The Ashes

Sharkmouth · **Posted:** Tue Aug 04, 2009 4:06 pm

A few of the team turned up to the game tonight and got a warm reception from the 2,000 or so there.

Sadly, Ponting was tucked away in the director's box so no chance to say hello.

Tim S · **Posted:** Wed Aug 05, 2009 12:13 am

Sharkmouth wrote:

Good performance by your batsmen yesterday. Doesn't a draw feel good when you're fearing the worst!

Unlike the Friday morning session, the weather conditions (or maybe the ball) were not conducive to swing so it was a long, hard slog for our bowlers. They bent their backs but the pitch gave them nothing.

So, on to Headingley and, hopefully, some decent weather so we get a result. The ball usually swings at Headingley so should be a good match.

Interesting to read Ricky Ponting has become associated with my home town football team through your bus driver! He's due at the game tonight so I'll go along and try and meet the legend!

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/fc_united/s/1129503_pontings_date_with_the_robins

It certainly does Sharky. It's good too to bat for a full day with minimal loss of wickets, generates confidence. Hopefully Clarke is healthy for Game 4.

Interesting news about the pitch and conditions, particularly after the vast swing experienced by the Bowlers on Day 4.

That's a very interesting story Sharky about Ponting and the boys. Shame you didn't get a chance to meet him. Good publicity though for your team and the game in general. You'll have to find some sort of covert way to enter the box next time :wink:

On to Headingly.

BlingBang · **Posted:** Fri Aug 07, 2009 4:44 am

What a session!

England 72/6 at lunch on day 1. Great entertainment from my (neutral) perspective.

Peter

Otto · **Posted:** Fri Aug 07, 2009 5:57 am

First time this series that I've had a chance to watch a whole opening session. After lunch now, England 102 all out.

I said it earlier, what we needed was a (proper, working) bowling attack. What on earth had they been doing with Stuart Clark before this?

Very interesting series now.

Roffensian · **Posted:** Fri Aug 07, 2009 6:10 am

BlingBang wrote:

Great entertainment from my (neutral) perspective.

Funnily enough it's not quite so entertaining for an English ex pat in Canada :cry:

Staffwolf · **Posted:** Fri Aug 07, 2009 6:36 am

Win the toss and decide to bat? Bad decision. The ball always does a bit at Headingley in warm conditions and a damp pitch.

Doesn't help when the crowd boo Pointing, it only motivates him, he will go on to make a big score. He's a world class batsmen.

Looks like 1-1. I predict a result in 3 days.

BlingBang · **Posted:** Fri Aug 07, 2009 6:46 am

Roffensian wrote:

BlingBang wrote:

Great entertainment from my (neutral) perspective.

Funnily enough it's not quite so entertaining for an English ex pat in Canada :cry:

I can quite imagine Roff.

Anyway, England have won 4 Tests having scored 102 or less in the first innings - the last being against South Africa :oops:

Peter

Sharkmouth · **Posted:** Fri Aug 07, 2009 10:22 am

Quote:

Win the toss and decide to bat? Bad decision. The ball always does a bit at Headingley in warm conditions and a damp pitch.

When I turned the TV on, I assumed we had been put in. Listening to SSN this morning, I thought it a no brainer to bowl.

That said, I don't think the conditions/pitch had that much impact. Rather the Oz bowling was excellent with some real fire to it and the England batting poor. Well done to the Aussies for turning up to this one with their game heads on.

It looks a foregone conclusion now but I they said that back in 1980(?) when Botham & Willis won the game when England were 500/1 (odds, not score :lol:

)

Tim S · **Posted:** Fri Aug 07, 2009 3:34 pm

Yes I wouldn't write the game off just yet. We can certainly lose our way in our second batting innings as we have proven in the past. However there's no lack of motivation for the Australians being one down. I think they'll do it this time!

Great start from the Aussies; very well bowled to a mostly out-of-form under English top order. I don't know what the umpires have against LBW either as Strauss was clearly plumb LB on the 1st ball. There's been way too many poor LBW decisions both ways this series.

I don't think Ponting minds thre boo'ing, it's what you're there for and expect in England. Your bowlers are in good form, will be interesting to see what happens on day 2.

Sharkmouth · **Posted:** Fri Aug 07, 2009 5:38 pm

Quote:

Like the look of Siddle. Figures weren't great but I think he'll improve as the series progresses.

I really, really hate to say this but I told you so! 9.5-0-21-5 Superb figures!

Regarding LBW, I think it's time to introduce a "challenge" system like in tennis. Never mind a 3rd umpire. Like in tennis, if Hawkeye says you're out, you're out. Or not as the case may be. Give each side 3 challenges per innings. Some of the decisions in this series have been shocking and it's time to bring in technology to bring about an improvement. And whilst we've had the odd bad decision, I think the rub of the green has been significantly in favour of England so this is not said as a "whinging pom" :lol:

First session this morning will determine if we've got a faint chance of winning. No way this will end a draw so unless we skittle you out pretty quick, I think it's going to be all down to the Oval.

Tim S · **Posted:** Sat Aug 08, 2009 1:14 am

There is a referral system on its way Sharky, to be introduced after the ashes I think. They trialled one recently, maybe even when we played South Africa and it seemed to work....I totally agree, it's time, especially with the technology available, to make sure that clear cut decisions are confirmed when human error leads to an obvious mistake. The trial ensured that when a referral was made and the decision wasn't clear the result either went in favour of the batsmen or in some circumstances, when the 3rd umpire couldn't make a decision, the decision was referred it back to the umpire, who then made the final call, usually in favour of the batsmen

which is fair I think.

They could really use it here. Shame that who you would usually consider as quality umpires are making so many shocking decisions.

Peter Siddle did bowl really well and I agree that the 1st session will prove the difference in this test. Who would have thought the series would potentially go down to the wire, with the 5th test proving to be the decider. Great stuff!

We could never accuse you of being a whinging pom Sharky

happy_chapie · **Posted:** Sat Aug 08, 2009 1:33 pm

[quote="Tim S"] We can certainly lose our way in our second batting innings as we have proven in the past. However there's no lack of motivation for the Australians being one down. I think they'll do it this time!

What second innings would that be then :?:

Sharkmouth · **Posted:** Sat Aug 08, 2009 4:29 pm

Gentlemen of the Commonwealth, all I can say is congratulations on a well deserved victory tomorrow. The fat lady is hard at work exercising her larynx as I write! :cry:

What I'm not sure about is how much is down to good bowling by Oz and how much is down to really bad batting by the ******* masquerading as the England cricket team. I suspect the latter is to mostly to blame but your guys have bowled an excellent line and length and exposed our frailties.

So it all comes down to the Oval. A draw will do you. A return to the form we showed at Lords will do us! :lol:

Tim S · **Posted:** Sat Aug 08, 2009 5:52 pm

Thanks Sharky it would seem that way. Good point too happy_chapie at least for this test.

I'm not really sure what happened either although we have definitely both bat and bowled better in this test. You guys have certainly not been at your best either...

As you say it's down to the Oval and to tell you the truth I really can't pick it. If one thing has been clear throughout this series it's that previous form has no bearing on how the next test will be performed.

May the best team win!

Otto · **Posted:** Sun Aug 09, 2009 5:22 am

May the best team win, indeed. All coming down to the wire after 4 tests, can't ask for more than that.

A commentator on tv here is calling for Nathan Hauritz to be recalled. I've only just switched the tv on so I must have missed something :?:

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