The Ashes Thread

[yogi bear up the cagire]

I think I shall post my first observations on the Ashes Series. Being someone who enjoys cricket although a little deficient on the more technical points of the game, perhaps some one can explain why the wicket was rather dodgy when England batted. IIRC I heard things like 350 would be a good total........and the commentators almost smacking their lips with anticipation when the ball started to turn and swing..........just wait till the Aussies come in they'll be completely up the Swanny and totally mesmorised by Monty, not to mention knocked off the Broad and narrow. Well, their batsmen must be quaking in their boots at the thought of facing our attack again. Funny, when they came in, the wicket became emminently playable and shame on them, they didn't play fair like us..........and just give their wickets away.............. ...................strange. Four days into the series and already we're praying for rain.
If there are two positives to take out of this First Test it must be:-
1) You probably can get a really good price if you are brave enough to back England to win the Ashes .......Southend to win League One is probably a safer investment.
2) Carry on like that and Bopara and Cook could be back playing for Essex soon.......
by their batting performances so far this season, they could do with them.

 

[Bluesmanager]

If there's anything to take as a consolation, I think I'm right in saying we got absolutely tonked at Lords last time they came here as well.

Of course, we also got tonked first time round at their place last time...

 

[Jonny_Stokes]

Horrific morning. No discipline whatsoever. And now the ball's starting to swing...gulp!

 

[EastStandBlue]

Interesting point on the BBC Live Chat though... If Colly and Flintoff can survive this session and bat out a draw, the momentum swings back into England's favour going into the next test.

I agree though... Horrific. Amateur innings by some of the supposedly experienced members of the squad.

 

[canveyshrimper]

I'm not sure about momentum swinging back to England if they manage to draw, however if it is a draw England can gain some comfort from being completely outplayed.

I wouldn't advocate wholesale changes for Lords but IMO Harmison must come back in place of Panesar, and IMO Onions should play instead of Broad. Although the second innings with the bat has been a bit of a horror show, I'd keep faith with the top 6.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Agreed about Harmison... As long as England get rid of one finger spinner I'll be happy, and Panesar has done absolutely nothing this Test.

The only change I'd make to the batting order is Cook, who's been a passenger with the bat, but then again who exactly would open with Strauss? I feel for Bopara... He's had an excellent summer so far, was obviously nervous in his first innings and then given that horrible decision in his second.

As for Pietersen... Well he's still an enigma. You never know what KP is going to turn up until the day.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Well that's that then...

 

[Slipperduke]

We've given them wicket after wicket after wicket. I don't even think that they're much better than us, we've just performed appallingly and they've been flawless.

Depressing viewing, especially after such an exciting first day.

 

[EastStandBlue]

I'd say an awful lot of the blame falls on the openers... If you have a look at Australia, by the time their first 2 or 3 batsmen fall, they find themselves on 300 something and well on their way to a good total. Ponting especially beds himself in extraordinarily well and is a nightmare to bowl at, frustrating the bowling attack.

By the time our first 2 or 3 batsmen fall, at the moment, we're lucky to be on double figures. Heaping pressure on the likes of Bops, KP and, to an extent, Flintoff to produce a good total.

 

[Jonny_Stokes]

Pietersen needs to grow some balls to back up his mouth and bat at three.

 

[canveyshrimper]

In this match your comments about the openers are justified, however Strauss & Cook have been a pretty strong pair over the last year or so, I can't be arsed to check the stats, but Strauss has I think 4 tons to his name & Cook 2. England's woes in this match is that although 435 isn't a bad total none of the batsmen have gone on to make a big hundred whereas the convicts have four.

Ponting is IMO the best batsman in the world and a test average of 56+ says it all. One point with Ponting if you feed his strengths early in an innings the easier it will be for him to settle and go on to make a big score.

It doesn't look as if the Welsh weather is going to intervene, strange really because whenever I go to Wales it ****es down.

 

[Grayson]

Cook should be a similar player to Katich in terms of temperament of innings. With our most flamboyant stroke makers, Bopara and Pietersen, following at 3 and 4, Cook should look to stay there and build partnerships with them every time he goes out to bat.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

The Aussies won in South Africa ..We lost in the Windies.. I fear we may be overating our chances just because the familer names have gone from the Aussies squad ..
Why is Bell in the squad? He never scores runs under pressure.. Bring him in for any dead rubbers to get his average up.... 2005 was great but we had all our best players firing on all cylinders at home.. They lost their best bowler and we still only just scraped over the line.. We then went down under and got totally humiliated! I think the Aussies win this..

Amusing going back to all those hopeful and enthusiastic comments before play got under way. I suppose that one of the reasons for batting first, when we had won the toss, was that we would oblige Australia to bat
last. :)
Well, one session to survive with only three wickets or a tropical storm to save us from defeat...............unlikely! Congratulations SARF, it looks sadly, that you were able to see the reality behind the hype. I imagine I could be right in assuming that you won't be the one, next year, to start the thread ..........England to win the World Cup?

 

[BrettieAngell]

very close finish!

 

[EastStandBlue]

Well done Colly, Jimmy and Monty... Saved this Test.

 

[canveyshrimper]

England get out of jail. Who would of bet Anderson & Panesar batting out the last 12 overs? Well played Collingwood I hope the other batsmen can learn from his obduracy.

Finally who says Test cricket is dead?

 

[Grayson]

Get in!! How tense was that? :)

 

[EastStandBlue]

Finally who says Test cricket is dead?

Chris Gayle.

And I'm not going to argue.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

Really exciting stuff, managed to see the last few overs live, on the computer. Got it wrong but it doesn't change the fact that it was a poor performance by England, only saved, at the end, by a couple of determined tail-enders.

 

[Blueshrimper]

Brilliant!