The Ashes 2006/7

oldhamer · Post by **oldhamer** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 7:53 pm

Don't know who's interested in cricket, but there's only way to find out...

I CANNOT BELIEVE they haven't played Monty Panesar, and have played Ashley Giles!! Whywhywhywhywhywhywhywhy etc... The only thing that gets me comparably angry is England playing Geraint Jones instead of Chris Read...

Keeping up with the score really is going to bugger up my degree...at the moment Australia are 51-0 off 11 overs. It's gonna be a long winter at this rate.

Anyone else into cricket?

Mike Boom · Post by **Mike Boom** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 8:03 pm

I love cricket. Being a New Zealander in the U.S, I miss it a lot. Wouldnt even know who is in the New Zealand team these days...

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 7:15 am

oldhamer wrote:Anyone else into cricket?

Enjoyed growing up from about 9 playing it, for school and for club, now at bbqs, but generally can't sit there and watch it nowadays. Used to enjoy the one day match serieses when the West Indies had Viv Richards, Joel Garner, Clive Lloyd et al.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:27 am

I love it. I used to play Sunday league cricket in summer but I gave up about 15 years ago.

I still follow Kent and England.

The Ashes is very depressing.

Tim(e) · Post by **Tim(e)** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 5:14 am

I love cricket... and never more so than at the present moment. When you look at the last few years, the loss of the ashes to England was a hiccup in an otherwise unbelievably talented Australian eleven (the whole series was decided by a single run).

There are two ways of looking at this second test in Adelaide... either the English team capitulated in the worst possible way, or the Australian team are so damned good that they were able to completely psych out their opponents and win against all of the odds (my preferred option)... the way Warne was turning the ball was mesmerising and I can see why the English did not stand a chance against him; that coupled with the fact that Lee, McGrath and Clark all performed to the best of their abilities in the second innings meant that they were really an irresistable force.

The way in which the Australians are batting at the moment, I really don't think that England will be able to provide a line-up that can challenge them... unfortunately, as I would loved to have seen a real contest, whereas at the moment I will not be in the least bit surprised if Australia win this series 5-0.

Oh, by the way, is my bias showing?

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Wed Dec 06, 2006 9:17 am

To be honest Tim(e) I'm inclined to agree with you. I can't see England having the strength in depth of the squad to compete with Australia. There were some silly dismissals and I thought at the time that the declaration was premature. England don't seem to have the psychology nor confidence at times.

This Australian team is strong all round. When you see a few wickets go down there are still lower order batsmen who can all make good contributions. You just don't see that with England.

Shane Warne is a great bowler and once he starts turning the ball on a helpful wicket there aren't (m)any batsmen who can deal with him.

I hate to be pessimistic (and nobody hopes they're wrong more than me) but I think we'll struggle to win a Test in this series.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 7:21 pm

Hopefully Australia will put out an Under 11s teamand we might scrape a draw. But only if it rains for four days.

On Saturday night I saw Billy Bragg and he changed the lyric in Greetings to the New Brunette from "How can you lie there and think of England when you don't even know who's in the team" to "How can you lie there and think of England when you don't even know to spin or seam"

Tim(e) · Post by **Tim(e)** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 6:35 am

Well, you might have a chance when next we meet on British soil as Warne has today announced he is retiring from all international cricket after the 5th test in Sydney. It is also being mooted that McGrath will announce his retirement at the end of the series and I suppose it will not be long before Langer and Gilchrist follow suite.

I seriously hope that Fletcher is given the shove... he has given Flintoff absolutely no support and the decision not to play Monty in Adelaide was an appauling one that probably robbed the England team of any chance of winning. Fletcher is guilty of accepting mediocrity and being too spineless when the hard decisions should have been made. I only hope that Freddie doesn't suffer for the coach's ineptitude.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 8:49 am

verbal gymnastics wrote:I hate to be pessimistic (and nobody hopes they're wrong more than me) but I think we'll struggle to win a Test in this series.

Why didn't I put a bet on? It gets worse...

Tim(e) · Post by **Tim(e)** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 6:29 pm

verbal gymnastics wrote:
verbal gymnastics wrote:I hate to be pessimistic (and nobody hopes they're wrong more than me) but I think we'll struggle to win a Test in this series.
Why didn't I put a bet on? It gets worse...

I am telling myself the same thing

After this 4th test, I don't actually see the loss of Warne and McGrath as having so great an impact as I previously thought; the depth in the team (and there is a lot more waiting in the wings at the district and state levels) is unbelievable... all of our in-form batsmen fail and Hayden and Symonds step up when we are facing a difficult task just to equal England's first innings score. And England were wiped out in their second innings by Lee and Clark (Clark would have to be the obvious replacement for McGrath going forward) with McGrath and Warne making only minor contributions.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 9:37 am

That's been a major part of my arguments. We lack strength in depth.

Whilst it is generally agreed that this is [at least one of the] best Australian teams ever, it doesn't answer why we have played so poorly. It's one thing to be outclassed (which we have been) but some of the losses of wicket have been to incredibly poor shots.

I also couldn't help laughing about our "plan" for the last Test which amounted to one sheet of paper! I was waiting to see if it was a piece of toilet paper because that's what it might have well have been

Tim(e) · Post by **Tim(e)** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:15 pm

Well it's all done and dusted now... what a result!! It is just a shame that in the spirit of this particular match they didn't let Langer have a bowl (something he has never done) and let Warne and McGrath open the batting in Australia's 2nd innings.

