BS: Ashes

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 25 Nov 06 - 06:31 AM

Got to do SOMETHING to make a match of the next one... :-P


If you go to http://www.abc.net.au/cricket/

you will find various things, including a live web podcatst of the Match

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: ard mhacha
Date: 25 Nov 06 - 07:39 AM

Ponting`s arrogance might backfire on him, this was stupid captaincy, he did the same in England when in the fourth test he won the toss, and to his cost let England open.
There again I may be doing the man a disservice, he has seen England bat.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 25 Nov 06 - 08:04 AM

Brisbane looks nice, all that sun. I'd forgotten nice.........another four months to go of this crap, and rain, and shit, and snow, and cold wind biting at you....

sod the ashes, I wouldn't mind a day or two of their weather.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: The Sandman
Date: 25 Nov 06 - 12:48 PM

I predict a draw, very good odds 14 to one.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 25 Nov 06 - 05:55 PM

Currntly, rain has been forecast for Monday.

With the vagaries of weather, it may turn up sooner or later than predicted.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Shields Folk
Date: 25 Nov 06 - 05:58 PM

Wouldn't it be quite ironic if it resulted in a draw due to weather.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 25 Nov 06 - 06:11 PM

The commentators have advanced a large number of possible reasons for not enforcing the follow-on, but here's mine.

The pitch is showing signs of drying out much earlier than historically, so by Australia batting now, when the pitch is not too bad, the Poms have to struggle when they get in, giving the Aussies the chance of cleaning them up. If the Poms try to 'dig in', they run the risk of being swept away.

Incidentally my brother when a boy scout years ago, assisted in picking all those pebbles out, the time they also used the helicopter as a giant fan to help dry out the pitch.

The Pitch was shaved when they resurfaced it for kicking balls around on, something I am sure the Poms feel rather like right now.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Hrothgar
Date: 25 Nov 06 - 11:08 PM

Punter had to bat again. If the match had not gone into four days, the Australian Cricket Board would have had to refund a lot of gate money to people who had pre-purchased tickets. It did give Langer the opportunity to get the century he missed in the first innings.

Now we just have to see if Collingwood and Pietersen can keep this partnership going intil it rains.

That nice sunny weather is actually hot and sticky, and often means an approaching thunderstorm - but it does beat cold, fog, sleet, etc.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: John O'L
Date: 26 Nov 06 - 02:14 AM

I have so far declined to post because no-one wanted to know how disappointed I was and that was all I had to say, but now Collingwood and Pieterson are actually playing cricket and the weather seems to be undecided there is at last some interest.

I guess there's a lot of the season left to go. We can't write the series off just yet.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Rasener
Date: 26 Nov 06 - 02:52 AM

WEll I never, Collingwood gets to 96 and then gets stupidly stumped ad puts England under more pressure.
What can I say about Freddies innings apart from irresponsible stroke leading to a catch.
If the weather doesn't interfere with day 5, then its curtains for England.
Until Collingwood was out, I genuinly thought that we could survive day 5.
I don't mind if somebody is out due to excellent play from the opposition, but when you give your wickets away, when runs are not important, only time, well words fail me.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 26 Nov 06 - 04:10 AM

Well 2 for under 50, and 3 for under 100 didn't look too good for a start, there has been a good fightback. there were rumours of rain, and a few clouds, but nothing yet.

For those of you on the other side of the world you may be interested in some satellite and radar weather pics, also a lightning tracker for Brisbane.

You might want to write these down on a piece of paper.

256 km Brisbane (Mt Stapylton) Radar Loop
256 km Brisbane (Marburg) Radar Loop BRISBANE MARBURG RADAR
Lightning strikes in south-east Queensland during the past 45 minutes

And for you hopeful Poms, here's the top level sites to look at other cities for the rest of the test. You might want to also write these down on that piece of paper.

National Weather and Warnings Information
Weatherzone - AUS Bureau of Meteorology Weather Radar

And as for you Poms, I'll tell you what to do with that piece of paper later on.........

;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Hrothgar
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 04:41 AM

The Poms scored 370 in the fourth innings of a Gabba Test - not many have done that. If the Australians take them too casually, there could be upsets.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 05:13 AM

Yes, that 370 saved some England pride, & just shows the lads cant be written off, despite the dismal performance other than that.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 28 Nov 06 - 05:18 AM

... now about that piece of paper - I suggest yousave it until after the test series finishes...

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: The Shambles
Date: 29 Nov 06 - 05:28 AM

Looking back to the first test of the last series in England and the easy win in that one - the Australian team looked then to be unbeatable and the England bowling attack looked a joke..............

