The Ashes are coming home!

[PY]

The amount of exposure the Aussie players have had to this compared to the domestic competition the English players play in is amazing.

I think I'm right in saying that only 3 of the team who played today have played more than a handful of 20/20 games in their careers because they are nearly always on England duty.

I'm here to be corrected but I'm pretty sure Goughie said in his interview that him and two others were experienced (their names escapes me) and the others were still learning a lot. If you're talking about coverage as in TV then I'm sure they could have got tapes if they wanted.

 

[age_master]

I think I'm right in saying that only 3 of the team who played today have played more than a handful of 20/20 games in their careers because they are nearly always on England duty.

I'm here to be corrected but I'm pretty sure Goughie said in his interview that him and two others were experienced (their names escapes me) and the others were still learning a lot. If you're talking about coverage as in TV then I'm sure they could have got tapes if they wanted.

only Hussey, Symonds and Kaspa would have played more than a couple of games before.

interestingly in the 20-20 game we played vs NZ more batsmen came off - particularly ponting and we scored 212 or something.

credit where credits due though, England really turned up to play and were heaps pumped. Australia were not.

 

[steds]

A) if you have a problem with us being the "best side in the world" take it up with hundreds of cricket rating schemes that has us lying far and away best.

B) when you start saying "In every facet of our great sport" you are referring to the fact that a 20-20 game is representative of all cricket. To many, including myself you can't take anything out from one of these hit and giggle games. The amount of exposure the Aussie players have had to this compared to the domestic competition the English players play in is amazing.

Congratulations on the win, but some of the statements u made are stupid

Once again Markus shows no mercy and leaves no prisoners

 

[PY]

I meant only a few England players have had experience (not sure if that was clear or not, if it was then I apologise).

Would you say that Australia might have missed a trick in terms of psychological stuff today then if England were pumped up and Australia weren't? I was always taught when I played pretty competitive football that even if it was a pre-season friendly (against someone we'd come up against in the league) you always take it slightly more seriously than your opponent because it gives you an edge even if the friendly really doesn't diddly-squat.

 

[Slats4ever]

nah i'm willing to give them credit. u guys raped australia, but to start calling for the ashes coming home is stupid.

The media from all parts are showing amazing focus on this game when the top 3 headlines under cricket in foxsports are, England win 20-20, Warne signs up for hair treatment, and Bat stealing was a low blow. shows how much emphasis they're putting on it.

 

[social]

nah i'm willing to give them credit. u guys raped australia, but to start calling for the ashes coming home is stupid.

The media from all parts are showing amazing focus on this game when the top 3 headlines under cricket in foxsports are, England win 20-20, Warne signs up for hair treatment, and Bat steaing was a low blow. shows how much emphasis they're putting on it.

Channel 9 news this morning led off sports segment with Warnie's hair treatment not 20/20 result.

To be honest, as Channel 9 is not televising tour, matches to date have received virtually no coverage in that form of media.

BTW, anyone know why Ponting batted so low? Batting order and handling of bowlers didnt seem to pay game much respect.

 

[Top_Cat]

I wonder what the Aussie reaction would've been had the scores been reversed (and this isn't actually aimed at you FDO, as you've always come across to me as unbiased)

I would imagine it would have been something along the lines of 'Australia struck the first psychological blow for the forthcoming Ashes series' and such guff. You can be sure, no-one on this side of the world would have been saying it was a meaningless match had Australia won it.

To be honest, although meaningless in the context of the overall summer (results-wise), I would imagine the Aussies would have been quite desperate to win the match. Them saying "Bah it was a hit-and-giggle game" smacks of damage control. England thoroughly outplayed them and they would know it. I would think the overwheming feeling in the Aussie squad would be "Hell, they took that game seriously didn't they?". This would have shell-shocked the players a bit.

That said, you just know the Aussie hubris will have been damaged sufficiently that they'll be looking to annihilate England in the next game they play against each other. Of particular annoyance to them will have been the fact that Goughie did well in this match because he'll enjoy shoving it up them in the next match. Although, his success will largely be moot because the Aussies know they won't be facing him in the Tests. It's easier for him to be all fire and brimstone because his involvement will end in a few weeks whereas the other English bowlers will be well aware they have a LONG summer ahead of them. Whether the rest of the team can maintain the feeling when the real cricket starts remains to be seen. The signs are good for a positive summer, though.

