The England cricket team were poor on Day 1 of their quest to defend the Ashes in Australia, and poor again on Day 2. Surely they can only get better, can't they? I mean, it's not even worth watching as a proper contest at the moment.
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11-24-06, 11:07 AM
FredPuli
What's the weather forecast for Brisbane? At present we need the whole of the fourth and fifth days to be rained off.

Do we have no other opening bowler than Harmiston? He appears to have neither the temperament nor the accuracy to succeed under pressure.His first delivery must have been one of the all-time worst opening balls in Test Match history ! Somebody calculated that it was 23 degrees off line and would have only hit timber if it had gone on to North America where it could have hit some giant redwoods Big Grin

Not sure that preferring Giles to Panesar as the spinner is a good idea, whatever the pitch. At least 'Monty' can get wickets. Somehow his lack of ability with the bat doesn't seem to be critical,from what we've seen do far Big Grin

Cheer up. Their batting is not infallible: one of them got a duck !

11-24-06, 01:28 PM
Colin, Paris, France
I wholeheartedly agree about Panesar: Giles is a defensive bowler who invariably seems to bowl 'flat' in tests (OK, he tried to toss it up for a while today so I have to praise him for that, but it's not his style and not what he's best at). Today's "Guardian" said that selecting Giles and Anderson instead of Panesar and Mahmood shows that Fletcher is hoping for five draws. That way England will retain the trophy. If they lose this first match, Paneasr and Mahmood will definitely be back in favour for Adelaide. And as for that first delivery by our No. 1 strike bowler ... well, at least he kept true to form by starting with a wide on Day 2 as well...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Colin, Paris, France, 11-24-06 02:00 PM

11-24-06, 03:55 PM
FredPuli

quote:
Originally posted by Colin, Paris, France:
And as for that first delivery by our No. 1 strike bowler ... well, at least he kept true to form by starting with a wide on Day 2 as well...


Yes. That tends to show that he does lose his nerve under pressure. He must have run up to the crease thinking "Now, I must not do what I did last time...." Big Grin He could have bowled a short slower delivery and hoped the batsman was so surprised that he holed out at deep square leg. That would have been safe, easy, and understandable, but no, he had to try the same as before. The BBC noted that the Aussie crowd have nicknamed this style of bowling 'Shoddy line ' Big Grin

What is it about the approved English spinners and bowling flat? I suppose we are meant to blame 'limited overs' cricket for this method, but it denies the spin bowlers' art. The Pakistanis and Indians haven't suffered from this disease of safety first and, of course, you never see Shane Warne doing it in county cricket (but what does he know? Wink).

11-26-06, 10:18 AM
Colin, Paris, France
So now what do we make of it? England have seen only two players make a score, but at least it looks as though they're fighting. Can't ask for more that that, though Strauss looks as unreliable as Pietersen and Flintoff have done in adversity in the past. Still, 21 days to go.

11-26-06, 11:29 AM
FredPuli
Depressing to see Collingwood trying to reach his century by dancing down the wicket to try to hit Shane Warne. Why the quest for glory was necessary in these circumstances is not obvious ! Roll Eyes As for Strauss, he will try to hook at anything short so it seems easy to buy his wicket.

That said, there must be some hope for the future. The problem is in the bowling more than the batting. You can always hope that batsmen will play more sensibly and several of ours have shown ability: scoring ninety is something, even if you do give up your wicket to rashness when you get there. The bowlers seem incapable of getting wickets. It ought not to be impossibly difficult to find a good line and length ball after ball, but our bowlers seem incapable of it. McGrath is a great bowler in these circumstances because he does just that. He's not particularly fast but on line and length he is reminiscent of Hadlee or Statham.

And they have Warne: in the Oval test last year he had little help from the pitch (can't think that any spin bowler has had a good time there since we covered wickets) but he frightened the batsmen out of their skins. You could see them fretting over what he was going to do next: he was a one- man 'corridor of anxiety' . He had the battle half- won just standing there.There can't be many spinners who can be brought on as , in effect, opening bowlers in such a case. And he's taken four out of five wickets in this innings.

Wisden freaks keep talking about the 1954 tour, when we suffered in the first test, whilst conveniently forgetting that the team in 1954 had more great players than almost any England team since: our present team just does not bear comparison with it.

