[pathos]

Heard an interesting stat today... of the runs scored by england, players born or from SA have scored about 500 or so of them

Seems like the ashes is AUS vs half england vs half SA


Also manbearpig is half man half bearpig....or half bear half manpig.

[masan's saddle]

Sombra, on 09 December 2010 - 09:22 AM, said:

It's more tongue in cheek than anything else. Only the retards are taking it seriously.

And I'm old enough to recall the "Bring Back Beefy" headlines.

As am I and that's the funny thing, it's like we've travelled back in time 20 years with England and Australia swapping places !

1. Captain underperforming and under fire. Check
2. Bowling attack devoid of any penetration. Check
3 Batting collapse. Check
4 Tabloid press all over the team like a rash. Check
5 Dissident voices calling for former greats to come out of the woodwork. Check
6. Praying for rain. Check
7. Selectors chopping and changing the teamsheet every 2 minutes. Check

Congratulations, you are England circa 1990.

[pathos]

ha ha you said penetration....

[Malaclypse]

@the South Africans: how do you feel about the Ashes being seen (at least here in and in Aus) as the most important contest in cricket? Do you have your own series that functions in the same manner, 'the old enemy' and all that?

I fucking love this game - it's basically what I've always wanted in a sport - it's like the olympics all the time, a truly international sport even if it is only a few nations and all of them former colonies (apart from England of course). It's just so much more interesting when countries compete, rather than mercantile enterprises. I know the IPL is pursuing the standard sport model and no doubt they'll do well with that but the traditional game must survive and I believe the support will definitely be there for the forseeable future.

Anyway. Obviously Pakistan and India are eternal rivals, who is it for South Africa? The West Indies? etc.

The time zone problem is making my life difficult to say the least - good thing is, a few others at work, including my boss, are cricket fanatics so I get away with it

[MTS]

The Ashes is only the most important to us, I imagine any Saffers/Indians/NZers care more about their own rivalries than the Ashes. I know the Indians consider the Border-Gavaskar trophy more important than the Ashes.

Does SA have a big rivalry like India-Pakistan/Australia-England though? Can't think of one. I remember we had a good rivalry going with 'em a few years ago. I know Pollock and Sangakarra used to be rivals. Really though, there's only three 'big' rivalries in cricket nowadays I think - Australia-England, Australia-India and India-Pakistan.

[champ]

MTS, on 10 December 2010 - 10:15 PM, said:

Really though, there's only three 'big' rivalries in cricket nowadays I think - Australia-England, Australia-India and India-Pakistan.

Is Aussies vs New Z pretty tame compared then?

[MTS]

Pretty much. There's still a rivalry there, and we love playing the Kiwis, but it's nowhere near the intensity of the others. If it was rugby, I'd be singing a different tune, but in cricket it's fairly tame.

[masan's saddle]

A less than auspicious start from the Aussies although Hussey (again), Haddin and Johnson came to the rescue and have just about kept them in the game. It was looking like they were going to struggle to make 150 at one point so well done to the wagging tail. With that said, today is probably going to be the most important day of the series because if England can bat through and rack up a 250-300 lead tomorrow youse guys are facked. England are due a batting collapse, though I can't really see who is going to spearhead it amongst the aussie bowlers.

TMS had a bit of a rhyme thing going on via twitter, my favourite of which was simple and to the point.

"Christmas is coming the goose is getting fat, please can Australia find someone who can bat."

This post has been edited by masan's saddle: 16 December 2010 - 07:18 PM

[D'iversify]

MTS, on 10 December 2010 - 10:15 PM, said:

Does SA have a big rivalry like India-Pakistan/Australia-England though? Can't think of one. I remember we had a good rivalry going with 'em a few years ago. I know Pollock and Sangakarra used to be rivals. Really though, there's only three 'big' rivalries in cricket nowadays I think - Australia-England, Australia-India and India-Pakistan.

I'd say South frica's main rivalry would be with England but it's been diminished due to SA being out of the international game for so long due to the boycotting of apartheid. Plus Zimbabwe are shite, so there's hardly enough local competivity for a seriously intense rivalry.

[Tsundoku]

masan, on 16 December 2010 - 07:16 PM, said:

A less than auspicious start from the Aussies although Hussey (again), Haddin and Johnson came to the rescue and have just about kept them in the game. It was looking like they were going to struggle to make 150 at one point so well done to the wagging tail. With that said, today is probably going to be the most important day of the series because if England can bat through and rack up a 250-300 lead tomorrow youse guys are facked. England are due a batting collapse, though I can't really see who is going to spearhead it amongst the aussie bowlers.

TMS had a bit of a rhyme thing going on via twitter, my favourite of which was simple and to the point.

