*Official* Fifth Test at the SCG

[age_master]

So angry with him and Neilsen. Even after we've been humiliated, they still refuse to admit fault. What garbage.

Agree with this. They should be the first heads to role. England played well and thoroughly deserved to win the series, but multiple wins of that size are shocking. In most other sports the coach would have resigned already.

 

[Spark]

So angry with him and Neilsen. Even after we've been humiliated, they still refuse to admit fault. What garbage.

It is quite incredible that they're trying to pass the buck.

 

[four_or_six]

I can't believe the rubbish Nielsen and Hildich have come out with. Especially since Clarke, and Watto the day before, both spoke very well, were very humble, and admitted their and their teams failings.

 

[Spark]

I can't believe the rubbish Nielsen and Hildich have come out with. Especially since Clarke, and Watto the day before, both spoke very well, were very humble, and admitted their and their teams failings.

Clarke and Watto are press-conference masters tbf. They'll always say exactly what they need to say. They'll always "speak well, be humble, admit their and their team's failings"

Absolute trash from Hilbitch though to say "we did nothing wrong, it's all the players fault" - no you ****** it's hardly Xavier Doherty's fault that you picked him based on a FC average near 50 and then he bowled like he had an FC average near 50

 

[benchmark00]

Will give the coaching staff/selectors two big ups:

• Perservering with Hussey
• Resting Johnson from that shield match between Brisbane and Perth and working on his action.

 

[Furball]

There's something rotten running through Australian cricketing culture just now. The Daily Telegraph "10 reasons the poms won't win" article is hilarious reading, but at the same time it's incredible that apparently one of the reasons we were going to lose the series was because we'd "over prepared."

It seems to me that there is an arrogance and a refusal to admit mistakes or weakness amongst a lot of important people in Australian cricket.

Is it possible that the side which emerged as number 1 under Mark Taylor in the mid 90s did so not only because they were incredibly talented but because they were incredibly driven? Guys like Waugh, Taylor and Border knew what it was like to be **** and were driven by that failure. Even in Ponting's reign, losing in 2005 really motivated that group of players to right the wrongs of that series when the teams met again. That drive to improve seems to be lacking in the current Australian side. The mentality instilled by Waugh seems to have disappeared - obviously the players talent plays a part, but Australia have slid as the link with Waugh's side has gradually eroded over the past 4 years.

 

[Top_Cat]

haha, so not surprised by any of this. Bear in mind the sort of personality we're dealing with here, a bloke who swore on several mothers' graves during his playing days that he never had a problem with the hook shot, they were all just calculated gambles that didn't come off.

 

[benchmark00]

There's something rotten running through Australian cricketing culture just now. The Daily Telegraph "10 reasons the poms won't win" article is hilarious reading, but at the same time it's incredible that apparently one of the reasons we were going to lose the series was because we'd "over prepared."

It seems to me that there is an arrogance and a refusal to admit mistakes or weakness amongst a lot of important people in Australian cricket.

Is it possible that the side which emerged as number 1 under Mark Taylor in the mid 90s did so not only because they were incredibly talented but because they were incredibly driven? Guys like Waugh, Taylor and Border knew what it was like to be **** and were driven by that failure. Even in Ponting's reign, losing in 2005 really motivated that group of players to right the wrongs of that series when the teams met again. That drive to improve seems to be lacking in the current Australian side. The mentality instilled by Waugh seems to have disappeared - obviously the players talent plays a part, but Australia have slid as the link with Waugh's side has gradually eroded over the past 4 years.

What on Earth does the Daily Telegraph have to do with cricket? It's pretty much a tabloid newspaper. Can't believe you're referencing from it.

 

[Spark]

There's something rotten running through Australian cricketing culture just now. The Daily Telegraph "10 reasons the poms won't win" article is hilarious reading, but at the same time it's incredible that apparently one of the reasons we were going to lose the series was because we'd "over prepared."

It seems to me that there is an arrogance and a refusal to admit mistakes or weakness amongst a lot of important people in Australian cricket.

