* * * The Ashes - Official Thread * * *

[Lady Whistledown]

That quote from the pompous yorkshire pudding is almost funnier and better than what has happened on the pitch.

Boycott is a self-important professional Yorkshireman, but that's one of the reasons I always quite like listening to him. You don't have to agree with someone to enjoy what they have to say. And that comment may just return to bite him quite severely on the arse

 

[Beach Hut]

If we get even as low as 300 in the first innings we should win this.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Can't wait for tonight

 

[severnside gull]

Boycott is a self-important professional Yorkshireman, but that's one of the reasons I always quite like listening to him. You don't have to agree with someone to enjoy what they have to say. And that comment may just return to bite him quite severely on the arse

Indeed. There is something compelling about watching an accident about to happen and with Boycott you always know that his expert opinions will come back to haunt him, Even by his standards though, today was impressive.


Hoping for a 400-500 total then an innings win so the barmy army have time to visit the sights (the penguin parade at Phillip Island/a paddle boat on the Murray River/ kangaroo meat dinner on a tram touring round the city/ a drive along the Great Ocean Road / a day out on Brighton Beach.......)

 

[highway61]

Heres a few snippets from the Convict newspapers

Hughes swung his umbrella at the tidal wave rather than ride out the storm

The greatest concern for Australia's batsmen last summer was that many kept getting dismissed in the 90s. Now it is the team getting out in the 90s, a stark presentation of their form and the strength of their opponents.

Haddin, in particular, played as if he was wearing concrete boots when attempting a grand drive off Bresnan

By keeping the same four pacemen that had bowled them to victory in Perth rather than including uncapped spinner Michael Beer, the biggest risk was that the effectiveness of the seamers would diminish by days four and five. Forget days four and five; their effectiveness was not even evident on day one.

 

[highway61]

Boycott labelled Australia's batsmen pathetic, accused Brad Haddin of extravagance and rubbished Steve Smith as No. 6 in a stinging spray after Australia made 98 in a horrendous first innings before England reached 0-157 at stumps at the MCG.

"Many of the Australian players trash-talked England after winning the last Test, but then went and shot themselves in the foot with a very poor batting performance," the former England captain said.

"It was a slow, English-style seamer's pitch, but nothing that a batsman with good technique could not have played through and scored steadily on. England bowled beautifully, pitching the ball up, kissing the top and just moving the ball enough to get the nicks."The Australian batting, meanwhile, was pathetic.

"If Steve Smith is a No.6, I'll eat my hat.

"Brad Haddin attempted an extravagant cover drive that I wouldn't have played if I'd been on 200.

"What do you expect if you bat like that?"

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Classic from Sir Geoffrey Boycott when Australia were 15/0 after four or five overs:

"I can't see any way how England can win this Test from what I've seen so far. A draw would do. If you were an opener, you'd be queueing up to bat on this compared to Perth."

In fairness to the wife beating bastard, I just watched the highlights and after a dowzen overs the Aussies did look like they were going to storm the game. Almost every Australian wicket was avoidable - all bar a couple wafted outside off stump. It looked like they believed they were invincible after just one good test and paid the price. So Boycs bhad a point - he just didn't factor in such inept batting (and of course it was much improved bowling).

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Boycott labelled Australia's batsmen pathetic, accused Brad Haddin of extravagance and rubbished Steve Smith as No. 6 in a stinging spray after Australia made 98 in a horrendous first innings before England reached 0-157 at stumps at the MCG.

"Many of the Australian players trash-talked England after winning the last Test, but then went and shot themselves in the foot with a very poor batting performance," the former England captain said.

"It was a slow, English-style seamer's pitch, but nothing that a batsman with good technique could not have played through and scored steadily on. England bowled beautifully, pitching the ball up, kissing the top and just moving the ball enough to get the nicks."The Australian batting, meanwhile, was pathetic.

"If Steve Smith is a No.6, I'll eat my hat.

"Brad Haddin attempted an extravagant cover drive that I wouldn't have played if I'd been on 200.

"What do you expect if you bat like that?"

I've never liked Boycott, even when he was playing, from what I can remember, but I don't see anything in there that anyone can argue with - Smith doesn't look like a test player to me, and the batting was pretty aweful and almost entirely avoidable - but we did seem to bowl in the right places to draw those shots. I'm not complaining, like.

