The Ashes 2009

[Orac Zen]

^
C'mon, Revd. You were the one assuring us last time around that Panesar isn't as poor a batsman (and fielder) as he'd been portrayed.

This, unfortunately, is kinda predictable. The first hour of the second day cost us dearly and was a pointer to this result. I'd had my doubts about this attack's ability to take 20 wickets. Still, it wasn't the disaster I'd feared either.

Guardian online Contributor "Is it ok to sweep the ball 3 feet outside off stump and leave it completely when bowled directly at 'em?"

Brilliant.

 

[Tom Servo]

Haha it's funny, as an American Baseball fan, I know nothing of the rules of cricket except it's similarities with baseball, yet it's funny to read this thread and have have NO clue WTF is going on, or what any of the terminology means, but still hear the same highs and lows that occur during an MLB season. Do any of you Cricket fans who know nothing of baseball every read through the MLB thread and have the same reaction?

 

[PlainSimpleJoel]

^ Not really a baseball fan, and I generally don't read American sports threads, as I have zero interest in them.

OZ - that is quite true, that first session on day 2 did cost us. Our batting was good. But our bowling will need to be better at Lords, where we have a very good record.

I'm feeling the effects from watching the cricket last two nights until 2am.

 

[RevdKathy]

Monty has benefitted from the 'batting buddy' scheme - been getting tips from Colly on how to block and stay put. What beats me is how completely our top order crashed. When Panesar and Anderson are your best bats, you don't really have a team for an Ashes series.

Add to that I think Ponting lost it at the end. He was brilliant at bat, and as captain the first few days. But those last couple of sessions he seemed to be brain tired.

Got plenty of good knitting done... but will probably have to take it all out as it was knitted up to tight. Anyone would think I was tense!

 

[Jono]

*Comes out of self-imposed exile just long enough to snigger faintly. Australia were undoubtedly the better team... except they couldn't bowl out Monty Panesar. Who'd've thunk it?*

Anyone who saw the third test in Sydney in the SA series where SA's 10 and 11 both withstood 10 overs each, Ntini over 70 balls and not out in the end.

Of course in that game Australia did manage to win but they had more time (it took them 20 odd overs more plus they still had some in the bank when they won) to get the 10 wickets and partly thanks to the fact Ntini's final partner was an injured Graeme Smith batting one handed towards the end of the day so there was still time for the quicks to work him over.

 

[Orac Zen]

Ponting's captaincy experience before he got the top job was non-existent and sometimes it really does show. He basically got the captaincy because there was no one else (Warne doesn't count. ) and learning to be a captain in the Test arena is hardly an ideal situation. He doesn't seem to have that Taylor-type ability to pull a rabbit out of the hat when he really needs to make something happen. Then again, few do.

Today's papers had a lot to say about a blow-up between Johnson and Pietersen before play. Perhaps that goes some way to explaining the rather mediocre performances of both.

Do any of you Cricket fans who know nothing of baseball every read through the MLB thread and have the same reaction?

I played enough softball at school to have a reasonable idea of what goes on with baseball. But I'm like Elim - I really have no interest whatsoever in American sport and don't really pay much attention to threads about it.

To each their own, of course. Good for you for looking in here, Tom.

 

[Botany Bay]

I went to bed when Flintoff got out, no danger of England getting out of this one, I thought.

In fact I didn't even bother to check the cricket result until lunchtime, so sure I was of an Aussie win.



What the hell happened? I'm sorry, but Thommo and Roebuck are right - Ponting has to hand over the captaincy, he's just so tactically clueless, too conservative and as a role model leaves much to be desired. His petulance and down right ugliness when a decision goes against him has become mortifying to watch. All it does is turn 18 year old kids you come up against in wekend cricket into mini-Pontings who ruin your Saturday with their win-at-all costs BS.

Hand it over to Katich, Ricky. You blew it big-time, and have handed England a moral win here.

 

[Orac Zen]

Flintoff to retire after Ashes.

Wow. Probably not a surprise, given all the injuries, but still. A top-shelf cricketer (England didn't perform under his captaincy in the last Ashes series but he always gave 100% on the field) and from all accounts a decent person off it.

He can retire now if he likes.

 

[RevdKathy]

Oddly, Fred is more value psychologically than on the field these days. Most teams find him scary, but if you look at his actual playing over the last few years, he's been riding on reputation from 2005 (when he was nothing short of brilliant) or out injured. And England have been able to say 'Of course, we'd have done better if we'd had Flintoff!'

I feel sorry for him. Mind, I find myself worrying about what happens in that dressing room and college. I don't see other teams suffering quite the way our lads do. If we don't break 'em physically, we do so mentally. Is that because we tend to keep flogging the same 13? Or is something off in our training systems?

The good bit is that Flintoff will be able to focus on the one day game, which is much less physically demanding. bowling 8 or 10 overs in a day should be well within his range, and could do a lot for English morale if we get a good team there.

In other news, Lee won't be back for Lords. So maybe it's not just us.

 

[Botany Bay]

A real shame his injuries have caught up with him. It's probably no shock, he is a huge unit and bowls so whole heartedly - Strauss nearly bowled him into the ground in Cardiff on that awful flat wicket.

I don't think he's entitled to be remembered as a "great" but he sure is an incredible player on his day. His bowling in 2005 was just ferocious, and I am sure the Aussies will be glad to see the back of him. Maybe Lord's will be more to his liking. England need him to get wickets.

