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

[FaaipDeOiad]

Wow, Warne slowed that one right down and it really ripped.

Australia will be really looking for a wicket now. One here, and Australia are right on top, but these two could easily have England in a dominant position an hour or two from now.

 

[Pedro Delgado]

Greenwich and Haynes at the crease here.

 

[social]

Finally a cricket shot to bring up 50.

To be fair, Flintoff has played a couple of good shots but overall he's just had a hit and gotten away with it.

If you didnt know who wha batting, much of his innings was a no. 10 or 11 having a swipe.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Finally a cricket shot to bring up 50.

To be fair, Flintoff has played a couple of good shots but overall he's just had a hit and gotten away with it.

If you didnt know who wha batting, much of his innings was a no. 10 or 11 having a swipe.

Almost like Gilchrist really...

 

[Pedro Delgado]

350? You're expecting a 100 run partnership between Pietersen and Flintoff?

 

[aussie]

well it seems has if i have missed a very entertaining 2nd second so far, thank goodness

 

[King_Ponting]

well looks like my call of "highest score will only be high 70's" was a mile off

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Almost like Gilchrist really...

Not really. I quite like Flintoff and rate him very highly as a batsmen, excluding against spinners, but this particular innings hasn't really been up to his usual standard, and he's got away with doing silly things a lot of the time. Still, he's made the most of his opportunities and had a huge impact on the match already. Shutting his eyes midway through consecutive hook shots against Lee short balls was indicative. One landed an inch from Kasprowicz's hands, and the other went for six.

Gilchrist really isn't a "hit and hope" batsman in test matches at all, regardless of how fast he scores. He plays genuine cricket shots, he just happens to be blessed with amazing hand-eye co-ordination that allows him to hit the ball anywhere on the ground against practically any sort of bowling. Similar to Viv Richards, really. This is why he averaged over 60 for most of his career, and over 55 right now, rather than the 30-40 you'd expect from the hit and hope slogger you characterise him as.

 

[Mister Wright]

What's happened to Brett Lee?

 

[social]

Almost like Gilchrist really...

To me, he panics against Warne and has no real answer but to have a hit every now and again.

The hooks against Lee, whilst he got away with it, were just dumb.

Playing this way, he needs a good pitchm a small ground and heaps of luck. Gilchrist generally doesnt need any of those things.

 

[aussie]

What's happened to Brett Lee?

beats me.....

 

[Barney Rubble]

What's happened to Brett Lee?

Whatever it is, I like it.

 

[marc71178]

He was joking. I know it's late down under but come on old cake.

I thought a at the end was enough.

Maybe if England weren't flaying the ball all round the park he'd not be so touchy

 

[marc71178]

Anybody think Warnie might have crossed the line into dissent in his reaction to Bowden's rejection of that bat-pad appeal a little earlier?

I think there may well be a fine on its way...

 

[Shane Warne]

I thought a at the end was enough.

It wasn't enough to make it funny.

 

[marc71178]

Whenever Flintoff gets a decent score he ALWAYS gets luck.

Look's like this could be one of those days.

I'd say one of those shots was luck (and that owed more to his power)

For someone who's supposedly poor against spin, 38 runs from 40 Warne balls isn't too bad.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

What's happened to Brett Lee?

Basically, in the morning he struggled mightily, for whatever reason. He was obviously trying to get it to swing in the morning, but it wouldn't go for whatever reason for any of the bowlers. As a result he overpitched and got thrashed around, and he was also extremely wayward both in line and length, in both of his morning spells. I think in the afternoon he was really pretty good. His pace was better, and he bowled some brilliant bouncers to Flintoff and really deserved a wicket.

I certainly wouldn't write him off yet. He was very good at Lords, and one poor day doesn't undo that any more than one good test makes him a world class test bowler. I'm waiting to see how he goes if and when he gets a wicket. It's a featherbed totally unsuited to Lee anyway, not only in the same way it is for the other bowlers, but particularly for his style of bowling because it is so slow and low.

 

[Shane Warne]

Almost like Gilchrist really...

Apart from the fact that Gilchrist keeps more of his shots on the ground, doesn't adge 50% through the slips and has an element of control then yeah, identical.

 

[King_Ponting]

Apart from the fact that Gilchrist keeps more of his shots on the ground, doesn't adge 50% through the slips and has an element of control then yeah, identical.

No, no he doesnt

 

[marc71178]

What's happened to Brett Lee?

The C4 commentators are saying it's not his fault, it's because there's nothing in the pitch.

Excuses, excuses I say - figures at tea of 11-1-72-0 say a lot.