The Ashes 13/14 - Swann Song
- Thread starter SydneySox
- Start date
Dude I just need someone to get bowled out super quickly so I can watch Pats/Broncos in the office on Monday morning. If this thing takes all 5 days I will likely get overruled.
I mean I hope it goes your way, but really I just want it to end as fast as possible.
I mean I hope it goes your way, but really I just want it to end as fast as possible.
Feel the Ashes Fever!
(Also, I highly doubt the Aussie batting order can stand up to England's bowlers over a five-match series. Not the best of starts for Rogers this morning.)
(Also, I highly doubt the Aussie batting order can stand up to England's bowlers over a five-match series. Not the best of starts for Rogers this morning.)
Yeah, Isn't it AUS - England, not SA? Hoping its more compelling than the summer affair.ConigliarosPotential said:
Realistically we need to win here. History, conditions and even the toss all shade in our favour and if we can't win this one at the GABBA then we're probably not going to win many.
I'm not optimistic; if you did a Best XI from these two teams it's doubtful anyone but Clarkey would make the team... maybe Ryan Harris...
Still - this is always one of the best days of the year and the official start of summer.
edit: Yeah, I'd pick Harris over Tremlett. So that's 2 out of the 11 in green.
I'm not optimistic; if you did a Best XI from these two teams it's doubtful anyone but Clarkey would make the team... maybe Ryan Harris...
Still - this is always one of the best days of the year and the official start of summer.
edit: Yeah, I'd pick Harris over Tremlett. So that's 2 out of the 11 in green.
Pretty easily it seems. I'm just an ignorant American who's interested in the game. Does it have something to do with KP?SydneySox said:
And Trott. And Prior. (All three were born in SA, as was Kieswetter, and even Strauss if you want to go back a few years.)
SydneySox said:
I would give Watson the edge over Root in a Best XI , but that still doesn't make the numbers very respectable.
After the last two weeks of pissing down rain this is indeed a great start to summer.
Dammit, I was gonna start this thread earlier. I even had a title: The Ashes 2013 Part 2: Where SydneySox assaults Ricky Ponting.
How's the wicket so far? Looks like Broad's having some less-than-cheap overs so far today.
And as I put that out there, Broad gets Watson on a weak outside edge. Yikes.
How's the wicket so far? Looks like Broad's having some less-than-cheap overs so far today.
And as I put that out there, Broad gets Watson on a weak outside edge. Yikes.
Broad's bowling in those last few overs before lunch was fucking phenomal. Too bad he's a cheating cunt, I'd be pretty impressed otherwise.
Did you know - last week at the SCG in England's warmup, Broad got out and as he was walking up to the sheds, a Member made a joke as he walked past about him walking and Broad went to the stewards and had that gentelman's membership cancelled.
Stuart Broad is a wanker and a good bowler.
Did you know - last week at the SCG in England's warmup, Broad got out and as he was walking up to the sheds, a Member made a joke as he walked past about him walking and Broad went to the stewards and had that gentelman's membership cancelled.
Stuart Broad is a wanker and a good bowler.
Lowrielicious said:
I give Watson the edge over a pile of rocks but that's about it. The best thing I can say about Watson is that he didn't get out LBW yet.
SydneySox said:
Vs England in the last 12 months (6 matches)
Clarke - Watson
runs: 382 - 440
average: 42 - 40
high score: 187 - 176
MiracleOfO2704 said:
When, not if.
At least two of those are shots that I even know not to play. And what are Bailey and Smith doing this high in the order in a Test match?
want me to add todays numbers too? that will bump it up to 6.5SydneySox said:
EDIT: actually, my mistake - statsguru seems to do that automatically hence why it's 6.
150 might be a lofty goal for the Australia innings. To echo what Steiny said, this is not the 11 batsmen to challenge England's bowlers.
CSteinhardt said:
What does this even mean, mate? They are a 5&6, which is where they should be. Smith is a good little player.
They shouldn't be facing after lunch on the first day, but that's the top order's fault.
MiracleOfO2704 said:
We don't have 11 batsmen, we only have 6, 7 at a stretch , but even then - they are, sadly, the best we have. Who are the other names?
Hughes? Khawaja? Cowan? They suck.
I didn't mean that Clarke didn't put out the best 11. It's more of your point, that CA just doesn't have enough talent at their disposal.
And I was about to complement Haddin and Smith for getting a good partnership going when Smith had to go off and ruin that with another sickly shot straight to Cook's hands. 132-6 before tea on Day 1.
And I was about to complement Haddin and Smith for getting a good partnership going when Smith had to go off and ruin that with another sickly shot straight to Cook's hands. 132-6 before tea on Day 1.
Story of Australia's batting lineup, isn't it? Just when they get a start they fall.
George Bailey's career test average of 3 might be a high point for him.
George Bailey's career test average of 3 might be a high point for him.
And with that 6 from Haddin the total score from the 5-8 batsmen overtakes the 1-4 total.
Deja vu all fucking over again.
Deja vu all fucking over again.
SydneySox said:
Smith's a useful all-rounder, not a guy you select as a test batsman. Bailey averages 38 for Tasmania, let alone Australia, doesn't bowl, and isn't a developmental selection. If both are being selected as batsmen, there's something seriously wrong. I understand wanting to develop Smith, though I don't know that you use an Ashes test for that and I don't expect much use for a second spinner on this wicket.
