The Ashes

[Clifford]

Good day for England with McGrath injury, not bad with the bat either. I suppose it should be all set up for a draw.

I was still at home this morn when the news of McGrath broke so I lamped Eng at 3/1, now 6/4.

[WeAreRovers]

Good day for England with McGrath injury, not bad with the bat either. I suppose it should be all set up for a draw.


England 407 All Out. Not bad but they'll need the weather to change if they're to bowl the Aussies out tomorrow. Big day for England's attack, early wickets will be vital.

KOH

[Clifford]

118-3 at lunch, good start for England, had em at 0-1. A few wickets right after lunch would do a lot of damage.

[Dodge]

Brett Lee running amok this morning and Warne got Pietersen's wicket

75-4. game on!

[pete]

England all out for 182.

Aussie need 282 to win.

[Sheridan]

Terrific day's cricket so far. Flintoff whacking sixes all over the shop with a damaged shoulder exemplified what I once read described as "the ridiculous public school heroism of cricket."

[pete]

England win by 2 runs!!!!

Massive comeback by Australia, only watched the last couple of hours this morning & must say longer it went on England didn't look like doing anything. Lee got 43 runs which was excellent.

England seemed to adopt battering ram tactics & came off for them in the end when ball hit Kasprowicz's glove.

Seems win was more fortunate then i thought at the time...

BBC:

TV replays showed that the dismissal should not have been given, Kasprowicz taking his lower hand off the bat before ball hit glove.

[patsh]

Incredible game, must be one of the greatest games, for tension and excitement anyway, ever.

Gutted the Aussies didn't get the win.

[OwlsFan]

Apparently England were 1-100 on to win on the Sunday. Did no one see the Liverpool comeback ? Always expect the unexpected in sport.

Classic stuff. Warne looked so comfortable until he decided to walk on his stumps. Runs were leaking all over the place. Panic was in the air. The fans were biting their nails.

Great sport and a great advert for cricket. Glad England won to keep the series alive.

[Stuttgart88]

That was unbelievably exciting. After the first 10 mins yesterday morning I sensed Warne & Lee were really onto something. That was sporting drama at its absolute highest, even up there with Liverpool in Istanbul.

The series is wide open now.

[Aberdonian Stu]

With 50 runs to go I was convinced the Aussies would win, it had that air of inevitability about it and with 2-0 looking likely I was getting quite depressed as the series would most likely have quitened down considerably.

Then came the drop, and I "knew" the Aussies would win.

Then came the wicket and I was glad that I didn't know what I was talking about :D

1-1 should make for some cracking cricket

[razor]

Brett Lee was admitted to a Birmingham hospital with a knee infection last night.
Could make for an interesting 3rd Test.

There was talk of the Aussies playing a 2nd spinner in McGill, they might have to now.

[Stuttgart88]

I thought it was really striking how Flintoff & Lee consoled /
congratulated each other after the Test. The Independent here
contrasts this rspect in the face of intense competition to exhibitionists & repugnant people like Peter Kenyon in football.

Hear Hear

http://sport.independent.co.uk/cricket/article304677.ece

Can't wait for the third test!

[stickyjoe]

any word on Lees injury?
aussies will be stuck for options without lee and mcgrath. although warne can do a decent enough job on his own.

anybody see his ball that got strauss out on friday evening? it must of turned atleast 2 feet

different class he is.

[Pat O' Banton]

I've been watching footbball far too long, if I was Ponting I'd have been going bonkers about Harmison being given not out despite being blatently lbw (hit shin high, middle stump) think Ingerland added 10 or so runs after that, and all the difference it made.
It shows that at least there is some ability, in cricket to accept personal resonsibility for mistakes, (Ponting admiting he should have choosen to bat first) whereas as in a game of football it appears that everyone is to blame when a manager makes a mistake apart from the manager.

[Clifford]

Superb stuff last weekend, Warne was on fire, Freddie was awesome, all round gripping stuff. And I won a nice wedge by backing Eng at 3-1 on Thurs morn.

This weeks one is going to be amazing, I've got a ticket for Friday as I'm in Manchester for the start of the Prem at CoMS. Should be a cracking weekend.

