*Official* Fifth Test at The Oval

[Daryl Harper]

This is exactly where we could have done with a Pietersen counter-attack. Just prodding around will get you out on this track, need to be positive in defence and attack. Hopefully Trott and Strauss will stick around for a while, would be disastrous if we're relying on Flintoff.

It's already won. That doesn't matter. Relax.

 

[GIMH]

The 'pick your best four bowlers' theory working wonders in this Test

 

[Daryl Harper]

Well, this match and series is very much still on the Iine. .

No it isn't. It's over

 

[tooextracool]

Poor shot that from Strauss, sweeping against the ball turning away from him on this pitch. Completely unnecessary and lucky to get away with it

 

[NUFAN]

It's already won. That doesn't matter. Relax.

No it isn't. It's over

Yeah because the momentum never changes in sport.

 

[steds]

What the **** happened today?

 

[grecian]

You can Relax all you like Shane, but I can assure you there'll be no relaxing in my house until the last crim is out.

Well done Trott and Strauss, incredibly important partnership, could easily have been five down at close, then it really would of been squeaky-bum time

 

[GIMH]

What the **** happened today?

Australia forefeited the innings to make it more interesting

 

[GIMH]

You can Relax all you like Shane, but I can assure you there'll be no relaxing in my house until the last crim is out.

Well done Trott and Strauss, incredibly important partnership, could easily have been five down at close, then it really would of been squeaky-bum time

Yeah, can just bat sensibly tomorrow. Another 150 and I will be happy. Ish.

 

[subshakerz]

What bs. We're a team in transition and we've lost a couple of tight series against good competition. If it wasn't for our system, we wouldn't have what is still one of the best two teams in the world. You want to see what happens without a system like that, look at the WIs, they won't even be a test team in another 10 years at the current rate.

I said Australia will still be competitive unlike the WI. Their system is good enough to ensure that.

To put Australia's stint at the top down to 2-3 legends coinciding is stupid. First, there were at least half a dozen great players (Hayden, Ponting, Waugh, Gilchrist, Warne, McGrath), but equally as importantly several more generally durable, consistent very very good players (Langer, Slater, Mark Waugh, Martyn, Gillespie, Kasprowicz, McGill, Lee). And the fringe players meant that when we did have injuries or retirements, guys like Lehmann, Katich, Clark, and Johnson came in.
.

Yet the West Indies of the 70s/80s had about as many greats/good players playing in their team, was that luck? My point is that Australia will always be competitive, but it was their luck to have a few once-in-a-generation players playing in the same team at the same time that was key to their utter dominance. Do you seriously expect another Warne-McGrath-Gilchrist combo any time soon?

 

[TT Boy]

Still feel England need 150 more to feel totally secure.

 

[fredfertang]

got enough already - another 150 would just be rubbing the crims noses in it

 

[social]

What the **** happened today?

As I predicted within the first hour of play yesterday, Oz were screwed once they lost the toss on a wicket that could best be described as a dodgy 5th day strip, were consigned to batting second and picked the wrong team

Far from being Nostradamus like, Oz's survival was always going to be remote on a deck where the ball is consistently going through the top and turning square on day 1

Tbh, I find it a bit farcical

 

[grecian]

got enough already - another 150 would just be rubbing the crims noses in it

Well that's a good enough reason to get them then

 

[Pratters]

Far from being Nostradamus like, Oz's survival was always going to be remote on a deck where the ball is consistently going through the top and turning square on day 1

Australia was done in by quality swing bowling, not the pitch. There is a very important difference.

 

[pskov]

As I predicted within the first hour of play yesterday, Oz were screwed once they lost the toss on a wicket that could best be described as a dodgy 5th day strip, were consigned to batting second and picked the wrong team

Far from being Nostradamus like, Oz's survival was always going to be remote on a deck where the ball is consistently going through the top and turning square on day 1

Tbh, I find it a bit farcical

How many of Broad's wickets were down to the pitch? He just bowled an excellent 12 over spell where he would've got batsmen out on just about any surface.

 

[fredfertang]

Well that's a good enough reason to get them then

well i was going to be so smug but now you come to mention it ........................

 

[subshakerz]

Can see Ponting taking a lot of flak for not fielding a spinner. Could have easily restircted England to less in their first innings with Hauritz and made their second innings that much for difficult.

 

[Pratters]

Can see Ponting taking a lot of flak for not fielding a spinner. Could have easily restircted England to less in their first innings with Hauritz and made their second innings that much for difficult.

Given that England threw their wickets away, Australia would not be dissatisfied to get them out at 325. It was evens stevens after the first inning.

 

[GIMH]

Yeah, is the failure to pick a spinner going to be 2009's "we're gonna have a bowl"