The Ashes 1st Test

[C A Iversen]

It depends on how agressive Australia are on day 3 really, where I think they'll be very much so. If Australia reach nearly 600 by close of play, then I think they be in a position to declare mid way through day 4.If during their agression tomorrow they lose wickets and are out for 450, then the game is on again.

At the moment the draw is the favourite, I agree, although we must hope that the agression that Australia will need to pursue to avoid setting up a draw might undo them.

We've seen four kind of Ponting innings before. Crap little scores when he gets out prior to 40 and never settles or is undone early. Big knocks where he's also supported by his team, with good contributing scores. A big solo score. Finally, a big partnership and everyone else goes to sleep. Thats the one England have to pray for. For some reason on the odd occasion every one else in the Aussie team slacks off after an innings like this.

Mind you if England don't watch it and work a lot harder, one of these guys will get a 250. Or worse.

 

[St Helens RLFC]

I'm disappointed with what England have come up with today.

 

[Flux]

England are looking pretty screwed.

 

[C A Iversen]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Flux @ Jul 10 2009, 10:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

England are looking pretty screwed.[/b]

Not so much now, the game is starting to level out a little. Australia in front, but not streets ahead. Your crystal ball is a little broken I guess?

 

[bristol-iain]

Aussies STILL batting

:wall: :zzz:

 

[Flux]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (C A Iversen @ Jul 10 2009, 11:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Flux @ Jul 10 2009, 10:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

England are looking pretty screwed.[/b]

Not so much now, the game is starting to level out a little. Australia in front, but not streets ahead. Your crystal ball is a little broken I guess?
[/b][/quote]

It does have quite a few cracks in it, I have to admit.

 

[C A Iversen]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Flux @ Jul 11 2009, 10:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (C A Iversen @ Jul 10 2009, 11:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Flux @ Jul 10 2009, 10:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

England are looking pretty screwed.[/b]

Not so much now, the game is starting to level out a little. Australia in front, but not streets ahead. Your crystal ball is a little broken I guess?
[/b][/quote]

It does have quite a few cracks in it, I have to admit.
[/b][/quote]

Well at the time it wasn't so accurate. Easy to speak with hind-sight isn't it, lol! :lol:

 

[Flux]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (C A Iversen @ Jul 11 2009, 10:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Well at the time it wasn't so accurate. Easy to speak with hind-sight isn't it, lol! :lol:[/b]

I have to admit I was expecting Australia to go for it a bit more, get a lead of 100-150, declare, put the English openers in with only a few overs left and try for a wicket or two, hope for a collapse on day four and go for the win on day five. They can still go for something similar tomorrow and I expect them to declare at the lunch break (unless they're bowled out before then).

Let's see if the crystal ball works this time. :lol:

 

[C A Iversen]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Flux @ Jul 11 2009, 10:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (C A Iversen @ Jul 11 2009, 10:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well at the time it wasn't so accurate. Easy to speak with hind-sight isn't it, lol! :lol:[/b]

I have to admit I was expecting Australia to go for it a bit more, get a lead of 100-150, declare, put the English openers in with only a few overs left and try for a wicket or two, hope for a collapse on day four and go for the win on day five. They can still go for something similar tomorrow and I expect them to declare at the lunch break (unless they're bowled out before then).

Let's see if the crystal ball works this time. :lol:
[/b][/quote]

Well, lets see, I'm hoping the english win this series, so I guess I have to hope for a draw now.

We kiwi's seem to be the real sports fans don't we. A mountain of UK people on this forum who could be commenting here on the Ashes, a huge cricketing occasion, and there's just a few. To be fair to the Australians, there aren't as many forum members from aussie, so thats not so bad. Maybe this just reinforces that a some of the english (not all), don't know a forward defensive from a square cut?

 

[Flux]

Don't get me wrong, I want England to win as well, but I can't see them getting anything from this match but a draw. I actually think Australia might be shooting themselves in the foot a bit, but we'll see.