"Christmas is coming the goose is getting fat, please can Australia find someone who can bat."

I concur. I think it's also time to get rid of all specialist batsmen in the side and just go with bowlers, allrounders and wicketkeepers since they are the ones who are scoring all the runs. Except for Mike Hussey - probably the only good thing about this series has been seeing him get some runs, I've always liked his attitude and style of play.

Note to our batsmen: hanging the bat out to dry a good foot from your body is an excellent way to get out caught in the slips or behind - thanks for the repeat demonstrations on what NOT to do.

I can't believe Ponting (who admittedly copped a great delivery, but still) and Clarke talked so much about "must win" before this Test and "back to basics" etc, and then went and got out playing like week old kittens. Or how I imagine week old kittens would bat if they were into cricket, had opposable thumbs, were a good 5 feet taller etc ...

[MTS]

Holy moly, that was a surprisingly bad performance by the Poms. Johnson bowled very well though. Now hopefully our own batsmen don't fall into the same traps...

[Dammon]

Poms all out for 187? Bet no one picked that at the start of the day! Most would of been suprised if we had a handfull of wickets at stumps.

Now lets just hope that Johnson doesn't have to be our top scorer again, also Hussey should be sent in at 3 instead of Ponting I reckon.

[pathos]

As a SA supporter the games i feel most intense about have always been against the Aussies. Granted that is only in the last 15-20 years and the battle for number 1 in the world was a big factor.(plus stupid world cup balls ups on our part)

But besides that i have never felt we have a real rivalry in cricket...We just like to win against every1


P.S. Did you see what we did to India yesterday...9 wickets in under 4 hours...nice

[champ]

That was more like the England I know and love...

[D'iversify]

Pathos, on 17 December 2010 - 07:51 AM, said:

As a SA supporter the games i feel most intense about have always been against the Aussies. Granted that is only in the last 15-20 years and the battle for number 1 in the world was a big factor.(plus stupid world cup balls ups on our part)

But besides that i have never felt we have a real rivalry in cricket...We just like to win against every1


P.S. Did you see what we did to India yesterday...9 wickets in under 4 hours...nice

Yes, I'd agree the Aussie games are highly competitive, but as you've already said, it doesn't have especially deep historical roots. That one-day a couple of years back where SA chased down over 400 was, however, probably the best ODI, from a batting perspective at least, I've watched (on TV that is: haven't been to an actual cricket match for about eight years).

India are a magnificent batting and bowling side but, as with the other subcontinent sides for the most part, they're usually absolutely useless away from home. Not to take anything away from SA's bowlers, however, especially seeing how India steamrollered New Zealand in the ODIs and put in big scores in all 3 tests.

[MTS]

Hey Punter, Ireland called, they want their spuds back.

[masan's saddle]

masan, on 16 December 2010 - 07:16 PM, said:

England are due a batting collapse, though I can't really see who is going to spearhead it amongst the aussie bowlers.

Who'd a thunk it would be Johnson.

Well played the Aussie bowlers, I thought all of them bowled pretty well and Ponting used them as a unit very well. Johnson was fired up and the series is now getting very interesting as there is definitely a bit of aggro creeping in. Johnson's excellent display aside, England's top order did'nt exactly cover themselves in glory with 3-4 very cheap wickets, particularly Pietersen's. At 78 for0 they were looking good........ , it's not in the bag for the Aussies yet, though unless England recapture their previous form today's performance by Oz was good enough to justify 1: 1 in the series. Things need to get more interesting as Ponting and Clarke cannot continue being total cockmasters with the bat !

Anyway my prediction is Australia to lead by 400, Strauss and |Cook to score double tons

[Tsundoku]

http://forum.malazan...ndpost&p=820240

http://www.foxsports...?from=newscomau

http://wwos.ninemsn....aspx?id=8185734

Seems like almost anything can happen. Sure makes things interesting. Roll on Boxing Day.

This post has been edited by Sombra: 19 December 2010 - 04:11 AM

[MTS]

I think it's good Chappell came out and said Clarke is not ready to take over as captain. Somebody needed to say it. If Ponting does not play on Boxing Day though, it'd be a good Test for him as captain to see if he can stand up under form and team pressure. Needs to pull his head out of his arse with the bat though.

[masan's saddle]

Congrats to the Aussies for squaring it up, this is now officially one of the weirdest Ashes series ever.

Boxing Day should be epic but the masochist in me wants a draw to take it to a decider.

I'm glad I put all those "disclaimers" in my previous posts as England never fail to deliver in their unswerving commitment to shiteness.

I jokingly predicted 3:1 to Oz, it may now happen.