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

[honestbharani]

I don't believe Australia will struggle with the bat. (I stand to be corrected). The Oval should suit them, Jones out makes a huge difference particularly since Collingwood is in.

Realistically Hoggard has only had one good test (the last one) when the ball swung for him. If it's not swinging he won't be much use with the old ball. That just leaves Harmison and Flintoff to do the majority of the work....and Harmison has looked the least dangerous of the lot of them. Sure he's hit a few blokes but he hasn't been able to sustain his line.

Warne and Lee have had no trouble with him. I'll back Australia to come good with the bat especially if they bat first.

Australia may come good, but they won't be as free flowing as they used to be. That is what I meant when I said struggle. They will struggle to bat in their normal pace because none of them is in any fluent touch, except Clarke and perhaps Ponting and Langer to an extent.

 

[Knopfler]

If Australia do not play 5 bowlers, I am going to cry. Rain probable and we NEED A RESULT.

I am extremely worried that they willl play only four.

PLEASE play the extra bowler.


On a different note, who do you think will likely be the most influencial player for this test? My guess: the coin.

 

[sqwerty]

If Australia do not play 5 bowlers, I am going to cry. Rain probable and we NEED A RESULT.

I am extremely worried that they willl play only four.

PLEASE play the extra bowler.


On a different note, who do you think will likely be the most influencial player for this test? My guess: the coin.

Then Warney's a close second

 

[luckyeddie]

Then Warney's a close second

Totally agree - the man's middle name is 'Destiny' - or should that read 'Density'? Perhaps both.

Worst possible case scenario: England win the toss and bat. You would normally then make them huge favourites to post a substantial score and reduce Australia's chances of victory considerably, but the 'Warne Factor' is such that he can turn any game on its head in an hour - even batting second at The Oval.

Best possible case scenario: Australia win the toss. Mind you, Ricky'd say "Well, it is September and with low water today at London Bridge due at 10.26 am, bright sunshine forecast and diminished chance of swing due to prevailing atmospherics, we'll have a bowl".

 

[luckyeddie]

you said that they havent made any selection errors for a long time, i just pointed out that they've been making them regularly.

Yes, I clearly recall you saying that a bunch of two-year olds could do better.

For "selection error" read "something TEC disagrees with".

 

[aussie]

If Australia do not play 5 bowlers, I am going to cry. Rain probable and we NEED A RESULT.

I am extremely worried that they willl play only four.

PLEASE play the extra bowler.


On a different note, who do you think will likely be the most influencial player for this test? My guess: the coin.

1. well it pretty much seems as if 4 will play but i now that McGrath and hopefully firing on all cylinders i feel an attack of McGrath/lee/Tait/Warne could do the job

2. agreed with Warne 2nd & Freddie 3rd methinks......

 

[sqwerty]

1. well it pretty much seems as if 4 will play but i now that McGrath and hopefully firing on all cylinders i feel an attack of McGrath/lee/Tait/Warne could do the job

2. agreed with Warne 2nd & Freddie 3rd methinks......

Mind you.......I'd be tempted to say Trescothick or Vaughan 3rd with Freddie. Either of these blokes could end the series on day 1 if England bat.

 

[shaka]

Mcgrath gets a promotion up the order if Tait plays.

 

[sqwerty]

Mcgrath gets a promotion up the order if Tait plays.

Tait shouldn't be allowed to bat again after his last effort. Aus should declare 9 down.

20 extra runs may have been handy in that last test.

 

[Nate]

No doubt in my mind Collingwood will be picked.

 

[Knopfler]

for a captain, ponting certainly does have his way with words doesn't he?
"It would be unfair if it was my fault if we lost this Ashes series"
good to see how positive he is that even before the last test, hes defending his captaincy for losing the series.

Here is that article:
http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/engvaus/content/story/218333.html

The part that annoyed me was,

"You go in on what you think is right at the time. I'm not a great one at looking back and analysing previous Test matches or previous innings and picking out what I've done well or what I haven't done well because I actually feel I'm doing the right things at the right times in the game."

Its good to know the captain does not look back on his past mistakes because, in the game , he thought he was making the correct decisions.

 

[Nate]

...or maybe just a little bit...

 

[howardj]

If Australia do not play 5 bowlers, I am going to cry. Rain probable and we NEED A RESULT.

I am extremely worried that they willl play only four.

.

I don't get why you'd advocate playing five bowlers. It's not as though Australia have been spending two days out in the field, struggling to get English wickets. It's just that we have conceded too many runs - by bowling both sides of the wicket, and too short - between our wicket taking deliveries. We don't need more strike power, but more discipline.

Moreover, everyone talks about needing 20 wickets to win a Test, but overlook the fact that to win most Tests, you also need 600 runs. Dropping an Australian batsman for a bowler would make it very difficult - in an already underperforming batting lineup - for Australia to score the necessary 600 runs in this Test.

 

[Nate]

A) Please Lord, no rain, or at least not much. A result either way would be beautiful.

B) Australia, don`t play five bowlers. Five are NOT needed in Tests, especially with Warne and McGrath in your team. We haven`t needed them in the past, and we don`t now.

C) England, get ready for Tait to rock you.
My predictions this series have been CRAP. But I stand by this one. Tait will dominate.

 

[aussie]

Tait shouldn't be allowed to bat again after his last effort. Aus should declare 9 down.

20 extra runs may have been handy in that last test.

come on Tait doesn't look that incompetent with the willow

 

[aussie]

C) England, get ready for Tait to rock you.
My predictions this series have been CRAP. But I stand by this one. Tait will dominate.

Word, i'm with you on this one nath dawg

 

[luckyeddie]

come on Tait doesn't look that incompetent with the willow

If he were weaving willow twitches into a nice chair or basket maybe, but hitting a leather sphere with a lump of it? That's another matter.

 

[sqwerty]

come on Tait doesn't look that incompetent with the willow

depends what he's doing with it !
He'd be competent sticking it up his...........oops gotta go home and switch on the telly.

 

[luckyeddie]

Word, i'm with you on this one nath dawg

Please don't use such ludicrous expressions.

Some of us are older than 12 and so don't understand.

 

[aussie]

If he were weaving willow twitches into a nice chair or basket maybe, but hitting a leather sphere with a lump of it? That's another matter.