*Official* Ashes Series Thread

[Rik]

Originally posted by Choora


Read this!

Hussain looks dejected after being bowled

Former Australian fast bowler Merv Hughes has called for England skipper Nasser Hussain to be immediately replaced after the tourists crashed to an innings defeat at Adelaide.

Hughes accused Hussain of "giving up" as Australia went 2-0 up in the Ashes series and urged England's selectors to find a new captain before next week's third Test in Perth.

"Nasser Hussain has fired all his shots and he is firing blanks.

"The England selectors would do well to think of a new England captain for Perth," Hughes told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek.
"In my mind, he just gave up. His field placings were as if he had a complete lack of interest of what was going on.

"They had no plan formulated to get Australian wickets and the Australian batsmen could do what they liked."

You know, you get this "advise" from the Aussie former players and press and since it doesn't actually help I just ignore it and feel sorry for them that they can't just keep their traps shut! I mean what good would it be to a team if their captain was replaced? Shut Up Merv you've just taken away from the Spirit of Cricket again. And Mr. Chappell I'm sorry but any Aussie would have stood their ground so your complaint about Vaughan standing and taking away from the Spirit of Cricket is a bit 2 faced and yet again is something which didn't need to be said but him being a former Aussie player he just had to say it.

 

[The Argonaut]

Time for the post-test critique.

Australia
Hayden - had a relative failure with bat and still got 48, ****y dismissal.

Langer - needs to turn those 30s and 40s into bigger scores. Will be under pressure unless he does so. Took a great catch but let's face it he wouldn't have walked so he can't complain.

Ponting - classy, suddenly has shown more maturity with his batting

Martyn - unfortunate 95

Waugh - progressing, shouldn't worry about low score of 34, was looking for quick runs. Captaincy still top notch. Insulting of Hussain to give Ponting the single so easily, had given up on getting Ponting out long before.

Lehmann - needs a big score and soon

Gilchrist - solid test match

Warne - still great but bowls around the wicket too much. Should be using his slider from over the wicket

Bichel - in danger of missing out in Perth, bowled well and got a good score batting. Just can't imagine an English no.9 getting 48 runs for the series let alone an innings.

Gillespie - very effective, turned the game with his spell early on day two.

McGrath - superb catch and great bowling to boot. English batsmen need to learn from the Kiwis and leave more balls outside off stump early in their innings.

England

Vaughan - the only guy that would make the Australian side. Playing extremely well. Shook off an early worry to play a classy innings. Too bad he got out to the last ball on day 1 because it was game over after that. Typical that McGrath had to take the calssic catch against the best batsman.

Trescothick - needs to find some confidence. The one day matches can't come soon enough.

Butcher - forgettable match for him, probably still got his headache

Hussain - looking flustered, didn't know whether to attack or defend during the Aussie innings. Bowlers haven't backed up his field placings either. Batting confidently but needs to go on to get a decent score.

Key - outclassed unfortunately

Stewart - needs to be selected as a batsman only. Should have swallowed the 2 chances that came his way on day 2. Couldn't believe he didn't get a glove on the one off Harmison. Must retire after the World Cup. Keeping is certainly not test class.

White - bowled with fight but batting seriously lacking. The shot in the second innings was woeful.

Dawson - didn't look to bad but looks to be a containing bowler and lacked penetration.

Caddick - back spasms wouldn't have helped his efforts. The Aussies still have his measure. May be a blessing that he misses out in Perth.

Hoggard - finally got his first wicket of the series. Bowled well in patches but not consistent enough.

Harmison - showed some good raw quality. Dropped catches didn't help his figures. Will do well on Perth.

That about does it. Where does England go from here. A couple of changes to be made (some forced). My 3rd test team would be:

Vaughan, Trescothick, Butcher, Hussain, Crawley, Stewart, White, DAwson, Tudor, Hoggard, Harmison

 

[Rik]

"Bichel - in danger of missing out in Perth, bowled well and got a good score batting. Just can't imagine an English no.9 getting 48 runs for the series let alone an innings."

Not that long ago Caddick got 49* off the Aussies at Edgebaston...:

 

[anzac]

Well said The Argonaut - basically total agreement from this end.

All Aussie opponents should use the Kiwi batting game plan re balls outside off stump in Test matches. The longer you can occupy the crease the more the Aussies lack a 5th bowling option. If you can post a decent total then their batsmen may need to force their shots a bit earlier. If you have a game plan to get them out & your bowlers bowl to their fields and catches are held you may be in with a shot.!!!!

(Mind you that's a lot of 'if's)

I still think the English bowlers will tend to bowl too short at Perth - and the pitches don't have the same pace or bounce as they used to!!!!

 

[Tim]

Agreed.

Who cares if you're 40/0 at lunch because you've left McGrath too many times.
You can tell that he gets frustrated after awhile & so he starts to bring it back into you allowing the batsman to play some scoring shots.

NZ didn't always do it perfectly. But Perth was an extremely good example of how to handle the Australian bowlers.

 

[marc71178]

Not that long ago Caddick got 49* off the Aussies at Edgebaston...:

But that wasn't at 9!

