***Official*** NatWest Series/Challenge

[Scaly piscine]

It's 3-2 to England with the Twenty20 game anyway - but of course that doesn't count as a proper game because the convicts lost it (looks far more reasonable a game compared to the last 2 games where 12 plus a useful toss plays 11)

 

[Barney Rubble]

We might not be dominating Australia, but just try telling me that Ricky Ponting is going into this series just as confidently as any other. He knows his team are under threat. He knows they're not playing well. He knows he's actually going to have to make the odd decision every now and again this summer. He knows this England team are just as unfamiliar with defeat in Test cricket as his team have been over the last 18 months. He knows there is a possibility that he could return home in mid-September without the Ashes.

You can almost smell the fear from here.......

 

[King_Ponting]

We might not be dominating Australia, but just try telling me that Ricky Ponting is going into this series just as confidently as any other. He knows his team are under threat. He knows they're not playing well. He knows he's actually going to have to make the odd decision every now and again this summer. He knows this England team are just as unfamiliar with defeat in Test cricket as his team have been over the last 18 months. He knows there is a possibility that he could return home in mid-September without the Ashes.

You can almost smell the fear from here.......

Class will be defined during the ashes.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

It's 3-2 to England with the Twenty20 game anyway - but of course that doesn't count as a proper game because the convicts lost it (looks far more reasonable a game compared to the last 2 games where 12 plus a useful toss plays 11)

It doesn't count as a proper game because it's not recognised by the ICC? Australia lost to Somerset and beat Leistershire as well. Big deal. It has nothing at all to do with who won, the 20/20 game in New Zealand didn't matter either, because the whole thing was a joke. And given that neither Solanki (aside from his "12th man duties" of course) or Haddin had any input in either match for the side that won the toss, I don't see how it's 12 vs 11 either. I'll give you that the toss was important of course, but it's not like the pitch was doing much when Australia bowled at Lords, certainly not enough to make the toss decisive, unlike at Headingley.

 

[Jamee999]

You beat Leicestershire actually.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

You beat Leicestershire actually.

Didn't I say that?

 

[Adamc]

Jamee is just being a pedant with regard to your spelling I think. As Marc would say: "Oh, the irony!"; or "Pot. Kettle. Black."; or something.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Jamee is just being a pedant with regard to your spelling I think. As Marc would say: "Oh, the irony!"; or "Pot. Kettle. Black."; or something.

Oh, right. I didn't even notice, haha.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Class will be defined during the ashes.

Yes, it will. Roll on September 12th.

 

[marc71178]

He's Australian, so 'they' must be you bread-thief-exporters.

That's what I thought, but I'm struggling to think of "all this talk"

 

[marc71178]

Jamee is just being a pedant with regard to your spelling I think. As Marc would say: "Oh, the irony!"; or "Pot. Kettle. Black."; or something.

No, that would be reserved for if he were having a go at e.g., somebody's speling.

 

[greg]

Good win for Australia yesterday. And it shows why defeating them consistently is so tough. It is hard to play that "level" of cricket everyday and it is harder for the Aussies to play below themselves everytime as well.

Yeah but I don't think anyone would argue England have hit top form (or that "level") except in patches.

 

[luckyeddie]

Yeah but I don't think anyone would argue England have hit top form (or that "level") except in patches.

Oh, I don't know so much. That's the kind of balanced fightin' talk that'll get some of our more ridiculous lager-swilling, bread-stealing, prawn-barbecuing cousins accusing you of being arrogant.

 

[tooextracool]

I think that's where our opinions differ quite substantially. I firmly believe that only someone who has actually played the game at the highest level can possibly understand what goes on inside the head of a player when asked to perform in that arena. Of course, he's in the same position as you and me to judge how he actually will react, but at least he has his own personal experiences to go on - of how he personally felt. I still think it's a game played in the mind - see posts about Rampers passim.

while the average selector would obviously be more knowledgeable than the average cricket watcher, its preposterous to suggest that every cricket watcher would be nowhere near as good as the selectors are simply because they havent played cricket at the highest level. people like john buchanan may not have played any intl cricket and barely any FC cricket, but it doesnt mean that hes less knowledgable about the game than someone who has.
what you say about understanding whats going on in a players head may be true, but it is a very small part of selections, and the words 'can possibly' suggest that it doesnt really make much of a difference.

