***Official*** NatWest Series/Challenge

[luckyeddie]

Lot of people criticised him during Aus and NZ summer.

To me, he was a breath of fresh air.

To me, he is, was and always will be a prat poser who, given a 25 minute highlight programme, wants to be on screen for at least 24 of that.

 

[marc71178]

Can't disagree with you there.

But if you were to put those 2 into the ODI squad, which 2 would you drop from it?

 

[vic_orthdox]

But if you were to put those 2 into the ODI squad, which 2 would you drop from it?

Just add two more to the party. It's not as though they can't afford to. Especially Tait - he should be spending as much time around the rest of the Australian team as possible.

 

[marc71178]

The idea is it's squads of 14 though - so to add them you have to remove 2 others.

 

[vic_orthdox]

The idea is it's squads of 14 though - so to add them you have to remove 2 others.

Is the 14 set in stone? Like, by the ICC or something?

 

[marc71178]

By the competition organisers I believe - England have been calling up replacements for injuries but dropping the injured player.

 

[vic_orthdox]

So you could still take a Tait or a Hodge (not too concerned about him, he can stay playing County in the meantime) around with you to all the games, all the training, and just say that he's not going to play. Especially with Tait, he's sitting back in Adelaide cooling his heels at the moment, not desireable.

 

[jlo33692]

Umm no martyn struggled yesterday and didnt look at all comfortable. Certainly he is not in great touch by any strech of the imagination.

Ponting was just on radio...(sports tonight 6.20pm)He said 1 he thought that England would not have chased down the full total(before rain fell).
2.. He believes only hussey and Symonds have hit anywhwere near there best batting form.
3..something about the english tabloids making a big fuss about Matt Haydon hitting some kid with a bat on his way into dressing rooms,he said he spoke to haydos about this claim and he denied it.. He sinse has a vidoe that one of the players were making about cricketers and filmed haydon right from crease to rooms and nothing of the sort happened,apparently it is gonna be a big story in the english papers tommorow,
Last point and most pointedly he said he believes that England are peaking and cannot play much better than they are just now but Australia are playing at about 75 to 80 % and rising all the time with a view to try and peak at 1st test match....Only saying what he said but he sure puts an aussies mind at ease in regards to england maybe being able to stay on a level with australia good enough to win a series....anyone elase hear it????

 

[Entrael]

There is no doubt Australia isnt at 100%.

The bowling still is improving, guys like Gillespie isnt bowling as well as he can. The batting isnt the best either, guys like Haydos, Punter are getting decent starts but are not capitalising. Symonds and Martyn are pretty much the only batsmen who have gone on to get over 70 a few times, while the others get out just when they should get a big score.

I hope and expect the aussies to improve in the final, but im sure England will be on their game aswell and i have no doubt they will improve but from what i see England are almost peaking but when Australia peaks there is no better side in the world atm.

 

[jlo33692]

Ha ,Just got a funny comment from my Dad..
He said my Avatar or Avator or whatever it is reminds him of Shane Warne comming into bowl,the umpire (penguin no 2) lifts the hand to signal a no ball and warne falls on his face.
Not so funny until i put what he said and watched the Avatar haha ,He has played a fair amount of cricket with Shane and says the walk of the penguin is almost Warne,s walk up to bowl down to a tee,and re-confirmed by a guest at our home who when asked by Dad who the Penguin reminded him of in the Aussie team he straight away said its warnes run up hahaha and this guy has played heaps of cricket with Shane as well as Dad...have a look and see what you think ,my brothers see no resemblance and say dad and i have lost the plot hahaha. ohh what else is there to do in school holidays??? we are of to England in 2 weeks and wont be back until october so i will have a look at Shane and maybe video it and put the 2 together and see if we are going potty or there is some truth in it...hahahaa

 

[luckyeddie]

Ponting was just on radio...(sports tonight 6.20pm)He said 1 he thought that England would not have chased down the full total(before rain fell).
2.. He believes only hussey and Symonds have hit anywhwere near there best batting form.
3..something about the english tabloids making a big fuss about Matt Haydon hitting some kid with a bat on his way into dressing rooms,he said he spoke to haydos about this claim and he denied it.. He sinse has a vidoe that one of the players were making about cricketers and filmed haydon right from crease to rooms and nothing of the sort happened,apparently it is gonna be a big story in the english papers tommorow,
Last point and most pointedly he said he believes that England are peaking and cannot play much better than they are just now but Australia are playing at about 75 to 80 % and rising all the time with a view to try and peak at 1st test match....Only saying what he said but he sure puts an aussies mind at ease in regards to england maybe being able to stay on a level with australia good enough to win a series....anyone elase hear it????

To quote Christine Keeler : "He would, wouldn't he?"

If all it takes are the words of a captain desperate to plug the holes in a sinking ship, you are easily reassured. What do you expect him to say: "Well, the Poms are giving us a few problems and, you know what, we just might ket beaten if we're not careful or we're not at the top of our game"?

