS can only get better & improve on the inconsistencies in this series.

 

[GIMH]

oitoitoi, wind your neck in, your bitterness is pathetic, you're pathetic. **** me England, I am so so so happy. Gonna get plastered now, ****ing love my team, half-cut already, well in guys, we deserved this, the best team just about in the series, love it

 

[PhoenixFire]

100% right. ENG could still go to SA & get spanked. But AUS can only get better & improve on the inconsistencies in this series.

Errmm. How does that work? So Australia couldn't go downhill from here?

 

[Ikki]

Hahaha, Ikki. Sour grapes, mate? Not the time bud, not the time (if ever).

Sorry mate. As Merv/Border et al said. You can lose to anybody, but not England. And especially THIS England. Geez, they've had 2-3 passengers in this series and they still won.

I know on this site it is popular to trumpet for both sides to give a visage of fairhandedness, but I just don't have it in me to do it for the English.

Thats Swann role for ENG. Plus add his batting, he is useful player. He isn't expected to be the next Jim Laker.

Yeh, but with regards to him as a spinner, not a batsman, he was outbowled by Hauritz, even. IIRC Hauritz actually took more upper-order batsmen too. The Oval was turning from day one and he still didn't do all that awesomely. It was a bloody dustbowl out there. Even North did well.

I take your point, but remember our best batsman only played in two Tests. How would Australia have fared in three Tests without Ponting?

That's what makes it even more dumbfounding IMO.

 

[oitoitoi]

oitoitoi, wind your neck in, your bitterness is pathetic, you're pathetic. **** me England, I am so so so happy. Gonna get plastered now, ****ing love my team, half-cut already, well in guys, we deserved this, the best team just about in the series, love it

Wtf are you talking about you ****???

 

[GIMH]

Wtf are you talking about you ****???

I wonder if he'll step down, I mean they've lost 3 of their last 4 big series; hammered in India where his captaincy was dreadful, lost at home for the first time in yonks, now losing to a very mediocre England side.

English cricket needs to get over open top bus parades and MBE's all round IMO.

AWTA. Strauss was fantastic with the bat but will probably be overshadowed in the media by the ladyboy.

If I cbf I'd go back further, go find some more

 

[kingkallis]

WTF was that shot about?

Difference between Gilly and Haddin

 

[stumpski]

Weather is going to be good for the cricket tomorrow according to the BBC forecaster.

Good to see this being made the lead story on the 7 o'clock news.

 

[zaremba]

Wtf are you talking about you ****???

Mods?