Again, I maintain that if Giles, Tresco and Hoggard have good series, England may well win the Ashes.

 

[chaminda_00]

I meant only a few England players have had experience (not sure if that was clear or not, if it was then I apologise).

Would you say that Australia might have missed a trick in terms of psychological stuff today then if England were pumped up and Australia weren't? I was always taught when I played pretty competitive football that even if it was a pre-season friendly (against someone we'd come up against in the league) you always take it slightly more seriously than your opponent because it gives you an edge even if the friendly really doesn't diddly-squat.

Well the England side had a lot of 20Twenty experience with G Jones, Pietersen, Struass, Solanki and Lewis all playing more then 8 games.

Only Clarke, Hussey, Symonds and Kaspa have played the same amount

England had 46 20Twenty games under their belt before this game and Australia had 40 with 34 coming from 4 players, majority of the side where playing either their first or second 20Twenty match

 

[social]

Well the England side had a lot of 20Twenty experience with G Jones, Pietersen, Struass, Solanki and Lewis all playing more then 8 games.

Only Clarke, Hussey, Symonds and Kaspa have played the same amount

England had 46 20Twenty games under their belt before this game and Australia had 40 with 34 coming from 4 players, majority of the side where playing either their first or second 20Twenty match

Experience is really irrelevant when you're talking about a total of 46 games to 40.

It's all about attitude.

For Australia to be bowled out by any side in 15 overs is totally unacceptable.

 

[chaminda_00]

Experience is really irrelevant when you're talking about a total of 46 games to 40.

It's all about attitude.

For Australia to be bowled out by any side in 15 overs is totally unacceptable.

Yeah but if you look at each player majority of the England team have atleast played a handful of games where as majority of the Australian team were playing their 1st or 2nd game.

 

[parttimer]

Full credit to England here. They set a good total and put the aussies under pressure and they folded. A good tactic if they can repeat it during the ashes. Fantastic bowling by Lewis, i'd never seen the guy b4 but he looks the goods. Gough as well, but neither are in the test side so i wouldn't be too concerned. I wasn't too impressed with Harmison he waivered a bit in line and length.

A bit worried by Gillespie and Caspa both bowled poorly while Mcgrath and Lee bowled pretty well without much luck, especially Lee.

England looked to have terrific team spirit and were completely undaunted by the occasion and will probably have succeeded in sowing a few seeds of doubt in the Aussies, certainly in the top order! However the non performance of key players Flintoff (he didn't bowl too badly though), Vaughan and Harmison will be some consolation.

England were better in the field too, and are younger, more intense and bigger. First salvo to them..

 

[aussie]

Again, I maintain that if Giles, Tresco and Hoggard have good series, England may well win the Ashes.

when australia were over in India i heard somewhere once Harbhajan, Laxman & Sehwag were to have good series india would win. Not that i'm disagreeing but i'm not totally convinced that if those 3 have good series that England can win the ashes

 

[aussie]

Full credit to England here. They set a good total and put the aussies under pressure and they folded. A good tactic if they can repeat it during the ashes. Fantastic bowling by Lewis, i'd never seen the guy b4 but he looks the goods. Gough as well, but neither are in the test side so i wouldn't be too concerned. I wasn't too impressed with Harmison he waivered a bit in line and length.

A bit worried by Gillespie and Caspa both bowled poorly while Mcgrath and Lee bowled pretty well without much luck, especially Lee.

England looked to have terrific team spirit and were completely undaunted by the occasion and will probably have succeeded in sowing a few seeds of doubt in the Aussies, certainly in the top order! However the non performance of key players Flintoff (he didn't bowl too badly though), Vaughan and Harmison will be some consolation.