As you say, we still have 21 days Smile

11-26-06, 01:32 PM
Colin, Paris, France
Goodness Fred, the first test in the '54 tour of Australia. I've just looked it up. Denis Compton broke a bone in his hand and batted No. 11 in both innings. Hutton put Australia in and they declared at 600+ (just like this time round) and it was Colin Cowdrey's first test cap. Too long ago for me to actually remember it all mind.

12-01-06, 06:58 PM
FredPuli
Well, here we are at the start of day 2. Fine so far, but the worries must be that Warne was getting turn out of the wicket on day 1,that we have no great depth in batting so two more wickets down may mean a comparatively low score and that, if the Aussies can't bowl us out, what chance have we got of doing any better? A draw looks the likeliest outcome Frown (Still the fact that we got to over 250 for three must do wonders for our team's nerves.)

12-02-06, 02:57 AM
Colin, Paris, France
Not many of us following this, one of my favourite sporting events ever, it seems Smile. I've just seen the details of the close of play score on Day 2 - 551-6 declared - and it's like Brisbane all over again with England, this time, on top. They still have to take 19 wickets on a belter of a pitch mind, and i can't see them doing that at present. Yes, a draw is still the favoured option. I do agree though that in terms of confidence for the rest of the series, these first couple of days have been vital, even if, like Collingwood, Pietersen also tried to give his wicket away to the second last ball of Day 1. I considered staying up and watching the morning session live on television over here, but as it doesn't begin until 1 a.m. French time ... Still, maybe tonight?

12-02-06, 08:34 AM
FredPuli
Why not? Remember that play finishes at about 0745 British time so you can catch it until 0845 there. I leave the radio on Radio 5 Sports Extra all night which means that I get the first hour or so and come down in the morning to whatever disaster or none is playing out for the last hour. This has not been good for the nerves.(Collingwood doesn't change. This time he danced down the wicket to hit the ball out of the ground at another key point. Happily this was for his double century, not his century like last time, and he did connect Roll Eyes )

12-04-06, 01:45 PM
Colin, Paris, France
A draw then? We told us so.

12-04-06, 02:08 PM
FredPuli

quote:
Originally posted by Colin, Paris, France:
A draw then? We told us so.



We did, indeed.Surely even the England team can't lose from here......can they ? Frown

12-05-06, 02:47 AM
Colin, Paris, France

quote:
Surely even the England team can't lose from here......can they ?



Prophetic? I watched the last hour and a half. Couldn't believe it. Just couldn't believe it.

12-05-06, 02:50 AM
FredPuli

quote:
Originally posted by FredPuli:

quote:
Originally posted by Colin, Paris, France:
A draw then? We told us so.



We did, indeed.Surely even the England team can't lose from here......can they ? Frown



Ah, yes they can. But at least they broke one Test (and international) record by doing it. 551 was the highest score for a first innings declaration where the declaring side lost !

12-11-06, 11:55 AM
bik74
England has to get Monty in and even Sajid in. Get rid of Giles and Anerson.

Or like Australia play with 4 bowlers. It looks impossible to retain the ashes from here.

12-11-06, 11:58 AM
bik74

quote:
Originally posted by Colin, Paris, France:

quote:
Surely even the England team can't lose from here......can they ?



Prophetic? I watched the last hour and a half. Couldn't believe it. Just couldn't believe it.



I could not understand why Collingwood wasnt retaining most of the strike. He made Giles, Harmison face four to five balls per over.

12-16-06, 02:39 PM
bik74
Virtually half of the ashes over (2 test and 3 days of third test.

Conclusion: sadly its all over for England.

12-16-06, 02:54 PM
FredPuli

quote:
Originally posted by bik74:
Virtually half of the ashes over (2 test and 3 days of third test.

Conclusion: sadly its all over for England.



Yes. What do we need? To survive for two days to draw . We may take it that our batting is not up to hitting over 550 to win in two days Big Grin

The selectors should have chosen 'Monty' for the Adelaide Test.

12-18-06, 07:53 AM
Colin, Paris, France
I'd like to say a genuine "well done" to Australia. A fantastic team effort and a joy to read about, listen to and watch.

12-18-06, 10:37 AM
bik74
Not directly relevant, but brilliant performance by India against South Africa and great come back by Sri Lanka against New Zealand. These two series are now really alive.


12-18-06, 05:23 PM
FredPuli
Australia v England

quote:
Originally posted by Colin, Paris, France:
I'd like to say a genuine "well done" to Australia. A fantastic team effort and a joy to read about, listen to and watch.



Absolutely agreed ! Not bad for a team of old has- beens Big Grin We were outplayed in every department.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: DorianGreyed,