*Official* Australia in England

[Kylez]

NSW all-rounder Stephen O'Keefe called up to replace Hauritz for the two test series against Pakistan.

Pakistan v Australia: Steve O'Keefe takes Hauritz's spot in Test squad | Cricket News | Pakistan v Australia 2010 | Cricinfo.com

 

[Scaly piscine]

I think Watson evokes feelings in the Aussies that given their particular convict history they're struggling to repress. It's a classic love/hate relationship.

 

[pasag]

Who said anything about repressing it?

 

[Jayzamann]

So much deja-vu about this game. Besides the last 15 or so overs of Old Trafford, every game has been pretty similar.

 

[Spark]

Paine is being a bit annoying here.

 

[Jayzamann]

Paine to piss along and bog down innings, Watson to get out after passing 50, Ponting to fall to a pull or hook, Clarke to make a quintessentially Clarke-like innings, White/Hussey/Hopes/Smith to do what they can in the latter overs and the batting powerplay will be left to the tail. Australia won't be bowled out, but will score 20-30 runs less than what they should (and what is needed), and anyone scoring over 20 runs will have a SR below 100.

England seemingly romp home but make it disproportionately hard for themselves.

Happy to be wrong, happy to be wrong.

 

[Spark]

Paine to piss along and bog down innings, Watson to get out after passing 50, Ponting to fall to a pull or hook, Clarke to make a quintessentially Clarke-like innings, White/Hussey/Hopes/Smith to do what they can in the latter overs and the batting powerplay will be left to the tail. Australia won't be bowled out, but will score 20-30 runs less than what they should (and what is needed), and anyone scoring over 20 runs will have a SR below 100.

England seemingly romp home but make it disproportionately hard for themselves.

Happy to be wrong, happy to be wrong.

Well at least he won't be bogging down any more.

He's actually slower than Clarke...

 

[Jayzamann]

And Ponting is slower than he is! (for this series, at least)

Watson doing the work of three, no wonder England are in sight of a whitewash

 

[pasag]

There's no logic in Paine opening in his current state.

 

[Spark]

There's no logic in Paine opening in his current state.

Well it's either him... or Ponting. Or Clarke.

 

[AlanJLegend]

Somebody should teach Marsh to keep wicket.

 

[Spark]

Hm. A drop and a failure in the field...

 

[Spark]

Ponting looked happy there.

 

[Jayzamann]

Paine to piss along and bog down innings, Watson to get out after passing 50, Ponting to fall to a pull or hook, Clarke to make a quintessentially Clarke-like innings, White/Hussey/Hopes/Smith to do what they can in the latter overs and the batting powerplay will be left to the tail. Australia won't be bowled out, but will score 20-30 runs less than what they should (and what is needed), and anyone scoring over 20 runs will have a SR below 100.

0/2, waheyyyy

 

[Spark]

Too slow...

I've not seen a batting side less capable of finding gaps in some time.

Although in fact our top five is not batting hugely worse than it was six months ago - the difference is Hussey not showing up yet.

 

[social]

Good news is that Ponting has looked superb today - problem is not eyes/technique, it's mental

Predicting a loooooooooooooooong Ashes tour for Swann if Oz batsmen are in any sort of form - they simply lap his sort of stuff up on hard tracks

 

[Spark]

Good news is they're getting better, not worse, as the innings progresses.

 

[Jayzamann]

Goes to show how pride and saving face mean more to these guys.

On paper, at a glance, it looks really flattering for Clarke this series. And Watto especially considering he hasn't capitalised. Fat boner at the thought of the Ashes, yess.

 

[Spark]

A Ponting reverse... unusual.

 

[pasag]

These four run overs off Paul Collingwood hurt my head.