 

[marc71178]

Good point re Stewart as a batsman - but Foster is just as bad at keeping!

Bring in Read as Jack's too old now!

 

[chris.hinton]

I think the team should be for the third test is:-


Trecothick
Vaughan
Butcher
Hussain
Stewart
Foster (Wk)
Key
White
Tudor
Dawson
Harminson


I will drop Hoggard as he has lost his Confidence, Key should get another chance but should bat 7, Stewart should play as a batsman, and bring in james Foster ,

I will also call up Chris Scohfield and not PaulCollingwood or Gareth batty

Scohfield could add a lot to the batting and bowls leg-spin so i think he should be called up

 

[Gotchya]

Drop Hoggard ? that wouldn't do his confidence any good either.

 

[chris.hinton]

But plaing him will damage it futher

 

[Rik]

Stewart is not a bad keeper at all and I have no clue why they have brought Foster along as he can't catch and that's criminal for a keeper. What about bringing Tudor in for Caddick and Silverwood for Hoggard? The Kookaburra ball doesn't suit Hoggard's style, its just not his series.

Also England were just not destined to win this series, I mean half the team is injured and then McGrath takes a catch like that...then you know the Gods are just not with you.

 

[Bazza]

Originally posted by marc71178But that wasn't at 9!

No, he was at 11 wasn't he? Or maybe it was 10? Yes 10. I think...

I agree about Read, but it won't happen until after the World Cup, and even then they'll probably pick Foster! :rolleyes:

To Chris, IF Foster does play, he certainly won't bat higher than Key, and it would just be a waste anyway because he's a worse keeper than Stewie and a worse batsman than whoever you drop, so what would be the point? We're trying to improve the team not make it worse!! :rolleyes:

Same with the endless Schofield pushing. He ain't gonna get near England until he starts bowling well for Lancs (and this is not an invitation to start arguing about how the young leg spinners in England are being supressed or something! :rolleyes: )

PS: Paul Collingwood has already been called up as cover because he is playing grade cricket in AUS and the management are concerned over Vaughan and Crawley (unless I'm mistaken we have like 5 or 6 FULLY fit players left right?)

 

[chris.hinton]

Originally posted by Bazzaroodoo

Same with the endless Schofield pushing. He ain't gonna get near England until he starts bowling well for Lancs (and this is not an invitation to start arguing about how the young leg spinners in England are being supressed or something! :rolleyes: )

Schofield needs his Chance, England need to Encourage Leg spinners and do not roll eyes over my statements about leg spin in the Last few weeks, it is true and English cricket is a Mess. I know a lot of it and see what happening

 

[Rik]

Originally posted by Bazzaroodoo

Originally posted by marc71178But that wasn't at 9!

No, he was at 11 wasn't he? Or maybe it was 10? Yes 10. I think...

11 actually, he was injured too.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Originally posted by chris.hinton
Schofield needs his Chance, England need to Encourage Leg spinners and do not roll eyes over my statements about leg spin in the Last few weeks, it is true and English cricket is a Mess. I know a lot of it and see what happening.

This is a pathetically simplistic argument. Half-baked Leg spin wouldn't solve anything - it would just get carted by the best batsmen in the world. The whole mentality is the issue.

Selecting Foster to keep wicket while keeping Stewart in the side with their batting 5 and 6 is lunacy and then to have Key at 7 is worse still. Chris Read should play in SA and be our regular next Summer with Foster as backup (If I remember rightly, he's the only keeper to stump Tendulkar in ODI. Or something).

Dropping Hoggard.. interesting issue. He's one of the few fully fit players we have, it's not an option.

As for Collingwood... this was a perfect chance for an Academy batsman, not a, erm... what's Collingwood?! I wouldn't pick him to bat or bowl so Australia will most likely murder either discipline..

 

[Rik]

"Foster as backup (If I remember rightly, he's the only keeper to stump Tendulkar in ODI. Or something)."

In a test I think I. I doubt it was in a ODI.

 

[Anil]

It has been a spineless display in the last 2 tests. Why don't they atleast put up a fight? If they play with half the discipline of the Aussies, they can make this a better contest.

Hussain formulated some grand plan to snare Hayden and succeeded partially, now I guess he and Fletcher will chart out similar plans for Ponting for Perth.

That will be the signal for Langer, Martyn, Waugh & Gilchrist to shine, I suppose.

 

[marc71178]

Key should get another chance but should bat 7

OK, but not if Foster is at 6 - that'd be a complete waste of both players!

 

[marc71178]

Scohfield could add a lot to the batting and bowls leg-spin so i think he should be called up

What do you base his batting on, and you don't just call him up because he can bowl leg-spin, he needs to be good at it as well!

 

[Rik]

Originally posted by anilramavarma
It has been a spineless display in the last 2 tests. Why don't they atleast put up a fight? If they play with half the discipline of the Aussies, they can make this a better contest.

Hussain formulated some grand plan to snare Hayden and succeeded partially, now I guess he and Fletcher will chart out similar plans for Ponting for Perth.

That will be the signal for Langer, Martyn, Waugh & Gilchrist to shine, I suppose.

Let's see how you would do any better with half your squad missing...