***Official*** 4th Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

[pasag]

Amazing stuff, completely obliterated England in the end there. Sad that Warne didn't get his 50, such a champion though, real class to get off Hayden and Symonds shoulders and walk off hand in hand with McGrath.

Bowling all round was excellent, awesomeness tbh.

Took a heap of pics, will post shortly. Also have a vid of Warne leaving the MCG for the last time as a cricketer.

 

[Slow Love™]

Clark bowled BEAUTIFULLY today. Just magnificent. Bugger the figures, I would have just about handed him the MOTM award.

It was funny to see both England and Australia not bother to appeal a couple of times for raps on the pads that looked pretty close. I don't know what the hell was going on this test as far as Rudi and Dar are concerned, and I can't help wondering if a poor performance like that has any impact whatsoever on their regular evaluations. Sadly, I suspect it doesn't, but it was quite bad, IMO.

4-0 down now - does anybody have any hope at all that England can pick up a test or draw it at Sydney? Almost certainly headed for a record loss, I think. I didn't expect them to do that well coming in, but it's been even worse than I thought. A shocking disappointment after the last contest.

Great stuff from Warney today, though I'd agree that he might be at risk of disciplinary action. Really overdid it towards Dar.

 

[Jono]

Was at the game today, the Barmy Army were great. The atmosphere at the 'G' was already awesome, and then when the Barmy Army started singing, particularly in the 1st session, it was brilliant. When they start their 'Barmy Army' chant, not only are they clapping, but the whole stadium of English fans join in. Its amazing.

The only other time I was at a test match involving England was the 2002 Boxing Day test and I was in a corp. box then so the atmosphere is quite different.

Enjoyed today's play, even if England were quite pitiful.

 

[GIMH]

What a shocker.

Well done Aus.

Must admit, even I had goosebumps watching Warne bow to the crowd

 

[Craig]

If England any better then lose then it would be considered a good comeback. I think if England win the toss and to do the obvious in batting first in Sydney and they have a similar first two days in Adelaide I don't know if Flintoff would be keen to declare, I guess he would bat for as long as he could just to piss the Australians off and lessen the chances of being done 5-0.

I guess the other way they could look at it, is it is 2007 and 2006 is been and gone and it it is the start of a new year year and a much better one and what good way would be to avoid defeat in Sydney?

I don't know really. I guess I'm the eternal optimist.

 

[GotSpin]

Was at the game today, the Barmy Army were great. The atmosphere at the 'G' was already awesome, and then when the Barmy Army started singing, particularly in the 1st session, it was brilliant. When they start their 'Barmy Army' chant, not only are they clapping, but the whole stadium of English fans join in. Its amazing.

The only other time I was at a test match involving England was the 2002 Boxing Day test and I was in a corp. box then so the atmosphere is quite different.

Enjoyed today's play, even if England were quite pitiful.

The Barmy Army sounded awesome. If i was English I'd defaintly join.

 

[howardj]

Weird that Warney didn't do a lap of honour.

I'm sure the fans at the ground must have been a little miffed and disappointed by that.

 

[PhoenixFire]

I just despair, I really do. The only thing I can think to blame in out defence is that Koertzen had a shocker, Bell wasn't out imo.

 

[social]

What on earth are you on about?

Sachin bullied Rauf into checking the light - nothing wrong with it (most senior players do it as a matter of course) but to see an umpire roll over so easily in the face of a comment or two, legend or not, is representative of how bad umpiring standards are at present.

 

[social]

Interesting to listen to Taylor Chappell and Greig critique Eng's bowling plans - in a word, all agreed they were crap anyway

 

[Son Of Coco]

I just despair, I really do. The only thing I can think to blame in out defence is that Koertzen had a shocker, Bell wasn't out imo.

To be honest, I think that was the least of your problems

 

[PhoenixFire]

It was meant as toungue in cheek..................

To be fair, I think we bowled pretty well; it was the **** batting that let us down.

 

[Son Of Coco]

It was meant as toungue in cheek..................

To be fair, I think we bowled pretty well; it was the **** batting that let us down.

And the field placements...

 

[GotSpin]

England should be embarassed. Losing by an innings

 

[PhoenixFire]

And Australia were well below their best too...........

 

[Son Of Coco]

And Australia were well below their best too...........

 

[GotSpin]

Australia took it easy on them.

 

[howardj]

Interesting to listen to Taylor Chappell and Greig critique Eng's bowling plans - in a word, all agreed they were crap anyway

If guys like Warne and McGrath (and even Stuart Clark this summer) have proven anything with bowling, it is that being 'boring' is good. Just put it on a good line and length, and keep doing it. Don't, like Brett Lee is often guilty of and even Saj Mahmood to a degree in this match, be bored by it.

 

[GotSpin]

How can you find Warne boring?

 

[howardj]

Boring in terms of the spot they hit on the pitch (i.e. they're boringly accurate)