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

[aussie]

Ok Pigeon, brett, Dizzy & Hollywood you know what you have to do this afternoon. But i dont believe what has happened has social righty said with the exception of Harmy & Freddie early on England bowling has been ordinary and Australia get knocked over before tea for 190 .

I definately believe Australia can make England struggle, Come on Australia.....

 

[Gloucefan]

Convert that anger into accuracy and england are goners.

I'd love to say in your dreams but England are still more than capable of a great batting collapse.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Notes so far:

*Hayden still suffering from impatience syndrome
*Ponting still very dodgy early, and England are bowling really well to him.
*Langer sussed himself out, with all his talk about the pull and hook shots coming back to his game
*Clarke's LBW I was happy with. Umpire was in the enviable position where either way - out or not out - his decision was justifiable.
*Katich seemed to be the only one who was prepared for 5 day cricket.
*England bowled well in patches, but generally not good enough to reduce a side to 180 odd all out. Really pathetic performance from Aus.

 

[King_Ponting]

I'd love to say in your dreams but England are still more than capable of a great batting collapse.

I think the natwest final comes to mind. Match over in 3 days anyone?

 

[Scaly piscine]

I'd love to say in your dreams but England are still more than capable of a great batting collapse.

Yea but nearly all of those have been batting the first innings of Test, or batting second innings of the Test against a big score. Regardless as much as all the people who make the pitch is a bowler's paradise because Australia got bowled out for 190, I think it's a good cricket wicket and whoever bats well will make runs.

 

[superkingdave]

Well its more than i could have hoped for after Ponting won the toss. Australia payed the price for some overconfindence i think, but thats over now and i expect them to come out hard and fast now in Englands innings, its quite possible we'll see England out for less than the Aussies but i hope not. I also hope Pietersen doesn't get a bat today because he'd probably get a duck the way his days gone so far.

Very pleased for Harmison, thought his agression early on set the tone, hitting the top 3 batsmen, Ponting did look shaken, but i'm sure there will be those that dismiss his wickets as lucky.

 

[Josh]

So... any chance of rain??

 

[tassietiger]

dun fink mcgrath wud be too happy bout bein stranded

Especially a meagre 90 runs short of his maiden Test century.

 

[King_Ponting]

So... any chance of rain??

It is england, anything is possible

 

[superkingdave]

So... any chance of rain??

yup, rain forecast from tommorow evening and all weekend

 

[irfan]

So... any chance of rain??

haha a bit of wishful thinkin there mate, but england being england u never kno

 

[King_Ponting]

whoo bit of life in this pitch

 

[Top_Cat]

Let's not jump to conclusions, people. It's been disappointing by Australia with some injudicious shots but I strongly suspect that the deck has more juice in it than first thought.

That said, with the sun coming out, it's going to be more difficult for Australia. The new ball will probably show the same level of movement as it did for England but once it gets old, that'll be interesting.

But yeah, the batting was a lacking in respect for the quality of the English bowling. Harmi bowled really, really well as did Flintoff. Hoggard bowled a couple of good balls and Jones was pretty solid.

The top-order batting;

Hayden: Got a good ball which surprised him considering the rubbish bowled by Hoggard before it. Didn't get forward enough and tried to pumell a good-length ball like it was a half-volley so poorly played.

Langer: Surprised by the speed as the ball got to him before he was ready. Again, injudicious shot to good short-pitched bowling.

Ponting: Good steepler outside off-stump but played at a ball he should have left for that reason.

Martyn: Good length ball which lifted and he probably could have left it but still godo bowling.

Clarke: Not a great decision but still, was squared up to a full ball aimed at the stumps. Yet again. Glaring problem he'll need to figure out a way around or he'll lose his place.

 

[Monty]

i am so depressed about the aussie total oh well i hope mcgrath gets 500 in the next 10 mins

 

[aussie]

I think the natwest final comes to mind. Match over in 3 days anyone?

seems so at this stage...

 

[superkingdave]

at least we won't follow on

 

[superkingdave]

Loving the slow mo shot of the ball to Mcgrath

 

[Monty]

thats not something to be proud off i remeber in 97 we made a horable tottal in the 1st and hussain made a two hundred and i think we faught back and won

 

[Adamc]

thats not something to be proud off i remeber in 97 we made a horable tottal in the 1st and hussain made a two hundred and i think we faught back and won

Hehe. No, we lost.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Let's not jump to conclusions, people.

It's been disappointing by Australia with some injudicious shots but I strongly suspect that the deck has more juice in it than first thought.

mmhmm. As I've said before, Australia bowled out cheaply = pitch must be a bowler's paradise, the mighty Australians cannot possibly be outplayed and so all blame must lie with some outside factor like the pitch or weather...

And people say I'm biased.