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

[Jnr.]

yes but that series was hardly a success against spin.

He looked much improved, certainly not as bad as you are making him out to be.

 

[tooextracool]

"rotated in", are you serious?

He and Harmison bowled such utter tripe in the preceding test that one had to go.

did you even watch the 3rd test? i'll give you that jones bowled rubbish in the 2nd, but to say that he bowled tripe in the third is absolutely ludicrous.
and they obviously picked they wrong bowler, given what came from jones after that game.

 

[tooextracool]

He looked much improved, certainly not as bad as you are making him out to be.

as i said earlier, call it what ever you want, fact is that hes a far weaker player against spin than he is against pace.

 

[Jnr.]

as i said earlier, call it what ever you want, fact is that hes a far weaker player against spin than he is against pace.

Given the quality of his play against pace, and his records against pace, the fact that he's weaker against spin (IMO mostly SLA spin) is not utterly surprising.

 

[Mister Wright]

anybody who'd seen the tour to SL and the ODIs in india(yes i know ODIs arent related to tests, but he still played the spinners with absolute ease), could tell that he was a good player of spin.
i'd like to know where this martyn is a poor player of spin comes from, because as far as i remember, hes never shown any problems against spin at the international level.

Very true, however in his first stint as an international cricketer he was diabolical against spin. There was a running joke around the domestic scene that he would average anytihng over 50 in every venue except the SCG (in the early 90s the SCG was a spinner's paradise). Since he was dropped he spent a lot of time working on his game, after he had that original spat after he was dropped. He can now be regarded as one of the best players of spin in the game. I think it was highlighted when in the first innings in the Indian test series he played forward and got out bat pad, but from then on he played back and as late as possible. True class.

 

[tooextracool]

Given the quality of his play against pace, and his records against pace, the fact that he's weaker against spin (IMO mostly SLA spin) is not utterly surprising.

oh come off the slow left arm spin. the 2 bowlers who've caused him the most problems are both right handed.
i think hes poor against spin, you dont. but we both agree that hes alot weaker against spin. that was my point. hence producing turners would be the right idea for the summer.

 

[tooextracool]

Very true, however in his first stint as an international cricketer he was diabolical against spin. There was a running joke around the domestic scene that he would average anytihng over 50 in every venue except the SCG (in the early 90s the SCG was a spinner's paradise). Since he was dropped he spent a lot of time working on his game, after he had that original spat after he was dropped. He can now be regarded as one of the best players of spin in the game. I think it was highlighted when in the first innings in the Indian test series he played forward and got out bat pad, but from then on he played back and as late as possible. True class.

i was unaware of his early problems against spin. from what i saw off him against spin at the international level he looked at ease against the very best. its too bad that he missed out on the 2001 series in india too, he would definetly have come in handy.

 

[Mister Wright]

i was unaware of his early problems against spin. from what i saw off him against spin at the international level he looked at ease against the very best. its too bad that he missed out on the 2001 series in india too, he would definetly have come in handy.

Yeah, his first stint as an international cricketer was in the early-mid nineties, and he was terrible against spin, although I'm not sure if he played against many spin-strong nations. However, at domestic level, if the pitch was a turner he was shocking, but could play them on the flatter decks.

He came of age against spin IMO as a member of the one day squad, where he had to score runs to make the Test team and therefore had to improve all facets of his game.

 

[King_Ponting]

I think the real player that will shine during the ashes series will be ponting. His record so far this year is quite outstanding, as is martyns, however ponting has proven over time that his form stays relatively consistent and when he does have a bad run, im talking after he was elected captain, he rarely averages below 30. The ashes will be a real tester for the England team, in particular, especially Strauss, who has performed well against other nations, as his true calibre will be exposed to the rampaging Australian attack. the clibre of Micheal Clarke will also be brought to light, which could make or break him as an international cricketer after his shocking run in New Zealand. Looking forward to a quality ashes battle, hopefully the best for half a century.

 

[tooextracool]

i think strauss' biggest test will come against warne. warne has already claimed that he sees weaknesses in strauss' ability to play spin- probably part of his pre-ashes mind games, but i really think that spin is the only thing that strauss hasnt proven himself as yet.
of course i wouldnt be surprised if mcgrath tried to expose that weakness of strauss where he doesnt move his front foot while defending to the ball that is angled away.

 

[Jnr.]

oh come off the slow left arm spin. the 2 bowlers who've caused him the most problems are both right handed.

How many times must I say "in recent times"?!?

And yes producing turners would be ideal this summer - the series can get very interesting if Giles bowls well.

 

[Mister Wright]

I think the real player that will shine during the ashes series will be ponting. His record so far this year is quite outstanding, as is martyns, however ponting has proven over time that his form stays relatively consistent and when he does have a bad run, im talking after he was elected captain, he rarely averages below 30. The ashes will be a real tester for the England team, in particular, especially Strauss, who has performed well against other nations, as his true calibre will be exposed to the rampaging Australian attack. the clibre of Micheal Clarke will also be brought to light, which could make or break him as an international cricketer after his shocking run in New Zealand. Looking forward to a quality ashes battle, hopefully the best for half a century.

Hayden will break out of his mediocre form with a series averaging 70+

 

[tooextracool]

who is the left arm spinner whos been troubling him of late?

 

[Mister Wright]

who is the left arm spinner whos been troubling him of late?

Is that rhetorical or do you mean Vettori?

 

[tooextracool]

Is that rhetorical or do you mean Vettori?

i was responding to jnr's post, he suggested that ponting was struggling against slow left arm spin off late.

 

[Mister Wright]

i was responding to jnr's post, he suggested that ponting was struggling against slow left arm spin off late.

Ok, I can't seem to recall him struggling.

 

[Top_Cat]

i was responding to jnr's post, he suggested that ponting was struggling against slow left arm spin off late.

He wouldn't be the only one in the line-up struggling against leftie orthodox's of late.

I re-predict; if Giles bowls well, England could very well challenge for the Ashes. Mark my words!

 

[tooextracool]

He wouldn't be the only one in the line-up struggling against leftie orthodox's of late.

I re-predict; if Giles bowls well, England could very well challenge for the Ashes. Mark my words!

i dont think it has anything to do with left arm spinners. i think its because of the fact that a few of their players are poor against the turning ball.

 

[Scallywag]

Warne lets Strauss know that he is looking forward to bowling to him.

http://content.cricinfo.com/engvaus/content/story/208954.html

 

[King_Ponting]

possibility of Tait making his debut for australia if two quicks go down or if one of the quicks goes down and they're on a green top and play 4 quicks. Exciting prospect young tait looking forward to seeing him in action in england in some tour matches at least and hopefully, although not through injury but on his own accord, making his test debut. If Shane Watson's debut was taited as a good debut for an all rounder the possibilities are endless.