The Ashes

**dfx-** · 14/12/2006, 3:06 PM

Originally Posted by DvB

Agree 100%, if either KP pr PC dont rack up a high score England are in a tight spot, that in itself is far too much pressure IMO, all the talk was about the bowling (or lack therof) in the first 2 tests with not alot of comment re : batting other than the 2nd innings collapse in the 2nd test which highlighted the for me that if KP & PC dont get an extended run at the wicket England will struggle!!

Ed Joyce may be worth a look for the final 2 tests if the series is over & done with from an overall winners/losers perespective!

Koh

I've been going on about the poor batting not being focussed on compared to the fuss of the bowling...so there.*

Flintoff, Strauss, Cook, Bell, Jones all have been poor throughout and have been giving the bowlers nothing to work with...

*= I have also going on about Panesar not having much effect, so that balances it out

**Sheridan** · 14/12/2006, 4:31 PM

Didn't catch any of the action last night, but wasn't in the least surprised to wake to the realisation that I'd been right as usual. Aussies cut down by improved English bowling, Symonds hammers Panesar for 17 off one over and then top-edges one to Jones, Australia dismissed for a perilously low total.

I can't see England overhauling it by enough to put the game out of sight. The entire series hinges on how well England bat tomorrow. If Collingwood maintains his form and Flintoff finds his, Australia are in big trouble.

BTW, Joyce isn't going to be selected save to deputise for an injured player, or if the series is dead going into the final two Tests. Cook consistently outscored him on the England A tour which made his name last year, and is far more experienced at this level, despite the age discrepancy. Handing a player his Test debut (moreover, in one of the openers' slots) with the Ashes at stake would be an act of lunacy.

**DvB** · 15/12/2006, 8:03 AM

[QUOTE=Sheridan;592221]

BTW, Joyce isn't going to be selected save to deputise for an injured player, or if the series is dead going into the final two Tests. QUOTE]

Which is pretty much what i was suggesting if you read my post, if England lose this test its (the ashes) over & done with & may be a good time to say thanks & farewell to a couple of the top order batsmen & giving the likes of Joyce a chance. To be fair he couldnt be worse than Bell who IMO has been quite poor, any time i've seen Joyce he looked a decent enough Batsman & with a little more experience could develop further, put it this way if the ashes is lost Fletcher coud do worse than bring him in IMO!!

DFX, you may have been shouting your comments re Englands batting from the rooftops but i didnt hear so apologies for that, i've been saying the same since the start when discussing with pretty much anyone i know who likes cricket!! As for Monty, i was kind of expecting him to struggle after all the hype but credit where its due, his first innings performance was fantastic given the circumstances!!

Oh & yet again KP was the only decent performer in Englands first innings hitting 70, goes to show that if he starts to struggle England are doomed!

In-ger-land, In-ger-land, In-ger-land!!

Koh

**razor** · 15/12/2006, 8:14 AM

Looks like there goes the 3rd Test down the swanny for England.
Unless they take a few quick wickets now its curtains.
Bowled out for 215 and Aussies now 91/1 with Hayden & Ponting settling in.

**dfx-** · 15/12/2006, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by DvB

DFX, you may have been shouting your comments re Englands batting from the rooftops but i didnt hear so apologies for that, i've been saying the same since the start when discussing with pretty much anyone i know who likes cricket!! As for Monty, i was kind of expecting him to struggle after all the hype but credit where its due, his first innings performance was fantastic given the circumstances!!

You mean you haven't been reading every single letter of my posts etc. in minute detail?

Once again England fail with the bat, though I think if Strauss hadn't been wrongly given out, it might have been different.

Originally Posted by d f x-

The pitch is as flat as Antigua though....can't judge the England performance yet.

Again the first innings is not a true reflection of England's performance. Their 500 in Adelaide wasn't as good as was made out and now 244 all out wasn't as good as people thought. Far too quick to lavish praise on that side.

**pete** · 16/12/2006, 11:18 AM

I only saw last minutes of this morning but they showed Gilchrists batting - 12 fours & 4 sixes included.

He also set a record for the most runs off a single six-ball Ashes over when he plundered 0-2-6-6-4-6 off spinner Monty Panesar.

Not seen must of the Ashes but based on the shows England have not been at the races. I think England goal now should be avoid the 5-0 whitewash.

**BobtheDrog** · 17/12/2006, 6:53 AM

England now in real trouble now 185/3 collingwood out for 5. Bell had made 84 in a partnership of 170 with cook who is 84 not out. Once more England need peitersen to make runs if they are toget anything out of this match.

**OwlsFan** · 17/12/2006, 11:23 AM

There is no point England playing a mediocre 4th seamer when they should be playing a batsman instead. Mahmood bowls 10 or so overs in a score of 500+. What is the point? Use Pietersen as the stop gap bowler and play Joyce as the extra batsman. How they could have done with the extra batsman in the first and now the second innings.

**razor** · 18/12/2006, 2:21 PM

England finally bowled out just after lunch for 350, lost the 3rd test by 206 runs. Its looking like a whitewash.

**pete** · 18/12/2006, 3:15 PM

I really only look at the scores & looks like only 1 or 2 english players performing. I get the impression the bowlers not even good for double figure runs.

I doubt the Aussie will ease off not with whitewash in sight.

**OwlsFan** · 28/12/2006, 9:33 AM

4-0. Only thing for England to latch on to: McGrath and Warne retiring at the end of the series.

**razor** · 29/12/2006, 8:01 AM

Listening to Boycott and Agnew last night on the BBC coverage, they didn't spare the rod and rightly so.
Boycott saying Harmison should be in the best form of his career and all he looks interested in is going home to watch Newcastle Utd.
Also calling for Vaughans speedy return but bemoaning the fact he hasn't been playing in more practice matches.
The batting has been so poor that surely Joyce deserves a knock.
Boycott was asked what exactly England have to do to avoid a complete whitewash "Pray for rain, rain and more rain"

**pete** · 01/01/2007, 4:36 PM

Originally Posted by razor

Boycott was asked what exactly England have to do to avoid a complete whitewash "Pray for rain, rain and more rain"

I believe rain is forecast all this week...

**Macy** · 02/01/2007, 8:16 AM

Interesting discussion on TMS last night about the lack of practice games and the amount of back to back tests. Basically saying that the cricketing side needs to reclaim it from the administrators/ TV. Saying Harmison only came good after 4 games, which could've been done in warm up games, and the fact that the squad players don't get a chance to tick over between tests, so you have Anderson coming in after playing bugger all over the last number of months.

**pete** · 02/01/2007, 11:05 AM

In todays news, No collapse from England.

**OwlsFan** · 02/01/2007, 3:20 PM

Originally Posted by pete

In todays news, No collapse from England.

...yet. Long tail to come.

**pete** · 02/01/2007, 5:20 PM

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

...yet. Long tail to come.

I predict England to control the test only for Aussies to be saved by rain on last 2 days.

**Superhoops** · 03/01/2007, 12:20 AM

Originally Posted by pete

In todays news, No collapse from England.

Only had to wait one more day for that familiar headline!

England collapse from 234-4 to 291 all out. Last six wickets go for 57 runs, of which Flintoff scored 47 of them. The other five batsmen contributed only 6 runs between them.