*Official* Fourth Test at the MCG

[Prince EWS]

Ashes tests are never pointless flibberty. If England win this one I don't care what the records say I'm calling it 4-3 to England with 1 to play........England have retained the Ashes!!

In all seriousness though, with these back to back series does anyone else think it should have been 1 series over 10 tests?? England really have been stiffed here, our home series was always going to be fairly meaningless once this one was done.

I think it should've been considered two series with the Ashes on the line in each series, as it was. However, I think more should've been made out of the fact that it's 3-3 across the two series. If England win one of these two remaining Tests then they lay claim to being the better side based on results home and away, especially since they beat India in India. Test cricket's really close at the moment in general so the difference between home and away series means a lot; holding the Ashed doesn't necessarily mean you're the better side and I think that's what makes these last two games important. I reckon both teams have essentially viewed this as a dead rubber though and Swann's retirement backs that up; bit of a shame.

 

[Jono]

I think it should've been considered two series with the Ashes on the line in each series, as it was. However, I think more should've been made out of the fact that it's 3-3 across the two series. If England win one of these two remaining Tests then they lay claim to being the better side based on results home and away, especially since they beat India in India. Test cricket's really close at the moment in general so the difference between home and away series means a lot; holding the Ashed doesn't necessarily mean you're the better side and I think that's what makes these last two games important. I reckon both teams have essentially viewed this as a dead rubber though and Swann's retirement backs that up; bit of a shame.

Exactly my thoughts. No way should the Ashes have been decided over the 10 tests, but the media and especially the teams should have been treating it to the point where there are no dead rubbers. England quite clearly have not.

Having said that, completely agree with Adders in him saying that the England home series was always going to be forgotten if England didn't perform here. It was rough for England, but with the World Cup what could be done?

 

[Spark]

Yeah you wonder with the sort of batting we've seen whether some players have mentally switched off ever-so-slightly.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Ashes tests are never pointless flibberty. If England win this one I don't care what the records say I'm calling it 4-3 to England with 1 to play........England have retained the Ashes!!

In all seriousness though, with these back to back series does anyone else think it should have been 1 series over 10 tests?? England really have been stiffed here, our home series was always going to be fairly meaningless once this one was done.

Normally i'd agree but the fact we are 3-0 down after getting battered in the first 3 tests means this performance doesn't matter much as it came after the horse had bolted.

Can't agree about being stiffed as it was us who wanted the change in the rota in the first place so it our fault.

 

[Hurricane]

Ashes tests are never pointless flibberty. If England win this one I don't care what the records say I'm calling it 4-3 to England with 1 to play........England have retained the Ashes!!

In all seriousness though, with these back to back series does anyone else think it should have been 1 series over 10 tests?? England really have been stiffed here, our home series was always going to be fairly meaningless once this one was done.

Yes

 

[Adders]

I think it should've been considered two series with the Ashes on the line in each series, as it was. However, I think more should've been made out of the fact that it's 3-3 across the two series. If England win one of these two remaining Tests then they lay claim to being the better side based on results home and away, especially since they beat India in India. Test cricket's really close at the moment in general so the difference between home and away series means a lot; holding the Ashed doesn't necessarily mean you're the better side and I think that's what makes these last two games important. I reckon both teams have essentially viewed this as a dead rubber though and Swann's retirement backs that up; bit of a shame.

Being in the losing side of course these last 2 tests are probably more important to England than they are Australia......but Swann aside (I've done him to death) I would be mortified to hear of anyone from the England camp talking in terms of these being dead rubbers. As you say if we can get something out of them we may not have the Ashes but we can walk away with some of the bragging rights......but more importantly a positive result from both tests here will make a statement that we are not a spent force just yet.........As Australia proved when they performed admirably in England from 3-0 down, there is a lot to be taken going into future series.

 

[NUFAN]

Yeah you wonder with the sort of batting we've seen whether some players have mentally switched off ever-so-slightly.

