*Official* First Test at Trent Bridge

[Backlash]

More arrogant crap.

Not really arrogance, more like the truth. When Australia is gone the Ashes and Test Cricket will follow and English Cricket won't be too far behind too you'd imagine. Cricket in England is hardly on the greatest foundation its ever been on. What the hell would the ECB do without the hype machine that is the Ashes?

Nah, you're overstating your own importance. As long as there's some sort of competition in the game, the identities of the good nations at any one time doesn't matter (as long as one of England or India is competitive). The Ashes is always going to be the ultimate in Test cricket. It was still the big series for 18 years when Australia were brilliant and England were crap.

You could make an argument that it wasn't actually. By the late 90's the Ashes was a bit of a running joke in Australia and by the early 00's the Australian team would have considered winning in the subcontinent (India) a far bigger deal.

 

[Dan]

Well I hope your not referring to what I said here, cause I didn't say that. I said it's important for Australia to be competitive. I didn't respond to GF's post because I thought it was pretty basic as to why that's true, and it's pretty much along the lines of what you said above.

No, not your post at all - it was directed at the one Furball was quoting. I don't see Australia being competitive as any more important than India or Pakistan being competitive, however.

Like if we're being honest (no disrespect to other the nations), the world only really watches when the ashes are on. Like, the world cup is big, but if we're calling test cricket the ultimate, the Ashes is the ultimate of the ultimate. It is the original cricket contest. I have always found it hard on that level to imagine being a supporter of a nation besides Eng/Aus, because the game is unique in having an imbalance of occasion like that - and international players from all over have alluded to this many times before. They envy not being a part of that. And it's bloody stupid that the game is culturally slanted like this. It's like the FIFA world cup being limited to two sides. This is why a test championship could be the best thing to ever happen to the game. An unequivocally definitive contest. An actual world cup, not this limited overs substitute tosh. This has been far too long in coming.

The Ashes has always been the banner series in this sport, but aside from bizarrely alienating other sides, it has always relied on its participants being cricketing nations. Until just recently, they have been such. We're now for the first time seeing a seismic shift in the entire sporting landscape of one of them, which has a lot to do with the country being young and ever-developing. There is, however remote it may seem, a chance that cricket doesn't hold on as a big part of Aussie culture and the Ashes suffers as a global cultural cornerstone. Right now, that's a really bad thing for test cricket. Not because test cricket needs Australia, but because it needs the Ashes. The ICC has made a rod for its own back with this. I really hope the test championship comes around and is a roaring success so the game and evolve and become more inclusive culturally around, in my opinion, the only form of the game to write home about.

Nah, bull****. I reckon Indian fans care more about the India vs Australia and India vs England series. South African supporters probably care more about South Africa vs India than the Ashes.

Australia/England is the biggest event for Australian and English fans, and the sheer esteem it is held in by those fans means it is probably the 'biggest' series around. But that doesn't mean the entire world cares about it more than anything else. Cricket in Australia and England needs the Ashes (if Australia suddenly loses its entire cricketing culture and can't find a Test-standard XI, I can't see India/England picking up the romantic significance that draws in kids). But at the same time, the Ashes will continue to be big even if one nation is good and one is utter ****. We had no hope for much of the 1980s, but the Ashes survived. England were pathetic from 1989 through 2002/03, but the Ashes were still huge.

In terms of it being a global cultural cornerstone, I thoroughly disagree. 9 countries play Test cricket. 2 play in the Ashes. Your average cricket fan from a non-Ashes nation could not care less about the series. Not all fans of cricket are like CW posters.

 

[hendrix]

Not really arrogance, more like the truth. When Australia is gone the Ashes and Test Cricket will follow and English Cricket won't be too far behind too you'd imagine. Cricket in England is hardly on the greatest foundation its ever been on. What the hell would the ECB do without the hype machine that is the Ashes?

would point to sold out crowds to two t20s against NZ straight after an away and a home series against that country and the champion's trophy.

would also point to the barmy army selling out test grounds in Dunedin and Wellington.

That is literally on the opposite side of the world and probably the most expensive trip possible.

England-India matches?

The tropical paradise of the West Indies?

 

[Handsome Harry]

No argument from me there.....Siddle definitely well in front of Starc for mine.......Harry's on drugs!!

I am so!

I know Starc's not reliable yet and bowls a lot of four balls, but he bowls genuine wicket taking aggots too! New ball wickets will be crucial this series for the Aussies. We'll need Cook and Trott under pressure every innings. Short spells from Starc with someone tight at the other end is the go with him while he learns his craft.

 

[NUFAN]

You could make an argument that it wasn't actually. By the late 90's the Ashes was a bit of a running joke in Australia and by the early 00's the Australian team would have considered winning in the subcontinent (India) a far bigger deal.

