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

[luckyeddie]

I think Bucknor should be given the old heave ho.

To listen to some, Simon Taufel's the only decent umpire left.

Although weren't the Indian fans moaning about him a few months ago?

 

[James]

My personal take is that it's only a matter of time before all decisions are referred to the 3rd Umpire to ensure the correct decision is made.

We have the technology, why not use it? With cricket now a professional game, a wrong decision can make or break a players career.

 

[luckyeddie]

My personal take is that it's only a matter of time before all decisions are referred to the 3rd Umpire to ensure the correct decision is made.

We have the technology, why not use it? With cricket now a professional game, a wrong decision can make or break a players career.

That will be the day that test cricket dies. You'll be looking at about 10 overs an hour maximum.

 

[Nate]

Well... we`re getting owned. Martyn`s LBW = ridiculous, but that`s not our only problem.

Cricket is turning gay for me. Will take anger out on players at seniors this arvo.

 

[andyc]

I woke up this morning hoping for a fight from the Aussie batsmen who supposedly 'found some form' in the tour match. Instead I get this. I remember when, in 2001 or so, Australia had the best captain in the world. I remember when, against India, we completely outplanned and thrashed them. We had the best bowlers in McGrath, Warne and Gillespie, the best batsmen in Hayden, Langer, Ponting and Martyn, and the best keeper. Now we've been reduced to this.

Hats off to the England for taking full advantage of the Aussies' complacency. They've had better fielding placements, bowlers who have taken much more out of the pitch, batsmen who have played sensibly but still scored at 4 an over.But this is sad day for Australian cricket, as far as I'm concerned (bare in mind, I've grown up knowing an Autralian loss to be something almost unheard of). It'd take a miracle to retain the Ashes from here.

 

[James]

I think its something the ICC has to look into. I think we'd all agree that too many incorrect decisions are being made in cricket these days and something has to be done about it. Maybe its always been like this, but a big series such as the Ashes brings it out even more.

You wouldn't have to refer all decisions but LBWs and Caught Behinds would be the main forms of dismissal that require TV replays.

Perhaps something like this could be used during the World XI / Australia test match in October as a trial.

 

[Pratters]

When he have the facility to conclusively state out or not out, we should use it.

Hawk eye and other inconclusive technologies should not be used but if the fans and people sitting in the media boxes and dressing rooms can see a decision being made is clearly wrong on tv (like inside edge given out lbw), it brings the game to unnecessary disrepute.

The day saw some brilliant cricket. But we remember the error decisions most. It would not have happened 40 years ago to this extent as the cameras would not have been that conclusive and the media was not as s trong and communication not as fast.

 

[Nate]

At least Katich is showing some fight.

Langer - Has looked alright, nothing special.
Hayden - Absolute crap, he has done nothing.
Ponting - A few good innings, a bit of inconsistency, horrible captaincy.
Martyn - Unlucky. Hasn`t really done much wrong.
Clarke - Out of his league, give him a run for NSW.
Katich - Hasn`t looked the part, may he score some runs now.
Gilchrist - The same, has been abvoe par only with the gloves.
Warne - Legned, with ball and bat.
Lee - Lacking the height that rocked the Kiwis and made him a force in the VB series.
Gillespie - Gah.
McGrath - Best bowler ever. Doesn`t do anything wrong except get injured.
Tait - Alright debut, best of the Aussie pacemen this game so far. Which isn`t good.
Kasper - What happened? He`s making love to the leg-stump.

Suggested moves.
Hussey - Dominated in the shorter form, give him a go.
Jaques - Knows the English conditions, scores double 100`s. Please try him.
Bracken - He can swing it. Look at the swing Hoggard is getting, at least try him.

Other than that, we`re screwed!

 

[shaka]

Am I the only one who feels Bucknor has umpired too many games and has started to go a bit deaf and sometimes blind? no offence.

 

[Slow Love™]

Three quick questions.

when was the last time England made 3 consecutive 1st innings scores of 400+?

when was the last time England made 3 consecutive 1st innings scores of 400+ against Australia?

when was the last time Australia conceded 3 consecutive 400+ 1st innings scores?

Yep. Aussie supporters can blame our bats as much as we like, and it's not as if they're free of blame, but having the bowlers in the last three matches concede these kinds of scores first up has a) made each game enormously difficult to win before we've even batted and consequently b) put the batsmen under a huge amount of pressure.

And it's no coincidence that the last time this happened (in games between Australia and England) is the last time England won the Ashes.

We've been doing it to other sides for years. And teams with great bowling attacks are the ones that dominate the game. England's looks way better than ours right now.

 

[Craig]

Am I the only one who feels Bucknor has umpired too many games and has started to go a bit deaf and sometimes blind? no offence.

Your not the only one - how on earth was Geriant Jones (IIRC it was him or Flintoff) was not out caught behind after lunch I will never know. And if you took Richard's first chance theroy in place then Jones did not deserve his 85 as he would have out there and then. But credit to him for going on and gett 85, as Boycott said he is a lot better batsman then what gives justice to himself and he should prove so. Flintoff's innings was another showing of his class as a batsman alone.

