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***Official*** Australia in England (The Ashes)
- Thread starter James
- Start date
FaaipDeOiad
Hall of Fame Member
Why? Warne would LOVE to have England playing defensive cricket for a day to save the match!andyc said:
Unless it turns out to be a shock greentop or something, Australia must win the toss and bat at The Oval and make a good score to put pressure on England's batting. We've seen twice in the series so far what can happen in that situation.
Slow Love™
International Captain
LOLandyc said:
luckyeddie
Cricket Web Staff Member
A good captain's never afraid to make decisions - but they have to be at least feasible.andyc said:
I honestly cannot envisage a situation where anyone could win the toss at The Oval and bowl.
Slow Love™
International Captain
I actually thought andy was just doing a great deadpan gag....
luckyeddie
Cricket Web Staff Member
Never thought of that.Slow Love™ said:
If it was, it was brilliant.
If it wasn't, it was even better.
Slow Love™
International Captain
Advice to andy - if it wasn't, pretend it was. It's often worked for me. 
Mister Wright
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I watch watching the Back Page tonight, and somone (can't remember the guy's name) made a very interesting point. He said that the current team has been such a successful unit and have been so dominant for so long. He said that this team should be given the opportunity to prove that they are as good as they say they are and the team should go into the test unchanged, or at least McGrath in for Tait. They should be given the chance as a unit to either say, "we are not going to let you take our mantle so easily." Or to say, "fair enough you beat us fair and square - time for a new era."
What are everyone's (I'm mainly looking at the Aussie supporters) thoughts on this? Should we give this unit there last harrah, or do we get the new blood in immediately (assuming we are going to bring in other players from outside the squad.
What are everyone's (I'm mainly looking at the Aussie supporters) thoughts on this? Should we give this unit there last harrah, or do we get the new blood in immediately (assuming we are going to bring in other players from outside the squad.
Barney Rubble
International Coach
I certainly won't be able to hold it together - if anyone hasn't seen me writing it in big capitals all over this board recently, I'm going to Day 5 of the Oval with two mates. If it's as tense as any of the last three matches, I think there may be a high death toll among the crowd there.luckyeddie said:
EDIT: 1,000 posts for me, yay!
Too much symbolism. If they do that, they would actually agree that this is the end of an era.Mister Wright said:
I would infinitely prefer Australia to go in with the best 11 they can think of (i.e., Hussey for Hayden, McGrath for Kasprowicz, if unfit perhaps MacGill?) to a Charge of the Light Brigade type Famous Last Stand.
BoyBrumby
Englishman
Wouldn't that mean a recall for Dizzy too then?!Mister Wright said:
I think he's making a valid argument, but I've seen little evidence from certain quarters (Hayden mainly but Gilchrist too to a lesser extent, although he's obviously bomb-proof) that they have it in them to come up to the mark for the fifth.
FWIW I think Hayden still has a better than 50/50 shout at playing in the fifth tho. I wouldn't pick him tho, time to grasp the nettle.
Mister Wright
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I'm the biggest Matty Hayden fan on this forum, and I am very worried, in his favour there are no other real opening options. Also, there are people claiming that Jaques & Hussey's county form should see them in the side, but when you look at it, Hayden has done very well in the tour games, yet hasn't raised his level for the test, you could agrue the same may happen for either of them.BoyBrumby said:Wouldn't that mean a recall for Dizzy too then?!
I think he's making a valid argument, but I've seen little evidence from certain quarters (Hayden mainly but Gilchrist too to a lesser extent, although he's obviously bomb-proof) that they have it in them to come up to the mark for the fifth.
FWIW I think Hayden still has a better than 50/50 shout at playing in the fifth tho. I wouldn't pick him tho, time to grasp the nettle.
However, you can only ride on your past performances for so long. Martyn was given well over a year to score a century, when making starts, but the difference is, we were a winning side, despite that.
BoyBrumby
Englishman
Think you've hit the nail on the head when you say you were a winning side. If we were 3-0 down (as we could easily be) I'm sure all us Poms would be calling for Bell's & G Jones's ar$es on a platter too.Mister Wright said:
Gilly must have bailed out your top order dozens of times too, his lack of runs have really shown up the others' failings. Admittedly Warne & Lee have compensated a fair bit tho, runs from 8-11 is the one area where you've been consistently better than us this series.
howardj
International Coach
Mister Wright
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
McGrath isn't a certainty either.howardj said:
FaaipDeOiad
Hall of Fame Member
Can only be good if Jones misses. I like Tremlett a lot and think he's a good bowler, but I'd much rather have him playing than Jones, as I think on a flat pitch Tremlett might go for some runs.
Collingwood would of course be all but useless if conditions weren't helping him with the ball, but could potentially be a pain with the bat.
Collingwood would of course be all but useless if conditions weren't helping him with the ball, but could potentially be a pain with the bat.