(still tongue-in-cheek, but you guys will believe it anyway)

 

[Barney Rubble]

Ha ,Just got a funny comment from my Dad..
He said my Avatar or Avator or whatever it is reminds him of Shane Warne comming into bowl,the umpire (penguin no 2) lifts the hand to signal a no ball and warne falls on his face.
Not so funny until i put what he said and watched the Avatar haha ,He has played a fair amount of cricket with Shane and says the walk of the penguin is almost Warne,s walk up to bowl down to a tee,and re-confirmed by a guest at our home who when asked by Dad who the Penguin reminded him of in the Aussie team he straight away said its warnes run up hahaha and this guy has played heaps of cricket with Shane as well as Dad...have a look and see what you think ,my brothers see no resemblance and say dad and i have lost the plot hahaha. ohh what else is there to do in school holidays??? we are of to England in 2 weeks and wont be back until october so i will have a look at Shane and maybe video it and put the 2 together and see if we are going potty or there is some truth in it...hahahaa

Have to ask, seeing as you've name-dropped the fact that your Dad and his friend have played with Warne a lot - can you give us some clues as to who your Dad and his friend are? Just curious.

 

[Steulen]

"We are off to England in 2 weeks and won't be back until October".

Clearly, he's the son of Justin Langer

 

[Scallywag]

To quote Christine Keeler : "He would, wouldn't he?"

If all it takes are the words of a captain desperate to plug the holes in a sinking ship, you are easily reassured. What do you expect him to say: "Well, the Poms are giving us a few problems and, you know what, we just might ket beaten if we're not careful or we're not at the top of our game"?

(still tongue-in-cheek, but you guys will believe it anyway)

Good guess LE but no prize.

Ponting has the worst job in the world trying to convince people that the ashes might be interesting this time. You got to admit people in England are more interested in Warnes love life than the way out possibility that England might be competitive in a test match.

TIC of course.

 

[luckyeddie]

Good guess LE but no prize.

Ponting has the worst job in the world trying to convince people that the ashes might be interesting this time. You got to admit people in England are more interested in Warnes love life than the way out possibility that England might be competitive in a test match.

TIC of course.

I've got to admit nothing of the sort to the likes of you, you descendent of a sheep-stealer or budgie-importer you. What goes on between Shane's ears (or his legs for that matter) are between him, Vodaphone and people whose basic lack of intelligence leads them in the general direction of tabloid newspapers and Australian bars called 'Billabong' or 'Surfers' or 'Drongo' or 'Ponting' or some other stupid name supposed to give the lowbrow premises some perverse sort of street-cred.

And why is it that every time I go into a 'normal' blooming bar in my own country I'm served by an Australian - and why do they serve my Guinness in a Fosters-like 15 seconds instead of a decent 2 and a half minutes, then look at me gone out when I tell them to go away and do it properly?

 

[King_Ponting]

Haven't watched him much this series, have you? If so, you're watching a different Martyn because last night I saw a Martyn who started off very well but was tied down by some excellent bowling on a slightly up-and-down wicket.

When martyn is in good form he actually moves his feet. So far in this series the footwork shown by martyn has been minimal. Although the ball was coming out of the middle of the bat early in his innings last night, he didnt look at all comfortable ,in my mind, because of his lack of footwork

 

[Mister Wright]

When martyn is in good form he actually moves his feet. So far in this series the footwork shown by martyn has been minimal. Although the ball was coming out of the middle of the bat early in his innings last night, he didnt look at all comfortable ,in my mind, because of his lack of footwork

You are wrong my friend. Martyn does not move his feet - it is part of his technique. He has the ability to play every front foot shot from just one foot movement. It is starting to be taught in coaching clinics (especially in Qld) where you can play all front foot shots from one postition. Where previously thought you had to have your front foot on off stump to play off and cover drives and leg stump to play on drives and leg glances, it can all be done from one position where the front foot is on middle stump.

When Martyn is in good form he has minimal footwork - that's when you know he is in form!

 

[King_Ponting]

Are u serious? I have never noticed martyn not having footwork before this series. Certainly just watching some footage of the 03 world cup Martyn has footwork there and appears in good form to me.... Certainly if this is the case his lack of footwork is not as noticable as sehwags for example.

 

[Mister Wright]

Are u serious? I have never noticed martyn not having footwork before this series. Certainly just watching some footage of the 03 world cup Martyn has footwork there and appears in good form to me.... Certainly if this is the case his lack of footwork is not as noticable as sehwags for example.

It isn't lack of footwork - it is 'economical' footwork. It is now thought that if a batsman can play a maximum number of shots from the one position then he is better off. Think about it - balance & playing from the body are the two most important parts of successful shot making. If you balance is right from one position and you can play all the shots - why try and complicate it by moving from that position and risking your balance?

 

[King_Ponting]

Fair enough