[patsh]

I've been watching footbball far too long, if I was Ponting I'd have been going bonkers about Harmison being given not out despite being blatently lbw (hit shin high, middle stump) think Ingerland added 10 or so runs after that, and all the difference it made.
It shows that at least there is some ability, in cricket to accept personal resonsibility for mistakes, (Ponting admiting he should have choosen to bat first) whereas as in a game of football it appears that everyone is to blame when a manager makes a mistake apart from the manager.
Ponting can't give out about anyone, he more than most is to blame for the Aussies defeat.
Crazy decision to put England in to bat, and then himself being out for a duck, when a 4 from him would have won the game, means he can't look at anyone but himself.

[razor]

Ponting can't give out about anyone, he more than most is to blame for the Aussies defeat.
Crazy decision to put England in to bat, and then himself being out for a duck, when a 4 from him would have won the game, means he can't look at anyone but himself.But when you look at the 5 balls he faced for that duck, any batsman in the world would have struggled with Flintoff in that vein of form. He was torn inside out, brilliant to watch.
I think Vaughan would want to look at his perfomance with the bat.

[patsh]

But when you look at the 5 balls he faced for that duck, any batsman in the world would have struggled with Flintoff in that vein of form. He was torn inside out, brilliant to watch.
I think Vaughan would want to look at his perfomance with the bat.
All he needed to do was bide his time, play defensively, not bother about runs...
Easy for me to say, I know, but you would expect more from him.

[Stuttgart88]

but you would expect more from him.
I'd actually have expected more from several of the other leading Aussies too, especially Gilchrist & Hayden.

[patsh]

I'd actually have expected more from several of the other leading Aussies too, especially Gilchrist & Hayden.
Yep, they should have got more runs, but you would expect the captain to be able to hang on at the wicket for a few overs at least, especially when they were 2 1/2 days still for play.

[OwlsFan]

Any sham who hasn’t the balls to climb up on the railings and jump into the sacred waters below, regardless of whether they can swim or not, is definitely queer and will most likely move to Dublin to play cricket or be an actor when he grows up.

Saw that on the above website :rolleyes: I'd love the person who wrote that to face just 6 deliveries from Brett Lee at full pace and see whether it's a poof's game or not :D

[razor]

Saw that on the above website :rolleyes: I'd love the person who wrote that to face just 6 deliveries from Brett Lee at full pace and see whether it's a poof's game or not :DEven with an infected knee i'm sure Lee would hurt him real bad.
There is a grain of truth as Corks better cricketers have usually had to move to Dublin to play as the standard is better up there.

[razor]

Yep, they should have got more runs, but you would expect the captain to be able to hang on at the wicket for a few overs at least, especially when they were 2 1/2 days still for play.Its not always as easy as that, you go out with the best of intentions but it doesn't always work out especially with Freddie in that form. The same could be said for Vaughan on Saturday morning and he didn't last 5 minutes.

[drinkfeckarse]

Vaughan IMO would/should have been dropped from the side a long time ago had he not been captain.

Since obtaining the captaincy he has offered very little in terms of runs and leadership.

[stickyjoe]

poor start. strauss is gone already. I think its time Vaughan took a hold of an innings and knocked up a decent score today

mcgrath and lee both passed fit. i wonder how fit mcgrath really is

[Stuttgart88]

poor start. strauss is gone already. I think its time Vaughan took a hold of an innings and knocked up a decent score today

mcgrath and lee both passed fit. i wonder how fit mcgrath really is

Vaugahn & Trescothick both well over 50. England 151-1.

McGrath bowled brilliantly earlier but Gilchrist dropped 2 very catchable catches and McGrath clean-bowled one of the batsmen only for a no-ball to be called! England dealt with Lee & McGrath very uncomfortably early on but are well bedded in now & looking at a big score.

[Stuttgart88]

Trescothick just gone for 63 I think. Warne's 600th Test Wicket.

England 163-2.

[razor]

poor start. strauss is gone already. I think its time Vaughan took a hold of an innings and knocked up a decent score today

mcgrath and lee both passed fit. i wonder how fit mcgrath really is
Now 175/2, Trescothick just gone for 63, Vaughan still there on 87, Bell on 1

[Stuttgart88]

The cameras just picked out Roy Keane at the match.

[drinkfeckarse]

Vaughan IMO would/should have been dropped from the side a long time ago had he not been captain.

Since obtaining the captaincy he has offered very little in terms of runs and leadership.