I don't think Australia in England was ever a joke. For me the Ashes is Australia in England and is always special.

 

[_Ed_]

I'll still be at work when this starts. I've got the live scoring page in Cricinfo open already. Watching the countdown.

 

[Burgey]

Silly bugger Ed

I've got the kids at the SCG for the Swans' junior clinic. New grandstands coming along pretty well.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Hoping for a big game from the hearty Siddle and the Essex representatives. I'm presuming England didn't select Bopara for the lols, so I'll be backing Cook and Siddy.

 

[Adders]

I am so!

I know Starc's not reliable yet and bowls a lot of four balls, but he bowls genuine wicket taking aggots too! New ball wickets will be crucial this series for the Aussies. We'll need Cook and Trott under pressure every innings. Short spells from Starc with someone tight at the other end is the go with him while he learns his craft.

Well don't be greedy.....we like to share on here Harry!!

I know Starc is a wicket taker, but so are all of your other options......they won't serve up a 4 ball every over though which takes the pressure of the batsmen and allows them to treat his jaffas with the respect they deserve.

It's funny and has been mentioned on here before, so much talk about what bowlers should play but realistically that's not the Aussies issue, any of the 5 will do a job for you. What batsmen and what order should they play in should be the bigger talking point right now. Who is going to get you enough runs on the board so that your very good bowlers have something to work with??

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Granted, Australia have a bit of a flaky top order, but that lower order's pretty useful. Starc, Pattinson and Siddle can all bat reasonably well - certainly all capable of scoring 50s at test level, and then Lyon's no slouch at hanging around and causing a few palpitations. I expect a lower order bail-out at some point.

 

[Ruckus]

The really pressing pre-series question for me is whether Harry is indeed handsome or if its blatant false advertising.

 

[Handsome Harry]

Granted, Australia have a bit of a flaky top order, but that lower order's pretty useful. Starc, Pattinson and Siddle can all bat reasonably well - certainly all capable of scoring 50s at test level, and then Lyon's no slouch at hanging around and causing a few palpitations. I expect a lower order bail-out at some point.

I expect lower order bail outs from both sides. The Poms bat deep as well.

Well don't be greedy.....we like to share on here Harry!!

I know Starc is a wicket taker, but so are all of your other options......they won't serve up a 4 ball every over though which takes the pressure of the batsmen and allows them to treat his jaffas with the respect they deserve.

It's funny and has been mentioned on here before, so much talk about what bowlers should play but realistically that's not the Aussies issue, any of the 5 will do a job for you. What batsmen and what order should they play in should be the bigger talking point right now. Who is going to get you enough runs on the board so that your very good bowlers have something to work with??

Yep. Patto and any other two will do!

Your point about the bats is well taken and it's why I wouldn't be playing Cowman or Uzzie. Smith, Warner and Hughes aren't as steady but have bigger scoring upside I think.

 

[Handsome Harry]

The really pressing pre-series question for me is whether Harry is indeed handsome or if its blatant false advertising.

Ok. You got me. It's a lie.

But don't tell the vast multitude of women that I'm assuming hang out in cricket forums!

 

[Carn_the_pies]

I dont think that should be the bowling lineup

Don't think Starc and Siddle should be there TBH, I know Starc swings the ball but his form hasn't been as good as Bird and I still rate Harris and Patto our best bowlers.

 

[AlanJLegend]

5 minutes well spent imo.

 

[Ruckus]

Ok. You got me. It's a lie.

But don't tell the vast multitude of women that I'm assuming hang out in cricket forums!

Don't underestimate it, Burgey is quite the stunner

 

[Handsome Harry]

I dont think that should be the bowling lineup

Don't think Starc and Siddle should be there TBH, I know Starc swings the ball but his form hasn't been as good as Bird and I still rate Harris and Patto our best bowlers.

I reckon you're being a bit harsh on him Ceep. He's outbowled Bird in the two warm ups.
Cricket Records | Australia tour of England and Scotland, Jun-Sep 2013 | Records | First-class matches | Batting and bowling averages | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[Jono]

Like if we're being honest (no disrespect to other the nations), the world only really watches when the ashes are on.

LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Devoid of any factual basis at all.

 

[Jono]

It mostly is but at the junior level in particular, it's seriously dominant and sucking up huge swathes of the young athletic talent in this country.

I know it wasn't your overall point, but nevertheless AFL isn't "mostly" a Victorian thing. It is absolutely mammoth in WA and SA.

 

[Spikey]

It'll be interesting to find when exactly they decided on the team, or at least bowling attack. i wonder if it happened before the tour matches even began.