Is it possible that the side which emerged as number 1 under Mark Taylor in the mid 90s did so not only because they were incredibly talented but because they were incredibly driven? Guys like Waugh, Taylor and Border knew what it was like to be **** and were driven by that failure. Even in Ponting's reign, losing in 2005 really motivated that group of players to right the wrongs of that series when the teams met again. That drive to improve seems to be lacking in the current Australian side. The mentality instilled by Waugh seems to have disappeared - obviously the players talent plays a part, but Australia have slid as the link with Waugh's side has gradually eroded over the past 4 years.

Possibly the drive to improve - in the bowlers at least - has been a drive to not get dropped by the rotating selection door? It's a horrible mentality to have.

 

[Blaze 18]

Congratulations to England and their fans, a truly spectacular performance from them in this series. Three innings defeats!

 

[GotSpin]

Reading statements from Nielson or Hilditch makes me want to let a lobotomy. I'm so furious

 

[Midwinter]

Have you been reading Peter English's articles on CricInfo.

He's saying what most of us are thinking.
Everyone involved is in a state of denial about how bad this series has been and that flaws in the team have been obvious for the last year or so..

No doubt there won't be any changes as the players" need to stick together" and "improve" and "work on becoming the best players they can"

At the very least a change in attitude is needed.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Liverpool are a joke, Australian cricket is a joke, Swann as my avatar...about to kill myself.

His lower jaw's blocking the first three words in each sentence in your signature.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Have you been reading Peter English's articles on CricInfo.

He's saying what most of us are thinking.
Everyone involved is in a state of denial about how bad this series has been and that flaws in the team have been obvious for the last year or so..

No doubt there won't be any changes as the players" need to stick together" and "improve" and "work on becoming the best players they can"

At the very least a change in attitude is needed.

Mate, I agree. One of the things that stood out for me before the series began was how England had the bowling machines with videos of all the bowlers loaded up with our players info and ready to go...yet the best we could do was the machine with random bowlers (none of whom were English players).

Who the **** is organising things around the Australian set-up? We've gone from being at the forefront to following other team's leads, and doing so very poorly.

My bet is there are quite a few people with dirty knees treading water in an effort to keep their jobs, rather than people in place who can actually get something done. These guys are getting paid a ****load of money to do what they do. If I performed as poorly at my job as these guys did this series, and all my students failed, not only would I be out of a job...I'd struggle to get one somewhere else. I'm not talking so much about the players here, as the backroom staff and hangers-on. It certainly appears like someone's having a picnic on a good salary there somewhere. Organisationally speaking, they're ****ing terrible.

 

[Howe_zat]

Sky's video blog - "Idiot."

Sky Sports | Media | Video | Cricket | Ashes

 

[heathrf1974]

This series has been a great example of need for good leadership to build on mental strength throughout the team. Australia are very lacking in leadership and England are ample.

Looking at the archives it appears this England team is the best to come to Australia since 62/63. Australia appears to be the worst to play at home since 78/79.

The main beef I have is the selection of spinners recently. Haurtitz is our best at the moment and we should stick with him. We should blood others thru ODI cricket such as O'Keefe. Hughes and Hilfenhaus are just not up to standard.

The coach needs to go. We need someone who can get back to the basics of batting and line and length bowling. Cut out the crappy leg side bowling!

 

[marc71178]

Will give the coaching staff/selectors two big ups:

• Perservering with Hussey
• Resting Johnson from that shield match between Brisbane and Perth and working on his action.

All well and good but you can't rest Johnson and work on his action between each Test match.

 

[GotSpin]

Not to mention it was a one test fluke

 

[robelinda]

Not to mention it was a one test fluke

A massive fluke. Johnson's whole career has been one big fluke. It really has. I was a Johnson fan until that Lords Day 1 in 09, that was the worst bowling ive ever seen, EVER in a test match. You cant front up to a test and bowl like that, its not acceptable. He has been bowling as bad as that in several spells since, its embarrassing.

 

[Furball]

Not to mention it was a one test fluke

Might want to check his WACA record before writing it off as a fluke. For whatever reason, Johnson is a ****ing gun in Perth.