[Hinter]

I know cricket got a kicking in the "Most boring sport" poll, but some of us love the game, and in a few months the greatest test series of them all returns. England will be playing Australia and the winner gets... a very small urn containing some unidentified burnt stuff.

To the English: Do we have a chance? We're playing ok-ish in the Windies on very flat pitches but is that enough to defeat the mighty Australia?

To the Aussies: Yes, you've bossed the game for twenty years but is your young blood in the same class as your retiring heroes?

So English/Aussie discussion and (friendly) abuse in this thread please, although to be honest I don't think it will be the hottest thread ever to appear on the boards!

This post has been edited by Hinter: 23 August 2009 - 10:37 PM

[Sir Thursday]

Hinter, on Mar 6 2009, 02:57 PM, said:

I know cricket got a kicking in the "Most boring sport" poll, but some of us love the game, and in a few months the greatest test series of them all returns. England will be playing Australia and the winner gets... a very small urn containing some unidentified burnt stuff.

To the English: Do we have a chance? We're playing ok-ish in the Windies on very flat pitches but is that enough to defeat the mighty Australia?

To the Aussies: Yes, you've bossed the game for twenty years but is your young blood in the same class as your retiring heroes?

So English/Aussie discussion and (friendly) abuse in this thread please, although to be honest I don't think it will be the hottest thread ever to appear on the boards!

Starting early! I like

Before England started their tour of the Windies I thought we had a shot - Australia kept getting beaten by South Africa, and it looked like the mental toughness had gone out of the Australian game. But then England got bowled out for 51 and Australia have been having a resurgence of sorts in the return fixtures on the other side of the Indian Ocean.

I really don't think England have a strong enough batting line up at the moment. Certainly they've been scoring on these flat West Indian pitches, but this is the first time in forever that they've been able to post first innings scores in excess of 400. The batting has been weak for a while now. And while the bowling has looked very toothless without Flintoff in the lineup, that is in part due to the flatness of the pitches, which have offered very little assistance. I think Panesar really needs to go away and work on his game for a while - Swann has proven on this tour that he is a better bowler, and until Panesar can add some variation and flight to his bowling he doesn't really deserve to be in the team. Personally I'd have liked to have seen Adil Rashad get a game on this tour so I could see why everyone is talking about him, but I guess this test is must win for England so they opted for experience.

So in summary, I'm somewhat pessimistic. Players like North will have been chomping at the bit trying to get into the Australian team for a while, and I suspect they're more than ready for international cricket. I think a lot of it depends on whether Flintoff will be fit - we look a different team without him.


Sir Thursday

[Sir Thursday]

Well, nice to see the England batsmen filling their boots, but it seems to me as though that's more a product of the pitch than anything else. And on the negative side, if you're an England supporter, is how Australia are suddenly trouncing the Saffers. We're going to be in serious trouble if their pace attack is as effective as it sounds in the reports come the summer.


Sir Thursday

[Corporal Nobbs]

It's never too early to talk Ashes.
The conditions in SA are certainly helpful to fast bowlers.
Winning the toss and batting on the first day has helped alot this Test (and last Test). Huge difference from 1st to 2nd day.

On batsman filling their boots on flat pitches, it does help build confidence and form.
I think you're right, Flintoff will be the difference if bowls as well as he did in 2005.

Australian selectors obsession with an all-rounder is also a problem, Watson would be all right if he could stay fit, but picking bits and pieces players is just stupid, but they continue to do it. And I don't expect it to stop anytime soon.
We don't a have a spinner worthy of the name at the moment, too many comparisons to Warne breaks their spirit.

Expect a big push for a Warne comeback. Again.

I think it will be pretty even contest, like 2005....
But we'll win.

How about picking a team for the first test?
Here's mine...

Hughes - he's a gun.
Katich - in form
Ponting © - out of form but class is permanant
Hussey - out of form, might be lucky to keep spot
M.Clarke - Becoming a defensive player needs to balance with his attacking play.
North - Handy
Haddin - Gaining in confidence but needs to stay in form with numerous younger keeper-batsmen in form in Sheffield Shield
Johnson - A Gun
S. Clark - if fit
Siddle - Agressive fast bowler
Hilfenhaus - Good swing bowler, should do well in England
12th McGain - Leg spinner, fighting with Siddle, Hilfenhaus for a spot.

