Michael Vaughan's captaincy

[Gaijin-san]

I had good fun reading that.

 

[Ford_GTHO351]

Ashes 2014/15 - Fifth Test - SCG - Series tied at 2-2

Australia 371
Clarke 121
Harmison 5/113

England 232
Cook 71, Bridgforth 52
Hoitink 4/77

Australia 330
Kremerskothen 82
Harmison 7/109

Last over of day 5...

End of over 136 (11 runs) England 449/9 (trail by 20 runs)
SG Howman 28-8-114-1 - Paddington End
DR Bridgforth 166* (229b 22x4 3x6) NS Pickup 91* (68b 13x4, 4x6)

So one over left in this pulsating series, England need 21 to win the Test and regain the Ashes whilst Australia need one wicket to win the Test or a draw to maintain the urn. Aussie skipper Scott Kremerskothen forces everyone back onto the ropes. It's 26-year-old seamer Dave Hoitink to bowl it, with 22-year old batsman David Bridgforth facing, and rabbit leggie Neil Pickup at the other end, who has somehow made 91* in a festival of bat-swinging reminding older viewers of ex-Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, the Test record holder with 783 wickets.

136.1 Hoitink to Bridgforth, FOUR, tries to unnerve the youngster with a bit of short stuff, not a chance, cracking pull shot through midwicket
136.2 Hoitink to Bridgforth, no run, jaffa, beats the Leicestershire batsman all ends up, too good to get an outside edge though
136.3 Hoitink to Bridgforth, FOUR, oh dear, rank half volley on Bridgforth's pads, whipped away, deep backward square has no chance
136.4 Hoitink to Bridgforth, three runs, mixed blessings for England, Bridgey creams Hoitink through the covers but Clarke makes a fine stop on the rope and England have to settle for three, Pickup facing
136.5 Hoitink to Pickup, FOUR, despair for Hoitink, Pickup didn't even see that, blockhole yorker which flicks the outside edge of the stationary bat and goes for four behind the keeper
136.6 Hoitink to Pickup, SIX, incredible! Pickup closes his eyes, swings, Hoitink's slower ball gets middled and flies out of the stadium and into the centre of Sydney.

The SCG falls into a stunned silence as the two batsmen embrace and the silence is replaced by the raucous singing of the Barmy Army. Hoitink sits, head in hands, in tears, as beer cans rain down onto the Australian players, England have won the Ashes, and Dave Hoitink's Public Enemy Number One

End of over 137 (21 runs) England 470/9
D Hoitink 39-6-188-6 - Randwick End
DR Bridgforth 177* (233b 24x4 3x6) NS Pickup 101* (70b 14x4, 5x6)

England 470-9
Bridgforth 177*, Pickup 101*
Hoitink 6/188

England win by one wicket

Yes, I do need to get out more.

Gees you must of had a very long dream

 

[Ford_GTHO351]

Well I reckon that Vaughan needs to be given more time before we could ask questions on if he is able to captain and maintain a good run of form with the bat at the same time.

 

[marc71178]

Listening to it today, he was handling the bowlers very well - not letting them settle, and often the change was met with a wicket.

 

[luckyeddie]

Ah Rikki Clarke.

I predict 5000 Test runs and 200 Test scalps for Rikki :wow: :saint: :P :P

Well, 95% of the people on CW a year ago (and probably still 90% just 6 months ago) thought that Steve Wayward-Harmison wasn't worth his place in the England side. A few of us thought otherwise, but no-one's going overboard (apart from Bob Willis who, to his credit, has turned full circle).

I first saw Rikki Clarke play about 3 years ago and he IMMEDIATELY reminded me of Andrew Flintoff, but seeing as Flintoff was perpetually under-achieving that's not saying a lot.

I do think that Clarke has future in the England side - I wouldn't go as far as predicting a number of wickets or runs in his career, but in another year I reckon he'll be more-or-less a regular in the test side, but an absolute shoo-in for the ODI team, in much the same way as Jonty was originally - his fielding is worth 10-15 runs alone.

 

[Tim]

Harmison will have to do more than just take wickets against the woeful West Indies to prove to me that he is a good test bowler.

 

[marc71178]

Harmison will have to do more than just take wickets against the woeful West Indies to prove to me that he is a good test bowler.

I wonder if you'd be saying that if he were a New Zealander...

He hasn't "just" taken wickets against the West Indies incidentally - his last 4 Test Matches have featured extremely good spells in one or other innings.