Will this news inspire or distract England? Will Harmison play? (I say he should even just to knock Hughes over twice). Is Ponting capable of showing a shred of tactical nous? Can Johnson land it on the pitch? Will Stuey Clark play?

Hoping for an improved England batting effort. The home side hasn't beaten us at Lord's since Hedley Verity captained England. Poor Hedley was killed in World War 2!

Australia to go 1-0 up.

 

[RevdKathy]

I think my uncle Hedley was named after him.

Fred was not a 'great' player. He was a good player, who on occasions was great.

Your questions in order:

1 Inspire (we owe him)
2 No
3 Eventually
4 Not so far
5 No

Good Lord - we got 50 for no wicket! Given the way Cook is taking on stuff, that has to be a miracle.

Lots of rain in the South West today, on it's way to Lord's overnight.

 

[Botany Bay]

Not good news abut the rain, Rev. Fingers crossed it goes away.

Very ordinary first hour from Australia's bowlers, especially Johnson. His form is starting to raise a few eyebrows.

 

[Botany Bay]

Random thoughts, lunch, Day 1 :

That was the worst session from an Aussie team I have seen in years and years.

Johnson is really struggling, I wonder what his problem is? His shoulder is dropping and he's bowlng too short, plus spraying them everywhere.

Ponting's captaincy was again, dire. Why did Johnson keep bowling and bowling even though he was getting worse, and his confidence was basically being destroyed before our eyes? Does Ponting have any idea what he's doing?

Bowling to Cook was particularly woeful. I can see they think he's a 'nicker' and will just try to tempt him outside off stump, but man, not 3 feet outside off.

The Sky commentators are fantastic, and Warney is a great addition - he's the best captain Australia never had.

Members lining up from 3am for seats? I thought membership was supposed to have its priviledges! Stuff that.

I must get to a Lord's Ashes test before I die, what an incredible atmosphere.

 

[RevdKathy]

I think it's taken the Aussie bowlers half a day to get the hang of the Lord's slope. They're just beginning to get its measure. Next time you bring a rookie team, you might want to request one of the warm up matches be played at the weirdest ground in the country for bowling on.

Meanwhile, Strauss is still there. Cook just missed his hundred, Bopara was uninspiring, and KP did his usualy start and belly flop trick. Hopefully Colly will provide Straussy some decent companionship out there.

I've never been to Lords, though I did make an international test at Edgebaston. Sat right on the boundary, I was THAT close to sinking my teeth into Liam Plunkett's arse. Cornwall's not a great place to live for sport.

Edit at 17:30... England are as ever playing like a souffle with the over door open. Collapsed in the middle.

Have a nice little plateful of wickets, tidily giftwrapped.

 

[StolenThunder]

A disappointing close there, though not particularly surprising. I suppose it isn't easy for everyone on a team to play well, but they could at least seem more like they're trying.

 

[Orac Zen]

Not good news abut the rain

You shouldn't make remarks like that about rain in a thread I'm likely to read.


Ugh. Not Happy, Jan. The weirdness of Lord's aside that's a woeful scoreline from our perspective, late flurries or not. Looks like Johnson's reverted to his tripe-bowling persona - until very recently he bowled a lot more garbage than good stuff. Perhaps Ponting persisted as a show of faith but that can be a double-edged sword at times.

One can but hope the batting lineup fires again. They're going to need to after this.

 

[Botany Bay]

I think I've figured out why I'm frustrated with this series so far. It's the giant drop in quality that BOTH sides have suffered compared to 2005.

Inexperience, inability and recklessness are taking the shine off the series for mine at the moment.

Take Day 1 - Australia were on their knees at 0/190, but to let it slip to 6/365 is a monumental reversal. England are barely in front in the game now IMO, and Strauss needs a huge double hundred to set this game up for the home side. Both teams seem to lack that killer instinct to knock their opponent out of a match.

Anyway, well played Andrew Strauss, and an honourable mention to Siddle, who is fast becoming my favourite Aussie player. His ball to get Pietersen was just fast bowling perfection.

Hauritz's injury and Johnson's form two huge concerns for Australia. Anything less than 500 will be a worry for England.

 

[RevdKathy]

Yeah, right now it looks like a contest to see who can lose best. Aussie bowlers really didn't have the measure of the Lord's slope first up, and Johnson is waaay out of nick. In return, England bats have been busy giftwrapping wickets as presents for their opponenets.

Today will be interrupted by thunder storms. and OZ, you can have it. We have surface water flooding and rivers in the street most of yesterday. Hoping most of it dumped on us and the worst will be over by the time the low reaches London.

The only thing getting attacked by killer instinct is the TMS cake.

 

[Orac Zen]

The only thing getting attacked by killer instinct is the TMS cake.

I suppose one must prioritise. Or something.

Please tell me you're not having more flooding in your part of the world, RevdK. As much as I like rain that's completely unacceptable and must not happen again. Send it over here!


Hopefully we can wrap up the tail more quickly and considerably less expensively than Cardiff, but whatever happens we're still behind in this game. Our bowling must improve. Significantly. The lowlights reel from overnight did not make for pleasant viewing.

 

[RevdKathy]

I have dug a soak-away since the last influx, OZ, so the rain worries me rather less. Don't you wish you needed one of those? I'll try awfully hard to send the rain your way. My garden is drowning.

Not sure who is behind in the match. When you have one team who can't bowl and one who can't bat, it hardly makes for 'good' cricket. The question will then come down to your batsmen, who can bat, and our bowlers, who are at best... less ropey than our batsmen.

Thunder might be our best option.