 

[vegster]

Boyc's may sometimes go over the top and ramble and on occasions be completely wrong but, he is OUR idiot and as such, I'd rather listen to him than Fat Boy Shane Warne. Yes, Warney, the one who confidently predicted an Aussie win

 

[BensGrandad]

I alreeady did, but no joy.

Quote from the website - "Please note that many of our commentaries are only available to online listeners in the UK. This is a rights restriction placed upon us by sports governing bodies"

I can get commentary on the final days play of the last test but that's not a lot of help. Funnilly enough in the last test I WAS able to get commentary on the first day, but not after that. they must have forgotten to push the mute button on the first day.

Have you tried streaming it on everything ontv

 

[BensGrandad]

Hopefully we will bat out the 2nd day and add another 300+ then bat through and declare during the 30- 45 mins before lunch on the 3rd day.

 

[Pantani]

Hopefully we will bat out the 2nd day and add another 300+ then bat through and declare during the 30- 45 mins before lunch on the 3rd day.

Can't see that happening. If we are still batting on the third day we will keep going until we are all out. Time is on our side after skittling the Aussies so cheaply and quickly. Even if we bat until the end of the third day we will still have 2 days to take ten wickets. The earliest I could see a declaration is an hour before the end of the third day. This would still allows three new balls should we need them.

 

[BensGrandad]

My view, which of course is onlya personal view, is that if we bat all day romorrow we will be about 300+ ahead. Strauss could then tell the batsmen to go for quick runs for the 3rd morning and possibly knock up a quick 80+ which would put us about 400 in front and the time to get them out and chase a small total if they mange to make us bat again.

 

[Pantani]

My view, which of course is onlya personal view, is that if we bat all day romorrow we will be about 300+ ahead. Strauss could then tell the batsmen to go for quick runs for the 3rd morning and possibly knock up a quick 80+ which would put us about 400 in front and the time to get them out and chase a small total if they mange to make us bat again.

I see what you're saying. However, I disagree. Bat all day add 300, to give us a 350 lead. Then keep batting for two and a half more sessions adding a further 250 runs. Giving a lead of 600, imagine having to chase that, no hope of getting there, attacking fields for two days. That would break the Aussies, make no mistake.

Of course it is all hypothetical, we are unlikely to be able to bat for two more days.

 

[severnside gull]

Can't see that happening. If we are still batting on the third day we will keep going until we are all out. Time is on our side after skittling the Aussies so cheaply and quickly. Even if we bat until the end of the third day we will still have 2 days to take ten wickets. The earliest I could see a declaration is an hour before the end of the third day. This would still allows three new balls should we need them.

hmmmm. This is Melbourne and they have English type weather. Batting through until an hour before close tomorrow would be great in terms of a lead and should guarantee a win no matter what.

Just as long as we avoid a batting collapse we should be home and hosed

 

[Pantani]

hmmmm. This is Melbourne and they have English type weather. Batting through until an hour before close tomorrow would be great in terms of a lead and should guarantee a win no matter what.

Just as long as we avoid a batting collapse we should be home and hosed

True enough about the weather. I just can't see this England team declaring with only 450 ahead, with half a test match still to play. They will not want even the slightest chance of Australia batting again.

 

[highway61]

i did think that Langers interview was very good, have often liked his newspaper columns
BBC Sport - Cricket - Ashes: Justin Langer slams 'unacceptable performance'

 

[highway61]

20 mins highlights
Dailymotion - AusEng4TD11 - a Gaming video

 

[Acker79]

I think it's great that all the ashes discussions has been kept to one thread. Even more impressive considering the dagenham and redbridge game being in doubt/called off led to 9 threads.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

My view, which of course is onlya personal view, is that if we bat all day romorrow we will be about 300+ ahead. Strauss could then tell the batsmen to go for quick runs for the 3rd morning and possibly knock up a quick 80+ which would put us about 400 in front and the time to get them out and chase a small total if they mange to make us bat again.

Just won't happen. If we can bat all day (and the conditions could dictate that we won't) we'll carry on. EOP tomorrow will leave three days left in the game. They'll never bat that long. You'd expect Strauss's ideal would be to score 600 or so an dhave two days plus a session to bowl out Australia. Weather maybe an issue - but I'd be prepared to bet BensGrandad £20 (for the REMF) that we won't put Australia in tomorrow evening through choice.