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

[Tom Halsey]

1) That's probably because they generally hammer you... pretty hard to criticise them for saying it then, isn't it?

2) edit: also, Australian players rarely talk about the series results, beyond saying they are confident. They don't come out with things like "england are too young, they've got no experience and they're not going to be able to handle the pressure and will lose". They just say it's going to be a good series and most of what I've heard from the players coming into this series has been about how Flintoff is a great player and Harmison is dangerous etc. It's the ex-players that come out with the smack talk.

1) They reckoned they were going to hammer us before just about every game in the ODI's - when they certainly didn't.

2) McGrath always says they're going to win 5-0...

 

[PY]

Ah, I'd only had chance to read the headline on BBC website (which I thought was reputable) and it read "Hayden dismisses England's hopes". Didn't get chance to read the article itself.

Still, I think it's a bit heavy to come down on Hoggard after one and a half innings of a series when he hasn't played international cricket for a period of several weeks. Granted he said something stupid, but that in itself doesn't make him a fool or a bad bowler.

I'd bank on him having more wickets than Gillespie by the end of the series.

 

[Tom Halsey]

He said he didn't think anyone could beat Australia if they played at their best. Not really an attack on the English team or a claim for a whitewash if you ask me.

McGrath definately said they'd win 5-0. What Hayden did or did not say, I don't know.

 

[Scaly piscine]

McGrath definately said they'd win 5-0. What Hayden did or did not say, I don't know.

Yea, earlier he said they'd win 3-0 (because of the English weather or something) as well.

 

[tooextracool]

Following on from Harmo's 5fer it's an interesting day

well at least that clears up the "harmo can only bowl against WI and b'desh" rubbish

 

[King_Ponting]

Ah, I'd only had chance to read the headline on BBC website (which I thought was reputable) and it read "Hayden dismisses England's hopes". Didn't get chance to read the article itself.

Still, I think it's a bit heavy to come down on Hoggard after one and a half innings of a series when he hasn't played international cricket for a period of several weeks. Granted he said something stupid, but that in itself doesn't make him a fool or a bad bowler.

I'd bank on him having more wickets than Gillespie by the end of the series.

You probably going to be right as gillespie is out of form and hoggard is in the form of his life.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

1) They reckoned they were going to hammer us before just about every game in the ODI's - when they certainly didn't.

Who did? Everything I heard from Ponting was "well we got outplayed and we're hoping to do better today" etc.

2) McGrath always says they're going to win 5-0...

Okay, missed that one.

 

[King_Ponting]

well at least that clears up the "harmo can only bowl against WI and b'desh" rubbish

Now he needs to prove he can bowl on foreign wickets and england might well have a world class bowler within their ranks.

 

[PY]

You probably going to be right as gillespie is out of form and hoggard is in the form of his life.

Where's the 'Hoggard is in the form of his life' come from?

 

[Tom Halsey]

You probably going to be right as gillespie is out of form and hoggard is in the form of his life.

Hoggard is certainly not in the form of his life (unless you count bowling well 6 months ago but not really bowling well since as being in form).

 

[King_Ponting]

Where's the 'Hoggard is in the form of his life' come from?

The 26 wickets he took in his last test series.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Still, I think it's a bit heavy to come down on Hoggard after one and a half innings of a series when he hasn't played international cricket for a period of several weeks. Granted he said something stupid, but that in itself doesn't make him a fool or a bad bowler.

I'd bank on him having more wickets than Gillespie by the end of the series.

Hey, I like Hoggard and I expected him to have a good series too. Doesn't alter the fact that he had a go at McGrath who then proceeded to bowl brilliantly while Hoggard didn't.

 

[PY]

The 26 wickets he took in his last test series.

Blimey mate, that was 7 months ago. Not a good indication of form.

It was used as an example that you couldn't just judge him on his performance this summer because he is allowed to be out of form.

EDIT: Think I get you now, his last series was against Bangladesh but the 26 came against South Africa in South Africa which I regarded as an exceptional effort and he IMO picked up the slack from Harmison not even getting started.

 

[aussie]

Now he needs to prove he can bowl on foreign wickets and england might well have a world class bowler within their ranks.

remember the West Indies

 

[Tom Halsey]

Now he needs to prove he can bowl on foreign wickets and england might well have a world class bowler within their ranks.

How's bowling on featherbeds in the WI against Lara, Sarwan, Chanderpaul and co for proof? I think we already have a world class bowler in our ranks, thanks.

 

[marc71178]

All over now, but what a catch by Martyn.

Indeed, but I wonder if the shot was strictly speaking necessary at that point.

 

[PY]

Hey, I like Hoggard and I expected him to have a good series too. Doesn't alter the fact that he had a go at McGrath who then proceeded to bowl brilliantly while Hoggard didn't.

Nah, wasn't really aimed at you mate, more at KP and his original post on the matter. Didn't really like where it came from but will button my mouth from now on.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

How's bowling on featherbeds in the WI against Lara, Sarwan, Chanderpaul and co for proof? I think we already have a world class bowler in our ranks, thanks.

I think there's legitimate questions about his ability on tour, don't you? Anyone who gets homesick so badly they bowl rubbish for a whole series every now and then is going to struggle for consistency. Still, he's obviously a very useful bowler when he gets it right.

 

[marc71178]

This is good stuff from a neutral perspective! Great shot by Harmison off Warne just before.

It was great stuff - but I imagine one forum member wasn't enjoying it...

 

[aussie]

How's bowling on featherbeds in the WI against Lara, Sarwan, Chanderpaul and co for proof? I think we already have a world class bowler in our ranks, thanks.

agreed that Harmison is WC, but tom their still a question mark over his ability to do well overseas, some could put up the argument that windies aren't so good and when he was over in SA he was relatively poor. We have big tours to the syb-continent this winter lets see how he does their.