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

[social]

Definetely. Either Lee and Tait to open or Warne and Tait, is my guess. Would have been Lee over Tait but he's not done to well, obviously. If the Aussies get a wicket in the first 10 overs or so then they're very much ahead. If England can get to lunch with losing, at most, one wicket, then good luck Australia.

Id open with Tait and Warne.

Few batsmen like spin first up (or Warne at anytime) and Tait is apparently hard to see first up.

 

[social]

Warne has been pretty successful here and has dismissed the claims of the track not supporting turn.

A 5th bowler is not a bad option because it gives the others an option of rest and gives them the chance to come back with full force. Having a Ponting or some one else takes the pressure off in most cases (luckily it resulted in a wicket yesterday). Even an out of form Gillespie or an underrated MacGill is better than Ponting as a 5th bowler option.



One of the people you think are struggling and less likely to get runs in the 4th test.

Aus should be desperate for an all-rounder to give a credible 5th bowling option.

 

[marc71178]

Warne has been pretty successful here and has dismissed the claims of the track not supporting turn.

A 5th bowler is not a bad option because it gives the others an option of rest and gives them the chance to come back with full force. Having a Ponting or some one else takes the pressure off in most cases (luckily it resulted in a wicket yesterday). Even an out of form Gillespie or an underrated MacGill is better than Ponting as a 5th bowler option.



One of the people you think are struggling and less likely to get runs in the 4th test.

So you're not going to answer the question then...

And what exactly does a second spinner (who is well renowned for being rather costly) or a 3-300 bowler add to the attack?

As for either of them being a better option than Ponting, well he kept it tight and picked up a wicket - something neither of those 2 look like doing at the same time.

 

[Pratters]

Aus should be desperate for an all-rounder to give a credible 5th bowling option.

Agreed. They did not feel that need with Warne and McGrath in full flow but witout even one of them its a big problem.

 

[Pratters]

So you're not going to answer the question then...

I did quite clearly.

And what exactly does a second spinner (who is well renowned for being rather costly) or a 3-300 bowler add to the attack?

A 5th bowler, a spinner or a pacer can work as a stock bowler too and does not have to be a strike bowler.

As for either of them being a better option than Ponting, well he kept it tight and picked up a wicket - something neither of those 2 look like doing at the same time.

It was extremely lucky Ponting got the wicket but a test match has two innings!

 

[Hoggy31]

England to collapse to 301 all out..

 

[social]

So you're not going to answer the question then...

And what exactly does a second spinner (who is well renowned for being rather costly) or a 3-300 bowler add to the attack?

As for either of them being a better option than Ponting, well he kept it tight and picked up a wicket - something neither of those 2 look like doing at the same time.

Like it or not, MacGill is one of the best spinners in the world (substantially better than Giles, who appears to be an automatic selection for Eng).

If Aus could field a balanced team with both he and Warne in the attack, Aus would be much better off for it.

Gillespie is out of form and was never going to play here even if we needed 10 bowlers.

 

[luckyeddie]

Edgbaston had 60 yard boundaries.

Schoolgirl matches are played on bigger fields.

So why didn't your lot win?

They played like girls.

 

[King_Ponting]

So why didn't your lot win?

They played like girls.

no,no the batsman played like girls. the bowlers, batted well

 

[greg]

Like it or not, MacGill is one of the best spinners in the world (substantially better than Giles, who appears to be an automatic selection for Eng).

If Aus could field a balanced team with both he and Warne in the attack, Aus would be much better off for it.

Gillespie is out of form and was never going to play here even if we needed 10 bowlers.

Giles would be unlikely to be picked as a second spinner

 

[Nate]

Can`t read over 800 posts, so apologies if this has been said before.

I thought Tait was terrific, expensive, but very testing, best of the Aussie bowlers (bar Ponting. =)).

My predictions are never right, and I predict England to be out for just under 310.

 

[Pothas]

My dad is predicting that the next 2 sessions are going to be rememberd as one of englands classic batting performances with pieterson and flintoff making one of the great partnerships. If one of them gets out in the first over im blaming him

 

[Pedro Delgado]

Can`t read over 800 posts, so apologies if this has been said before.

I thought Tait was terrific, expensive, but very testing, best of the Aussie bowlers (bar Ponting. =)).

No none of the above was said, in fact all the Aussies on here thought that Taits debut was one of the worst in history.

 

[Burpey]

Sure hope so Nath ... pretty happy with the bolwing effort. If we can knock them over fairly quickly and bat well for the rest of the day we will be in a very good position. Therefore, the first session is vital

 

[Nate]

Watching the SBS highlights, Tait did look to bowl quite well in his second spell.

Woooooord, word, word.

That ball to Trescothick! Whoa!

 

[Burpey]

My dad is predicting that the next 2 sessions are going to be rememberd as one of englands classic batting performances with pieterson and flintoff making one of the great partnerships. If one of them gets out in the first over im blaming him

I'll be praising him

 

[Pothas]

Can`t read over 800 posts, so apologies if this has been said before.

I thought Tait was terrific, expensive, but very testing, best of the Aussie bowlers (bar Ponting. =)).

.

He did look pretty good but im hoping hel be going for a lot of runs this morning and he is also going to pick up an awful lot of injuries

 

[ltzergling]

well its about to start

COME ON AUSSIES!!!!!!
COME ON AUSSIES!!!!!!
COME ON AUSSIES!!!!!!

 

[King_Ponting]

Woooooord, word, word.

That ball to Trescothick! Whoa!

Trescothic made it look better than it actually was. much like haydens dismissal at lords to hoggard

 

[PY]

From an Aussie point of view, that was an awful start.