Cricket

Geraint Jones - what a twat.

Well Done Aussies :\ohwell:

Fair dinkum, as they say in certain areas, beaten by a far superior side.

Beaten by "Dads Army", hmmm really speaks for itself.

Hands up who thinks that a five nil thrashing is on the way!!!!

Still,at least the lads can work on their sun tans now.

i guess there is one good thing for people who have tickets for the remaining two tests.

Rumours circulating today that Shane Warne is going to retire from Test Cricket at the end of the Ashes series.

So i guess you can watch him get his 700th Test wicketm and say you were there for his end.

I think it's been quite an interesting series so far, entirely expected outcomes as you simply can't take three world class players out of a side that relied on luck an home advantage to sneak a win last year and expect the replacements to surpass themselves. Basically Fletcher and the selectors got it wrong big style in appointing Flintoff, it's the same as when Botham got the job in 81, the ugly unseen/unappreciated bits don't get the same due care and attention, like knuckling down to win sessions. Strauss has more of that mentality. Not picking Panesar for the first two was crass, he's the one guy who can make a real difference, but the real losses for me were Vaughan, who's a tough cookie as a captain, probably the only current Englishman who has the Australian captaincy approach, and Simon Jones, the only guy in the England side who can continually reverse it at good pace and keep the pressure on all day. Without him, and with Harmy likely to endanger gully rather than the batsman, the English attack simply doesn't have the penetration required to dominate a side as experienced and well-drilled as the Australian one. 5-0? Probably. It won't be raining I guess, so unless someone can step up to the plate and deliver like never before, Warney will get his send-off in style.

There are also rumours that McGrath is retiring.

I think the last test the Aussies lost at home was in 2003 and the last series in 1993 against the Windies - its a tough tour!

To me the England attack has the penetration and variety you need to succeed on different sorts of tracks, but it doesn't have the discipline to create any sustained pressure on the team they're bowling to, that's their downfall.

All the little things add up - as good as Pietersen is, he made no attempt to protect the tailenders at Perth, taking a single off the first ball of the over etc. That's poor cricket! The wicketkeeper inspires no confidence and creates no pressure when he's behind the stumps, dont even have to mention his batting - he's not good enough. Stresscothick - wtf? He's finished. However good Giles is for the dressing room, he's no great loss to the squad either. They should use the last two games to try out Dalrymple and Read, maybe Plunkett and Joyce too.

I know Warne is fatter than he's ever been but why would he consider retiring??

Warne's bowling workload is phenomenal and must be taking some toll on him. Get the feeling he'd rather bow out on top than slowly see batsmen dominate him. Very simple bloke, Warne. As Kerry O'Keefe noted recently, "If he didn't have the gift with the rock, he'd be mowing lawns."

From what I saw at the WACA, outside of Gilly's half-hour of sublime brutality, Panesar looked more likely to take a wicket than any other Englishman. Hayden never looked comfortable and even Hussey struggled at times. Why that dud Giles had his spot earlier is beyond me. His batting? Since when do you play bowlers for their ability with the willow? Defensive mentality. Mahmood looks county-grade. Jones was a huge loss, Harmy is mentally fritzed but wouldn't count him out yet. Freddie's bowling and batting are stumbling under the weight of the captaincy, Vaughan can't come back soon enough. Hoggard's been impressive in patches. On other tours, this will be quite a useful bowling line-up and with guys like Cook and Pietersen coming through with the bat, you've got a lot to look forward to.

On the flipside, life after Warney will be tough for us. He's such an asset, year after year we just assume that he'll run through teams when we need him to. And like clockwork, he delivers. Without McGrath and Warney, there are chinks in the armour. Batting will hold up for a few years yet, Pup is a ready-made replacement for Marto and Jacques should fill Langers' Pumas. While we have some raw fast bowling coming through, it won't peak for years yet. Lee and Clarke don't hold a candle to Warne and McGrath as a primary strikeforce and we'll struggle to bowl out teams like we've done in the last decade. Wouldn't be surprised if Gilly calls it a day after the World Cup either.

So, big transition phase upcoming. When Lillee, Chappell and Marsh all bowed out together in the 80s, it created a void in Australian cricket that took a generation to fill. Hope this exodus is orchestrated a little differently.

:\pimp3:

Elegia wrote: Beaten by "Dads Army", hmmm really speaks for itself.

bit like the last rugby world cup then?

hibster wrote:

Elegia wrote: Beaten by "Dads Army", hmmm really speaks for itself.

bit like the last rugby world cup then?

where is Mr Wilkison now?

Anyways Warnie has officially announced his retirement. what are the bets that he'll be broke within 5 years?

We are still waiting on McGrath's announcement.

wilko? he's in newcastle still, in light training. why? what's that got to do with anything?

Warney wont be broke. He'll play county cricket for a few years yet, probably. And he'll make an absolute fortune from media work.

And what has Wilkinson got to do with it?

i didn't bring up rugby. i was going to say, what has rugby got to do with cricket?

4th Test:

1st Innings:

England all out for 159.

Australia currently 5/101

Was I mistaken or did Channel 9 just use the end of Atmosphere for their slo-mo of Andrew Symonds' 100?!

Sums up the whole series really...

England 101 - 2. all out 159.

Aussies 84 - 5. 372 - 7.

This tour we bat up to 4 and then fall. If the Aussies struggle during the first 5 wickets then someone steps up to the plate.

Can't believe I bought a scalp ticket for tomorrow so I watch an innings defeat :\ohwell:

Mind you, Hayden was out 4 times before Rudi Koertzen managed to put his finger up :wanker:

Steve Lea wrote: Was I mistaken or did Channel 9 just use the end of Atmosphere for their slo-mo of Andrew Symonds' 100?!

Great work flintoff.

Symonds in the 90's and you put on Collinwood - 1 test wicket to his name.

He gets smacked for the 100 and you put on KP - 1 test wicket to his name.

shite all round.

So,one of the Aussie broadcasters has been telling the world Englands bowling tactics....... like thats gonna make a difference.

Call me unpatriotic if you like, but I'm starting to think that tenner on 5-0 was wise!

Those were pretty funny on page 3 too..!

El Jarvo wrote:

Tim wrote: Call me unpatriotic if you like, but I'm starting to think that tenner on 5-0 was wise!

Take it you put the bet on before this had even started, mind?

What odds did you get?

12s, which I thought was a bit harsh really!

Well its 4-0.

Tim , wish i had made a bet like that at the start of the series, would have made some nice dosh.

^ That was the commemorative Ashes Whitewash Post.

:\pimp3:

Thank you Freddie and the clowns, I shall now go off and spend my £130 on a new bat for the summer 2007 season.