England were better in the field too, and are younger, more intense and bigger. First salvo to them..

dont get carried away mate, i'm promising you that this little win yesterday (English time) wont have any effect on the outcome of the ashes series

 

[Top_Cat]

when australia were over in India i heard somewhere once Harbhajan, Laxman & Sehwag were to have good series india would win. Not that i'm disagreeing but i'm not totally convinced that if those 3 have good series that England can win the ashes

I'll tell you my reasoning;

Tresco: if he has a good series, it'll mean that Australia haven't been able to get amongst the middle-order early in an innings which is where they roll teams for very little. History has shown that when the Aussies get a few early wickets, fighting back from 3 or 4-down for not many is damn near impossible. History has also shown that when the Aussies have been on the receiving end of a large opening partnership or one wicket down for lots, the opposition team has gotten quite a few runs. A good start against the Aussies is essential because teams who've done so have really put them under pressure. The Aussies under Steve Waugh had a fantastic Plan A but generally a pretty woeful Plan B. This is one area under Ponting which seems to have improved so this effect might be negated a little.

Hoggard: Early wickets. Again, good start = much higher chance of winning and given that the Aussies far prefer facing guys who hit the seam and aren't often exposed to quality swing bowling, a good series from Hoggard will do some serious damage.

Giles: If he has a good series, it'll generally mean the matches have been pushed into late 4th day/5th day when the Aussies have traditionally struggled to save/win matches. And when they're trying to be on the defensive, they're not at their best (they're used to winning, after all) and if the ball is turning, Giles could well be a key 5th day bowler. The Aussies are terrific front-runners but the longer a match drags on, the more even things become and as I said, Giles is a key bowler here.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

id assume flintoff would be in the side ahead of clarke.
i doubt thorpe could make it ahead of ponting or martyn. but i'd probably think that hes good enough to replace katich though, even if its a close call.

Yeah, I meant Katich. My mistake.

My composite XI... pre-Ashes.

Justin Langer
Matthew Hayden
Ricky Ponting
Damien Martyn
Graham Thorpe
Andrew Flintoff
Adam Gilchrist
Shane Warne
Jason Gillespie
Matthew Hoggard
Glenn McGrath

I think Hoggard JUST shades Kasper as things stand. Hoggard did enough in what were not particularly seam-friendly conditions in SA to convince me he's at least as good as Kasper is currently, and one of the problems I have with the current Australian attack is how one-dimensional it is. It's all seamers who rely on moving it off the wicket rather than swinging it, who bowl slightly back of a length and keep scoring down as much as possible, and all bowl in the 135-140 range. That's why Í think Lee deserved a go in NZ, but Hoggard would also provide some variety. Harmison has yet to convince me really. It will be easier to pick the side after the Ashes though.

 

[andyc]

Every Englishmen knew what this team was capable of. Everytime I, or anyone else mentioned anything positive about the side it would be shot down by some smartass comment of how good McGrath or Ponting was or how overrated Flintoff seemed to be.

I now hope that every Aussie has hangs his deflated head in shame! You werent just beaten today... you were raped! In every facet of our great sport: England dominated

You can say that this was a one-off win in a meaningless Twenty20 game but are there any positives to be drawn from the Aus performance? No.

Flintoff.. who much hyped as influential to a victory need not have turned up and by the time Harmison had balled a ball the game was won.

So many times I heard about the Bangladeshi fixtures being pointless and Eng not getting anything out of them... well to be honest... on today's performance the Aus would have struggled to beat them.

An old "codger", who I actually predicted to get a hattrick (wasnt far off) and a debutant skittled the entire batting line-up of the supposed "best side in the world".

The Aussies looked scared... The Ashes are coming home!

have a lolly

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Channel 9 news this morning led off sports segment with Warnie's hair treatment not 20/20 result.

To be honest, as Channel 9 is not televising tour, matches to date have received virtually no coverage in that form of media.

BTW, anyone know why Ponting batted so low? Batting order and handling of bowlers didnt seem to pay game much respect.

Ponting said before the match he would play with the batting order to give Symonds a go due to his experience in the format, and give Clarke and Hussey a hit as they had played little cricket on the tour to date.

 

[age_master]

thats the other thing which i reakon screwed Australia up, mixing up the bating order at any level rarely works

 

[age_master]

Warne signs up for hair treatment

well everyone knows Warne's hair will be the key to Australia retaining the ashes

 

[chaminda_00]

well everyone knows Warne's hair will be the key to Australia retaining the ashes

Nah KP hair is what really matters, or wait it the shorts that he wears that matters, then again the Ashes is all about KP