He has 57 wickets at 24.36 when at times he's had to bowl on absolute roads.

I suppose you'll be telling us that he'd struggle to make the Kiwi attack next.

 

[Tim]

Have I been getting carried away about Chris Martin taking 11 wickets against South Africa? nope...

 

[Tim]

And if the boot was on the other foot, Marc. Im sure if Chris Martin had done exactly what Harmison did in the West Indies you'd be telling me the exact same thing of course.

 

[aussiefan]

In My opinion Micheal Vaughan is the best man

 

[Craig]

And if the boot was on the other foot, Marc. Im sure if Chris Martin had done exactly what Harmison did in the West Indies you'd be telling me the exact same thing of course.

I would agree with you there.

 

[marc71178]

And if the boot was on the other foot, Marc. Im sure if Chris Martin had done exactly what Harmison did in the West Indies you'd be telling me the exact same thing of course.

Has Chris Martin been the subject of such a level of negativity from a lot of quarters about his playing throughout his career but the selectors stuck with him, and are now getting the rewards?

I don't think so.

Harmison has had that, but hard work now means he is taking wickets regularly and bowling well.

I also dispute this "only done it" against the West Indies, or have you not been following his career.

 

[Craig]

Well, 95% of the people on CW a year ago (and probably still 90% just 6 months ago) thought that Steve Wayward-Harmison wasn't worth his place in the England side. A few of us thought otherwise, but no-one's going overboard (apart from Bob Willis who, to his credit, has turned full circle).

I first saw Rikki Clarke play about 3 years ago and he IMMEDIATELY reminded me of Andrew Flintoff, but seeing as Flintoff was perpetually under-achieving that's not saying a lot.

I do think that Clarke has future in the England side - I wouldn't go as far as predicting a number of wickets or runs in his career, but in another year I reckon he'll be more-or-less a regular in the test side, but an absolute shoo-in for the ODI team, in much the same way as Jonty was originally - his fielding is worth 10-15 runs alone.

I dont think Rikki isnt as bad as what people make him out to be.

Me and David spoke about this on MSN and he came up with the conclusion that if he was to leave Surrey, he would go to Worcestershire, Somerset or Gloucestershire.

 

[Andre]

I dont think Rikki isnt as bad as what people make him out to be.

Me and David spoke about this on MSN and he came up with the conclusion that if he was to leave Surrey, he would go to Worcestershire, Somerset or Gloucestershire.

Or any of the 14 other counties.... Or even Scotland....

 

[Craig]

He might want to be play regularly Division 1 and there is the added issue of cash as well.

I dont know whether or not if you play div 1 it helps your cause or not to get into the England setup.

 

[marc71178]

I dont know whether or not if you play div 1 it helps your cause or not to get into the England setup.

There needs to be an opening in the side first, and for now he's definitely behind Collingwood, seemingly behind Strauss and in 6 months time will be behing Pietersen...

 

[Craig]

Strauss should be picked - if he does solely as an opener? He opens for Middlesex does he not?

How long can we expect Collingwood to come into the Test team on a perminate basis?

 

[luckyeddie]

I dont think Rikki isnt as bad as what people make him out to be.

Me and David spoke about this on MSN and he came up with the conclusion that if he was to leave Surrey, he would go to Worcestershire, Somerset or Gloucestershire.

It's probably Neil and myself who are to blame for some of the ill-feeling towards RC, when a couple of years ago the immense London-based press juggernaut got rolling with their 'Snotty-nosed, spotty Rikki Clarke (Surrey) could soon be forcing his way into the England test team.......'

... and we said "Oi! London-based press juggernaut...... NO!" or something along those lines, because we are both highly intelligent, skilled communicators.

The inference was that 'he will only get picked because he is from Surrey'. Well, he is now a useful batsman whose bowling has improved out of all proportion, but his major asset at present is that he is the best backward point fielder in England by a mile. I would have no problems with him being selected for the first ODI, then take it from there.

 

[raju]

Me and David spoke about this on MSN and he came up with the conclusion that if he was to leave Surrey, he would go to Worcestershire, Somerset or Gloucestershire.

On what basis do you 2 think he will go there?
Warks and Lanky are more likely to sign him IMO as they have more money. Being a possible England player may put them off though as centrally contracted players are turning out infrequently for the counties.

 

[Craig]

You mean David did.

It was him that came up with that conclusion. I guess it was to do with batting spots. I'm not too sure.