I spend a huge amount of time making jokes, and very little time indeed insulting people and calling them idiots. Just you twice recently, and Scallywag - and I'd spent 2 days trying to defuse the situation with him beforehand only he just couldn't see it (or chose to ignore it).
The 'duck' thing started a long time ago and strangely enough, you actually need a sense of humour to know what's going on there. Sorry I can't help you with that.

Now can one of you idiots talk about cricket for once and get down off your collective soap-boxes?

(shuffles away very slowly)

i'd say its happened a fair bit over twice, and either way its not something to be proud of. i dont really care much about what people think about me here, but i do expect a bit more class than being called an idiot for no apparent reason, especially by a staff member, and then instead of an apology get called 'delusional'.
as far as my sense of humor is concerned, i do think that you are funny occasionally, but far more often its insipid humor(probably at the expense of some other board member) that you seem to get a real kick out of.

 

[tooextracool]

Good win for Australia yesterday. And it shows why defeating them consistently is so tough. It is hard to play that "level" of cricket everyday and it is harder for the Aussies to play below themselves everytime as well.

australia surely has the upper hand now, they were unfortunate to have been on the wrong side of the conditions at headingly and therefore their victory yesterday on fairly even conditions was far more convincing than englands. not to mention the fact that the aussie batters have in the last 2 games dealt with harmison and flintoff far more convincingly than england have dealt with mcgrath and lee at any point during the summer.
for england though, you have to wonder how long they are going to persist with darren gough, who keeps sending down tripe with the new ball.

 

[tooextracool]

It's 3-2 to England with the Twenty20 game anyway - but of course that doesn't count as a proper game because the convicts lost it (looks far more reasonable a game compared to the last 2 games where 12 plus a useful toss plays 11)

3-2 counting edgbaston in the icc champions trophy.
we'd probably have to go back a fair bit to find the last time we beat australia batting first though.

 

[Scaly piscine]

It doesn't count as a proper game because it's not recognised by the ICC? Australia lost to Somerset and beat Leistershire as well. Big deal. It has nothing at all to do with who won, the 20/20 game in New Zealand didn't matter either, because the whole thing was a joke. And given that neither Solanki (aside from his "12th man duties" of course) or Haddin had any input in either match for the side that won the toss, I don't see how it's 12 vs 11 either. I'll give you that the toss was important of course, but it's not like the pitch was doing much when Australia bowled at Lords, certainly not enough to make the toss decisive, unlike at Headingley.

It was 'a joke' because Australia got trounced and so Australia's mouthpieces and media went all out thereafter to demean the game. Both teams played their strongest teams and it was still England v Australia with nobody giving any games away. As for the toss being decisive when England won by 9 wickets - you really shouldn't try to become an even worse loser than a certain disappearing Aussie.

 

[tooextracool]

I'll give you that the toss was important of course, but it's not like the pitch was doing much when Australia bowled at Lords.

swung and seamed for the first 12-13 overs actually, but other than that, nothing much.

 

[luckyeddie]

i'd say its happened a fair bit over twice, and either way its not something to be proud of. i dont really care much about what people think about me here, but i do expect a bit more class than being called an idiot for no apparent reason, especially by a staff member, and then instead of an apology get called 'delusional'.
as far as my sense of humor is concerned, i do think that you are funny occasionally, but far more often its insipid humor(probably at the expense of some other board member) that you seem to get a real kick out of.

I never took you for the sensitive type. Perhaps it's those darned hormones.

If it makes you any happier, I am truly sorry that I called you an idiot AND delusional. That was really unfair of me.

I should have let you choose.
















/that bit was a joke - just thought I'd tell you.
//sorry - that at least is genuine. Now can we move on?

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

It was 'a joke' because Australia got trounced and so Australia's mouthpieces and media went all out thereafter to demean the game. Both teams played their strongest teams and it was still England v Australia with nobody giving any games away. As for the toss being decisive when England won by 9 wickets - you really shouldn't try to become an even worse loser than a certain disappearing Aussie.

I called the game in New Zealand a joke, where Australia won, because it so absolutely and clearly was. Players wore costumes, for crying out loud.

The game at Lords may have been a serious game of sorts, but it wasn't a recognised format that the players had any experience in, and isn't something that anybody associated with the team took very seriously. I'm sure it stung a bit to lose and England were pretty happy, but everyone associated with both teams afterwards said that it was just a knock around and they were looking forward to getting down to the real thing.

Either way, it doesn't matter. In ODIs this series it is 2-2, with Australia having the upper hand slightly in terms of the general play, but England far outdoing expectations and Australia not really playing as well as they would have wanted aside from the last game. Sets the scene nicely for tomorrow night.