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

[FaaipDeOiad]

actually jones said in an interview on sky recently that he prefers bowling with the old ball because 'he isnt quite sure where the new ball is going'. i've not been surprised by jones being accurate in the last 2 games, because the fact is that almost all his accurate spells in his career thus far have come with the older ball. obviously with his inexperience with regard to conventional swing, he hasnt quite been able to control it as he has with reverse, and therefore his bowling 3 balls down leg side every over with the new ball, comes down to him not being able to swing the ball away consistently, not his bowling action.



really?
not even hoggard who you actually put down as the only english specialist bowler capable of making the aussie side at the start of the series?

Eh, conditions haven't really suited him, but I guess you could include him as well. I'm sort of more thinking in terms of what I was expecting after the ODI series than before the tour started. I expected a bit more from Harmison than what he has actually delivered, aside from the first test where he was very good. Hoggard really hasn't done that badly when he's actually bowled aside from one or two spells, he's just hardly been used because Vaughan rightly feels that there are better options. If one of the next two tests turns out to be a less reverse-friendly wicket (and I gather OT is the best wicket in England to reverse on), I think you'll see him used more.

 

[aussie]

We really must give credit to the old trafford curator. A quality pitch..

yep big Peter Maron has outdone himself this time

 

[tooextracool]

Eh, conditions haven't really suited him, but I guess you could include him as well. I'm sort of more thinking in terms of what I was expecting after the ODI series than before the tour started. I expected a bit more from Harmison than what he has actually delivered, aside from the first test where he was very good. Hoggard really hasn't done that badly when he's actually bowled aside from one or two spells, he's just hardly been used because Vaughan rightly feels that there are better options. If one of the next two tests turns out to be a less reverse-friendly wicket (and I gather OT is the best wicket in England to reverse on), I think you'll see him used more.

hoggard most certainly had the conditions to his favour at Lords and he managed to bowl some utter garbage, bar one ball. The problem with Hoggard is that when the conditions arent in his favour unlike harmison hes utterly useless and cant even be relied on to keep things tight.

 

[aussie]

i dont know about you people but i think Australia win win the Ashes in the end 3-1 England have been playing some superb cricket & should have won pretty convincingly yesterday & Australia who are playing below par in every aspect still managed to hold them off. Once the Aussie batting can click for the next 2 test & the Kasper comes in & gets Australia having a good disciplined 4 prong attack going i think they will be too much for England.

 

[chris.hinton]

My View on the Ashes so far


The Aussies are lucky lucky people. They have been outclassed in the last two tests yet it still 1-1, i still think we will win the Ashes


Well done to ian bell and Ashley Giles

the Aussies have to drop JG and bring in Shaun Tait and Hayden for Jaques are start again

 

[aussie]

My View on the Ashes so far


The Aussies are lucky lucky people. They have been outclassed in the last two tests yet it still 1-1, i still think we will win the Ashes


Well done to ian bell and Ashley Giles

the Aussies have to drop JG and bring in Shaun Tait and Hayden for Jaques are start again

1. Well that should tell you something Australia have been outclassed in the last 2 test & still the series is 1-1 & still they are yet to play at their total best in this series even at lord's it was a totally perfect all-round display by Australia, has i posted earlier if Australia get on top of their game in all aspects (batting, bowling, fielding) they will be too much for England.

2. I would love for Tait for play but he wont Kasper will get the nod, Jaques wont come into this series i'm sure Hayden will see out but in all truth the next 2 test could be Haydens last because if he doesn't score a hundred i wont be shocked if he is dropped from both the test & ODI side in the coming Australian home season.

 

[simmy]

My View on the Ashes so far


The Aussies are lucky lucky people. They have been outclassed in the last two tests yet it still 1-1, i still think we will win the Ashes


Well done to ian bell and Ashley Giles

the Aussies have to drop JG and bring in Shaun Tait and Hayden for Jaques are start again

Kiss me.

 

[simmy]

hoggard most certainly had the conditions to his favour at Lords and he managed to bowl some utter garbage, bar one ball. The problem with Hoggard is that when the conditions arent in his favour unlike harmison hes utterly useless and cant even be relied on to keep things tight.

Completely agree. I think that almost all Langers run have been off Hoggard's four balls.

For me, Hoggard's only real job is to get Hayden out win an inducker, but to be honest... Simon Jones... the way he is bowling is perfectly capable.

 

[Pothas]

He certainly hasnt been the workhorse hoggard that he claims in this series as he hasnt really bowled much at all

 

[simmy]

He hasnt really needed to. Giles ties up one end and Flintoff and Jones (with the occasional Harmison spell) is doing the trick.

 

[simmy]

If Australia get on top of their game in all aspects (batting, bowling, fielding) they will be too much for England.

You may to be surprised to know, that I agree with this point. But, I think you have to admit, it doesnt look like its going to happen anytime soon.

The batting is the main concern. First innings scores of 190, 308 and 302 is simply not good enough.

I'm sure they will correct it. Perhaps winning the toss and batting on a first day pitch will help.

 

[aussie]

You may to be surprised to know, that I agree with this point. But, I think you have to admit, it doesnt look like its going to happen anytime soon.

Well yestedays batting performace gave me a lot of confidence that Australia could finally start getting runs in this series, you see how Ponting batted he put away the bad balls & defended the good ones, those where the same kind of batting tactics Australia used in India last year & againts the very good England attack that could be the key for Australia scoring big runs consistently for the remainder of this series.

