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

[Scaly piscine]

Uh, because its a rather pointless format that bears no relation to proper cricket? Still, its quite interesting to see Australia 31/7, even if it is a knockabout.. If the criminals are humiliated it might quiet some of their "experts" down a little

Ironic considering the worth you attached to the SA v England ODI series when all of the players that performed (mostly English players) in the Test series were shattered.

 

[Langeveldt]

Aside from the fact that it will give the likes of Lewis and Gough a confidence boost before the NWS.

And it may make Australia take England even more seriously.. Meaning this Twenty over hogwash could actually be a bad thing when the proper cricket starts

 

[andyc]

Ironic considering the worth you attached to the SA v England ODI series when all of the players that performed (mostly English players) in the Test series were shattered.

odis are recognised everywhere as proper games though. this is still just hit-and-giggle

 

[Langeveldt]

Ironic considering the worth you attached to the SA v England ODI series when all of the players that performed (mostly English players) in the Test series were shattered.

Since when have I considered 50 over cricket to be a pointless format?

 

[PY]

Key words: Sour grapes

What have they got to be sour about?

They're sitting clear at the top of the cricketing world bar none and they are losing a Twenty20 game heavily? Boo-hoo, give me the Ashes for 19 years and I'd happily do a swap.

 

[Adamc]

This match is a farce. The ICC administrators should be shot for allowing Australia to play the highest form of the game, Twenty20, simply on the basis of a few wins in other, minor forms of the game. Australia's very participation in this game denigrates the statistical integrity of Twenty20 cricket. They should be immediately relegated until they can at least beat Namibia and Kenya with something approaching regularity.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

And it may make Australia take England even more seriously.. Meaning this Twenty over hogwash could actually be a bad thing when the proper cricket starts

It might be a shot across the bow sort of warning, but I think Australia would have taken England pretty seriously anyway. It won't make much of a difference either way, really.

 

[Langeveldt]

It might be a shot across the bow sort of warning, but I think Australia would have taken England pretty seriously anyway. It won't make much of a difference either way, really.

Making this even more irrelevant Still at least we are all agreeing bar Jamee...

 

[Scaly piscine]

Err, what? I don't have sour grapes - Australia tried their best and have been well beaten by a far better team on the day. England batted very well and Australia bowled quite poorly, and Gough in particular did an excellent job with the ball and Lewis supported him well.

The point remains that it's a 20/20 game and therefore won't be particularly high in the players minds when they enter the more important parts of the tour. Aside from the fact that it will give the likes of Lewis and Gough a confidence boost before the NWS.

I was referring to "Key word: Twenty20. Given that it's not even a legitimate international format", which is rubbish obviously.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Anyway, on another note, what did people think of it as an international format?

Personally, I spent the whole time wishing it was a 50 over game and wouldn't be over in an hour or two, and I absolutely hate that stupid free hit thing in international cricket. The strokeplay was pretty exciting, but nothing more than what one would see in an ODI game.

Anyone particularly enjoy it (aside from Jamee)?

 

[Adamc]

The only way this is going to have any effect on the Test series is if Flintoff knocks out one of the bowlers with a bouncer. It certainly appears as though he is trying to.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I was referring to "Key word: Twenty20. Given that it's not even a legitimate international format", which is rubbish obviously.

Err, it's not a legitimate international format. This is the second international EVER played in the format, how on earth is it in any way a recognised form of the game? It isn't even played domestically in most of the cricketing world!

 

[Scaly piscine]

Since when have I considered 50 over cricket to be a pointless format?

There's not a lot of difference between Twenty20 and ODIs, given that by definition Twenty20 is an ODI. To attach such value to that ODI series in SA and say this game is worthless and not proper cricket is dubious at best. I suppose you're now going to say any game reduced to 49 or less overs is worthless now are you?

 

[Blaze]

And it may make Australia take England even more seriously.. Meaning this Twenty over hogwash could actually be a bad thing when the proper cricket starts

Yea i agree. When i turned it on and saw Aussie 31/7 I thought wow good stuff England but then I realised how angry and embaressed Aus will be and now they have had a kick up the butt i would expect them to come out in the ODI's more fired up then they were today. It is really the worst thing to happen for England them winning so convincingly.

I wouldn't read that much into the actual result.. Aus were laughing on the sidelines wen they were 31/7.

 

[PY]

The only way this is going to have any effect on the Test series is if Flintoff knocks out one of the bowlers with a bouncer. It certainly appears as though he is trying to.

Maybe Freddie remembers what Lee did to Tudor and/or doesn't like Lee anyway and wants to return the favour?

Or he's trying to rile Lee into bowling bouncers at him in the proper games which is one of Freddie's strongest areas.

I think I'd go with the first (not that I agree with it because I was a big critic of Lee when he did that) because Freddie's that kind of guy.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Err, it's not a legitimate international format. This is the second international EVER played in the format, how on earth is it in any way a recognised form of the game? It isn't even played domestically in most of the cricketing world!

Actually, it's played in four of ten countries (England, SA, Pakistan, Sri Lanka), and I bet NZ will catch on soon.

Listening on the radio, I enjoyed it - I think it's a fairly good form of condensing the game to something that people can catch after work, instead of taking a whole day off to watch cricket.

 

[andyc]

oh, finally mcgrath comes in. now we've stopped messing around, time to get to business

 

[Langeveldt]

To be honest, I was quite keen with Twenty20 cricket when it started, but I'm starting to see the light.. Seeing Gillespie jogging in slowly and being reverse swept by Strauss is really making me wonder if this is a dangerous venture for the "real" cricket fan..

I mean England batted superbly well, but I had to wait about half an hour to see a proper stroke to a good ball.. People on here seem to hate baseball, but thats what this reminds me of..

 

[Langeveldt]

I suppose you're now going to say any game reduced to 49 or less overs is worthless now are you?

No.. that would just be stupid..

 

[Scaly piscine]

Err, it's not a legitimate international format. This is the second international EVER played in the format, how on earth is it in any way a recognised form of the game? It isn't even played domestically in most of the cricketing world!

mmhmm, so you're telling me that this game isn't going to be recognised or recorded by anyone and in fact this game is merely a figment of our collective imaginations?