But once again everytime I go to bed and check the score each morning I find another twist in the tale and it looks Australia are up the creek with a paddle. Surely Vaughan will make Australia follow on if his bowlers are up to it and depending how quickly he gets the next five wickets. And it is good to see Hoggard and Harmison be amongst the wickets again.

 

[Craig]

At least Katich is showing some fight.

Langer - Has looked alright, nothing special.
Hayden - Absolute crap, he has done nothing.
Ponting - A few good innings, a bit of inconsistency, horrible captaincy.
Martyn - Unlucky. Hasn`t really done much wrong.
Clarke - Out of his league, give him a run for NSW.
Katich - Hasn`t looked the part, may he score some runs now.
Gilchrist - The same, has been abvoe par only with the gloves.
Warne - Legned, with ball and bat.
Lee - Lacking the height that rocked the Kiwis and made him a force in the VB series.
Gillespie - Gah.
McGrath - Best bowler ever. Doesn`t do anything wrong except get injured.
Tait - Alright debut, best of the Aussie pacemen this game so far. Which isn`t good.
Kasper - What happened? He`s making love to the leg-stump.

Suggested moves.
Hussey - Dominated in the shorter form, give him a go.
Jaques - Knows the English conditions, scores double 100`s. Please try him.
Bracken - He can swing it. Look at the swing Hoggard is getting, at least try him.

Other than that, we`re screwed!

The one soloutation to Hayden is tell him he is no longer a certainty in the Australian team - then he will make some runs.

 

[Josh]

Overhall of umpires needed.

 

[andyc]

Overhall of umpires needed.

Bucknor has made some shockers. I just don't get it, these umpires are meant to be the best in the business, yet they miss obvious edges. One or two isn't too bad but when they're happening so consistently something should be done. Obviously Australia has received the worst of these, but England has had a few dodgy decisions against them too.

 

[Mister Wright]

Clarke is encouraging contrating emotions for me, ifeel he is going to make a BIG one but when he plays shots like that he gets me worried.....

Would you believe it as soon type he gets out, i'm going to shut my mouth from now on

Yeah, its frustrating isn't it? He looks to be handling everything sweet, and he plays some absolutely ridiculous shots. Considering the situation, it would have been much better for him to knuckle down and at least see out the day. Katich is ideal for this situation, I hope he can combine with Gilchrist to at least get this match to a fourth day.

 

[andyc]

Any chance of rain guys?

 

[Mister Wright]

Yep. Aussie supporters can blame our bats as much as we like, and it's not as if they're free of blame, but having the bowlers in the last three matches concede these kinds of scores first up has a) made each game enormously difficult to win before we've even batted and consequently b) put the batsmen under a huge amount of pressure.

And it's no coincidence that the last time this happened (in games between Australia and England) is the last time England won the Ashes.

We've been doing it to other sides for years. And teams with great bowling attacks are the ones that dominate the game. England's looks way better than ours right now.

Catches win matches.

Pretty tough to lay all the blame on the batsman and bowlers. If we had of taken our catches, it could have made things easier on them and more pressure on the English bats and our batsman mightn't have been looking at daunting totals.

 

[Slow Love™]

Catches win matches.

Pretty tough to lay all the blame on the batsman and bowlers. If we had of taken our catches, it could have made things easier on them and more pressure on the English bats and our batsman mightn't have been looking at daunting totals.

Yeah, agreed - I did mention the catching in an earlier post. I was more responding to posts laying all the blame for our position at the feet of the batsmen, where I'd say what's happened when we've been in the field has put the bats under enormous pressure (and into situations where wins are already pretty unlikely). I also think the English bowlers have just bowled a lot better than ours have in general.

 

[Mister Wright]

Yeah, agreed - I did mention the catching in an earlier post. I was more responding to posts laying all the blame for our position at the feet of the batsmen, where I'd say what's happened when we've been in the field has put the bats under enormous pressure (and into situations where wins are already pretty unlikely). I also think the English bowlers have just bowled a lot better than ours have in general.

Oh definitley. Despite our fielding woes, the bowlers should be trying to get a wicket every ball or at least trying to work to a plan to get a wicket (ala Flintoff v Hayden 2nd innings 3rd test), however I haven't seen that from any of the bowlers (McGrath excluded). Lee has just looked to bowl fast, he hasn't bowled to a plan and for all the talk of getting him into the test team due to his one day form he hasn't been much of a strike bowler. Gillespie was just trying to get it on the pitch, not trying to get them out, and Kaspa must feel like he's bowling for his spot with every delivery. Even Warne has been concerntrating more on his hair than his bowling, but he is obvious class, so it doesn't really matter.

I do think Australia blundered by not going with the 4 bowlers that had done the job in the past from the get-go. Fair enough we way have been in a similar situation, but you just had to keep faith in the guys that had done it before. Now, mainly due to injury we have yet to field the same 4 bowlers in consecutive tests and it hasn't helped our rythum.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

I guess Lee's form with the White ball made them stick him in, but surely they should have known he always does well with the white ball but just doesnt produce consistantly with the red one. Shrug.