Who really cares about the Ponting/Katich beat-up ???

[Top_Cat]

I'm not saying it's going to happen - just that it is getting more likely as the series goes on, and if I was an Aussie batsman, I'd start worrying the moment one rears up to chest height at the Oval.

Yeah but ditto that for all of Australia's pace bowlers too. Lee has bowled well generally on flat batting decks without absolutely dominating (only been probably two spells where he threatened to run through England's side but he bowled relatively well throughout, like Harmi). If he gets a deck which gets bounce, he may cause havoc too. And Tait's skidding speed on a deck with boucne would be quite tough to play. And you just have to look at McGrath's record at the WACA to know how well he uses his height, even if he is 20km/h slower than Harmi at times. Similarly, I'd expect Flintoff to have a decent game with the ball owing to his steepling bounce. It's not just England who have guys who are 'due'.

 

[social]

Harmy's "lack of success" despite the quality of his bowling has been a mystery for me.

Biggest unknown is McGrath - best bowler in the world but will he be fit?

I am certain that he'll play but .......

 

[Pedro Delgado]

As age pointed out, Australia hasn't failed totally. If Australia had managed to go to stumps a couple of wickets better than they did on day 2 (maybe Ponting and Martyn's wickets? ) given the way they played on days 3 and 4 it could have been a different result.

Australia should take heart from the way they've come back at the end of the each game and realise they just need a good start. Ponting really needs to win the toss at the oval and bat. England will find batting much more difficult when they're facing a big total, just as Australia have. England have already crumbled chasing a couple of times in the series.

If the weather stays good, I'd expect a 2-2 result.

You've been on about the toss since Lord's Faaip. One surely can't keep on wishing for Warne on day four/five, so that one great player can exert his influence. It's like us saying I hope Trent Bridge is a rough wicket/ground so that Jonah and Fred will get the ball to go Irish; it didn't happen, but we still managed to find a way to win.

You have to find a way to win, whatever the circumstances, and let your cricket do the talking, like you almost did the other afternoon.

 

[Pedro Delgado]

I am certain that he'll play but .......

So am I. Will he be fit but? I don't mean 100% fit 'cos it's rare that any pacer is that, but my word he looked 60% at most during the OT match.

Still bowled beautifully though at times.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

You've been on about the toss since Lord's Faaip. One surely can't keep on wishing for Warne on day four/five, so that one great player can exert his influence. It's like us saying I hope Trent Bridge is a rough wicket/ground so that Jonah and Fred will get the ball to go Irish; it didn't happen, but we still managed to find a way to win.

You have to find a way to win, whatever the circumstances, and let your cricket do the talking, like you almost did the other afternoon.

I'm on about the toss because it really is important for Australia. The difference between the sides has been the same thing for the whole series, which is that Australia haven't been able to post good totals with the bat, and batting first without having to chase a score on a flat deck is the best opportunity for them to do that. If McGrath and Warne are fit and Australia score 400+ batting first at The Oval, England will find as Australia have that it's a lot harder to chase that sort of score than to post it, and McGrath and Warne will make it as hard as possible.

It's not just about Warne bowling last on a turner, it's about changing the circumstances in the game to suit Australia. Obviously it's perfectly possible to win batting second, but on a flat pitch it is definately harder.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I'm not saying it's going to happen - just that it is getting more likely as the series goes on, and if I was an Aussie batsman, I'd start worrying the moment one rears up to chest height at the Oval.

I would actually be very surprised if Harmison managed to rip through this Australian attack with pace and bounce. If there's one thing these Australian batsmen really can do, it's play on a fast, bouncy deck against fast, bouncy bowling. Australia will have a much tougher time of it if there's reverse swing or a bit of grass on the wicket than they will with Harmison bowling as he can on a helpful pitch. Harmison with uneven bounce would obviously be lethal, but so would Lee and McGrath, and I think that sort of pitch is probably ideal for Australia. Langer and Martyn are born & bred on the WACA, Ponting is one of the best players of the pull and hook that's ever played the game, and I think the others (bar Hayden) would do well too.

If this Oval pitch is anything like the one in the final ODI and the rain stays away, I'll be thrilled. Even Gillespie bowled well on that pitch.

 

[social]

So am I. Will he be fit but? I don't mean 100% fit 'cos it's rare that any pacer is that, but my word he looked 60% at most during the OT match.

Still bowled beautifully though at times.

Crazy decision in hindsight.

Apparently he picked up the elbow injury in that test and compounded the problem vs Northants. Makes you wonder as to why he played that game either.

 

[Pedro Delgado]

]I'm on about the toss because it really is important for Australia.[/B] The difference between the sides has been the same thing for the whole series, which is that Australia haven't been able to post good totals with the bat, and batting first without having to chase a score on a flat deck is the best opportunity for them to do that. If McGrath and Warne are fit and Australia score 400+ batting first at The Oval, England will find as Australia have that it's a lot harder to chase that sort of score than to post it, and McGrath and Warne will make it as hard as possible.

It's not just about Warne bowling last on a turner, it's about changing the circumstances in the game to suit Australia. Obviously it's perfectly possible to win batting second, but on a flat pitch it is definately harder.

But nobody, not even the great captain that is Virgil, has any control over the toss, and bugger me if Punter didn't stick us in on a beauty with the greatest bowler of all time huzzahing when the coin came down, only to be thwarted by him.

You are still sounding like the toss is the catalyst for your team winning the game, which psychologically puts you a step behind when/if the coin falls against you. Australia under Waugh found ways to win despite conditions, just like England have done under the Vaughan captaincy, and under Hussain before to a lesser extent.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

But nobody, not even the great captain that is Virgil, has any control over the toss, and bugger me if Punter didn't stick us in on a beauty with the greatest bowler of all time huzzahing when the coin came down, only to be thwarted by him.

You are still sounding like the toss is the catalyst for your team winning the game, which psychologically puts you a step behind when/if the coin falls against you. Australia under Waugh found ways to win despite conditions, just like England have done under the Vaughan captaincy, and under Hussain before to a lesser extent.

Wouldn't really say that's true of England given that they can't seem to win an ODI when they have to bat first and the only time they haven't batted first in this series they lost.

Anyway, obviously Australia has to win whatever happens, but if the pitch is a belter that becomes uneven and turns as the game goes on, the toss will be very important indeed, and there's no getting around that. And, with things as they stand, I can't help but think (weather permitting), that the team that wins it may well get a huge boost out of it.

 

[Pedro Delgado]

Wouldn't really say that's true of England given that they can't seem to win an ODI when they have to bat first and the only time they haven't batted first in this series they lost.

Anyway, obviously Australia has to win whatever happens, but if the pitch is a belter that becomes uneven and turns as the game goes on, the toss will be very important indeed, and there's no getting around that. And, with things as they stand, I can't help but think (weather permitting), that the team that wins it may well get a huge boost out of it.

Yeah, like, I really care about JAMODI this is the World Cup for me old cake.

Agree, if we win the toss it'll be tricky for you to win, although we've not made the 550-600 yet so you've been "in the game" so far. If McGrath plays, you win the toss, bat properly then you'll probably win. A lot of "ifs" there though.

 

[Neil Pickup]

This is "Official Thread" territory, isn't it?

*snap*