*Official* Ashes Series Thread

[marc71178]

I thought Vaughan was hit by the bowl, causing the shoulder injury?

 

[anzac]

so Lee is in again - no big surprise as it was totally expected...

since an earlier post of mine I have heard reports that they have supposedly got the WACCA pitch back to the sort of pace & bounce it used to have - so even more reason for Lee to bowl as he supposedly has good stats there.......

re the earlier point re teams batting first & not doing well - I think this has more to do with not being able to make the necessary adjustments to batting there & getting into trouble early in the 1st innings. This then allows the fielding team to have had a look at the pitch and have a better game plan for their innings.

The Aussies don't seem to mind which way the toss goes (unless there are some real demons / weather involved), as more often than not their opposition don't handle batting or bowling on these wickets.

NZ's last performance there was probably one of the best I've seen in a while, as they not only had a game plan for the Aussies, but also for the pitch when both batting and bowling.

While I agree that England have had a bad run of injuries, I think this has been over done in regards to England's performances to date.....NZ was in the middle of a similar crisis when they came here, and they dropped Bell thru loss of form & debued Vincent & Bond at Perth - and look at the performance the team came up with.....

It's about time the English team showed the same sort of grit - if the Kiwi's can do it to hold their heads up after their series here, then there is no reason why England should not be able to ressurect their series with their domestic game & resources......

IMO the real 'test' in Test cricket at the moment is how well you play V Australia - both at Home & Away. Currently the teams that can hold their heads up are India & Sri Lanka at Home & NZ in Oz. The rest are hiding in their shadow. It's time England made up their minds - do they want to stand in the light, or walk in the shadows??????

:ticking:

 

[chris.hinton]

re the all-conquering Australians dynasty makers?
David Wiseman - 26 November 2002

The Dutch coined "Total Football" in the 1970's where they believed that there were no positions on the field. Every player should be able to both attack and defend.

Steve Waugh and his Australian side have just about perfected "Total Cricket". The bowlers can bat and do what is needed if the top order fail.

In days gone by, you put your best fielders in the covers and the slips and that was about it. All the Australians are incredible fielders, have great throwing arms and hit the stumps more often that not.

The Australians are incredibly adept at converting the half chances into wickets. It can be ridiculous catches like Matthew Hayden's at the Gabba. Amazing run outs like Adam Gilchrist's at the Gabba. Or just moments of sheer brilliance and artistry such as Glenn McGrath's classical catch at the Adelaide Oval.

But that's what the better sides do. It's no coincidence that the team on top has all the luck. They try harder and manufacture their own luck.



Darren Lehmann commented after the recent SA-NSW match that it was the best four-day game he had played in, for a while. Imran Khan stated that a NSW-QLD game he participated in, in the mid '80's was more intense than some Test matches he played in.

Overseas players are spending their time in Australian grade cricket, not inter-state cricket. Australian state players are going over to county cricket and breaking records as if they are going out of fashion. What does that tell you?

Martin Love is an interesting case in point. A run scoring machine for Durham, he has batted twice against England this summer, both times scoring double centuries. In the Pura Cup though, he has scores of 27, 56*, 20, 37 and 0.

Ricky Ponting is in an incredible vein of form 85.5 in the last series against Pakistan and 93.33 in the series to date against England. This would suggest he is the rarest of touches. Why is it then that in the midst of this purple patch he could only manage scores of 7 and 0 against Queensland in a Pura Cup game between the first and second Ashes Tests?

Shane Warne's numbers are considerably better for Australia than for Victoria. His bowling average for Victoria in the Pura Cup is 36.22 and his bowling average for Australia in Test matches is 25.65. Adam Gilchrist averages 38.97 in Pura Cup batting but 58.43 in Test matches.

Is the answer that the Australian players are less intimidated by the Warnes and Gilchrists then their international opposition is?

Six states means just 66 first-class cricketers and most of those seem to be better cricketers than the English. Eighteen counties equates to 198 first-class cricketers and while a fair few of the 198 are foreigners, surely they must be capable of producing 11 good ones?

re the all-conquering Australians dynasty makers?
David Wiseman - 26 November 2002

The Dutch coined "Total Football" in the 1970's where they believed that there were no positions on the field. Every player should be able to both attack and defend.

Steve Waugh and his Australian side have just about perfected "Total Cricket". The bowlers can bat and do what is needed if the top order fail.

In days gone by, you put your best fielders in the covers and the slips and that was about it. All the Australians are incredible fielders, have great throwing arms and hit the stumps more often that not.

The Australians are incredibly adept at converting the half chances into wickets. It can be ridiculous catches like Matthew Hayden's at the Gabba. Amazing run outs like Adam Gilchrist's at the Gabba. Or just moments of sheer brilliance and artistry such as Glenn McGrath's classical catch at the Adelaide Oval.

But that's what the better sides do. It's no coincidence that the team on top has all the luck. They try harder and manufacture their own luck.



Darren Lehmann commented after the recent SA-NSW match that it was the best four-day game he had played in, for a while. Imran Khan stated that a NSW-QLD game he participated in, in the mid '80's was more intense than some Test matches he played in.

Overseas players are spending their time in Australian grade cricket, not inter-state cricket. Australian state players are going over to county cricket and breaking records as if they are going out of fashion. What does that tell you?

Martin Love is an interesting case in point. A run scoring machine for Durham, he has batted twice against England this summer, both times scoring double centuries. In the Pura Cup though, he has scores of 27, 56*, 20, 37 and 0.