I would also think that after a 5-0 drubbing, the MCC should allow the "urn" to remain in Australia until they can win it back - I also think that Fletcher should probably have been panced (spelling?) in the middle of the Sydney Cricket Ground as part of the end-of-match celebrations as he really is deserving of public humiliation after his total lack of support for Flintoff

Additionally, Flintoff and Pietersen should be given a hero's welcome when they get home - they were the only thing between a humiliating loss and an absolutely abominable loss.

My favourite sledge of the match? Warne to Collingwood (who had been sniping away at Warne's batting for some time):

"You got an MBE, right? For scoring seven at the Oval? It's an embarrassment," - referring to Collingwood's honour, which he received in the aftermath of England's Ashes triumph last year despite scoring only 17 runs (a 10 and a seven) in his sole Test of the series.

Mike Boom · Post by **Mike Boom** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:50 pm

...as a New Zealand cricket fan its at times like these that I always feel compelled to remind Australians of the "underarm incident" - just to keep their feet on the ground you understand.

Tim(e) · Post by **Tim(e)** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 2:17 am

Mike Boom wrote:...as a New Zealand cricket fan its at times like these that I always feel compelled to remind Australians of the "underarm incident" - just to keep their feet on the ground you understand.

Don't worry, I think you will find that more Australians were offended by that particular incident than kiwis... in fact I was watching Andrew Denton's Enough Rope recently when he had Ian Chappell on as a guest. Chappell is still barely on speaking terms with his brother Greg as a result of that transgression.

Basically, Greg Chappell was an asshole who was prepared to win at all costs regardless (it is just a shame his brother Trevor didn't show a little more spine).

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 5:01 am

Tim(e) wrote:Well it's all done and dusted now... what a result!! It is just a shame that in the spirit of this particular match they didn't let Langer have a bowl (something he has never done) and let Warne and McGrath open the batting in Australia's 2nd innings.

Just to add insult to injury McGrath would have hit all 46 runs.

Tim(e) wrote:I would also think that after a 5-0 drubbing, the MCC should allow the "urn" to remain in Australia until they can win it back

Ian Botham was saying the same thing. I think the urn should remain with the winning side regardless. Whilst English cricket history is the best in the world, English cricket is not. Leaving the urn in Australia might help concentrate the team's mind as to what it's all about.

Tim(e) wrote:I also think that Fletcher should probably have been panced (spelling?) in the middle of the Sydney Cricket Ground as part of the end-of-match celebrations as he really is deserving of public humiliation after his total lack of support for Flintoff

He was deserving of public humiliation well before this. Hopefully the English public will humiliate him. He should be laughed out of Australia.

Tim(e) wrote:Additionally, Flintoff and Pietersen should be given a hero's welcome when they get home - they were the only thing between a humiliating loss and an absolutely abominable loss.

I agree. It's interesting to read about how it is perceived that Pietersen is his own player rather than a team man.

Tim(e) wrote:My favourite sledge of the match? Warne to Collingwood (who had been sniping away at Warne's batting for some time):

"You got an MBE, right? For scoring seven at the Oval? It's an embarrassment," - referring to Collingwood's honour, which he received in the aftermath of England's Ashes triumph last year despite scoring only 17 runs (a 10 and a seven) in his sole Test of the series.

Good old Warnie. What a great character and player he has been.

I hate our honours' system anyway. Why should people receive honours for jobs that they're paid to do?

Actually, don't get me started on this one. And no, it has nothing to do with me being left off this year's honours list

so lacklustre · Post by **so lacklustre** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 5:28 am

fletcher made big mistakes on this tour but has done a lot of good for english cricket. he is also a poor pr man and so comes across badly.

flintoff should not have been captain imo, let him concentrate on his cricket. strauss would have been a better option, he did well in the summer when given a chance. we do miss vaughn though.

here's what i think of warne: @*~%$ @@+&$Â£" :@#?+=)* @*nt

urn should stay with eric.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 5:36 am

so lacklustre wrote:urn should stay with eric.

Trust you to bring me sunshine So Lack

Tim(e) · Post by **Tim(e)** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 6:04 am

so lacklustre wrote:here's what i think of warne: @*~%$ @@+&$Â£" :@#?+=)* @*nt

Couldn't agree more with regards to Warne the person - a complete tosser... but Warne the cricketer - absolute genius!

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 8:46 am

I agree with you not being able to agree more.

The only real success of the tour has been the Barmy Army. Incredible as ever. You have to admire their unwavering support.

Tim(e) · Post by **Tim(e)** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 4:54 pm

verbal gymnastics wrote:I agree with you not being able to agree more.

The only real success of the tour has been the Barmy Army. Incredible as ever. You have to admire their unwavering support.

Love the Barmy Army... is the "leader" (I think he actually refers to himself as the choir master) the same Jimmy Saville who was a British radio personality (and possibly TV as well) in the 70's? He certainly looks like how I (vaguely) remember him and he is definitely of the right vintage.

There was a very good series on cable here for the duration of this series in which an Australian spends the entire tour with the Barmy Army... the final episode dealing with the Sydney test is on this coming Monday evening.

They really are a wonderfully good natured and good humoured bunch of people (almost to the point of being Pythonesque)... but I suppose you have to be a little on the eccentric side to go to the lengths that they do as supporters.

Elvis Costello Fan Forum

The Ashes 2006/7

The Ashes 2006/7

Re: The Ashes 2006/7