Except for today of course ;) :rolleyes: :o

[stickyjoe]

Vaughan 108 NO. Must of being reading my little pep talk for him this morning ;)

[Stuttgart88]

He's playing a blinder. 135 n.o.

245-2 and at quite a fast pace too - 22 overs still to go today.

Already looks like a draw is the best Australia can hope for.

[Stuttgart88]

Vaughan caught off katic for 166. 290+ for 3 now.

[Green Tribe]

......yawn.......... :eek: ;) :D :D

[razor]

......yawn.......... :eek: ;) :D :D
If you've no interest then don't post.
Pietersen couldn't resist the hook shot off Lee caught for 21, they then sent Hoggard in as a night watchman before Lee bowled him last ball of the day.
So after Day 1 England are 341-5 with Freddie to come first thing in the morning. Bell still there on 59.
Vaughan and Bell knew they needed good knocks today and have responded accordingly.

[Pat O' Banton]

Ponting can't give out about anyone, he more than most is to blame for the Aussies defeat.
Crazy decision to put England in to bat, and then himself being out for a duck, when a 4 from him would have won the game, means he can't look at anyone but himself.


errr yes..., as I said most football managers who make tactical mistakes at this level look to anyone else to blame for defeat esp. the officials, here Ponting to it on the chin and admitted he was the one who got it wrong.

[bigmac]

411-6, Bell caught behind without adding to his score.

Gillespie back in to bowl now after a bad day yesterday. Flintoff (28) and Jones (32) at bat.

[razor]

Bell went early without adding any runs today for 59, Freddy made 46 and Geraint Jones gone just on lunch for 42, 5 balls after lunch and Ashley Giles is gone too for a duck, now 438 for 9

[joeSoap]

444 for 9...no team has ever lost a test match having hit over 450 in their first innings.....

[joeSoap]

Which now doesn't matter.....England all out for 444.

[bigmac]

Some figures from Warne! 33 overs, 4 for 99! If Australia get close to the English total then he could cause serious damage in the second innings.

[razor]

Some figures from Warne!He's a bit on the pudgy side alright. ;) :D

[bigmac]

Ball of the Century (http://dl1.rapidshare.de/files/562647/30088085/Warne_Vs_Gatting.wmv)

[Stuttgart88]

Aussies really struggling. Boycott says Hayden's dismissal was a wrong decision. 86-3 and Katic has had a very nervy start. A lot of pressure on Gilchrist when he comes in. Giles & Jones both bowling really well.

I think tomorrow's weather forecast is bad.

[SouthCroydon]

get the feeling of a negative feeling towards the english and welsh cricket team understandable considering history but the next wicket keeper might be neale o brien of kent iwonder what nationality he might be.hope he plays for ireland in the next world cup myself there again where full of non brits a sit is hope we stuff the aussies but reality tells me don't hold your breath

[bigmac]

get the feeling of a negative feeling towards the english and welsh cricket team understandable considering history but the next wicket keeper might be neale o brien of kent iwonder what nationality he might be.hope he plays for ireland in the next world cup myself there again where full of non brits a sit is hope we stuff the aussies but reality tells me don't hold your breath


Don't think he will. Apparently Ed Joyce is finished playing for Ireland as well and is going to concentrate on getting into the English test team. I think that there should be some rules about what country you play for, otherwise Ireland, Wales and Scotland will never have decent teams.

[Clifford]

Well I really enjoyd the day's play on Friday, I saw the spinner in action - Giles - took three wickets along with Jones and then the other spinner was in action with the bat though, Warne battled hard, pity he didn't get to the 100. The atmosphere at this thing was amazing, it's realy strange cos every single ball is crucial. I thought going in there that like Baseball we'd be wandering all over the place during the day, but except for toilet breaks and bar visits it was fairly intense to concentrate on the action.

I'd go back in a flash this morning for the final day, we tried to get in yesteday, but the touts were quoting ridiculous prices.

All in all a good weekend, the City v West Brom game was not bad for a 0-0 draw.

Edit: Oh yeah we were absolutely buckled by close of play, what a day out it is.

Double Edit: Who was enquiring about tickets for one of the other tests, pm me for update.

[joeSoap]

Currently 67 for 1....Langer bowled out. Australia need 423 for victory...Probable draw me thinks.

[joeSoap]

87 for 1...increasingly looking like a draw.