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

[aussie]

Take off the rose-tinted spectacles for once.

yea yea i had a look at it earlier tonight & i dunno maybe their was some bat, but still very inconclusive.

 

[Blaze]

Ok this is the only way I can see Australia winning

(I am assuming the last 2 days will be 100 over days)

Bat for another 60 overs and get a minimum of 200 runs which will see them have a lead of about 100.

They then need to bowl out of their skins and take every opportunity and hope to bowl England out for no more than 300 in a maximum of 90 overs. This would require Warne to continue troubling the English batsman and for the Seamers to back him up well and knock the top off England early which would give Warne the opportunity to attack Englands middle order and hopefully pick up wickets.

That would then leave them 50 overs to chase a score of around 200 on a fifth day pitch which would be a fitting way to end a great series with Australia forced to attack in order to hold on to the ashes.

 

[nick-o]

Well

We have some England supporters saying England can win by scoring like 350 and setting a target.

But, GET REAL.

1st Test - England second innings: 180 (Warne: 4-64)
2nd Test - England second innings: 182 (Warne 6-46)
3rd Test - England second innings: 280-6 (Warne 0-74)
4th Test - England second innings: 129-7 (Warne 4-31)

Against Warne, playing his last Ashes Test in England, on a deteriorating wicket, needing two more wickets to become the all-time greatest Ashes wicket-taker... You really think England have a hope of getting 350? You even think they can get 200?

Admittedly, Warne didn't do it in the third test... but is he really going to let that happen again?

Tomorrow, Australia should bat on until they have a lead of 150 or so on the first innings, or until rain stops play if it rains. After that, it's a question of whether England can avoid an innings defeat.

England can draw the Test and win the Ashes -- and I really hope so. But there is no possibility of an England win.

 

[marc71178]

yea yea i had a look at it earlier tonight & i dunno maybe their was some bat, but still very inconclusive.

Not inconclusive at all.

1 look of the normal speed replay makes it obvious.

 

[luckyeddie]

how about bowl the rest of the aussies out really quickly and bat for as long as they can, which with Warne wont be long enough i dont think. than bowl them out again

Be very, very careful.

Pig droppings can cause a lot of damage, even from just a hundred feet.

 

[cameeel]

Hayden'll bounce back at the Oval, mark my words.... - cameeel (very well done - good spot).

Thanks

 

[andyc]

I sure hope that Hayden starts to score quickly now that he's reached his century, cause Australia really need a quick 100-150.

 

[Knopfler]

Looking at the weather forcast (which doesn't look good for tommorrow afternoon) and the state of game if I wsa Australia I would want to bat all day tommorrow. No point in declaring earlier as England will be straight off for bad light given the chance and more overs will be lost. Better for Australia to be batting late in the day so they can control the game in that respect (though judging by recent evidence they may come off themselvs).

Thats a good point. So, all things going well, it looks like Australia might have exactly one day to try and bowl England out.

 

[cameeel]

I sure hope that Hayden starts to score quickly now that he's reached his century, cause Australia really need a quick 100-150.

Hopefully, he's gotta get sick of blocking/leaving everything eventually

 

[jlo33692]

Cameel,hi m8

what do you think the oz will need to declare<if they declare?

 

[andyc]

Weather permitting, I could see them batting till tea, or maybe halfway between lunch and tea, giving Australia a day (tea day four, then the morning and afternoon sessions) to bowl out England, and then the last session to chase whatever England get.

 

[cameeel]

Cameel,hi m8

what do you think the oz will need to declare<if they declare?

Hey JLo,

Assuming there's around 200 overs of play left in the match, Australia would have to bat until at least Tea tomorrow, get themselves a lead of at least 200+, and hope McGrath & Warne can rip through the pom's batting, with around 100 overs to do so in, it all depends on how Martyn & Hayden go, it'd almost help Aus to get Clarke or Gilly in with Hayden, and score a bit quicker, but even more pressure on England

 

[jlo33692]

andy,what are we looking at m8?
say 150 -200 at best and declare? at worst i would say they will bat into 1hour after tea have 1 and half hour s at them and then tommorow. Im sure they still get the extra half hour at start and end of each day if play was lost??? although may be wrong ,Waddya reckon?

 

[jlo33692]

sorry cameel i posted just as you posted,yep agree mate but hayden must be told to attack now.
No more time for chipping and blocking?Still i saw a post at 70 and 80 % draw ,but i disagree i reckon with no rain and good light we are in with a huge chance,besides only 1 team can will it now ?

 

[age_master]

Cameel,hi m8

what do you think the oz will need to declare<if they declare?

220 should do it, depending on time they might go lower

Clarke and Gilchrist will probably be told to go after it

 

[andyc]

220 should do it, depending on time they might go lower

Clarke and Gilchrist will probably be told to go after it

Should Gilly come in ahead of Katich? And, in all seriousness, if Australia are, say, 150 in front, nearing tea, and a wicket falls, should Warne come in to pinch hit?

 

[cameeel]

sorry cameel i posted just as you posted,yep agree mate but hayden must be told to attack now.
No more time for chipping and blocking?Still i saw a post at 70 and 80 % draw ,but i disagree i reckon with no rain and good light we are in with a huge chance,besides only 1 team can will it now ?

If any team is going to win from here, it will be Australia, however England have the advantage in that they don't NEED to win the match, they'll be perfectly happy with a draw. But you're right, Hayden needs to start going after the bowling, it'll either get him out quickly, or he'll put massive pressure on England. And even if Hayden falls without adding much, there's still the potentially free scoring Gilchrist and Clarke to come, as well as that trio, Martyn is very good at putting pressure on the field by bunting it for quick singles, if all 4 of those guys can fire, and it doesn't rain, then Aus have put themselves in a good position to retain the Ashes

 

[cameeel]

Should Gilly come in ahead of Katich? And, in all seriousness, if Australia are, say, 150 in front, nearing tea, and a wicket falls, should Warne come in to pinch hit?

Good suggestion, Katich isnt known for his quick scoring, and with the form that Warne's in with the bat, he could be very effective, as he was a couple of times in ODI's, hit some boundaries and put pressure on England, even if he gets out for less then 30

 

[jlo33692]

Yep cameel thats exactly right, Andy i would go your way as warne then id go with lee then Katich.We have to set the runs as quick as possible,of course if gilly ,martyn,clarke go after the bowlers,they have potential to rip the game away from eng,if they get going they will wonder what hit them i think. They will have to bowl giles and they will target him,so maybe as they wont be going for the win then the fast bowlers will get more than we think>>>> Gee im geeting wound up and nervous already hahaha,we do desreve a bit of luck though would we all agree on that?

 

[Blaze]

metcheck has been very reliable and suggests that there will be no further rain.

Around 200 overs of cricket left