Ricky Ponting is in an incredible vein of form 85.5 in the last series against Pakistan and 93.33 in the series to date against England. This would suggest he is the rarest of touches. Why is it then that in the midst of this purple patch he could only manage scores of 7 and 0 against Queensland in a Pura Cup game between the first and second Ashes Tests?

Shane Warne's numbers are considerably better for Australia than for Victoria. His bowling average for Victoria in the Pura Cup is 36.22 and his bowling average for Australia in Test matches is 25.65. Adam Gilchrist averages 38.97 in Pura Cup batting but 58.43 in Test matches.

Is the answer that the Australian players are less intimidated by the Warnes and Gilchrists then their international opposition is?

Six states means just 66 first-class cricketers and most of those seem to be better cricketers than the English. Eighteen counties equates to 198 first-class cricketers and while a fair few of the 198 are foreigners, surely they must be capable of producing 11 good ones?

Amazing really that the Aussie are so Awesome

 

[marc71178]

Interesting article that.

I think the foreigners are playing grade as supposed to First Class because the grade cricket is more regular, and if they're going to come halfway round the world to play, they need to have regualr cricket?

As for the differential in records for the top players between Tests and First Class - could this be because they relax a little when playing in the State games?

 

[Bazza]

Originally posted by Top_Cat
I remember hearing that the English, last time they were here, just couldn't believe the Aussie players shouldering arms to deliveries on middle stump. It's a unique surface to bat on and you need experience on it.

Well if we have to bowl a full length on it to have success we're screwed.

 

[Rik]

Cricinfo says that Darren Gough doesn't need a 4th operation on his knee and needs rehab instead...that's a nice bit of news!

WAAAAAAAHOOOOOOOO!!!

 

[Gotchya]

A little respite i must say !

 

[Tim]

And a Concerning fact about Lee at Perth was last year against NZ he took 8 wickets.

And incredibly Daniel Vettori was 1st equal with Brett Lee taking 8 wickets aswell. I don't actually remember too much about NZ's bowling because it was overshadowed by the batting but for Dan the Man to take 8 wickets at the WACA was a great achievement also.

 

[Top_Cat]

Gillespie bowling beautifully again. Should have had Tresco out but neither Warne nor Gillie went for the catch. Poor show. It was a 'keeper catch and Healy in the commentary catch let Gillie know it! Ha!

 

[Rik]

Originally posted by Top_Cat
Gillespie bowling beautifully again. Should have had Tresco out but neither Warne nor Gillie went for the catch. Poor show. It was a 'keeper catch and Healy in the commentary catch let Gillie know it! Ha!

Yeah, well, you make your luck :P anyway you watching it on TV? What's the bounce like?

 

[Eclipse]

Its very bouncy and fast.

 

[Top_Cat]

Whoever said the pitch it going to be the quickest in 20 years should put down what they're smoking and go home. It's quick-ish and is bouncing quite a bit but nothing out of the ordinary. The ball which got Tresco was a beauty. Brett Lee is bowling quickly but not very well on the whole. Too short or too full and too little in between.

Mind you, he's bowled a couple past 150km/h already and he's bowling into the wind!

Gillespie has had NO luck thusfar, no kidding. He's got to have some sooner or later. He's got a few edges and beat the bat heaps but no reward as yet.

 

[Rik]

Originally posted by Top_Cat
Whoever said the pitch it going to be the quickest in 20 years should put down what they're smoking and go home. It's quick-ish and is bouncing quite a bit but nothing out of the ordinary. The ball which got Tresco was a beauty. Brett Lee is bowling quickly but not very well on the whole. Too short or too full and too little in between.

Mind you, he's bowled a couple past 150km/h already and he's bowling into the wind!

Gillespie has had NO luck thusfar, no kidding. He's got to have some sooner or later. He's got a few edges and beat the bat heaps but no reward as yet.

And England have played some nice shots and Aus STILL can't get rid of Vaughan...

 

[Eclipse]

I actualy think Brett Lee bowled a pritty good line and length.
Hes been expensive but some of the shots have been a bit streaky.

Hes deffinatly bowling from closer to the stumps to.

 

[chris.hinton]

Rubbish we are not good enough

England you Must FIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But the plus side is that it will be over soon

English Cricket needs a Change

 

[Tim]

It really isn't looking good for England.
Australia are 70/1 after 10 overs and could be almost up to England's score by stumps at the rate they are going.

I guess England are now finding out first hand what it was like for New Zealand to have these injury problems.

 

[marc71178]

NZ's was never as bad as this was it?

 

[Tim]

Lol, don't you remember the South African tour in 2000 when NZ lost...Cairns, Styris, Wiseman, Nash, Matt Horne, Hamish Marshall, Shayne O'Connor & the list goes on...it was a nightmare & then we had the problem of having players being constantly injured i.e. Cairns & Nash.

So we know all about what England is going through..believe me.

 

[marc71178]

Guess what, we've got another injury!

Silverwood is in hospital having a scan on his ankle, doesn't look good.

Will we be forced to call up a replacement for a replacement?

 

[Neil Pickup]

186 all out and 126/2 off 23 overs.

Tudor 8-0-51-0. That's Agarkaresque.

At least Harmison (8-2-26-1) has managed to not embarrass himself or the country.

Well... Australia are the best team in the world by a huge margin...

Come close tomorrow, 550+ wouldn't surprise me one bit.