5th and final Ashes Test

[M-Time]

One of the biggest games of cricket in a decade. English can sniff the Ashes, but find themselves in unfamilar ground and are nervously looking behind them at the Australians. Will they choke?

[Bullitt]

If England start to see the game slipping in Australia's favour they'll play for the draw and an easy series win. Even England can't balls this one up.

Unless SCW has somthing to do with them now... http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ph34r.gif

[An Tarbh]

James Anderson is back in the England squad for the final test of this Summers Ashes series. Chris Tremlet has been left out of the squad for the Oval. Paul Collingwood is also included as doubts remain over the fitness of Simon Jones.

England squad: Michael Vaughan (captain), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Ashley Giles, Stephen Harmison, Matthew Hoggard, Geraint Jones, Simon Jones, Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Strauss, Marcus Trescothick

[bman2112]

***** this - England all the way!!! - they&#39;ve deserved it without doubt, and i challenge any Aussie to say otherwise!!

[An Tarbh]

No arguments there, massive progress from England in the last few years with series wins in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, decent start to Vaughan&#39;s captaincy coming from 2-0 down to level the home series with South Africa, followed by further away wins in the West Indies and in South Africa coupled with the home series wins last Summer against the Windies and New Zealand. That would be well and truly cemented with a win in the Ashes, and even at its worst they won&#39;t lose the Ashes which is still a far cry from previous series against the Aussies.

A lot of the experts seem to be thinking that England will play for the draw, seems a foolish approach in my opinion, surely that would only play into the Aussie&#39;s hands. Bringing Collingwood in IF Jones is unfit would certainly send out the wrong message.

Also a lot of codology over injuries, surely both McGrath and Jones will play, they&#39;re equally as crucial to both teams chances of victory. Could be a bit of a psychological boost to the Aussies if McGrath does play as England haven&#39;t won when he&#39;s played.

[St Helens RLFC]

Originally posted by bman2112@Sep 4 2005, 06:51 PM
***** this - England all the way!!! - they&#39;ve deserved it without doubt, and i challenge any Aussie to say otherwise!!
Oh, but they have been doing.

Don&#39;t forget - England haven&#39;t been playing well, it&#39;s just that Australia have played badly. http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif

[M-Time]

England have been allowed to play well because of Australia. I&#39;m not saying you havn&#39;t improved, but we&#39;re defiantely no where near as good as we have been in recent years. Maybe the power is slipping, but this tour would already be done and dusted if we were playing to our (possibly past) potential.

[St Helens RLFC]

Why can&#39;t you lot PHYSICALLY give England any credit?? We have outplayed Australia in the 2nd/3rd/4th tests, it is that simple. You&#39;ve never got going because we haven&#39;t allowed you to.

[DonBilly]

So which side is leading the fifth test at the moment. How much time is this test going to last?

[St Helens RLFC]

A maximum of 5 days.

England lead the series 2-1. But if Australia win this game, they will draw the series and retain the Ashes.

[SaintsFan_Webby]

If England step onto the pitch with the attitude they have shown since the beginning of the 2nd test, then I wouldn&#39;t be at all suprised to see the series finish 3-1.

I hope they don&#39;t try and play too defensively and look for the draw from the outset, otherwise if Australia could get some momentum going England could really find themselves under the cosh.

Need sensible games from England&#39;s batting order if they are to succeed in my opinion.

[M-Time]

Matt Hayden summed it up brilliantly when he said.. "All the pressure is off us now. We can just play our game. If we play like we can it will be better than England, no question."

[Bullitt]

We&#39;ll see

[ak47]

Approx a week till australia come back with the ashes

As i have said england have played well but havent put the sword to an underachieving aussies

when we are playing that bad - or if you english are playing that well - why has each test been very close

u are playing to your full potential

when u dont for the 1st time, and we do (next test http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dry.gif ) - i come back on here and listen to the "what could have been" for the zillionth time

[Groen_en_Goud]

Is there going to be mourning Down Under, two weeks in a row? Winless Tri-Nations and losing the Ashes?

[SaintsFan_Webby]

Originally posted by M-Time@Sep 5 2005, 10:46 PM
Matt Hayden summed it up brilliantly when he said.. "All the pressure is off us now. We can just play our game. If we play like we can it will be better than England, no question."
It&#39;s funny, Aussies have been saying that the entire series as the Ashes slowly slips away from them. Role on Thursday.

