* * * The Ashes - Official Thread * * *

[Tricky Dicky]

that score pretty much eliminates the possibility of a draw

Not at all, a draw is still perfectly reasonable from this position. They get a hundred or so lead, we bat 5 sessions and that would nearly be the end. It does depend on us batting reasonably well in the 2nd innings though. If it hadn't been for the hat-trick, we could well have got another 100 or so anyway.

I still predict a 3-1 win overall.

 

[simmo]

I hate to say it, but I think we're 1-0 down.

Don't be so goddam negative, day one has gone, but day two is a completely different day, there is still so much cricket to be played in this test. If our bowlers have a stonking day tomorrow we could end up having a lead......however, at the moment I agree with you in the fact that a draw (if no weather interuptions) is the most unlikely result as a test lasts 5 days and we couldn't even bat one, and that being probably the easiest day to bat, as the pitch is probably only going to get worse for batting as it deteriates over the rest of the test.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I do agree with TCB that a draw is unlikely from this point, unless the weather gets involved.

Too many sessions in the game left.

 

[Pavilionaire]

I watched the morning session and thought Australia were pretty decent in the first hour. Too many of our batsmen got nervous, which is an indicator of just how hard it is to win the Ashes away from home.

I was encouraged by the amount of stretching Hilfenhaus was doing early on. I can't see him getting through the whole series.

 

[The Spanish]

chokety choke time yet again. you didnt need to be eva petulengro to see this one coming.

 

[pasty]

Don't be so goddam negative, day one has gone, but day two is a completely different day, there is still so much cricket to be played in this test. If our bowlers have a stonking day tomorrow we could end up having a lead.......

This. Lets face it, before the hatrick, we were looking okay at 197/4. Then in three balls it all went tits up to 197/7, a massive, massive difference. Broad, Anderson, Finn or Swann could do the same tonight.

 

[Simster]

I hate to say it, but I think we're 1-0 down.

Obviously that's where the smart money has to be, but it will only take one good session for England tonight to completely change everything. I think we need 3 wickets in that first session to prevent the game getting away from England, so we'd better pray Anderson bowls well in the morning.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

This. Lets face it, before the hatrick, we were looking okay at 197/4. Then in three balls it all went tits up to 197/7, a massive, massive difference. Broad, Anderson, Finn or Swann could do the same tonight.

Indeed.

 

[Mendoza]

I think the openers look suspect. Katich walks all over his crease before he has even hit it, so surely pitching a full length delivery to him is the way to go.

Watson doesn't look like he can go too long without wanting to play a ridiculous shot to the boundary, so he must be an "easier" target if we can stay disciplined. We saw Siddle do it, but we can't seem to do the same judgnig by that last session of our bowling

 

[simmo]

This. Lets face it, before the hatrick, we were looking okay at 197/4. Then in three balls it all went tits up to 197/7, a massive, massive difference. Broad, Anderson, Finn or Swann could do the same tonight.

I have just mailed someone pretty much exactly the same thing, a test which lasts 5 days can turn in one spell of magic from a bowler.

I have seen Anderson, Broad (to the Aussies themselves) and Swann all do something similar to other teams that Siddle did, not a hat-trick maybe, but a 5/6-50 which rips the heart out of a side and causes a score of 260ao. We have the bowlers (whether they can do it in Oz we will find out in the next month or so) that can do this and this Aussie batting line up is not Hayden, Langer, Ponting (young), Waugh, Waugh, Gilchrist etc..of yesteryear. C'mon lads, tomorrow is a new day.

 

[Marc]

well that was a CRAP Day 1 to watch, lets hope for better tonight. I managed to stay awake until 5:30am then the eyes finally closed, woke up at 2pm though so should last tonights Day (hehe) easily enough!


Anyone watch The Mighty Boosh?

Howard TJ Moon..........................................................Ben Hilfenhaus

 

[SNOOBS]

Fell asleep at lunch with a bet on KP to score the first hundred of the series. Dissapointing when I woke up

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Well I haven't seen any of it, woke up to the alarm at six this morning to find we'd got knocked over for 260.

I still think this England team is made of stronger stuff than previous sides though, and could easily do the same to the Aussies, particularly since it's being suggested that the pitch will be drier tonight. We used to lose session after session, whereas in recent years they've proved remarkably capable of bouncing back after one or two crap sessions. Two or three early wickets and we're right up there.

I await disappointment of course

 

[patchamalbion]

had £10 on Bell to be 1st innings top scorer at just over 6/1!! must say i had a nice surprise this morning!

 

[pasty]

Managed to blag WFH again tomorrow, so another all night session coming up.

 

[Marc]

here we go, come on boys!

 

[pasty]

WTF is going on with Bumbles eyebrows? \ /

 

[TheBlueAndWhiteStrips]

Lets get rid of Watson then Ponting early on