The Ashes 2010/11

[littlebabyjesus]

Absolutely. The idea of dropping him for a bowler when we bowled them out twice for less than massive totals is ridiculous.

England still to win the series. Sydney is nailed on, MCG possibly a draw or England win

I'll be amazed if England make any changes for the next test. The bowlers did ok, although Swann was disappointing, but he delivered in Adelaide and I have confidence that he'll deliver in Sydney too. The batsmen failed collectively, but all of them bar Collingwood have previously shown good form and Collingwood hasn't had much of a chance to show form. Noone else in the team would have taken that catch and he can bowl a few dibblies when the ball's 70 overs old. They'll give the same batsmen the chance to make amends, and they would not want Bresnan or Shahzad coming in at seven. That would only encourage the Aussie bowlers.

 

[gabi]

Absolutely. The idea of dropping him for a bowler when we bowled them out twice for less than massive totals is ridiculous.

England still to win the series. Sydney is nailed on, MCG possibly a draw or England win

Genuine lol here at this post. Embree, I know u think YOU are the real mr cricket but get a grip. Are u a paid up barmy?

 

[littlebabyjesus]

I agree with embree. I predicted 3-1 to England with Australia winning Perth before the series started, and I'm sticking with that.

Forget about Perth – England hammered Aus in Adelaide and Aus returned the compliment. Melbourne is a fresh start.

 

[liquidlunch]

money for old rope in Melbourne.I have to have $100 on Australia but sadly because of the win in Perth i will be lucky to get even money

 

[embree]

Genuine lol here at this post. Embree, I know u think YOU are the real mr cricket but get a grip. Are u a paid up barmy?

Sydney will suit Graeme Swann far more than Perth will and Melbourne's drop in pitch suggests a high scoring draw, the surface has been dead recently. Both are very different from Perth. Do you have anything informed to say about the series, taking into account two big wins for either side, last year's series which saw the balance swing from one Test to the next and the differing nature of the pitches to be played on?

 

[embree]

money for old rope in Melbourne.I have to have $100 on Australia but sadly because of the win in Perth i will be lucky to get even money

If you like

I said before, remember Headingley last year, Australia's massive win followed by England cantering to the Ashes at the Oval. If Hussey fails your batting has very little else to it.

 

[Idaho]

Sydney will suit Graeme Swann far more than Perth will and Melbourne's drop in pitch suggests a high scoring draw, the surface has been dead recently. Both are very different from Perth. Do you have anything informed to say about the series, taking into account two big wins for either side, last year's series which saw the balance swing from one Test to the next and the differing nature of the pitches to be played on?

She's trolling and you are feeding her.

 

[Streathamite]

money for old rope in Melbourne.I have to have $100 on Australia but sadly because of the win in Perth i will be lucky to get even money

keep dreamin'! Perth was always gonna be the Aussies' best chance of a result, the Mitchell Johnson that hit form is still the Mitchell Johnson that is one of the most woefully inconsistent and periodically erratic test bowlers there is, and Perth also confirmed the paucity of Aussie batting talent.

 

[embree]

She's trolling and you are feeding her.

Fair point

 

[twentythreedom]

dirty cheating convicts are doing a last minute change of track at the mcg. cunts!

i still stand by my 3 - 1 prediction for england to retain the urn, though..

 

[embree]

Yes, I noticed today that previous expectations of a dead strip at the G have now changed to something a little livelier, the damp Australian spring and summer making it harder to produce the sort of thing they usually play on. Could make things spicy anyway and somewhat different from the consistency of Perth and the dead tracks at Brisbane and Adelaide,

 

[Idaho]

Good. I prefer a lively track.

 

[embree]

I definitely prefer a proper Test match pitch with something in it for everyone. There's been too much of a tendency to assume that a 'good' pitch is one where you can bat for days when tbh that's just as much of a bad pitch as one where 150 all out is a winning total. Brisbane was a disgrace in that sense, as are many of the pitches we've seen in India these last few years.

 

[Streathamite]

I definitely prefer a proper Test match pitch with something in it for everyone. There's been too much of a tendency to assume that a 'good' pitch is one where you can bat for days when tbh that's just as much of a bad pitch as one where 150 all out is a winning total. Brisbane was a disgrace in that sense, as are many of the pitches we've seen in India these last few years.

couldn't agree more. It's taking a liberty with the game, tbh. And it's made for some truly dull matches, all this preparing towards a 5-day affair
England STILL to win the next test. Our batsmen have too much class for Perth to be anything other than an aberration, johnson's too inconsistent to be devastating twice, and their batting order still looks ropey (England must have the thought going through their minds all the time, "nobble Hussey, and we're halfway there"). Class will tell.