This post has been edited by Corporal Nobbs: 08 March 2009 - 06:52 AM

[Sir Thursday]

Well for England I'd go with:

Strauss © - seems to bat better when he's captain.
Cook - hopefully has now broken the curse that left him unable to convert 50s into 100s after getting over the line last test.
Bell - has been out of the squad, but I still think is better than Shah in that position, who seems to give his wicket away often (runouts especially).
Pietersen - nothing more need be said. Hope he gets his form back sharpish, he's not exactly filled his boots against the Windies.
Collingwood - has been playing excellently of late, after a spell where he looked out of touch.
Prior - Putting him above Flintoff because I have more confidence in his batting ability. If he shows any wobbles with the gloves, we should put Ambrose in instead.
Flintoff - I don't trust him to be able to replicate his batting feats from 2005, which is why I've put him at 7. Still lethal with the ball though.
Broad - has great potential, my only criticism up to now is that he really hasn't taken all that many wickets. But probably more consistent than Harmison.
Swann - has comprehensively outspun Panesar in the Caribbean, and his reward should be a place in the Ashes team.
Sidebottom - looked a yard slow in the Caribbean, but should still thrive in English conditions where he can get the swing.
Anderson - still temperamental, but can be great when it all clicks, which is happening more and more frequently.

12th Man: Panesar - seems to be mixing up his game slightly in the final test against the Windies, which bodes well for the future.


I'm still slightly concerned about the No. 3 position and the 5th bowler - I don't trust Broad to be a reliable wicket-taking threat just yet.




Sir Thursday

[Hinter]

What's happened to Simon Jones? He seemed to be bowling very well for Worcs for a bit last season and then disappeared. Not injured again I hope.

[Corporal Nobbs]

Was going to ask the same thing.
Haven't heard anything about him since last Ashes. He was injured then too, wasn't he?
You know the one, where you lost 5-0.

Sorry... had to be mentioned.

[Hinter]

I try not to remember that debacle....

[Sir Thursday]

If Simon Jones is fit, he should go back into the lineup ahead of Broad, IMO. I've heard him mentioned as a possibility around the place, which makes me think perhaps he's on the road to recovery...it's just that I seem to remember last time he was in a similar position he broke down again pretty quickly .


Sir Thursday

[Hinter]

From Cricinfo, but it dates back to last november

linky

Seems his knee is buggered again!

[Corporal Nobbs]

After watching Aussies spank SA back to their rightful place as mentally fragile chokers,
and the Windies denying the Poms, I have revised my prediction that the Ashes will be close.
5-0! Australia's way.

[Hinter]

I remember Glen McGrath predicting a whitewash in the summer of '05, and we pwned you

[Cold Iron]

Corporal Nobbs, on Mar 8 2009, 05:30 PM, said:

Winning the toss and batting on the first day has helped alot this Test (and last Test). Huge difference from 1st to 2nd day.

Guess that day 1 pitch came back for day 3... both tests...

Hinter, on Mar 11 2009, 08:27 PM, said:

I remember Glen McGrath predicting a whitewash in the summer of '05, and we pwned you

That series was closer than a sphincter in the proctologists waiting room, but I suppose I'll be the gentleman and let you have it. It is, after all, all you've got.

[Hinter]

We take it where we can get it

That was a hell of a series though.

[MTS]

I think if Flintoff repeats his bowling performance in 2005 and their batting firms up a little (which it should afrer gaining some confidence in the Windies), they have the potential to give Australia a run for their money. Australia's confidence will have lifted since South Africa, though, so England absolutely has to be on the top of their game if they want to win it. They have the talent to do it, but only if they're all in form (which hardly ever happens).

[Cougar]

England have no chance, their Batting is woeful at the best of times and unless KP turns up they really lack a match winner.

Bowling wise I feel they've become too pedestrian in the last 3 years, to my mind Flintoff as the go to man in form, Hogard as the opener, Harmison on strike and Jones reverse swing and raw pace is as good a line up as we are likely to see and it only functioned for 2 series in 2005. If the highly average Giles had been replaced then that would have been an all time classic line-up.