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Tom Hamilton frae Saltcoats Scotland
Date: 29 Nov 06 - 10:40 AM

COME ON AUSSIE COME ON

TOM FRAE SCOTLAND

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Tom Hamilton frae Saltcoats Scotland
Date: 29 Nov 06 - 10:42 AM

it's only a joke,

to tell the truth I couldn't give a shit who won.

tom frae scotland

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Rasener
Date: 29 Nov 06 - 11:28 AM

You wouldif it was Scotland :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: The Sandman
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 05:15 AM

now england are going to win the second test ,the odds shoiuld be good,lets hopethey play ed joyce and monty panesar

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 03:24 PM

If this story turns out correct, I suppose England might have a chance - McGrath a doubt for Adelaide - "Glenn McGrath is facing a battle to prove his fitness for the second Test after failing to completely recover from his troublesome left heel injury."

But I would't bet on it.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: The Sandman
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 03:50 PM

He who bets, picks his own pocket.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Les from Hull
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 07:09 PM

England (unchanged) won the toss and will bat.

Australia are unchanged with McGrath fully fit.

Of course this means that the game could be over in three days, with Australia only having to bat once!

Still, best of luck to our lads - they need a bit of luck.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Rasener
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 03:11 AM

Well not a bad score at the end of day 1

Middle order have done very well. Just hope Collingwood can get his hundred and go on a get a double.

If we could get to about 400, that would make the game interersting, especially if our bowlers start to bowl straight.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: GUEST,Terry K
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 04:36 AM

Probably a bit early to say it, but this highlights a major soapbox of mine, notably, the toss.

On the flat 'Gabba track, the worst result for the series was for Australia to win the toss, as it virtually excluded an England win as an option. The other way around would have made a game of it, given home advantage etc.

Had we lost the toss this time, you could almost have kissed the series goodbye, even at this early stage.

My theory is that the toss should be done only once, for the whole series. Then whoever wins the toss gets to choose to have control (i.e. to choice to bat or field) either in tests 1 and 5, or in tests 2,3 and 4. That particular choice would not necessarily be easy to make if you think about it. For shorter test series a similar choice option could apply.

That at least would stop people like me making excuses for lame England performances by claiming we would have been OK if we'd won the toss.....

What do people think?

Terry

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Hrothgar
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 04:38 AM

You're assuming, Villan, that Collojngwood won't have another rush of blood and get himself stumped first thing in the morning?

Have to do something about that damned nuisance Pietersen.....

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Rasener
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 05:05 AM

Not assuming, just crossing my legs, fingers, toes and anything else that can be crossed :-)

I am hoping Pieterson will start all over again in the morning and help England get a decent score.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 05:08 AM

I hope it goes that way. Trouble with England is I'm always at least half expecting the great collapse after a promising start...

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Rasener
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 06:02 AM

Yes Jon, but we need to be optimistic, and after all they grafted hard today. One assumes they will tomorrow.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 08:58 AM

Reasonable effort, for a start.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: alanabit
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 02:16 PM

Enlgand's mastery of the batting collapse usually sees them safely through to defeat after even the most promising of starts. Maybe a new era is dawning, but I'll withhold judgement for a while yet!

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Les from Hull
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 02:28 PM

That's a very good point about the toss, Terry K. It is much more important in cricket than in any other sporting contest. In most other sports it means next to nothing, unless it's a really windy rugby match. Because of the legnth of a cricket match weather and pitch conditions can change greatly.

The only other contest that I can think of where who does what first matters so much is chess. And they take turns, and, it seems, always have done.

Still a good start for our lads, I hope that they can go on with the batting and put in a decent bowling performance.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 05:26 AM

Well it was on all night by my bed, and every time I woke up to go for a pee, Paul Collingwood and Kevin Pietersen, were still batting, had to keep checking the clock!
I was awake to hear the end of Collingwood's innings, and it was a shame that he was out one ball before tea, otherwise he might have, refreshed after a break, gone on to beat Wally hammond's 230.
Giok

♪♫
And the next that comes in it is Paul Collingwood,
And he fought for old England till he shed his blood
He came from overseas, Australia to view
And in Adelaide batted an hundred or two.♫♪

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: The Shambles
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 05:50 AM

The England batting performance was encouraging - but the crunch will be the bowling - and the big question is Harmison.

I feel that on this pitch - Monty (and Giles) would have been the better option.

But as he was not selected - we will never know for sure.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Rasener
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 06:02 AM

Well I am sure Harmison's self estemm was improved by not allowing him to open the bowling. Maybe England's plan is to let him rip on the third day. I can't help thinking (and I may have to eat my own words) that it would have been better to have left the lad out of the match and not humiliate him, by not letting him open the bowling. I'll bet he was smarting. Not sure if he is one of these people who rise to the occasion when being humiliated or gets worse. We shall see.

Excellent batting performance, and Australia now know they have a battle on their hands.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 06:31 AM

A game of cricket Les.....please, not a battle.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 07:43 AM

Now we gave a game...

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Rasener
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 07:44 AM

Battle WLD :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 07:46 AM

Not often Warne hits 2 brick walls...

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: John O'L
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 08:02 AM

This is becoming frighteningly familiar.

Nah, not really. Just trying to be conciliatory. This can't last. The English bowling will surely falter. One lucky wicket...