[M-Time]

OUT, Jones - IN, McGrath

.. Indeed, roll on Thursday.

[ak47]

Originally posted by M-Time@Sep 7 2005, 10:46 AM
OUT, Jones - IN, McGrath

.. Indeed, roll on Thursday.
ah yes

lets not forget...........now pls dont forget.............i would like to announce

England havent won a test in this series with McGrath in the aussie line-up

oooohhhhh ahhhhhhh!!! http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif

[NZL Fan]

If England have a draw uppermost in their minds they WILL lose (unless weather intervenes).

.........they have to remain positive and continue to do what they have done in the previous tests.

[aussie1st]

The weather better not kill of any hope of a comeback by the Aussies.

[SaintsFan_Webby]

Originally posted by aussie1st@Sep 7 2005, 04:51 AM
The weather better not kill of any hope of a comeback by the Aussies.
No doubt if it does rain, every Aussie on the planet will blame that for losing the ashes, rather than the fact that England have outplayed them.

Hopefully the match will end in some result, and then no one will be able to complain that they only lost due to outside influences.

[St Helens RLFC]

It would make me laugh if it rained for 5 days actually - the whinging in Australia would be audible all the way up here.

A tad hypocritial imo - only the weather saved you from a thumping loss in the third test.

[M-Time]

An Englishman just said whinging and Australia in the same sentence. Is your middle name ironic?

[St Helens RLFC]

No, it&#39;s John. And I&#39;m merely stating that the Aussies make more of a whining noise than the English Rugby Union lot.

[ak47]

All these anti-aussie posts http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif

ah well - success stems jealousy http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif

it is the end of our era - yet hopefully not for another week

good luck fellas, in what is to be the most important cricket match for decades http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mellow.gif

no matter whom wins this next test or the series

CRICKET IS THE REAL WINNER http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif

[Bullitt]

Originally posted by ak47@Sep 8 2005, 09:53 AM
All these anti-aussie posts http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif

ah well - success stems jealousy http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif

it is the end of our era - yet hopefully not for another week

good luck fellas, in what is to be the most important cricket match for decades http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mellow.gif

no matter whom wins this next test or the series

CRICKET IS THE REAL WINNER http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif
The best post I&#39;ve seen all day.

[St Helens RLFC]

Originally posted by ak47@Sep 7 2005, 09:53 PM
CRICKET IS THE REAL WINNER http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif
Absolutely. Test match cricket has no right to be this exciting!

[St Helens RLFC]

Collingwood has been named as the replacement for Simon Jones. England win the toss and have decided to bat. Big call.

[St Helens RLFC]

England 104-2, Vaughan has lost the plot yet again, and now the Aussies can smell blood.

[St Helens RLFC]

England 164-4, and England are up to their necks in trouble. We need a big hundred from one, if not both of these batsmen, to stand a chance of getting anywhere near not losing the game.

[woosaah]

not a bad score at the end of the day strass and flitoff played well

319 in a day with 7 wickets, most enjoyable.

warne bagging another fiver as well

[M-Time]

Hopefully we&#39;ll bowl them out for less then 350. Here&#39;s hoping anyway.

[ak47]

Originally posted by M-Time@Sep 9 2005, 01:10 PM
Hopefully we&#39;ll bowl them out for less then 350. Here&#39;s hoping anyway.
aussies need the last 3 wickets before the 1st break - otherwise it will begin to slip away

problem is we have no pace attack - they all suck all of a sudden

where&#39;s macgill - FFS the poms have been troubled with spin (Warne)...we cant reverse swing.........wheres macgill?

Anyway based on that display, u cant deny warnie from SMS&#39;ing anybody....he can do what he wants IMO.....he&#39;ll can spin it on ice!!!

[myusernameisprettybland]

Australia vs. Essex

Bowler O M R W
S C G MacGill 24.0 0 128 0

There he is.

[St Helens RLFC]

I only got to see an hour of it, but when I did, Brett Lee was causing Flintoff and Strauss all sorts of problems. If England win the Ashes, Flintoff will be man of the series, if Australia do it will be Warne.

I just want to say though that Brett Lee is a remarkable cricketer who has really earnt my respect this summer. Fantastic player.

[M-Time]

Hoggard is a terrible batsman and I don&#39;t know how he&#39;s still out there.

[St Helens RLFC]

Because he sticks in there, he fights, he doesn&#39;t give up. Not too unlike Gillespie. With the bat at any rate.