 

[C A Iversen]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Flux @ Jul 11 2009, 12:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Don't get me wrong, I want England to win as well, but I can't see them getting anything from this match but a draw. I actually think Australia might be shooting themselves in the foot a bit, but we'll see.[/b]

I hope they somehow blow a huge hole in their foot and draw this one. Right now I can see a smash and grab fourth day and Australia putting England in for the last session if they stay in that long. Then England will probably have to spend a day and a session blocking it out. In todays game, that just doesn't happen anymore.

 

[Flux]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (C A Iversen @ Jul 11 2009, 02:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Flux @ Jul 11 2009, 12:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't get me wrong, I want England to win as well, but I can't see them getting anything from this match but a draw. I actually think Australia might be shooting themselves in the foot a bit, but we'll see.[/b]

I hope they somehow blow a huge hole in their foot and draw this one. Right now I can see a smash and grab fourth day and Australia putting England in for the last session if they stay in that long. Then England will probably have to spend a day and a session blocking it out. In todays game, that just doesn't happen anymore.
[/b][/quote]

Well not if you're a Blackcap anyway.

 

[mohamed_ali12]

Only in England can people be so happy that they didn't lose.

Well played Jimmy Anderson and
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[gingergenius]

woah we almost deserved to lose that one.

Fortunately that's how cricket works, and after how unlucky we were in the caribbean in the winter, karma's come round to our side.

Why would Aus bother with North bowling? stupid.

 

[St Helens RLFC]

Fantastic work from Collingwood, Swann, Anderson and Panesar. Freddie can hold his head up because he got a good ball. The rest can f**k off. Major work needed this week.

 

[C A Iversen]

Congratulations on an epic draw England! yes, such things do exist, lol. This is what you now need to do for four more tests! Or maybe win one, whichever makes you feel good.

 

[InsaneAsylum]

top effort by the physio and 12th man to secure a draw for england. weak ass effort.

 

[C A Iversen]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (InsaneAsylum @ Jul 13 2009, 12:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

top effort by the physio and 12th man to secure a draw for england. weak ass effort.[/b]

What a weak opinion (in my own opinion). Yeah England played poorly and in some ways deserved to lose, that I can agree with.

Any, and I mean ANY opinion that contends that Australia wouldn't play against the spirit of the game for a result they want is absolute rubbish of the highest order! If the point is that England slowed down the game and allowed tactics to get out to their players, then so what, Australia are always doing that, although it's usually a player who'll come out, after the batsman starts faking some cramps or "thirst" signals. They are just smarter at stuff like that. We had a one-dayer against Australia where the last over took nearly 13 minutes to play out, due to fielding shifts. The last 10 overs of that game took nearly 75 minutes and Ricky Pontings team had been well ahead in their over rate until that point. My understanding is that he was fined for some of his match fee.

Australia aren't all evil, but neither are they saints. The truth is they are capable of whatever it takes to win.

 

[InsaneAsylum]

fair enough, you're going to do whatever it takes not to lose a game... i can understand that.

 

[ak47]

Yesterday, was deadest blatant â€" and laughable, Monty wouldn’t even know your entitled to a new set of gloves when you see fit…

Its how you do it…..and for England to come out with new gloves, when monty hadn’t put the 1st set on yet, is a joke…its almost as though England were advertising and letting it known to all ‘we want to slow it down’

Monty could have butted down some cracks moved the sidescreen a bit, called for centre, and maybe pull out of a delivery…..there is no need to the 12th man to get involved….you can slow it down on the field, but when you use someone off the field you better have good reason as to why they are coming on.

Aussies lost it playing Mitchell Johnson with new ball whom never found his mark the whole TEST……its another case of poor captaincy on behalf of ponting, then the dumb Tasmanian decides to bowl M North to get through the overs (ie bowl more balls to the tail, get wickets eventually mentality)…stupid move, quality balls get wickets, M North is a part timer, the quality in his bowling is rare, should have stuck with Hilfy/Siddle and Hauritz.

Anyway the stage is set for another cracker of a series, and my sleep patterns are all farked