*Official* Fifth Test at The Oval

[Top_Cat]

The 3rd gear thing is particularly dumb because it's been used against England before. When England won in 2005, many parochial fans blatantly tried to minimise the ego damage using, effectively, the 3rd gear defence. It absolutely fails; of the Aussie top-7, only Matt Hayden could legitimately claim he came into the series under a form cloud. All others were in spanking form and had a huge lead-up to the first Test.

It was just top-level cricket; all of the weakness we knew the Aussie bats had but noone had been good enough to exploit were exposed. Of the bowling, the all-time greats performed like all-time greats and those a level or more below suffered. It's ****ing asinine to claim the Aussies were anything other than out-gunned and similarly those who've failed in this series.

 

[hendrix]

Some people get a bit out of control with there spelling.

this is deliberately inflammatory. ban please.

 

[Maximas]

I'm posting at school and trying to avoid the 1 minute updates on the DyKnow software which teachers keep an eye on so they don't have to manually check our laptop screens to see what we are doing, if I **** up, but it is still easily readable, I'm not going to care

 

[Son Of Coco]

After checking that you've spelt both 'deliberately' and ''inflammatory' correct I now consider this a serious post.

 

[91Jmay]

I was only joking, chilleth thy self. I wouldn't mind Cook being banned actually for a few of the ODIs, would send out the right message.

 

[Maximas]

I was only joking, chilleth thy self. I wouldn't mind Cook being banned actually for a few of the ODIs, would send out the right message.

that would piss me off even more tbh

 

[91Jmay]

Why?

 

[Maximas]

because

1. it's not the format the atrocity was committed in and
2. it is not really a punishment at all, ban him for an ashes test or 2 to show you are actually serious about cracking down on over rates

 

[GotSpin]

**** it gives me the ****s when a captain slows down the overrates on purpose. Cheating everyone

 

[Son Of Coco]

Cook's idea of 'captaincy' involves keeping a coin in his pocket and flipping it when he has to decide between slowing down the over rate or pushing the field back.

 

[Spikey]

Smith: It was an unbelievable feeling - YouTube

 

[NUFAN]

I was thinking about this last night, the brand of Cricket that Australia has played throughout the series has been pleasing. Even if I was a neutral I think throughout the series I would say that I've been entertained more by Australia.. End of the day though, I would much rather be clinical and win Test matches so full credit to England who have been so impressive in their ability to always find a way to win/draw.

 

[Spark]

Sambit Bal seems to make a similar point:

This Ashes will be remembered for lots of things you would rather not remember. The fall-out of David Warner punching Root (although that began in the Champions Trophy), poor umpiring, the malfunctioning of the DRS, the controversy over Broad's not walking, and Australia's bizarre selections. But oddly, or perhaps inevitably, the more compelling stories have come from the losers. Ashton Agar's unlikely and dramatic debut; the twisting narrative of Shane Watson; Chris Rogers' maiden hundred at 35; and, who would have thought it, a hundred from Steven Smith, brought up with a six for effect.

 

[NUFAN]

Ah so he has, I hadn't read that yet. Its why I feel much better about our performance here compared to India where the scoreline was quite similar. Only probably Henriques on debut was a good story there.

BTW, it looks so much more healthier seeing our top 5 all averaging above 35 in their careers. Yes, its only 35 but it looks so much more healthier than when you saw Hughes, Khawaja, Cowan and previously Smith quite comfortably below that mark.

 

[Ruckus]

I was thinking about this last night, the brand of Cricket that Australia has played throughout the series has been pleasing. Even if I was a neutral I think throughout the series I would say that I've been entertained more by Australia.. End of the day though, I would much rather be clinical and win Test matches so full credit to England who have been so impressive in their ability to always find a way to win/draw.

I think tests involving Australia are the most entertaining to watch out of any teams in the world. And that's, as you said, thanks to the brand of cricket Australia plays. SA a fairly close second though. Eng right down in the toilet bowl as far as that's concerned.

 

[Arachnodouche]

I was thinking about this last night, the brand of Cricket that Australia has played throughout the series has been pleasing. Even if I was a neutral I think throughout the series I would say that I've been entertained more by Australia.. End of the day though, I would much rather be clinical and win Test matches so full credit to England who have been so impressive in their ability to always find a way to win/draw.

Very true. I was rooting for Aus as a neutral and it makes it all the more frustrating that with just a little more application and some fair weather, they could've been 3-1 going into this Test. Not to detract from England who've cashed in whenever they could as all good teams should but a 3-0 scoreline flatters them and papers over some pretty glaring shortcomings.

 

[Burgey]

That backfoot drive Smitteh is playing which has been gif'ed really is such a great shot to watch. It was one guys like Richie Rich and Viv used to play so well. Just a ****ing awesome shot when it's executed well.

 

[dermo]

boof to comment

 

[GIMH]

Cook's idea of 'captaincy' involves keeping a coin in his pocket and flipping it when he has to decide between slowing down the over rate or pushing the field back.

This is an awful post.

 

[Son Of Coco]

This is an awful post.

Nah, fairly close to the truth in my opinion. He's not exactly imaginative.