*Official* Second Test at the Adelaide Oval

[Ruckus]

Batsmen deserve an absolute hammering though as 245 was simply atrocious considering
the wicket was an absolute road yesterday as well with par being a minimum of 450

Throw in dropped catches and people being picked on a wing and a prayer and it was always likely to be hard going today

yeah I agree with all of that. Batting was terrible, bowling is somewhat excusable because of the pitch, bad fielding etc.

 

[pasag]

Talk about the cupboard is nonsense and comes from people who know nothing about our domestic players.

Fact is England are a lot more mature side then us, to borrow a term from another sport, they're in their premiership window and we are not. Everything has come together for England at the right time and they look like a very solid side. However, by the time the next Ashes comes around, we could be hitting our straps and England on the decline. Who knows?

Anyways, unless we see a miracle batting effort from our batsman (unlikely) over day four and five, the urn is going to be very hard to win back.

 

[Ruckus]

Talk about the cupboard is nonsense and comes from people who know nothing about our domestic players.

Fact is England are a lot more mature side then us, to borrow a term from another sport, they're in their premiership window and we are not. Everything has come together for England at the right time and they look like a very solid side. However, by the time the next Ashes comes around, we could be hitting our straps and England on the decline. Who knows?

Anyways, unless we see a miracle batting effort from our batsman (unlikely) over day four and five, the urn is going to be very hard to win back.

Couldn't agree with that more. That was the whole point I was trying to get across. England as a team are in the best form they have (probably) ever been in, where as Australia, despite having players who are as talented individually, is just not gelling as a team at the moment.

 

[social]

yeah I agree with all of that. Batting was terrible, bowling is somewhat excusable because of the pitch, bad fielding etc.

I dont really excuse the bowling because much of what I saw wasnt great with Doherty being pretty awful and Bollinger all over the shop

Harris and Siddle were both ok but looked spent by tea

 

[social]

Couldn't agree with that more. That was the whole point I was trying to get across. England as a team are in the best form they have (probably) ever been in, where as Australia, despite having players who are as talented individually, is just not gelling as a team at the moment.

There is no way that I'd back England to beat either SA or India away so "premiership window" is a bit over the top

The fact is that we are just not very good and that wont change until we get some leadership and stop accepting mediocrity

 

[TumTum]

We can't even get a chance to bowl at their most in-form batsman. Oh well. Hopefully something magical happens at the MCG (I'll be there ).

 

[Ruckus]

There is no way that I'd back England to beat either SA or India away so "premiership window" is a bit over the top

The fact is that we are just not very good and that wont change until we get some leadership and stop accepting mediocrity

I wouldn't put it past them. If Australia almost beat India in one of the matches with our current form as a team, why couldn't England?

 

[Daemon]

There is no way that I'd back England to beat either SA or India away so "premiership window" is a bit over the top

The fact is that we are just not very good and that wont change until we get some leadership and stop accepting mediocrity

Yeah but India is sort of at their peak as well. Can be said for South Africa too, if Steyn picks up after his injury.

 

[GIMH]

We went to South Africa and routed them by an innings.

Can't remember what happened after that tbh

 

[Ruckus]

Hmmmm, sounds promising:


Forecast for Sunday:
Cloudy with a shower or two. Moderate northeast to northwest winds then a light
to moderate northwest to southwest afternoon sea breeze. Winds turning light to
moderate southeast to northeast during the evening.

Monday: Cloudy. Shower or two.
Tuesday: A few showers. Afternoon thunderstorm.

 

[Spark]

Couldn't agree with that more. That was the whole point I was trying to get across. England as a team are in the best form they have (probably) ever been in, where as Australia, despite having players who are as talented individually, is just not gelling as a team at the moment.

Harped on about this a bit but where this shows most is fielding. England are extremely sharp in the field, Australia lazy and just plain poor. I mean... six drops in a row.

 

[centurymaker]

Harped on about this a bit but where this shows most is fielding. England are extremely sharp in the field, Australia lazy and just plain poor. I mean... six drops in a row.

WHat 6???

 

[Spark]

Yep

Johnson
Siddle
Clarke x2
Ponting
Hussey
Haddin

Hmm, I was wrong. 7. If you want to exclude one of Clarke's and Ponting's on the basis that they were basically uncatchable fine by me... that still makes 5.

 

[Prince EWS]

Hmmmm, sounds promising:


Forecast for Sunday:
Cloudy with a shower or two. Moderate northeast to northwest winds then a light
to moderate northwest to southwest afternoon sea breeze. Winds turning light to
moderate southeast to northeast during the evening.

Monday: Cloudy. Shower or two.
Tuesday: A few showers. Afternoon thunderstorm.

Hoping for rain is such a soft option. Would much rather lose than have that **** happen to a cricket game.

