***Official*** Australia in England (The Ashes)

[Jamee999]

Touchez........








..................bloody convict.

Great post, clap,clap,clap,clap.clap

 

[Langeveldt]

I've been disappointed at the lack of skill in the Aussie press baiting the English..

I mean you know they are clutching at straws with comments like "Losing the Ashes would be like waking up with a hangover in a room full of pictures of Camilla Parker Bowles"

I guess if we are judging nations by the looks of our lasses, England have won the ashes already

 

[marc71178]

Don't judge Watson based on what you've seen in a few ODIs.

33 ODIs, 21 wickets @ 47.66, E/R 4.65.

Remove minnow games and suddenly:

29 games, 16 wickets @ 56.56, E/R 4.81

 

[Swervy]

I've been disappointed at the lack of skill in the Aussie press baiting the English..

I mean you know they are clutching at straws with comments like "Losing the Ashes would be like waking up with a hangover in a room full of pictures of Camilla Parker Bowles"

I guess if we are judging nations by the looks of our lasses, England have won the ashes already

are you sure about that!!!!!

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Now they're really scared...

As if they werent scared enough of Englands batters and bowlers.....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/funny_old_game/4118558.stm

 

[social]

At the same age, Watson is a substantially better cricketer than Flintoff.

 

[Top_Cat]

thats despite the fact that in the last 1.5 years gillespie has had about 2 good series?

Really.

http://statserver.cricket.org/guru?...edhigh=;csearch=;submit=1;.cgifields=viewtype

Not counting the current series (as it's not over yet), I pick two 'bad' series (one of which he still averaged 29 with the ball).

Tests, however, are a different story but there are two really outstanding series in there;

http://statserver.cricket.org/guru?...edhigh=;csearch=;submit=1;.cgifields=viewtype

 

[marc71178]

At the same age, Watson is a substantially better cricketer than Flintoff.

Yes, and the pig leaving runway 3 is headed for Perth.

 

[aussie]

Getting back on topic for a moment, what do people think the chance of Lee starting at Lord's is now?

Very high at this stage, sicne Kasper is out of form and let say Lee comes back & bowl well throughout the rest of the ODI's, i would think the selectors will be out of their minds not to pick him.

 

[aussie]

Lee will not get a game at Lords. It's quite clear that selectors make a distinction between bowling in ODI's - where Lee's short, aggressive bursts are effective - and bowling in Test Matches - where Kaspa's economy rate helps maintain the pressure created by McGrath and Warne. The selectors are not going to change the Test attack that has served them so magnificently since the tour of Sri Lanka in 2004, unless Australia's Test Match performances start to decline, or Kaspa actually starts to have poor Tests - as distinct from the solid Tests that he had in NZ

This is quite perfectly put mate, but if Lee comes back & bowl well in the NWS/NWC & Kasper doesn't the selectors will find it hard to leave Lee out, because by then it will be clear to everyone that Kasper will be out of form & Lee would be the one to pick.

 

[aussie]

I would also consider playing Watson, subject to form, as it is a big ask for 4 30-something bowlers to coninue bearing the entire load.

That may be so, but those lads are fit professionals and we dont see them complaing plus even if Watson gets into any sort of bowling form during the NWS/NWC he wont be picked for the test at all.

 

[aussie]

33 ODIs, 21 wickets @ 47.66, E/R 4.65.

Remove minnow games and suddenly:

29 games, 16 wickets @ 56.56, E/R 4.81

facts dont tell the story definately for Watson, their is a lot of potential on view

 

[Dasa]

facts dont tell the story definately for Watson, their is a lot of potential on view

Not with his bowling IMO.

 

[luckyeddie]

facts dont tell the story definately for Watson, their is a lot of potential on view

As there was in Freddie's first couple of years in the side. The fact that got in the way of his good story was that he didn't have a look at the bowling before trying to put it into orbit. Suddenly, a bit of patience crept into his game and he looked a different batsman altogether.

Similar thing can be said for his bowling - he had all the attributes except the most important six inches in cricket (between the ears, Doris). That came with experience.

There was plenty of potential there, more than I'd seen in anyone since, well, you know, but it didn't mean it would ever see the light of day - and it doesn't mean that Watson's potential will ever bear fruit either. You wait, you expect, you hope, you are frustrated, you move on and pick someone else in most cases. Occasionally, you are rewarded.

I'd say a 1 in 5 chance in Watson's case.

 

[marc71178]

facts dont tell the story definately for Watson, their is a lot of potential on view

As a batsman who fills in yes.

As a number 8 to bowl a full 10 though, no.

 

[aussie]

As there was in Freddie's first couple of years in the side. The fact that got in the way of his good story was that he didn't have a look at the bowling before trying to put it into orbit. Suddenly, a bit of patience crept into his game and he looked a different batsman altogether.

Similar thing can be said for his bowling - he had all the attributes except the most important six inches in cricket (between the ears, Doris). That came with experience.

There was plenty of potential there, more than I'd seen in anyone since, well, you know, but it didn't mean it would ever see the light of day - and it doesn't mean that Watson's potential will ever bear fruit either. You wait, you expect, you hope, you are frustrated, you move on and pick someone else in most cases. Occasionally, you are rewarded.

I'd say a 1 in 5 chance in Watson's case.

well said eddie but i would say in Watson's case their is a 3 in 5 chance.

 

[aussie]

Not with his bowling IMO.

thier is, Watson bowling in his right now is similar to Flintoff which is a bowler with decent pace who is not very expensive and doesn't really get you out, but with experience he surely has the ability to become a wicket-taking bowler.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

thier is, Watson bowling in his right now is similar to Flintoff which is a bowler with decent pace who is not very expensive and doesn't really get you out, but with experience he surely has the ability to become a wicket-taking bowler.

That's not really how I'd describe Flintoff at all. He's a wicket-taking sort of bowler who bowls in short burts. That's how Watson will want to be used as well... he's got a very good strike rate in FC cricket, and tends to bowl shortish spells from 1st or 2nd change, often picking up a wicket or two. Neither of them are stunning economical bowlers.

Anyway, I think most of Watson's potential is with the bat, where I think he's definately good enough to play test cricket as a specialist. With the ball I think there's plenty of room to improve, and if he stays injury free he can take a couple of steps up to become really useful. As it is though, people tend to underrate his bowling ability because of his OD performances (which aren't really a great example, he's not suited to that form at all with the ball), and because he has a relatively low wicket-to-match ratio in FC cricket, a lot of which is to do with his injury troubles which led him to play a whole season for Tasmania as a batsman.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

At the same age, Watson is a substantially better cricketer than Flintoff.

Depends on your standard, I suppose. I will say that, based on the evidence available, Watson has the potential to be a significantly better batsman than Flintoff. With the ball however, I rate Flintoff quite highly and I can't see Watson ever reaching that level. Watson can be quite useful in tests with the ball I think, but I doubt he'll ever be a major strike bowler in the way Flintoff can.

 

[King_Ponting]

Originally Posted by social
At the same age, Watson is a substantially better cricketer than Flintoff.

Umm no i dont think so. Watson will never be half the cricketer flintoff is currently.