Hence my Big Bash post.

 

[Spark]

Hence my Big Bash post.

Yeah but that's only three blokes. I'm thinking a bit more generally than that.

 

[Adders]

Yeah you wonder with the sort of batting we've seen whether some players have mentally switched off ever-so-slightly.

No. Not having any of that!!

Don't think any of the batting we've seen in this test is particularly out of the ordinary for either side. As much as England need to win them to make a statement I'm quite sure Clarke and Boof would allow no complacency into the Aussie dressing room either........by the way they mauled us in the first 3 tests surely the hunger is there from all to go for the whitewash??

Perhaps I'm on my own here but this is still very much game on for me. And if you could have seen me jumping around my lounge room today like an idiot you'd know this to be true LOL.

 

[Spark]

No. Not having any of that!!

Don't think any of the batting we've seen in this test is particularly out of the ordinary for either side. As much as England need to win them to make a statement I'm quite sure Clarke and Boof would allow no complacency into the Aussie dressing room either........by the way they mauled us in the first 3 tests surely the hunger is there from all to go for the whitewash??

Perhaps I'm on my own here but this is still very much game on for me. And if you could have seen me jumping around my lounge room today like an idiot you'd know this to be true LOL.

There's a fairly large spectrum between the manic drive they had in the first three Tests and complacency. I have no evidence other than a slight drop off in the quality of fielding compared to previous games and some of the fairly mindless batting, but I'm just throwing it out there.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

There's a fairly large spectrum between the manic drive they had in the first three Tests and complacency. I have no evidence other than a slight drop off in the quality of fielding compared to previous games and some of the fairly mindless batting, but I'm just throwing it out there.

That and the fact this is a pitch more suited to Anderson and the small things mount up. I always thought we would do well at Melbourne and Sydney, didn't expect us to be blown away before that though.

 

[NUFAN]

Yeah but that's only three blokes. I'm thinking a bit more generally than that.

Three is a big number in the context. Rogers and Haddin have performed, Watson is an enigma so that leaves just Clarke to add to the Big Bash bois.

Full credit to England though so far. After watching us bowl, I felt as though this pitch would suit England's attack.

 

[Adders]

Not sure what to make of this

Batsmen's advice aids England bolwers | England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) - The Official Website of the ECB

Yeah, having your bowlers talk to your batsmen does seem like a good idea........wonder why they haven't tried that before

 

[GIMH]

Just seen the Bailey dismissal...surprised Dar didn't give it out in the first place tbh

 

[Spark]

Just seen the Bailey dismissal...surprised Dar didn't give it out in the first place tbh

Small noise tbf but yeah. People were saying how dodgy it was that decisions are being overturned purely on the noise, which is a stance I find pretty incomprehensible tbh.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Ashes tests are never pointless flibberty. If England win this one I don't care what the records say I'm calling it 4-3 to England with 1 to play........England have retained the Ashes!!

In all seriousness though, with these back to back series does anyone else think it should have been 1 series over 10 tests?? England really have been stiffed here, our home series was always going to be fairly meaningless once this one was done.

England haven't been stiffed...all they had to do was not come here and get pumped by the team they just beat. You wouldn't think it would be difficult to put up some sort of fight but it was.

 

[Riggins]

Small noise tbf but yeah. People were saying how dodgy it was that decisions are being overturned purely on the noise, which is a stance I find pretty incomprehensible tbh.

I was getting a beer at the time, even with no noise I couldn't see how it was going to be given not out.

 

[GIMH]

Broad with 17@22 for the series. Pales by comparison to Johnson of course but he really has even bloody good.

 

[Riggins]

Yeah he looked a class above the other two today. I know we lost heaps of wickets but Bresnan especially looked terrible in person today. Low 120's and a couple in the high 1-teens.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Broad with 17@22 for the series. Pales by comparison to Johnson of course but he really has even bloody good.

Been superb, average is now 30 too.