Unfortuantely I think both sides are pale imitations of those sides that duked it out in 2005 and I can see it being pretty disappointing I'm gonna say 2-0 to the sheep stealers.

[Sir Thursday]

Cougar, on Mar 12 2009, 11:04 AM, said:

England have no chance, their Batting is woeful at the best of times and unless KP turns up they really lack a match winner.

Bowling wise I feel they've become too pedestrian in the last 3 years, to my mind Flintoff as the go to man in form, Hogard as the opener, Harmison on strike and Jones reverse swing and raw pace is as good a line up as we are likely to see and it only functioned for 2 series in 2005. If the highly average Giles had been replaced then that would have been an all time classic line-up.

Unfortuantely I think both sides are pale imitations of those sides that duked it out in 2005 and I can see it being pretty disappointing I'm gonna say 2-0 to the sheep stealers.

See I think in English conditions the bowling will look a lot better. Sidebottom has shown in the last few years that he is a pretty damn good replacement for Hoggard - he hasn't had the best of luck in the Windies but he looked really menacing with the new ball against India last summer, from what I remember. Anderson isn't quite as potent as Jones or Harmison were back in 2005, but on his day he can be pretty dangerous. The weak link in the bowling as far as I'm concerned is Broad, who has not yet convinced me that he is capable of consistently taking wickets at Test level. It's true that we lack a truly venomous bowler unless Harmison is in the squad - if he can get his head in the game again he could conceivably get back in the team...


Sir Thursday

[Hinter]

Broad's saving grace though is that he can swing the bat and we haven't had a decent batsman in the tail for years (although Giles was OKish). But I do agree he is certainly not a proper test bowler yet.

Harmison has had too many chances for me. We should forget about him imho.

My worry with Flintoff is that he's consistently getting niggly injuries which is making it difficult to get game time in and find some decent form.

Don't know much about the current aussie line up - if England ain't playing I ain't interested - so I won't offer any second hand opinions I've picked up from the press.

[Assail]

Hinter, on Mar 6 2009, 07:57 AM, said:

I know cricket got a kicking in the "Most boring sport" poll, but some of us love the game, and in a few months the greatest test series of them all returns. England will be playing Australia and the winner gets... a very small urn containing some unidentified burnt stuff.

To the English: Do we have a chance? We're playing ok-ish in the Windies on very flat pitches but is that enough to defeat the mighty Australia?

To the Aussies: Yes, you've bossed the game for twenty years but is your young blood in the same class as your retiring heroes?

So English/Aussie discussion and (friendly) abuse in this thread please, although to be honest I don't think it will be the hottest thread ever to appear on the boards!

Gentlemen and Australians? What are you tryin' to say? Hahaha.

As it has been for numerous years, the Australian's will take it again despite losing a couple of our more prominent players of the last couple of years. It's just how it is, England's time has come to take a seat and accept the tyranny that Australia imposes over the sport of cricket! Haha, yes, I have a lot of support for Australia. It's my home after all.

[Sir Thursday]

Assail, on Mar 27 2009, 08:45 PM, said:

Hinter, on Mar 6 2009, 07:57 AM, said:

I know cricket got a kicking in the "Most boring sport" poll, but some of us love the game, and in a few months the greatest test series of them all returns. England will be playing Australia and the winner gets... a very small urn containing some unidentified burnt stuff.

To the English: Do we have a chance? We're playing ok-ish in the Windies on very flat pitches but is that enough to defeat the mighty Australia?

To the Aussies: Yes, you've bossed the game for twenty years but is your young blood in the same class as your retiring heroes?

So English/Aussie discussion and (friendly) abuse in this thread please, although to be honest I don't think it will be the hottest thread ever to appear on the boards!

Gentlemen and Australians? What are you tryin' to say? Hahaha.

As it has been for numerous years, the Australian's will take it again despite losing a couple of our more prominent players of the last couple of years. It's just how it is, England's time has come to take a seat and accept the tyranny that Australia imposes over the sport of cricket! Haha, yes, I have a lot of support for Australia. It's my home after all.

You're forgetting a little year I like to call 2005 . Unless 3 counts as 'numerous'...


Sir Thursday