The Ashes 2010/11

[littlebabyjesus]

Poor old Ryan Harris. He scored 14 runs at an average of 3.5 and then couldn't bat. He was supposed to be a bit of an all-rounder.

He was their best bowler, mind you.

We've found a stat that Australia can cling to, though. They scored more runs than England in the series.

 

[embree]

You watch, they'll hold this up as a reason it was closer than it looked. Like their supposed statistical superiority in 2009

Just seen, the ICC want to move the next Ashes down under to 2013/14, which would mean two Ashes series in a year. Madness

 

[littlebabyjesus]

The 2009 series was an odd one. It was England's lower order who won it for them, effectively.

 

[killer b]

so, what's the connection between test cricket and radical politics? most of the commies & anarchists i know seem to be well into it. it doesn't seem the most obvious proletarian sport though.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

It's hard to explain my love of cricket.

It isn't such a 'toff's game' as you might imagine, though. Yes, few state schools play it now, but there are plenty of clubs around the place, and most test/county cricketers come through the club system, not the public school system.

 

[embree]

I don't think you should exclude Brisbane second innings, tbf. They still had to bat out those three hours to secure the draw.

And it's 2524/89 anyway.

see edit, forgot to include the runs from Perth so we did score more runs than them after all

 

[embree]

so, what's the connection between test cricket and radical politics? most of the commies & anarchists i know seem to be well into it. it doesn't seem the most obvious proletarian sport though.

It totally is a working class sport. Downright wrong to say otherwise.

The TestMatchSofa commentary lot are generally a right load of hard lefties. They get Mark Steel on every now and again too.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Historically in England, it was both a toff's game and a working class game at the same time. While Rugby split into Union and League, cricket had that same amateur/pro split within the same teams with the gentlemen/player distinction. It's never been a game from which the working classes were excluded, though, in the way for instance golf or tennis used to be.

In short, cricket is for everyone and always has been.

Not that it hasn't been riddled with class distinctions – the captain of England always had to be a Gentleman right up to WW2, for instance. But all sports reflect their societies.

 

[DrRingDing]

so, what's the connection between test cricket and radical politics? most of the commies & anarchists i know seem to be well into it. it doesn't seem the most obvious proletarian sport though.

Cricket reflects society. Us ruffians like to bowl fast at the flash ponces trying to lord it over us.

 

[embree]

Mike Skinner pays tribute to Mike Selvey's Guardian report:

 

[DrRingDing]

 

[twentythreedom]

So, what were your favourite numbers of the series then?

A selection:

517/1
2/3
1137/6
98 all out, 157/0
766 @ 127.66
24 @ 26.04
3-1

1499/321.7 - add up the left column of numbers then right, it adds to something like what i said. maths aside, you get my point..

 

[embree]

not really, no

 

[kabbes]

Bresnan:

Average with bat: 19.50
Average with ball: 19.54

Swann averaged more than Clarke with the bat.

 

[Streathamite]

Alastair Cook 766 from 7 innings; the second highest runs by an Englihman in an ashes Series, and from 3 less innings than Walter Hammond

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Here's a question:

Come the first test of the summer, assuming everyone is fit, is Stuart Broad in the team?

 

[strung out]

yes

 

[strung out]

maybe

 

[littlebabyjesus]

He takes on average 3 wickets per match at a cost of 35 runs.

Is he really one of the top three quick bowlers in England?

 

[strung out]

he can take colly's position. move prior up to 6, broad at 7, swann at 8 or 9, anderson at 10, then two out of bresnan, finn and tremlett.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

I wouldn't be happy with Broad at 7. Not good enough, imo, his century against Pakistan last year notwithstanding – that score came after a long period of very low scores.

 

[strung out]

i've got to admit, i've always had problems with broad myself actually. quite often has a mediocre series, saved by a reputation saving performance towards the end, see his 169 and decent performances with the ball at the end of the last ashes series. wouldn't be too fussed to see him go, though i rate him better than bresnan and certainly has more of a chance of being a genuine all rounder if that's what we're looking for (though, we might not be looking for that of course)

 

[kabbes]

i've got to admit, i've always had problems with broad myself actually. quite often has a mediocre series, saved by a reputation saving performance towards the end, see his 169 and decent performances with the ball at the end of the last ashes series. wouldn't be too fussed to see him go, though i rate him better than bresnan and certainly has more of a chance of being a genuine all rounder if that's what we're looking for (though, we might not be looking for that of course)

^^^Aye

 

[Streathamite]

Here's a question:

Come the first test of the summer, assuming everyone is fit, is Stuart Broad in the team?

definitely

 

[ferrelhadley]

Question was the 2005 team better than the 10/11 team? They only won at home and narrowly but by a team containing some of the greatest players of the past 30 years. While the 10/11 team crushed Australia on home turf but against a team that was a shadow of its former self?

 

[embree]

Current team, every time

 

[Santino]

Broad has the lowest economy rate of any bowler (and this without the benefit of the collapse at Melbourne). He's a very useful bowler as part of that attack, and like Flintoff his figures may never reflect his contribution to the side. Conditions notwithstanding, I think the first choice pace attack for England should be Jimmy, Broad and Tremlett.

 

[Balbi]

I think Tremlett's going to be fearsome with more Test experience. The man is a giant

 

[Idaho]

Broad may not be the best bowler currently but in many ways he's the best prospect. He's got to convert the occasional brilliance with bat and ball into regular brilliance.

 

[DrRingDing]

I think Tremlett's going to be fearsome with more Test experience. The man is a giant

I like Warne's subtlety "He's a MONSTER!"