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

[aussie]

My view is that Australia still has what it takes once it gets it batting together somehow to counter this resurgent English attack to keep the Ashes for another series. But i dont see the Ashes staying with Australia behond the 2009 series at all & unfortunately Ponting will be the captain who suffers the ignominity of surrending the Ashes to Australia.......

 

[BoyBrumby]

I still can't quite believe Australia's top 7. There is absolute, genuine class stamped through them to the core & really they've not once yet stood up. England have bowled v well at them, but there has never been a spell when one's thought "Hey, they'll be doing well just to survive this".

The lower order almost, almost got them out of jail in the 2nd & I still think will make the discussion about the follow on a moot point (Oz all out for 270-ish), but after 5 innings it almost beggars belief there hasn't been one centurion. None of them (Hayden excepted) looks absolutely out of touch & that just makes their continued failure seem all the more staggering.

I don't wanna sound like a triumphalist Pom (I still think Oz will retain the urn), but is there a touch of hubris that they can't quite shift? More than one dismissal would've had me slapping my head in exasperation were I a crim. Clarke today was a case in point; a wide off-spinner he could (& should) have left, yet he still was compelled to go after it.

 

[marc71178]

I'm not disproven on the basis of the first one we see.

It was just as out as anything Australia had turned down, thus your claims of bias are rubbish.

 

[marc71178]

Amazing how much quicker Lee looks than any English bowler.

Amazing how England are on top despite them all being poor when they bat and not being as quick as Lee when they bowl

 

[marc71178]

Will take some poor execution to beat that as worst shot of summer.

Yet again no credit for the bowler.

Funny that...

 

[marc71178]

Good ball by Giles, poor shot by Hayden, another poor decision by Bowden.

Which only balances the call on Hayden's second ball.

Nobody can complain if they've already been let off (witness the lack of whinging when Pietersen was given out on Saturday)

 

[marc71178]

At first glance, it looked out because Hayden was back and the ball was going to hit the stumps.

On replay, not that close.

Exactly, and how many looks does the umpire have?

 

[andyc]

I still can't quite believe Australia's top 7. There is absolute, genuine class stamped through them to the core & really they've not once yet stood up. England have bowled v well at them, but there has never been a spell when one's thought "Hey, they'll be doing well just to survive this".

The lower order almost, almost got them out of jail in the 2nd & I still think will make the discussion about the follow on a moot point (Oz all out for 270-ish), but after 5 innings it almost beggars belief there hasn't been one centurion. None of them (Hayden excepted) looks absolutely out of touch & that just makes their continued failure seem all the more staggering.

I don't wanna sound like a triumphalist Pom (I still think Oz will retain the urn), but is there a touch of hubris that they can't quite shift? More than one dismissal would've had me slapping my head in exasperation were I a crim. Clarke today was a case in point; a wide off-spinner he could (& should) have left, yet he still was compelled to go after it.

Completely agree, good post

 

[marc71178]

Oh dear, oh dear. The end of an era.

We are witnessing the changing of the guard, gentleman.

Needs to be huge revamps for the next test. I'd like to see Hodge & Hussey in the team. As well as Tait & Macgill.

So drop the world class Warne then?

Interesting since on current form he's not only the top bowler, but also the top batsman.

 

[marc71178]

Still shocked by that Martyn dismissal - he did little wrong. Just a great ball.

One thing that encouraged me - up to Clarke, the batsmen couldn't realistically be blamed for being dismissed.

 

[Shane Warne]

So drop the world class Warne then?

Interesting since on current form he's not only the top bowler, but also the top batsman.

No keep Warne.

 

[aussie]

Exactly, and how many looks does the umpire have?

one but at first when i saw it at the ground it looked out, then on the TV boycott was defending Hayden saying he was struck outside the line but even i would admit that looked gone.

 

[marc71178]

I'd much rather have Symonds than Katich. Good idea.

As an England fan, so would I.

 

[Shane Warne]

It was just as out as anything Australia had turned down, thus your claims of bias are rubbish.

No it wasn't because it wasn't hitting middle stump half way up.

 

[aussie]

One thing that encouraged me - up to Clarke, the batsmen couldn't realistically be blamed for being dismissed.

yep that discouraged me, Australia have got to find a way to discourage this resurgent England attack, i reckon they should adapt the same batting phylosophy they had in India last year this agressive instinct isn't working.

 

[marc71178]

The question now arsises - will Vaughan enforce the follow-on? It's actually a fairly tough one, because of how much the pitch is helping Giles now. If, theoretically, Australia were to follow on say 220 behind and score 350-400, England would then have to face Warne (and McGrath) on an uneven, dusty turner with a tricky total. It's a big if, but it would have to be in Vaughan's mind somewhat.

Without the weather I'd bat again, but the risk of time being lost means that if the chance does arise, I'd enforce it.

 

[marc71178]

this is where englands 4 pronged pace attack stands out IMO, they've been carrying hoggard all series, but when someone else has a bad day, they still have enough bowlers to be able to rotate around.

And it helps when someone who was written off as the worst bowler in International Cricket just 3 weeks ago can bowl a spell like that and tie one end up.

 

[marc71178]

nope, he looked more comfortable than anyone else in this match(bar possibly vaughan has), and his innings was chanceless.

But you forget TEC that he's not Australian so is automatically either lucky or the beneficiary of poor umpiring.

 

[marc71178]

Regardless of whether it was out, why did Bucknor check with Bowden? Height noball?

Slightly unrelated, but what's with these wide calls? How is a ball at head height a wide?

 

[Burpey]

And it helps when someone who was written off as the worst bowler in International Cricket just 3 weeks ago can bowl a spell like that and tie one end up.

Gillespie ?