 

[chalky]

I find some of the logic on this board is a bit strange.

Australian batsmen are going to come good: Why because they are inform? scoring lots of runs perhaps? looking really goos at the crease? No because they are not scoring any runs, look out of form and are struggling at the crease (on belting batting tracks in the last two tests) therfore it's a given they are going to score lots of runs.In the same breath Pointing is now going score lots of runs because he is form. I find it hilarious when people predict that Hayden is going to score a century why? because he hasn't made one in 20 odd innings (and hasn't looked like making one).

My take on Australia's batting is that England have bowled superbly at the left handers and can't see that changing through the next two tests. It's no coincidence that, apart from Warne, Clarke and Pointing have been their two best batsmen.

Also on Australia making mistakes thats what happens when your under pressure which I think explains some of the wicktes Giles has been getting. I think it was Langer who said thet've never been put under so much pressure by a seam bowling attack, which I think is causing them to be to0 aggressive to Giles and give their wicket away.

Also the odd bad umpiring decision, bad light and rain are part of cricket if you can't accept that I suggest you follow another sport.

 

[aussie]

I find some of the logic on this board is a bit strange.

Australian batsmen are going to come good: Why because they are inform? scoring lots of runs perhaps? looking really goos at the crease? No because they are not scoring any runs, look out of form and are struggling at the crease (on belting batting tracks in the last two tests) therfore it's a given they are going to score lots of runs.In the same breath Pointing is now going score lots of runs because he is form. I find it hilarious when people predict that Hayden is going to score a century why? because he hasn't made one in 20 odd innings (and hasn't looked like making one).

My take on Australia's batting is that England have bowled superbly at the left handers and can't see that changing through the next two tests. It's no coincidence that, apart from Warne, Clarke and Pointing have been their two best batsmen.

Apart form Hayden, Katich & Gilchrist the rest haven't been really stuggling at the crease this series apart form this test the Australian batsmen have been guilty of getting themselves out to some pretty bad shots. I do agree that Flintoff especially have got Gilly, Matty & Katich is all sorts of problems & they will have to find a way to counter that for the remainder of this series

I never said hayden will score a century in the next test all i'm saying si if he DOESN'T score at least one i wont be surprised if he dropped for the upcoming Australian summer.

 

[chalky]

Apart form Hayden, Katich & Gilchrist the rest haven't been really stuggling at the crease this series apart form this test the Australian batsmen have been guilty of getting themselves out to some pretty bad shots. I do agree that Flintoff especially have got Gilly, Matty & Katich is all sorts of problems & they will have to find a way to counter that for the remainder of this series

I never said hayden will score a century in the next test all i'm saying si if he DOESN'T score at least one i wont be surprised if he dropped for the upcoming Australian summer.

Wasn't having a go u m8 but I have seen posts were people have predicted Hayden is going to score a century cos he is due one & hasn't had one in 20 odd innings.

Hayden, Katich & Gilchrist are nearly half your batting line up which suggests that the unit isn't firing. I also think u can add Langer to that list although he has scored a few runs he hasn't looked comfortable. As a result you're not getting partnerships and the set batsmen is always under pressure because of wickets going down at the other end.

Martyn is probably the big unknown he hasn't batted enough to see how much form he is in although it does remind me a bit of when shane Bond had him in all sorts trouble for the Kiwis a few years ago and I don't think he scored many against New Zealand that series (although scored stacks against SA if my memory is correct). Just food for thought anyway.

 

[simmy]

I find some of the logic on this board is a bit strange.

Australian batsmen are going to come good: Why because they are inform? scoring lots of runs perhaps? looking really goos at the crease? No because they are not scoring any runs, look out of form and are struggling at the crease (on belting batting tracks in the last two tests) therfore it's a given they are going to score lots of runs.In the same breath Pointing is now going score lots of runs because he is form. I find it hilarious when people predict that Hayden is going to score a century why? because he hasn't made one in 20 odd innings (and hasn't looked like making one).

My take on Australia's batting is that England have bowled superbly at the left handers and can't see that changing through the next two tests. It's no coincidence that, apart from Warne, Clarke and Pointing have been their two best batsmen.

Also on Australia making mistakes thats what happens when your under pressure which I think explains some of the wicktes Giles has been getting. I think it was Langer who said thet've never been put under so much pressure by a seam bowling attack, which I think is causing them to be to0 aggressive to Giles and give their wicket away.

Also the odd bad umpiring decision, bad light and rain are part of cricket if you can't accept that I suggest you follow another sport.

I wish I could sum things up the same way you do... I dont really mean to show bias but what is said here by Chalky is spot-on truth.

On a separate matter, I cant really see the point of bringing in Kaspa as he isnt bowling well either... Bring Tait in... you never know.

 

[superkingdave]

Some photos of yesterday.
My camera and camera skills are fairly basic

 

[Hanuma]

does anyone else reckon the pages should be made longer?

i mean we have got to page 651 without a great deal being said

 

[superkingdave]

does anyone else reckon the pages should be made longer?

i mean we have got to page 651 without a great deal being said

im only on page 2 hundred and odd, you can change the page length in your options, i have mine set at 40 per page

 

[Shane Warne]

Could you please explain why Shane Warne was also unable to pick up a single wicket in the second innings?

(I think I know the answer and it applies to both bowlers - I just wondered whether you did)

Gilchrist.