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

[marc71178]

I really dont see how anyone who claims to be a cricket fan can say Collingwood was out. No idea what you've all been smoking!

At first look I thought gone.

In my mind that is the only thing you can apply to look at a decision because the umpire only has 1 look as well, so if your first opinion agrees with the umpire then you cannot turn round and criticise him afterwards without looking a bit of a hypocrite.

 

[marc71178]

Ah the selectors truly have a thankless job. They pick a player who performs and they are still slacked off.

But that's the point, he hasn't really performed.

What has he contributed to the 2 wins and the draw?

 

[marc71178]

the only sure thing in this match, is that there is no way England will declare.

Unless it's 350 ahead at 5.20 on Monday afternoon.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

If the batsman is playing a genuine shot?

Yep, which means not just that their move their bat towards the ball rather than away from it (eg hiding it behind the pad), but that they make a genuine attempt to hit the ball.

 

[Craig]

Ok it seems I didn't post it afterall, so here goes:

1/ England at 7-319 have thrown away a good start on a flat wicket and especially so to Marcus Trescothick, he has looked good and made a start but chucked it away instead of making a big 100 (although in fairness he did get out to a good catch).

2/ No Matter what England get IMO England will be at least 50-70 runs short.

3/ I'm not so convinced about Paul Collingwood as a Test batsman, he needs to take his chances when he gets him. Ian Bell needs to make a decent score to prove his critics wrong, but he didn't get it by making a zero.

 

[howardj]

I think as we saw yesterday, in patches his accuracy is fine. He bowled a couple of spells where most things hit the mark and a couple of balls that would have got just about anyone out, and a couple of spells which were absolutely all over the place.

The difference between Tait of 03/04 and Tait of 04/05 was that in the second season he bowled far more of the good spells than the bad ones, and often took several wickets when he bowled the good ones.

I'm a bit surprised that he hasn't managed to reverse the ball out yet. I've always been under the impression that, like McGrath, Flintoff and Jones (and unlike Lee), he can reverse the ball in both directions.

I think, in the near future, Tait will overtake Brett Lee. This is significant because it's an open question as to how long the selectors will tolerate both in the same team. Tait moves the old ball decidedly more than Lee. For all the heart that Brett has shown this series - and I think he's a terrific lad - he has averaged 36 with the ball.

 

[nick-o]

Wonder how many people still feel Bell is a good replacement for Thorpe ?

Strictly speaking, Bell-o is not and never has been a replacement for Thorpe. In the sequence of events, he's really a replacement for Butcher. Kev-o is the replacement for Thorpe.

I've been advocating that the selectors should persevere with Bell-o, but it hasn't worked yet.

 

[James]

The Weather Forcast and it does not look good

 

[cameeel]

For whom? which team are you supporting James?

 

[Scaly piscine]

3/ I'm not so convinced about Paul Collingwood as a Test batsman, he needs to take his chances when he gets him. Ian Bell needs to make a decent score to prove his critics wrong, but he didn't get it by making a zero.

Dunno why people are trying to make a conclusion from an innings where the batsman played and missed once, played some solid shots and then got a Rudi special.

 

[James]

No particular team - netural.

I'm just enjoying watching some fantastic cricket and it would be a real shame to see the final test of the best ever series (IMO) being affected by rain.

 

[Linda]

No particular team - netural.

I'm just enjoying watching some fantastic cricket and it would be a real shame to see the final test of the best ever series (IMO) being affected by rain.

He's so with us. ANZAC spirit, anyone?

 

[Nate]

Blatant post boosting.

You obviously haven`t

a) met Squiddy.
b) been on the Testing Forum.

He was online I tells ya!

 

[Nate]

Odd over by McGrath... sort of good, yet not like him.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Odd over by McGrath... sort of good, yet not like him.

I'd say he's definately working to a plan for Giles because of his weakness against the short ball.

 

[Nate]

BOWLED! What a ball!

And Clarke`s outfielding has been crap.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Oh damn... that was an absolutely wonderful ball.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Nice shot and then misses a straight one a la Vaughan.

 

[Linda]

Brettus!! We love thee.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Amazing there, that ball came in to Jones and he still played inside the line. It really looked like he got beaten for pace outright, and just tried to shove the bat down on it.