Come on you Aussies :P

 

And for any non-cricket fans out there, the ashes is a 2-yearly test series between England and Australia, and England want revenge for the 2007 series down in Oz.

YES! A cricket fan on thes pages. So I'm going for an English whitewash.... only kidding! I'll go 2-1 to England. It's a shame though that so few of my heros from 4 years ago are present particularly on Australia's side. I shall never forget that series, so fingers crossed this one can come close to it!

Men against boys. Katich and Ponting gave a classy lesson to our impatient and wreckless batsmen about how to bat on a slow flat pitch.

 

I think we have a better attack in Flintoff/Anderson/Broad backed by acceptable spinners, but the Aussie batting lineup is just so strong... With Brett Lee injured, both sides will have to work to take 20 wickets in a match.

 

My money would be on 2-1 to Australia.

First Ashes Test, Cardiff (day three, stumps):

England 435 v Australia 479-5

 

It's going to be an interesting last 2 days.

England are capitulating once again, surprise surprise. 70-5 :rolleyes:

England are capitulating once again, surprise surprise. 70-5 :rolleyes:

 

What a useless bunch they are - especially Pietersen, who appears to be "all mouth and no action" again.

He even nearly got in a fight with some of the Aussie players during the warm-up.

What a tool!!:dozey:

What's more, Cookie is becoming a liability. Maybe he should be "rested".

If they're going to save this test they'll need a failed captain and an alcoholic to do it! :laugh3:

And it's a draw.

And it's a draw.

 

True, but only just. It was basically a case of "getting out of jail" at the death. You could say the Aussies more or less "won" by default.

A major shake-up of the England team is required if they are going to stand any chance at all in the remaining tests.:dozey:

True, but only just. It was basically a case of "getting out of jail" at the death. You could say the Aussies more or less "won" by default.

A major shake-up of the England team is required if they are going to stand any chance at all in the remaining tests.:dozey:

 

You could say that, but they couldn't finish England off and win the test, to go 1-0 up in the series, at least the proper Ashes can now start in England and not in Wales

next test is Lord's, the Aussies have a very good past record there

A major shake-up of the England team is required if they are going to stand any chance at all in the remaining tests.:dozey:

 

Well... the cupboard is pretty bare at the moment. The XI that played in Cardiff is close to the best possible team we can field.

 

Monty will be dropped for either Harmison or Onions for a bouncy Lord's wicket, and Broad may be (harshly) axed too. However, I don't see any batsman getting the boot after one match, especially when the best of the rest is Ian-serial-underachiever-Bell.

 

I think the first test played more or less as expected; both attacks struggled to take wickets and the superior Australian batting nearly proved the difference.

 

The worrying thing is just how toothless our bowling was. Before the match, I would have confidentally claimed that a pace trio of Flintoff/Anderson/Broad is as threatening as any in world cricket today, but they were all made to look very ordinary. Swann expectedly found it tough against quality opposition, but a combined haul of 1 wicket between him and Panesar is embaressing; especially in comparison to Hauritz, who nobody (except Ponting) rated.

 

We haven't defeated the Aussies in a test match at Lord's since 1934, and I don't expect that to change. However, I do expect a better showing from England, and it will most likely end in a (hopefully exciting) draw.

Go the aussies. this series won't be as good as 2006 though. that was legendary.

Second Ashes Test, Lord's (day two, stumps): England 425 v Australia 156-8

 

If England get the remaining 2 wickets tomorrow before the Aussies can reach 225, than they can enforce the follow-on

Second Ashes Test, Lord's (day three, stumps): England 425 and 311-6 v Australia 215

 

521 runs ahead, me thinks they might as well get it to 550, before handing over for the Aussies 2nd innings and hope they can get them all out before stumps on Monday or before the Aussies can break the world record.

The one thing in England's favour is that this appears to be a pretty poor Aussie side by their very high standards - especially their bowling attack.

However, Pietersen is crocked and out-of-form, and Flintoff is on his last legs, so the series could go either way.

The result of the current test could prove crucial.;)

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Strauss deserved the man of the match award, but I won't begrudge Flintoff for robbing him of it. There's a 10 day break before Edgbaston, plenty of time for Hughes to tighten his technique against the short ball, and for Johnson to find some confidence/rhythm. I still think Australia will retain the Ashes.

1-0, good result from the 2nd test.

aussies would've one that if they actually went to the video ref for that catch that wasn't one.

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:confused:

aussies would've one that if they actually went to the video ref for that catch that wasn't one.

 

Sounds like you're being a bit of a whingeing "roo"!!:rolleyes:

Freddie was awesome today - he ripped your guys to shreds.:D

Ready for round 3?

Ready for round 3?

 

Ready for Ian Bellend............................... :dozey:

Ready for round 3?

 

I am, but is the weather ready for round 3?