Ashes - Part 2...

[Haymaker]

What the bloody hell happened there?!

[AngusHibby]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...1st-ashes-test top patter

[--------]

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89-7 What the hell is going on.

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Ouch. 136 all out. Aussies 57-0.

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Deary me .

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What the bloody hell happened there?!

It's a wise cricket fan who waits until both sides have batted before having a gloat - a lesson the English journos have never learned.

I don't know what's going to happen in the series, but right now the Aussies are feeling very sore about the summer series, and I don't think they'll play as badly this time out.

Some of those short-pitched balls took me back to the days of my youth, and the great Lillian Thompson.

Rap a couple of the faceguard, and the batsman's your bitch.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Just watched the highlights of the 2nd days play, shocking effort from England.

[derekHFC]

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It's a wise cricket fan who waits until both sides have batted before having a gloat - a lesson the English journos have never learned.

I don't know what's going to happen in the series, but right now the Aussies are feeling very sore about the summer series, and I don't think they'll play as badly this time out.

Some of those short-pitched balls took me back to the days of my youth, and the great Lillian Thompson.

Rap a couple of the faceguard, and the batsman's your bitch.

The English media had the 1st test won yesterday morning

[Aldo]

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The English media had the 1st test won yesterday morning

Pmsl ha ha.

Fwiw the highlights were on freeview last nite at 10pm on Picktv.

O not that anyone is bothered mind.

[Zazu62]

They don't help themselves on sky with Ian Botham going on about them winning 5-0 on the eve of the first test , never gonna happen beefy pal, fwiw I still think England will win the series 2-1.

[3pm]

England 25/1 to win.

[3pm]

Now 16/1 actually.

[3pm]

67/1.

[HH81]

The lead is 500.

[jodjam]

England 2 down. Trott looks as if he has lost all confidence

[marinello59]

England really are getting a doing here. Day 4 could be even worse.

[3pm]

Bookies offering 33/1 on a win.

[jodjam]

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Bookies offering 33/1 on a win.

1000/1 would be fairer. Will be largest chase in test match history if they pull it off. I reckon by time we all get up on Sunday England will be 1 down

[Haymaker]

I've taken Monday off work to watch the last day as well.

[--------]

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The English media had the 1st test won yesterday morning

Yup. And Botham had them winning 5-0, and everyone seemed so sure that the Aussies had nothing to offer.

The English batsmen seem to be totally unable to read Johnson (not that they have much time when he's bowling at 90mp plus consistently), they're backing off Harris (not a good idea against pace), and their bowlers weren't exactly impressive in Australia's second innings.

It's early days yet. Even if Australia win this match, there's time for England to come back into the series.

There's always the possibility of rain, but if it rains overnight and then clears, that wicket could become very awkward. I mean, it's covered, but the resultant humidity's likely to get the ball swinging ... And the wicket, covered or not, will sweat.

It has to rain for the best part of two days. I'd say. Still - 537 to win - onwards and upwards.




PS - why are the England batsmen wearing cycling helmets?

[jodjam]

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Only got sky sports news with my virgin/TiVo .. See a small highlights package around 7am before I head off to work better than nothing I suppose :)

Highlights on each evening on Virgin ch180 (pick) at 10pm

[Treadstone]

The commentating team on SKY is absolutely fantastic. Cricket probably lends itself to the high level of analysis and comment.
The ashes verdict on SKY at 9pm is also excellent Bob Willis is always worth a listen and 'Dizzy' Gillespie is a welcome addition.

[jodjam]

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The commentating team on SKY is absolutely fantastic. Cricket probably lends itself to the high level of analysis and comment.
The ashes verdict on SKY at 9pm is also excellent Bob Willis is always worth a listen and 'Dizzy' Gillespie is a welcome addition.

I agree about sky lads with the exception of Willis. He's just too negative for me. Loved him as a bowler with his arm pumping away as he ran in but canny hack him now.

Really enjoy Vaughan on tms.

[Mibbes Aye]

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The commentating team on SKY is absolutely fantastic. Cricket probably lends itself to the high level of analysis and comment.
The ashes verdict on SKY at 9pm is also excellent Bob Willis is always worth a listen and 'Dizzy' Gillespie is a welcome addition.

I think that's right and it adds to the pleasure of Test match cricket but at the same time you only have to read someone like Jonathan Wilson or even listen to some of the foreign 'pundits' like Guillem Balague, Gabriel Marcotti etc to realise how short-changed we are as football fans - there's no reason we should have to put up with the inconsequential mindless drivel we get, week in, week out. It should be better.