 

[Streathamite]

I'll be amazed if England make any changes for the next test. The bowlers did ok, although Swann was disappointing, but he delivered in Adelaide and I have confidence that he'll deliver in Sydney too. The batsmen failed collectively, but all of them bar Collingwood have previously shown good form and Collingwood hasn't had much of a chance to show form. Noone else in the team would have taken that catch and he can bowl a few dibblies when the ball's 70 overs old. They'll give the same batsmen the chance to make amends, and they would not want Bresnan or Shahzad coming in at seven. That would only encourage the Aussie bowlers.

would you keep young Finn?

 

[embree]

couldn't agree more. It's taking a liberty with the game, tbh. And it's made for some truly dull matches, all this preparing towards a 5-day affair
England STILL to win the next test. Our batsmen have too much class for Perth to be anything other than an aberration, johnson's too inconsistent to be devastating twice, and their batting order stikll looks ropey (England must have the thought going therough their minds all the time, "nobble Hussey, and we're halfway there"). Class will tell.

Would add to that - get Watson early as well as Hussey. He's a pain.

 

[Streathamite]

Would add to that - get Watson early as well as Hussey. He's a pain.

true (albeit one who wouldn't know how to get into triple figures if Kylie was waiting there on the balcony promising a night of rumpo after the day in which he did so)

 

[littlebabyjesus]

would you keep young Finn?

Unless he's genuinely tired, I'd keep him. If he is tired, Shahzad would definitely be my choice. I don't mind particularly, as long as they don't go for Bresnan. Finn will come good again.

 

[DrRingDing]

Unless he's genuinely tired, I'd keep him. If he is tired, Shahzad would definitely be my choice. I don't mind particularly, as long as they don't go for Bresnan. Finn will come good again.

I agree but they'll pick the trusty trundler.

 

[embree]

The MCG seems likely to suit seam and reverse swing rather than the trad swing of Perth. So that means either Finn or Shahzad

Khawaja is on standby in case Ponting's out - I'd be surprised if Ponting didn't play though tbh

 

[liquidlunch]

Ponting will play,but i believe Jimmy Anderson has a side strain and will be replaced by Shahzad.So its one bad thing for us and one for you

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Anderson's expected to be fit.

I will not be surprised if Ponting makes runs. If I were Australian, I'd want him playing.

 

[Idaho]

Anderson and Ponting will hopefully play. If Finn seems rested enough and fit, then I say play him. You can't drop the leading wicket taker without good reason, and to their credit, Strauss and Flower have been successful in their non-meddling/tinkering approach.

If Finn doesn't play, I too sincerely hope for Shazad but expect Trundler.

 

[embree]

I'm not convinced this Bresnan thing isn't just a false flag thing by the England camp. Remember, some parts of the press were trumpeting his appearance at Perth and we got Tremlett instead

 

[twentythreedom]

those cheating ozzie cunts have a "drop in" track - so they can produce a whole load of varied surfaces then at the last minute drop in the one that suits the fuckers best!

i mean for fuck's sake, that right there is the epitome of "it's just not cricket"

..except it is cricket, ashes cricket at that, which is really fucking annoying. wankers.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Ha ha.

Everyone does it. England do the same thing. It's the home team's prerogative to prepare whatever pitch they like as long as it isn't dangerous. It's what makes winning away series so satisfying!

 

[embree]

Ha ha.

Everyone does it. England do the same thing. It's the home team's prerogative to prepare whatever pitch they like as long as it isn't dangerous. It's what makes winning away series so satisfying!

Absolutely, home team's right to do whatever they want imo. Drop in pitches were invented in New Zealand because their Test venues are mostly also used for rugby, makes sense to do it at the MCG where they have dozens of AFL games every winter

 

[Santino]

They can't prepare the breeze though.

 

[mattie]

They can't prepare Jimmy either.

 

[Streathamite]

They can't prepare Jimmy either.

Jimmy, will be fine, and the same goes for Johnson, now he's away from his favourite and most familiar ground. Also, England have done well at the MCG in the past (excepting 2006/7!)