[St Helens RLFC]

England 373 all out. Amusing last wicket stand. Advantage Australia, imo. Where&#39;s my tomahawks, it&#39;s rain dance time!

[SaintsFan_Webby]

How Australia must regret taking the bad light when it was offered... http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif

[myusernameisprettybland]

australia are going to regret being afraid of the dark.

[M-Time]

Why?

[SaintsFan_Webby]

Originally posted by M-Time@Sep 11 2005, 05:06 AM
Why?
They&#39;re eating up the time they have to win the match by taking the light. Weird choice to make if you ask me, I&#39;d have thought they&#39;d want to spend as much time on the field as possible.

[ak47]

ITS ALL BUT OVER http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif

Congratulations England http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif

I wont even tune in tonite - Its too depressing

Will have a drink to an end of an era http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mad.gif

Australian cricket is now back to earth, and a competitive nature of cricket is back!!!! http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif

I want punter on the chopping block, and Gilly to take lead!

Good to see the poms back and a force to be reckoned with - Although I still want the ashes...that cant really happen http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif

[myusernameisprettybland]

Originally posted by SaintsFan_Webby+Sep 11 2005, 08:41 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SaintsFan_Webby @ Sep 11 2005, 08:41 PM)</div>
<!--QuoteBegin-M-Time@Sep 11 2005, 05:06 AM
Why?
They&#39;re eating up the time they have to win the match by taking the light. Weird choice to make if you ask me, I&#39;d have thought they&#39;d want to spend as much time on the field as possible. [/b]
Exactly... the aussies needed to bat through that session and get a lot of runs. This was probable as both openers looked impressive. Anyway, bye bye ashes. (unless the aussies do something resembling a miracle.)

[St Helens RLFC]

Originally posted by ak47@Sep 11 2005, 10:16 PM
ITS ALL BUT OVER http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif

Congratulations England http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif

I wont even tune in tonite - Its too depressing

Will have a drink to an end of an era http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mad.gif

Australian cricket is now back to earth, and a competitive nature of cricket is back!!!! http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif

I want punter on the chopping block, and Gilly to take lead!

Good to see the poms back and a force to be reckoned with - Although I still want the ashes...that cant really happen http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif
England 89-3.

Don&#39;t count your chickens, you&#39;re too good to be ruled out of anything at any stage.

[St Helens RLFC]

England 221-7 at tea.

There is still a long way to go in this test match. Well done Kevin Pietersen. He has single handedly kept England alive.

[St Helens RLFC]

England 258-7 with a maximum of 40 overs left. Kevin Pietersen has put one hand on the Ashes for us.

[St Helens RLFC]

England 308-8

Aussies beaten

ASHES COMING HOME

[loratadine]

i cant help but think that if mcgrath didnt step on that ball and get injured after the first test australia would have won.

im really happy weve won, but am a little miffed the side is called england, geraint and simon jones are both welsh, and the latter have had an imense series, wheres wales&#39;s recognition.

[An Tarbh]

should it not be called england, wales and south africa, what with Strauss and Pieterson http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif

[SaintsFan_Webby]

Originally posted by loratadine@Sep 12 2005, 06:50 PM
i cant help but think that if mcgrath didnt step on that ball and get injured after the first test australia would have won.

im really happy weve won, but am a little miffed the side is called england, geraint and simon jones are both welsh, and the latter have had an imense series, wheres wales&#39;s recognition.
The governing body is called &#39;The England & Wales Cricket Board&#39;. Need more recognition?

[loratadine]

yeah i bloody do.

[Gay-Guy]

Originally posted by St Helens RLFC@Sep 13 2005, 04:03 AM
England 308-8

Aussies beaten

ASHES COMING HOME
Now us Kiwis don&#39;t feel so bad about how England beat us. England were simply a great team on the rise. Damn media over here going on about how could we have possibly lost to England and what a sad pitiful result it was.

