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

[honestbharani]

BTW, I do think the series is very even right now. A lot depends on the next test and on the toss at OVal. If Australia bat first there, England would find that even chasing 150 would be very tough, what with Warney bowling on the last day wicket and all.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

7.7 million people tuned into channel 4's coverage on monday. Amazing

 

[Slow Love™]

It seems that England's exploitation of reverse swing (and the Australians' mystification at facing it) is reaching mythical proportions in the Aussie press, with some articles likening it to black magic:

Simon Jones, who grew up reversing the old ball in Wales, where the conditions are conducive to it, has taught the dark art to his fellow bowlers and he and Andrew Flintoff have used it as a potent weapon in the series so far.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/cricket/the-great-escape/2005/08/17/1123958068623.html

You couldn't hope for better hype if you were an English player.

 

[King_Ponting]

i notice shane warne is banned..... good job moderators... Is he the highest, in terms of post counts, person to be banned?

 

[Dasa]

i notice shane warne is banned.....

I thought for a second there you were talking about the real Warne.

 

[Nate]

i notice shane warne is banned..... good job moderators... Is he the highest, in terms of post counts, person to be banned?

No and a) this isn`t really the place and b) doesn`t really matter.

 

[Nate]

he did a good job by restricting the runs and actually he made a better contribution than McGrath in the second innings.

My bad SP, it seems that I`m in the minority.

 

[Nate]

It seems that England's exploitation of reverse swing (and the Australians' mystification at facing it) is reaching mythical proportions in the Aussie press, with some articles likening it to black magic:

Simon Jones, who grew up reversing the old ball in Wales, where the conditions are conducive to it, has taught the dark art to his fellow bowlers and he and Andrew Flintoff have used it as a potent weapon in the series so far.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/cricket/the-great-escape/2005/08/17/1123958068623.html

You couldn't hope for better hype if you were an English player.

We need Shane Lee and his 'spit-rock' back...

 

[luckyeddie]

Eddie I agree but that draw could come back to haunt England. Winning that game might have been enough for England to go on and win the series, I am not saying that they still can't but this AUS side hasn't been Number 1 for so long without reason. I cannot for the life of me see AUS not offering anything in the remaining two tests. The players they have in their side are just too good not to fire at least once all summer. We shall see.

We shall see indeed - and until then we can go on making the same assessments of the same situations and keep coming to different conclusions (long may it continue).

I thought that the 'only just squeaking a win at Edgbaston' was going to come back to haunt England - allowing for the fact that McGrath was missing for that game and that Warne was unplayable. Australia were going to take huge heart from the performance, come back at Old Trafford and put the poms firmly in their place, especially because they had sorted Strauss and Trescothick out and Vaughan couldn't buy a run.

Now one match on we hear the same old nonsense - and the only thing that's changed is that ONE Australian has played the innings of his life and another one has proved what people have been saying for a decade - if he stopped messing about he could have become a great all-rounder.

Terry Alderman's coming out with similar nonsense this morning I read on the Beeb website - I think the only thing they are trying to do is reassure themselves. The best-laid plans of mice and men.....

 

[Slow Love™]

Terry Alderman's coming out with similar nonsense this morning I read on the Beeb website - I think the only thing they are trying to do is reassure themselves.

Wow, I'd have thought that Terry Alderman was so overdrawn at the credibility bank, they'd have closed his account by now.

 

[marc71178]

were you at the ground Marc??

No, I refused to go.

 

[marc71178]

I think even the Aussie players should be blamed of that. I mean, it was just DISGUSTNG to see McGrath and Langer talk about 5-0 after one test. In fact, McGrath said 5-0 even before a ball was bowled in the series.

Actually what he said was there's 5 games in the series and he hoped to win all of them.

 

[Gloucefan]

Actually what he said was there's 5 games in the series and he hoped to win all of them.

I heard an interview in which he did said say Australia would win 5-0 he said "I can't see England winning any of them"

 

[luckyeddie]

Wow, I'd have thought that Terry Alderman was so overdrawn at the credibility bank, they'd have closed his account by now.

Yoinks! That one's a keeper.

 

[Pedro Delgado]

Can't be @rsed to trawl through it all, suffice to say well done Aus for scraping through, what a knock by Ponting, and well done Eng for hammering them yet again "(we flippin' murdered 'em" etc).

Is this the greatest series of all time? Early I know but wow what cricket so far.

Off to Nottingham shopping with 'er indoors today so if I get killed by yardies, nice to have chatted with you all.

 

[luckyeddie]

Off to Nottingham shopping with 'er indoors today so if I get killed by yardies, nice to have chatted with you all.

Wear a Rams shirt - they're afraid of them over there.

 

[Pedro Delgado]

Wear a Rams shirt - they're afraid of them over there.

Really, really great advice there Eddie.

 

[The Foxtrot]

i would like to know why the Australians suck soo much even though they are considered the best team in the world. Even though Matthew Hayden is in a form slump, kick him out for a couple of months and all others in form slumps, replace them and dont leave Shane Warne, Brett Lee and co. to chase a massive total.

Yes i do know that the bowlers are having a bad day, i mean month, a bad month, but Australia should still easily pass 444 in an innings.

It is not just the Ashes it has been happening for ages, it is getting really disapointing to watch them play nowdays

 

[Pedro Delgado]

Some of the batsmen can't handle reverse swing, and until they do they won't make the big scores.
Lucky for them that Jones got cramp last time, as I think he'd have cleaned up again.

 

[King_Ponting]

Some of the batsmen can't handle reverse swing, and until they do they won't make the big scores.
Lucky for them that Jones got cramp last time, as I think he'd have cleaned up again.

When the going gets tough JONES gets going (off the field)