 

[Daemon]

Hmmmm, sounds promising:


Forecast for Sunday:
Cloudy with a shower or two. Moderate northeast to northwest winds then a light
to moderate northwest to southwest afternoon sea breeze. Winds turning light to
moderate southeast to northeast during the evening.

Monday: Cloudy. Shower or two.
Tuesday: A few showers. Afternoon thunderstorm.

No. No ****ing way is that happening

 

[GIMH]

Hmmmm, sounds promising:


Forecast for Sunday:
Cloudy with a shower or two. Moderate northeast to northwest winds then a light
to moderate northwest to southwest afternoon sea breeze. Winds turning light to
moderate southeast to northeast during the evening.

Monday: Cloudy. Shower or two.
Tuesday: A few showers. Afternoon thunderstorm.

You think cloudy is promising? Did you see how Anderson bowled at you with clear skies? Give him a few clouds and he'll destroy you.

 

[greg]

Talk about the cupboard is nonsense and comes from people who know nothing about our domestic players.

Fact is England are a lot more mature side then us, to borrow a term from another sport, they're in their premiership window and we are not. Everything has come together for England at the right time and they look like a very solid side. However, by the time the next Ashes comes around, we could be hitting our straps and England on the decline. Who knows?

I think this is somewhat open to debate.

Strauss(age 33, 79 tests)
Cook(25,62)
Trott (29,15)
Pietersen (30,68)
Collingwood (34,65)
Bell (28,59)
Prior (28,37)
Broad (24,34)
Swann (31,26)
Finn (21,10)
Anderson (28,54)

Average (29, 46)

Katich (35, 56)
Watson (29, 24)
Ponting (35, 150)
Clarke (29, 66)
Hussey (35, 56)
North (31, 21)
Haddin (33, 29)
Harris(31,3)
Doherty (27,2)
Siddle (26,19)
Bollinger (29,12)

Average (31, 40)

Looks as if England have got both age and experience comfortably on their side. And some of the most inexperienced in the Aussie side ("with room for improvement") are some of the most vulnerable candidates for never playing more than a handful of test matches. The picture doesn't improve much once you start examing the reserves.

 

[Spark]

Hoping for rain is such a soft option. Would much rather lose than have that **** happen to a cricket game.

Yeah AWTA. Weak IMO, bat out the full two days.

 

[Ruckus]

Hoping for rain is such a soft option. Would much rather lose than have that **** happen to a cricket game.

haha I wouldn't. Don't give a rats how unjust our win is if it's against the filthy, stinking poms.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Without wanting to go over ground obviously discussed (though I have missed it)-- Why is a 28 yr old specialist bowler with a FC average of 50 selected?

What makes someone think-- This kid averages 50 in FC but he is worth a shot?

Well batted Cook. Quality stuff.

Based on his one day performances, apparently. Does seem a bit of an odd selection, but the SLA track record of Pietersen may have convinced them he was worth a shot.

Suspect Heef's on the money here. He did look tidy in the ODI versus SL I saw & what with him being a state mucker of the captain and there an element of "Hobson's choice" with Hauritz being on the outers with Ponting, Smith not being ready, etc...

DtR 20 runs more expensive than Mitch after 13 overs in both respective innings (2nd at Bris and Doug here)

From what I've seen of Bollinger he has almost as many issues with his length as Johnson does with his lines. Sure he's a great bloke and all, but chaps like Starc and Cameron look to have more about their bowling from the limited amount of either that I've seen. Not actually had a chance to see Copeland in action, but his FC record is mightily impressive too.

Obviously a long way too go yet, but I wonder what will happen to Ponting is we lose the Ashes. Will he lose the captaincy? Will he retire as a player altogether?

Still strikes me as cutting off your nose to spite your face; he's never been much of a tactician but he remains a world class batsman. If Oz doesn't have a better captain and does have six better batsmen the respective stocks are ****ed and overflowing.

Yeah for sure. Nearly halfway there. Might not get as many innings as originally anticipated if this keeps up though.

Aussie top order will come good eventually I'm sure but really struggling to see how the bowling problems are going to be overcome within the length of the series. Struggling to get twenty wickets in a month let alone a match. Warne and McGrath back for the third Test IMO.

Clark? How's he going just now? At least he brings the old fashioned verities of line and length to the table. Both sadly lacking from the incumbents.

There is no way that I'd back England to beat either SA or India away so "premiership window" is a bit over the top

TBH we came pretty close to beating SA only last winter. Reckon both are better test sides than us currently, but wouldn't say us winning in either country's backyard was impossible. We're a compact, well-drilled team lacking in stardust (KP prob accepted) who usually perform to our abilities.

Much praise to Flower, I'd say. V impressive chap.