[ak47]

Originally posted by Gay-Guy+Sep 13 2005, 10:20 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Gay-Guy @ Sep 13 2005, 10:20 AM)</div>
<!--QuoteBegin-St Helens RLFC@Sep 13 2005, 04:03 AM
England 308-8

Aussies beaten

ASHES COMING HOME
Now us Kiwis don&#39;t feel so bad about how England beat us. England were simply a great team on the rise. Damn media over here going on about how could we have possibly lost to England and what a sad pitiful result it was. [/b]
The media for some reason is always harder on cricket than any other sport - in australia anyways.....i guess its held in the highest regard to our sportsman

i have been tracking England since they last toured in australia - and this team they have now has slowly transitioned very well from old to young with the likes of kaddick gorne, hoggard in, thorpe gorne, petiersen in.....add on Flintoffs "I am twice Botham" form and harmo........if they stay fit they will be the leader of world cricket for the next 5-10years

other teams like india and pakistan - the transit lounges of cricket - will always be there abouts, but cant get on top for a good stint as they are a transit lounge, and the high and low form is a reflection of the different teams they field within a year

australia - looking down the barrel of a mass re-construction - in 3 years you can confidently say:
nearly 1000 test wickets will disappear from the roster
atleast 10,000 runs will retire
gilchrist retirement

i havent been on the planet long enuff to witness the consequences of this re-construction, but from DVD&#39;s etc that i own, IMO aussie cricket wont be as bad as the early 80&#39;s, but we will be back to the Border era at best, and will need some good talent with mentality to match - we have the talent, but not the mentality

Border and Waugh&#39;s influence on "Pre-ashes" aussie team has been taken for granted
Ponting is soft, we lose the ashes
Gilly won us in India, Ponting was injured

Ponting is NOT the man for the job............he will become the new Gregan......had everything when given captaincy......had nothing when retired...I am talking about our trophy cabinet

I aint saying pontings to blame for losing these ashes directly......but i am saying that if Ponting remains captain and leader till he retires - A Wallaby like slide will take place, where the change of the last recent captains was the direct result of the latest form

Eales to Gregan - pfffft
Waugh to Ponting - pfffft

I wanna cry http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif

[M-Time]

This is going to be a bad couple of years for Australian sport http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif Atleast we have the Commonwealth games to make us feel better.

[myusernameisprettybland]

i dont know about you, buti dont think the commonwealth games is really a chance to get excited about australian sport, particularly cricket.

[Groen_en_Goud]

England have to remember that South Africa did help them win the Ashes. http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif

[St Helens RLFC]

England have been absolutely sensational from day one of the second test. I&#39;m glad to see the Aussies taking this on the chin, and taking it well. The best team won, I&#39;m glad you can all see that. I&#39;m not going to declare the death of Australian cricket or sport - that&#39;s still a fantastic team.

My question is this: are there any spinners coming through who can one day hope to be half as good as Warne? Who can replace Glenn McGrath?

[Serge]

I think you are all dramatising Australia&#39;s loss as even with the loss of some great players coming up Aussie will still be in the top 2. As the club competition is so strong there that top players are always being churned out.

[M-Time]

This is true. However our champion side is ageing and a player like Warne will be very hard to replace, atleast in the short term. We&#39;ll see how we go in the Super Series, which we could still dominate in at home.

[Serge]

Originally posted by M-Time@Sep 14 2005, 12:06 AM
This is true. However our champion side is ageing and a player like Warne will be very hard to replace, atleast in the short term. We&#39;ll see how we go in the Super Series, which we could still dominate in at home.
I think MacGill is the 3rd best test spinner in the world (1-Warne 2-Murali) hes just unlucky that he happens to be from the country that has the best spinner ever.

[woosaah]

i tink that vettori is the 3rd best, then kumble then mcgill... thats just my opinon though

[ak47]

Originally posted by woosaah@Sep 14 2005, 02:02 PM
i tink that vettori is the 3rd best, then kumble then mcgill... thats just my opinon though
fair call woosah....

IMO its Warne, Murali, Singh, Kumble, MacGill, Vettori

Although the last 3 very tight indeed, give it a tie http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif

[An Tarbh]

Originally posted by woosaah@Sep 14 2005, 03:02 AM
i tink that vettori is the 3rd best, then kumble then mcgill... thats just my opinon though
certainly not a case of rose tinted glasses then?

I think ak47 has it spot on

[woosaah]

hmm maybe kumble then vettori but i still rate them both better than mcgill, though he is very good and i dont doubt he will be the next best leg spinner for Australia when Warny retires.

I rate Vettori as the best left arm spinner in the world http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif but i have heard that people are rating the bangladeshi better than vettori wtf?? LOL

[An Tarbh]

if they&#39;re talking about Rafique then they&#39;re taking the **** or either taking some heavy ****.