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Les from Hull
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 10:40 AM

I can still see this heading for a draw. Superb batting from England but the pitch may be the winner yet. A flat slow wicket like this one is not the best way to secure a positive result. But if the bounce gets unpredictable or reverse swing occurs then we may see a better bowling performance from England.

I would still like to know why Anderson is in the team. If Matty Hoggard can't swing the ball, what chance does Anderson have? And he's still bowling licorice allsorts. He bats at no. 11, so it's not his batting. We could leave him out for Monty. The Aussies seem happy to play four main bowlers even though one of them is walking wounded.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Rasener
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 11:25 AM

Hard to understand the reasoning isn't it Les

Les

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: GUEST,Terry K
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 12:25 PM

There's no room for two spinners on a flat, slow wicket, so I think Anderson is not a bad choice - at least he has done some of it at that level, even though he is out of match practice. I think Monty will come in later in the piece and be all the more effective for it.

As for Harmison, there surely is nothing worse for a sportsman of any kind than to be dropped from the team, so the fact that he can't yet be trusted to open the bowling is the lesser evil for him. I don't for a minute believe that Harmison is unaware of the issues, and feel sure he will have been involved in the discussions as to when it will be best for him to bowl.

We need to trust them, and I think that being cautious when confronting the best side in the world in their own back yard is probably on the right side of sensible. Let's be patient, wait for the third and fourth matches - they count for one point each as well!

cheers, Terry

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Rasener
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 02:24 PM

I will be watching this morning and will be rooting for Harmi to come good please please. :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Les from Hull
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 03:49 PM

I think they were right to go for Freddie and the Hoggster to open the bowling. They only had a maximum 10 overs and you've got to have Hoggy bowling as he's always most effective right at the start of an innings. And Freddie was far and away the best English bowler in the last test. But if it doesn't swing in the morning Harmison should come on for Hoggard fairly soon. Harmy might have a real part to play in this test if the bounce is variable later on - with his pace as long as he can get some accuracy.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: The Sandman
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 04:05 PM

australia have made the mistake of not playing magill.
england should have selected adil rashid and martin bicknell[guile and accuracy respectively unfortunately neither are in the squad]failing that, monty panesar.I cant see england have enough attacking bowlers,I hope im wrong.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 05:31 PM

OK Capt Birdseye, here goes.

I'm a great fan of Stuart Magill; I'm not sure about his religious tendencies, but hey, he's a great bowler. If Warne wasn't there, he would be an automatic choice. But Warne IS there, and is still the greatest bowler cricket has ever known. He is also a great competitor and a match-winner. Oh, and he can bat, which Magill can't. So no Magill then.

I'd need to take advice on Rashid, but would only say I would'nt attempt to blood a new test bowler in an Ashes series away from home. Call me a cautious old thing but there you are.

Bicknell was given a shot in recent years, and came in with a bang. Then what? They chose not to pursue him, and as he will be 38 in 6 weeks time, I tend to agree with them.

Monty is a great prospect. My son was at Loughborough University with him recently and pronounces him "a good bloke", even though he didn't automatically try to get falling-over-pissed every night as students are supposed to. But Monty needs to face the Aussies (in their own back yard) on a turning wicket, and we are not there yet. He will have his moment, but it isn't yet. Imagine if we had introduced him to the Aussie batsmen in full flow at the 'Gabba - they would have seriously destroyed not just his confidence but probably his career. So let's stick with Ashley, just to be safe.

Finally, we do have attacking bowlers, and they are already in the side. If it was a one-day series, it may be different, but test cricket happens over a 5 day period. It is a TEST. Not just of ability, technique, and natural talent, but mainly of mental strength, application, the ability to not buckle under everything the Aussies will no doubt be throwing at us, on and off the pitch.

I predicted two draws as being a good result for England (as a seriously biased England fan, but also a realist), but I've seen enough already to make me a little more positive, and to feel that this may yet turn out to be a competitive series.

I think our attack is good - and well-balanced - if we can get Anderson match-fit, hence more consistent, and if Harmison can perform at least half as well as we all know he can. I'm really relishing the prospect and just hope that the vagaries of the toss (see my earlier post) don't influence the series in too negative a way.

Da dahhhhhhhh.

cheers, Terry

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 08:07 PM

Funny how all the 'has-been'* media commentators (including the Aussie ones) here have been saying all along that you always need two spinners at Adelaide...


*has-been - well they all has been players before...

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: John O'L
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 08:50 PM

Ponting dropped by Giles on 35. Is that the urn?

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: John O'L
Date: 02 Dec 06 - 09:35 PM

Well Ponting's lucky to have made it through to lunch. He has played some dodgey shots and survived a runout and at least one reasonable lbw query. On the radio they are saying they reckon he's unwell. He might be. He's on 57 now. I wish I was that sick.

Subject: RE: BS: Ashes
From: Rasener
Date: 03 Dec 06 - 10:42 AM

Ponting 142 Thanks Giles :-( oh and thanks for bagging some wickets as well Giles.
At least the quickies bowled a lot better and I wonder what would have happened if Giles had cuaght Ponting.

Third test Monti please.