The Ashes are coming home!

[FaaipDeOiad]

The quote I like the most from it "I would have expected more from Harmison and Flintoff"... HMMMM....

The World Champions and the supposed "invincibles" come over lose to a county side, the weakest ODI side and the home nation twice and yet McGrath expected more from Harmison and Flintoff. You Aussies make me laugh! Hopefully now Harmison blizted the upper order and conceded just 3.3 runs an over and Fintoff just 3.9 an over... he will reconsider his opinions and go cry in a corner.

When McGrath got Strauss he worded "thats the first one"... when the game was over... Strauss went over to McGrath and said.. "thats the second won".

George Gregan was just as open in the Rugby World Cup... and we all know what happened then!!!

Just a word of advice - pull your head in, or when the series is over you'll be in the same situation wahindiawah and company were after they said Pakistan couldn't beat a club side and then India lost to them. Coming on here and ranting and raving about how your team is so great and how everyone is going to lose to them (or how the opposition is crap) isn't going to make you a lot of friends, and if they don't win you'll feel pretty silly afterwards.

 

[age_master]

George Gregan was just as open in the Rugby World Cup... and we all know what happened then!!!

and after it

 

[Cloete]

I don't understand why everybody keeps going on about Australia losing to a coutny side?

We absolutely mauled their bowlers and psoted a huge score. Then Sanath Jayasuria, a Sri Lanka internation for all of you in doubt, and Graeme Smith, the South African captain, posted great hundreds to chase the score down.

Last time I checked, those two batsman are internationals and really are nothing like county standard. English players did sfa in that much apart from having to swing the bat in the last few overs,they managed to lose quite a few wickets there as well

 

[social]

Not true... England knew that Martyn liked to go up and over gully... hence they placed one of their best fielders (Pieterson) at third man... why else have him there?

Gilchrist and Hayden were fortunate... I'll give you that but Ponting and Martyn were pre-planned and well executed.

I agree that Martyn's dismissal was planned. Why else have Pietersen at third man?

However, I equate it with somebody bouncing out Ricky Ponting - it will work once in a while but in the meantime he'll reel off hundred after hundred because you're feeding his strength.

A far more sustainable plan is to bowl a full length, just outside off stump because he doesnt move his feet much early in his innings.

 

[simmy]

The reason for it was because Australia are so arrogant ( I dont have a problem with arrogance... I am a fan of Pieterson ffs!)... but its when they lose to a county side after retiring two batsmen! They batted first against Bangladesh...again out of arrogance!...

As for Faaips comment.. you seem to know what you are talking about... but the advice you gave me should also be forwarded to Glenn McGrath I think!

 

[simmy]

I agree that Martyn's dismissal was planned. Why else have Pietersen at third man?

However, I equate it with somebody bouncing out Ricky Ponting - it will work once in a while but in the meantime he'll reel off hundred after hundred because you're feeding his strength.

A far more sustainable plan is to bowl a full length, just outside off stump because he doesnt move his feet much early in his innings.

And his head falls over to off. The weakest England have looked in the last two years was against Kallis... simply because he had no weakness... thankfully... a few have been found in few of the Oz top order.

 

[parttimer]

The reason for it was because Australia are so arrogant ( I dont have a problem with arrogance... I am a fan of Pieterson ffs!)... but its when they lose to a county side after retiring two batsmen! They batted first against Bangladesh...again out of arrogance!...

As for Faaips comment.. you seem to know what you are talking about... but the advice you gave me should also be forwarded to Glenn McGrath I think!

Arrogance is the most overused word in cricket. Usually by an Indian.

 

[marc71178]

Three certainly are irreplacable. I think Australia has the resources at home to deal with losing Martyn and the openers, but Gilchrist, McGrath and Warne are once in a lifetime sort of players, and Australia will not be the force they are not without them. Mind you, I'm still confident they will be a good side.

The bowling reserves are definitely going to severely tested, that's for sure...

 

[marc71178]

Australia have the potential make you look very very stupid. Just like Harmison made me look a couple of years ago..

But to be fair to you, you did stick it out and accepted it - some people still don't even do that.

Speaking of which, where is Scallywag

 

[marc71178]

lol planned 2nd ball dont be silly, the fielder was there for run saving early in Marto's innings

So why was it one of the better fielders put there and why did they feed him the ball?

Surely if trying to cut runs they wouldn't feed him that shot?

 

[marc71178]

I don't understand why everybody keeps going on about Australia losing to a coutny side?

World record chase...

 

[Magrat Garlick]

World record chase...

Not to mention, James Hildreth and Carl Gazzard scoring at nearly two runs a ball to win the game. County trundlers de luxe, both of them...

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

World record chase...

Led by two international stars...

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

The bowling reserves are definitely going to severely tested, that's for sure...

Indeed they will, but I think the talent is there in Australia personally, excluding for a replacement spinner. There won't be another McGrath or Gilchrist of course, but there are players who are good enough to keep Australia in the upper eschelon of international cricket imo.

Time will tell, and at most we'll be waiting a couple more seasons.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Not to mention, James Hildreth and Carl Gazzard scoring at nearly two runs a ball to win the game. County trundlers de luxe, both of them...

James Hildreth is going to play for England.

 

[Jamee999]

U 19 Star.

He's gonna definatly make it big as my Ginger assistant() pointed out.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

That'd be because of the double ton he hit against Nazmul Hossain and Shahadat Hossain, then?

 

[Neil Pickup]

Remind me how Matthew Hayden played Nazmul?

Hildreth is another young batsman giving out the same kind of vibes as Joyce or Bell or Strauss were a couple of years ago. In just his second first-class match, in 2004, he hit 101 off 113 balls for Somerset against Durham, whose attack included Shoaib Akhtar.

 

[aussie]

Nasser is just saying Glen has lost a little zip is all, which it true. Dunno what Beefy was on about and frankly I don't care; great player but terrilbe, jingoistic commentator. Sheesh.

McGrath hasn't lost anything he is probably bowling the best he has during his career, he just hasn't got into the form yet on tour but its a long summer he has plenty of time.

 

[aussie]

My tip is they will do so after the Sydney test next Ashes... a-la 1984 with Lillee, G. Chappell and Marsh all retiring in the same match. Warne and McGrath will leave together.. probably with 1300 odd wickets between them. The world cup comes straight after that series though, so it could just be a test retirement. Also possible we might see Gilchrist leaving then, and Kasprowicz if he is still playing, and even one or two of Martyn, Langer, Hayden and company. Plenty of players getting on a bit for Australia right now.

I can't see England winning this Ashes series, but they might have a good shot next time, and the next time Australia come to England it will be a totally different side. You just better hope the young players in Australia don't turn out to be of similar quality.

thats so the next 2 ashes series will be very interesting