Was going to post at the start of this match that I thought Australia would raise their game but that they needed a few stellar performances to have any chance. The challenge was always going to be showing they could take twenty wickets and that wasn't guaranteed. Didn't expect the collapse in England's first innings. Watching Trott trying to play Johnson in the second innings was almost painful! It looks like the Aussies have an advantage they will carry with the pace bowling, will be interesting to see how Lyon and Smith bowl in more southern climes.

[3pm]

130-4.

[jodjam]

4 more wickets for 5 runs. This is an absolute doing

[HH81]

The rain is coming

[jodjam]

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The rain is coming

:) aye another delay. Just means another night on the lash in Brisbane for the sky team

[Stonewall]

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I think that's right and it adds to the pleasure of Test match cricket but at the same time you only have to read someone like Jonathan Wilson or even listen to some of the foreign 'pundits' like Guillem Balague, Gabriel Marcotti etc to realise how short-changed we are as football fans - there's no reason we should have to put up with the inconsequential mindless drivel we get, week in, week out. It should be better.

Was going to post at the start of this match that I thought Australia would raise their game but that they needed a few stellar performances to have any chance. The challenge was always going to be showing they could take twenty wickets and that wasn't guaranteed. Didn't expect the collapse in England's first innings. Watching Trott trying to play Johnson in the second innings was almost painful! It looks like the Aussies have an advantage they will carry with the pace bowling, will be interesting to see how Lyon and Smith bowl in more southern climes.

It's going to be really hard to come back after this one. Trott looks like his head has gone and every time he looks up for the rest of the series he's going to see Johnson at the end of his run up. If he wasn't such a dick I'd feel pleased for Johnson. His game looked in pieces the last time England toured down under and the monumental slagging he got from the Barmy Army was clearly getting to him and undermining his confidence.

England need to regroup and come back at the Aussies hard, they are vulnerable but have the momentum and it'll be a real test for Cook and Andy Flower to get the team functioning. Time for the likes of Pietersen to show a bit of character because the pressure will be huge.

Interesting times - I'm looking forward to this.

[HH81]

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It's going to be really hard to come back after this one. Trott looks like his head has gone and every time he looks up for the rest of the series he's going to see Johnson at the end of his run up. If he wasn't such a dick I'd feel pleased for Johnson. His game looked in pieces the last time England toured down under and the monumental slagging he got from the Barmy Army was clearly getting to him and undermining his confidence.

England need to regroup and come back at the Aussies hard, they are vulnerable but have the momentum and it'll be a real test for Cook and Andy Flower to get the team functioning. Time for the likes of Pietersen to show a bit of character because the pressure will be huge.

Interesting times - I'm looking forward to this.

Agreed, all over now a right old stuffing.

Pieterson is really annoying you just know if he doesnt score for 20 balls he is getting out soon. Lets hope for better in the next test.

[BroxburnHibee]

No surprise to me - a quick analysis of this summers series would tell you that England were very lucky and a 3-0 win was in no way a fair result.

Don't get me wrong England probably deserved to win (home advantage helped) but the Aussies in their own backyard was always going to be a totally different match. I originally said 2 or 3 nil but even a whitewash wouldn't surprise me now.

As for the commentators - thats just the English psyche for you. If you listen to some of the more reasonable commentators just now they would tell you that England have absolutely no chance in the World Cup next year and that quarter finals would be good. I absolutely guarantee it that by the time it comes round it will be the same old crap.

[Stonewall]

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No surprise to me - a quick analysis of this summers series would tell you that England were very lucky and a 3-0 win was in no way a fair result.

Don't get me wrong England probably deserved to win (home advantage helped) but the Aussies in their own backyard was always going to be a totally different match. I originally said 2 or 3 nil but even a whitewash wouldn't surprise me now.

As for the commentators - thats just the English psyche for you. If you listen to some of the more reasonable commentators just now they would tell you that England have absolutely no chance in the World Cup next year and that quarter finals would be good. I absolutely guarantee it that by the time it comes round it will be the same old crap.

You're right, they did deserve to win in the summer; however, the batting was far too reliant on Bell and none of the others scored consistently or heavily enough. Australia is never an easy place to go. There were 3 question in my mind: would the comparative failure of 3 of the 4 bankers in the top order (Cook, Trott, Peitersen) continue, what were England going to do about the issue of the 3rd seamer and was Mitchell Johnson a busted flush?

I thought England would have enough to shade it but having serious doubts now.

[Treadstone]

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No surprise to me - a quick analysis of this summers series would tell you that England were very lucky and a 3-0 win was in no way a fair result.

Even think Englands use of DRS during the summer series enabled them to take command when the chance presented itself. The leeway that was granted in using DRS has now been taken away with the 15 seconds being rigidly enforced.
Aussie bowling attack picked itself for this test match and it delivered. Keep Harris fit (history says he won't play the full five test matches) and Johnson confident and its a long way back for England.