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

[Shounak]

Don't know how they ever survived without helmets. That one would've taken out all of Strauss' front teeth.

They were more cautious back then. Generally, bouncer = get out of the way. They were usually dot balls.

The advent of the helmet led to hook shoots being played of express pace bouncers. It made it common anyway.

Greiggy started it all off apparently. 1st person to get hit in the scone. By a nice bouncer from DK. It's where DK taunts him by pointing at his own head. Funny stuff.

 

[Slow Love™]

Not much luck for McGrath this match. Just didn't quite carry.

Strauss looking pretty shaken up, and he's going to have to find better ways of playing that short one.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Billy Bowden's looking so pale and beyond-death the last few days that I could see him charging down the pitch to suck that blood off Strauss's neck.

Haha. Quite right too, he looks extremely sickly.

 

[andyc]

Billy Bowden's looking so pale and beyond-death the last few days that I could see him charging down the pitch to suck that blood off Strauss's neck.

That's classic!

 

[luckyeddie]

With a ball that was going over the top.

Excuse me - the record's stu... the record's stu... the record's stu... the

 

[luckyeddie]

Don't know how they ever survived without helmets. That one would've taken out all of Strauss' front teeth.

EDIT: Thought it hit his mouth grille - actually hit the side of the helmet and drew blood from below his ear. Ouch.

Yes.

They watched the ball, then evaded it.

 

[Galactic_Soap]

I wonder if theres a chance of a sporting declaration from Vaughan. Having said that though you wouldn't want to give Australia a sniff at anything.

 

[luckyeddie]

Billy Bowden's looking so pale and beyond-death the last few days that I could see him charging down the pitch to suck that blood off Strauss's neck.

Thread over. Slow Love™ is the winner.

 

[Scaly piscine]

I knew Strauss would edge one of those, he'd played 2 curtain-rail guides before that he'd managed to middle.

 

[andyc]

Alright, what score would England be looking for?
And what are Australia looking for?

I reckon if England will be looking for 300 in this innings, so a lead of 450, with Australia looking to chase under 300

 

[andyc]

They need a third man. There's just no question.

 

[social]

They need a third man. There's just no question.

No, they need to catch edges.

That was very poor.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Benaud wasn't kidding when he said that took a hunk out of the pitch.

 

[chalky]

Warne is going to be almoast unplayable for the south paws with that rough outside the off stump.

 

[PY]

Trescothick is the 5th quickest Englishman to reach 5000 runs and he's done it in the same number of Test matches as Big Viv.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Trescothick is the 5th quickest Englishman to reach 5000 runs and he's done it in the same number of Test matches as Big Viv.

Obviously helps being an opener in a side that usually bats twice, number of innings would be far better to look at.

 

[andyc]

Trescothick is the 5th quickest Englishman to reach 5000 runs and he's done it in the same number of Test matches as Big Viv.

Maybe it's cause I never saw him play, but I never understood the huge legend status that surrounded Viv. Sure, he was an attacking batsman who could play well, but stats-wise he just seems like a good batsman, but not much more.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Trescothick is the 5th quickest Englishman to reach 5000 runs and he's done it in the same number of Test matches as Big Viv.

Yep. Useless.

 

[Adamc]

Wasted opportunity for Australia in that little session, could have had a wicket to put England under some sort of pressure. I would've thought that the slips were staggered in such a way that both players could attempt a catch without fear of collision. In the event, neither player did, which seems rather foolish.

 

[social]

Lee and McGrath should be absolutely spewing at their slips fieldsmen.

Interesting that there have been reports of a blow up between Warne and Ponting.

The bowlers' reaction to poor fielding suggests all is not happy in the camp.