If I were a selector and wanted this squad composition, I'd be inclined to select Hodge over Bailey, and probably bat Smith at 7 and promote Haddin. Personally, I'd rather see Doolan along with Hodge, and that probably gives you the best chance at dealing with the English seamers.
What looks like a reasonable score here? 300 would be a nice fightback after that start, and maybe is enough to set up a good game? Or do you think 500 is par?
The big thing to take is that deck is flat; England are going to score a lot of fucking runs.
This 100 partnership is rad; but we needed to get 400 on this day 1 wicket.
This 100 partnership is rad; but we needed to get 400 on this day 1 wicket.
I suspect England's batsmen will play a few wobbly shots during their first innings, as they usually do during the first innings of every overseas tour given how few warm-up matches they allow themselves - e.g., I'll be pleasantly surprised if Carberry makes double figures - and that the first innings score will be closer than it ought to be. But you really feel that the next Aussie batting collapse is always just around the corner. I was at Day 4 of the Durham test match this past summer, and the ease with which Australia fell from 109-0 and 147-1 to 224 all out within a single session was breathtaking; all of their batsmen have varying degrees of talent, but I'm much less sure about their powers of concentration and application. So at this point my money would be on a first-innings England lead of about 50, followed by another Aussie batting hiccup and England to win by 6-7 wickets, unless the rain forecast for Sunday removes enough overs from the game and life from the pitch to make the draw more likely.
I am willing to accept your surprise - I think Carberry has the chances to take this Australian attack to the cleaners.
'Wobbly shots' is something I think is indicative of the Australian top order, not England's. Pessimism, sure, but I would not be surprised to see 3/200 with some version of the English top order producing.
The great unknown, as always, is Mitch Johnson. He is an enigma; a mental case with ability who's unreliable. He could destroy this top order, but he's more likely to lose his line and be completely erratic by his fourth over. Right now that's acceptable to Australia, with two reliable bowlers in the hard working Peter Siddle and the actually-not-injured-this-week Ryan Harris. But when Harris is inevitably injured and MJ becomes your main strike bowler... let's guess that'll happen by Melbourne... that's when the attack completely falls apart.
'Wobbly shots' is something I think is indicative of the Australian top order, not England's. Pessimism, sure, but I would not be surprised to see 3/200 with some version of the English top order producing.
The great unknown, as always, is Mitch Johnson. He is an enigma; a mental case with ability who's unreliable. He could destroy this top order, but he's more likely to lose his line and be completely erratic by his fourth over. Right now that's acceptable to Australia, with two reliable bowlers in the hard working Peter Siddle and the actually-not-injured-this-week Ryan Harris. But when Harris is inevitably injured and MJ becomes your main strike bowler... let's guess that'll happen by Melbourne... that's when the attack completely falls apart.
More things I love about Test Match cricket -
- can Lyon hang on long enough for Haddin to get his tonne?
- I love watching opening quick's bouncing tail end spinners
Yeah, to Brad Haddin who is going to end up dead diving around trying to stop two deliveries down leg an over.
That was a fucking terrible shot by Trott - getting out flicking at a ball two feet down leg is the 'wobbly' identified above.
Johnson's bowled about 4 balls capable of taking a wicket besides that.
That was a fucking terrible shot by Trott - getting out flicking at a ball two feet down leg is the 'wobbly' identified above.
Johnson's bowled about 4 balls capable of taking a wicket besides that.
SydneySox said:
I thought those were part of a plan - hasn't Trott been out several times recently throwing his bat at something down leg?
The thing is, on a flat pitch, his best balls have been better than the rest of the attack. And Haddin's in good shape, right?
I'd started to forget how punchable Peter Siddle's face is. Too bad, because he's having a good day bowling so far.
CSteinhardt said:
The thing is, on a flat pitch, his best balls have been better than the rest of the attack. And Haddin's in good shape, right?
Disagree - Harris is the best bowler we have and today is no exception.
MiracleOfO2704 said:
Story of Peter Siddle's stupid Victorian face.
CSteinhardt said:
I thought those were part of a plan - hasn't Trott been out several times recently throwing his bat at something down leg?
The thing is, on a flat pitch, his best balls have been better than the rest of the attack. And Haddin's in good shape, right?
Now that was a great fucking wicket.
So I thought this was a great pitch for the batsmen.
Two things the Sky crew just pointed out with which I agree:
-Prior needs to be England's Haddin today.
-This started going wrong with the Pietersen-Carberry partnership. They seemed content to block and mark time rather than building any momentum.
Two things the Sky crew just pointed out with which I agree:
-Prior needs to be England's Haddin today.
-This started going wrong with the Pietersen-Carberry partnership. They seemed content to block and mark time rather than building any momentum.
SydneySox said:
I'm telling you, his best stuff is really, really good. Uneven as all hell, but when he's on...
CSteinhardt said:
Yeah, man, that's why I said he's an enigma you can afford to carry in some cases.
Story of two wicketkeepers in the crease. Haddin stabilizes the Australian batting attack, Prior exacerbates England's batting collapse.
I think a few of us would have thought 431 would have been a good score for one team's innings on this wicket, but that was the entire of the first innings. Good bowling, but some really poor shots, particularly by the English batters not named Carberry.
I think a few of us would have thought 431 would have been a good score for one team's innings on this wicket, but that was the entire of the first innings. Good bowling, but some really poor shots, particularly by the English batters not named Carberry.
MiracleOfO2704 said:
Absolutely, who'd have thought we'd be witnessing Australia batting for the second time on day 2? Just sloppy cricket!