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

[Pedro Delgado]

Dang. That`s no good at all.

Will there be enough time to see Tait get his 5-for?

Good news for those hoping to retain the Ashes though

I'm intrigued by this Tait fellow, hope he plays (and not just for the easy runs either ).

 

[age_master]

Weather looking rum for the next Test. Boooooooooooooooooooo.

overcast conditions are good for Tait's swing, wet conditions would also be condusive to him bowling some nasty beamers

 

[Pedro Delgado]

overcast conditions are good for Tait's swing, wet conditions would also be condusive to him bowling some nasty beamers

Ahh, he's got a "wrong 'un" like Brett then

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Ahh, he's got a "wrong 'un" like Brett then

I think this guy had trouble picking it.

 

[andyc]

He really got beaten up, didn't he!?

I think he and Lee bowling in tandem would be pretty bloody hard to handle, as long as they're on the mark.

 

[Pedro Delgado]

I think this guy had trouble picking it.

One shouldn't laugh.

 

[Pedro Delgado]

He really got beaten up, didn't he!?

I think he and Lee bowling in tandem would be pretty bloody hard to handle, as long as they're on the mark.

Against Northants, aye, against England....we'll see.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Against Northants, aye, against England....we'll see.

Well it's not like England have brushed Lee aside with ease so far. He's certainly done some damage, to Strauss in particular.

Anyway, Tait isn't quite the bouncer barrage bowler that a Lee or Harmison is, he usually just pitches it up and swings it, conventional and reverse, and his bouncer skids on more than it really rears up. The one to watch for are his outswingers (or reverse inswingers) and his yorker, which is the best going around in Australian cricket. I don't think he hits people all that often really.

Will be very interesting to see how he goes if he gets picked. He's a very mercurial sort of bowler, and he could go for 100 off 10 or take 5 wickets in a dozen overs.

 

[Pedro Delgado]

But "hard to handle" was the phrase used, and I think England have handled Lee okay so far (Strauss got hit hooking IIRC, which is a dangerous shot to take on against pace). Langer has looked uncomfortable against Harmo occasionaly, just playing defensively.

Anyway what I mean is bowlers can look hard to handle if you're playing the hook, but for Tait and Lee don't read Holding or Croft.

 

[Nate]

I think he and Lee bowling in tandem would be pretty bloody hard to handle, as long as they're on the mark.

Puntastic!

 

[Scaly piscine]

Good news for those hoping to retain the Ashes though

I'm intrigued by this Tait fellow, hope he plays (and not just for the easy runs either ).

I hope the next one is a draw and there's a full 5 days on a result pitch in the last Test, that's actually the best chance of winning the Ashes back - it's easier to win one Test with another mostly rained off than to win one Test and have to not lose in the other.

 

[Pedro Delgado]

The longer we have in the field, the longer we can let our cricket do the talking IMO. Rain favours the Aussies for me.

 

[Scaly piscine]

ive got a feeling we might with tait, his extra pace will upset the english batsmen. Kasper is too much like Dizzy and i dont think hes in good form either so Tait should play. As Ponting was suggesting the other day apart from Lee none of our bowlers are using the old ball well and Tait will get reverse swing, if he plays and gets it right he will worry the poms...

Going by that line, Tait must surely be too much like Lee then. As an England fan I'd like to see Tait and Lee picked together, because on any given day one of them will get carted around the ground and that eases the pressure on England and puts more pressure on the remaining 3 bowlers, as has happened in the previous Tests. I still think Kasprowicz will be picked personally.

 

[Scaly piscine]

The longer we have in the field, the longer we can let our cricket do the talking IMO. Rain favours the Aussies for me.

Putting it another way, if there are two result games that is two chances for Australia to retain the Ashes, if there is only one result game that is one chance for Australia to retain the Ashes.

 

[Pedro Delgado]

Or it gives us two chances to win and draw a game, against one chance for them to just draw a game.

Oh bugger it.

 

[King_Ponting]

simple.... England wont win another match in this series...

 

[Pedro Delgado]

simple.... England wont win another match in this series...

1-1 then? "Rain Saves Australia"

 

[age_master]

Going by that line, Tait must surely be too much like Lee then. As an England fan I'd like to see Tait and Lee picked together, because on any given day one of them will get carted around the ground and that eases the pressure on England and puts more pressure on the remaining 3 bowlers, as has happened in the previous Tests. I still think Kasprowicz will be picked personally.

compare Lee and Gillespie this series so far?

 

[age_master]

1-1 then? "Rain Saves Australia"

if the series is Drawn Australia retain the ashes - rain increases the chance of a draw therefore rain favours Australia

 

[Slow Love™]

Going by that line, Tait must surely be too much like Lee then. As an England fan I'd like to see Tait and Lee picked together, because on any given day one of them will get carted around the ground and that eases the pressure on England and puts more pressure on the remaining 3 bowlers, as has happened in the previous Tests. I still think Kasprowicz will be picked personally.

I think he will be picked, and I think he should be picked. And I have high hopes that Kasper will vindicate that choice. I had hoped for Lee/McGrath/Kasper/Warne from the beginning.

As to the weather, it looks interesting - might make my 2-1 prediction at the outset at the series a little more likely (it was looking extremely unlikely about a week ago).