*Official* 1st Test at the SWALEC Stadium

[Spikey]

This batting order has been mediocre for so long now. Truly been exposed here.

(I should also be quoting NUFAN's big post earlier in the day here)

Darren Lehmann is on the record as saying he thinks you need an all-rounder in the team unless you have a Warne-like spinner, but i wonder if the good performance of Lyon here and the dismal batting performance could push them to drop Watson for SMarsh and just have four bowlers. Some were surprised Watson didn't bowl that much, but with Lyon bowling so well, the fifth bowler wasn't needed that much.

 

[Spark]

Smarsh at three might split up the best players?

Nah Smith has to stay at 3 now if he's going to bat there long term.

As for the #6, I've been pro-MMarsh for ages now so

 

[grecian]

Johnson against Moeen should be fun.

 

[Spikey]

Top four is fine. Five to seven is the problem - indeed, it's been the difference between the sides.

Should we restart the Clarke at #5 campaign?

well the other difference was Smith, Clarke and Voges all getting themselves out in the 30's in the first dig

 

[Son Of Coco]

This is the 11th of the 15 overseas test that Australia are going to lose under the captaincy of Clarke and people have the nerve to say he is some sort of amazing captain, its as overrated as his ability to play spin.

You're confusing captaincy with team performance. Or was Ponting a good captain with Warne etc in the team, and then a **** one without them?

 

[Spark]

well the other difference was Smith, Clarke and Voges all getting themselves out in the 30's in the first dig

yes yes okay don't ruin my point here

 

[social]

This batting order has been mediocre for so long now. Truly been exposed here.

Disagree

Warner, Rogers, Smith and Clarke are all fine players

Problem lies in the fact that they have persevered with Haddin and Watto for 2 years and are paying the penalty

E.g. if Haddin had caught Root, this game would be totally different

 

[Spikey]

yes yes okay don't ruin my point here

spark pls

 

[Spark]

Disagree

Warner, Rogers, Smith and Clarke are all fine players

Problem lies in the fact that they have persevered with Haddin and Watto for 2 years and are paying the penalty

E.g. if Haddin had caught Root, this game would be totally different

Or if we'd bowled with discipline after lunch on Day 1, or if Smith and Clarke hadn't gotten themselves out, or...

That's what happens with closely matched but brittle teams. One side wins the important moments, runs rampant.

 

[CaptainGrumpy]

Man of the match?

Joe Root? Moeen Ali? Brad Haddin?

 

[Spark]

Also, stop losing wickets immediately before major breaks in play, holy ****. Worst ****ing thing.

 

[fredfertang]

I do like Athers but he is right - it ain't going to be 5-0 now, well actually it may be, but 0-5 it won't

 

[Spark]

This is the 11th of the 15 overseas test that Australia are going to lose under the captaincy of Clarke and people have the nerve to say he is some sort of amazing captain, its as overrated as his ability to play spin.

yes captaincy is the only thing that matters in determining a result

 

[Johnners]

A work in progress, someone who is more creative/familiar with Moeens game to modify.

Moeen, Moeen, Moeen, Moeen,
We're begging of you please don't take our man
Moeen, Moeen, Moeen, Moeen,
Please don't take him just because you can
Your beard is beyond compare
With thick and supple jet black hair
With wispiness the best we've ever seen

Your action is a breath of spring
Your stance is smooth like summer rain
And we cannot compete with you, Moeen

They talk 'bout you cross the land
There's magic comes from that right hand
We'll never forget the name, Moeen

And we can easily understand
How you could easily take our man
But you don't know what he means to us, Moeen

Moeen, Moeen, Moeen, Moeen,
We're begging of you please don't take our man
Moeen, Moeen, Moeen, Moeen,
Please don't take him just because you can
Your beard is beyond compare
With thick and supple jet black hair
With a wispiness the best we've ever seen

Seems an appropriate time to bring this up again.

Can **** right off if you get Johnson out, Moeen.

 

[Son Of Coco]

I'm waiting for the scandal to break whereby the entire Australian team and staff have secretly pre-bought tickets to the mens and ladies doubles finals at Wimbledon this afternoon.

 

[Burner]

Will be nice to see Watson hit a century here, and then get left stranded just for all the ****s and giggles..

 

[social]

Or if we'd bowled with discipline after lunch on Day 1, or if Smith and Clarke hadn't gotten themselves out, or...

That's what happens with closely matched but brittle teams. One side wins the important moments, runs rampant.

Oz didn't bowl well but had no luck

Haddin cost us 130 in what was always going to be a low scoring match

Bar 1 series, his batting has been **** for 4 years and he should be punted now

 

[TheJediBrah]

Maybe the conditons, pitch, ball home advantage, whatever helped England this game, but we've been simply outplayed with bat and ball.

Thoroughly disappointing. Can't see us coming back from this to retain the Ashes if the rest of the venues are similarly slow and sticky. Watson and Haddin are ****, If Starc's hurt and with Harris gone our bowling looks ordinary all of a sudden and who have we got to replace? Hard to expect the likes of Marsh brothers or Nevill, Siddle or Cummins to do any better.

Hope we can regroup. Maybe do a reverse of 2005, where England were thoroughly outplayed in the 1st test but still won the series.

You're confusing captaincy with team performance. Or was Ponting a good captain with Warne etc in the team, and then a **** one without them?

Don't respond seriously to stupid posts imo

 

[Howe_zat]

Man of the match?

Joe Root? Moeen Ali? Brad Haddin?

If 'key moments' are the measure then it's Moeen's. But Root will get it.

 

[GIMH]

yes captaincy is the only thing that matters in determining a result

Bit of a straw man though this, isn't it?

He's the Australia captain. Not like he's the captain of Bangladesh.