You mean "tea" of course.
The Ashes 2009
- Thread starter Botany Bay
- Start date
^ Lunch is still 20 minutes away ... so even if Siddle and Johnson can last the 20 minutes - cricket could continue to be played.
You mean "tea" of course.
They call it 'lunch' at Lords, short for Luncheon. And Bumble will give us the run down of team menus. My money is on Cheese and pickle for Beefy again.
And there it goes. Don't matter what you call it now. It's all over.
BOWLED im!
406 all out. On any other day, a good innings.
But England win at Lords against Australia!
406 all out. On any other day, a good innings.
But England win at Lords against Australia!
Well done to England ... but now bring on the next test.
Well played Freddy and England.
That dreadful last day in Cardiff hurts more and more.
Lots of team changes coming up on both sides.
All eyes on Freddy's post match interview. Will he or won't he.
The Aussie in me hopes yes, but the cricket lover in me wants him to go three more. Inspirational player.
That dreadful last day in Cardiff hurts more and more.
Lots of team changes coming up on both sides.
All eyes on Freddy's post match interview. Will he or won't he.
The Aussie in me hopes yes, but the cricket lover in me wants him to go three more. Inspirational player.
Credit to Punter who admits England have out played 'em. Through gritted teeth, mind. Busy making threats about the next match. But he did actually crack a joke!
And no, Fred won't go today. He'll be too euphoric right now. If he stands down, it'll be in the next few days.
And no, Fred won't go today. He'll be too euphoric right now. If he stands down, it'll be in the next few days.
Flintoff vows to fight on for 3 more 
(and as an Aussie -
)
(and as an Aussie -
)
If Fred is fit for the next three, it will certainly be an interesting series. I think the Aussie bowlers misfired this time, and Strauss played the weather perfectly. But the teams are damned well matched.
Now, we have to keep this thread alive and well for a week and a half till Egbaston. So here's a caption contest.
Suggestions for:
and for
Prizes awarded in warm english beer.
Now, we have to keep this thread alive and well for a week and a half till Egbaston. So here's a caption contest.
Suggestions for:
and for
Prizes awarded in warm english beer.
Yeah, look how well that tactic works. He'll retire tomorrow.Someone set the mod team on him to persuade him to change his mind.
Ponting sometimes comes across as a jerk but he's not completely graceless and he's also a realist. If he'd said anything else he'd be a candidate for a straitjacket. We were outplayed, quite comprehensively.
The second morning at Cardiff is looking more and more like a pointer for this series - our "attack" (Hilfenhaus possibly excepted) just isn't cutting it. There'll need to be a hell of a turnaround in the next few weeks if we're to stay in it.
KP : Try getting both your arms around my head
Punter : If you ever rub my wig again, I'll pull even harder on your broken finger.
A couple of musical suggestions:
Fred: I believe that my heart will go ooooon!
"I only know when he, began to dance with me, I could have danced, danced, danced...."
"Dance? You're supposed to bowl you idiot!"
I was so impressed with Punter's grace in defeat (which let's face it isn't easy for him!) I tried to put it on my scrapbook. Sky have disabled imbed tags. Boo!
Fred: I believe that my heart will go ooooon!
"I only know when he, began to dance with me, I could have danced, danced, danced...."
"Dance? You're supposed to bowl you idiot!"
I was so impressed with Punter's grace in defeat (which let's face it isn't easy for him!) I tried to put it on my scrapbook. Sky have disabled imbed tags. Boo!
And in other news, it seems Lee won't be in the third test, and England might be without Pieterson.
Stuart Clark needs to come into the team.
Stuart Clark needs to come into the team.
Given what KP has delivered so far, England will not badly miss him. When he hits his stride, he's unbeatable. But this year we've been picking him for his name and reputation, rather than form. Flintoff's fitness is a much greater worry.
Losing Lee is a worry for Australia. We'd rather face Johnson than him, given Johnson's form. Though if he can find what he had in South Africa, it could be a different story.
Losing Lee is a worry for Australia. We'd rather face Johnson than him, given Johnson's form.
Though if he can find what he had in South Africa, it could be a different story.
News today: KP has had surgery on the achilles, and will be out of any further Ashes matches. Bad news. 
Looks like a call up for Ian Bell. Could be Rob Key, or a bunch of other people. Ed Joyce and Owais Shah are not impossible.
And no-one is suggesting that Fred won't make Thursday.
Looks like a call up for Ian Bell. Could be Rob Key, or a bunch of other people. Ed Joyce and Owais Shah are not impossible.
And no-one is suggesting that Fred won't make Thursday.
Pietersen's contributions have been minimal - to be honest he has looked way out of nick to me, but, still - a massive psychological blow. Pietersen is the one bat Australia fears, and they have not forgotten how he won England the Ashes with that incredible innings at the Oval when it was all there to play for.
With KP out and Flintoff's bad knee, I'd be putting a lazy five pounds on Australia at this point
With KP out and Flintoff's bad knee, I'd be putting a lazy five pounds on Australia at this point
He has no form, he's been walloped in the warm up games and apparently has lost a yard since his injury, but, still, I agree - we need some control. He's a clever bowler and knows where to put it. He should come in, along with MacDonald.
At least four test places are up for grabs this weekend in the county match.
The media rhetoric from the Aussie management has softened on Johnson : "we won't throw away an eight year investment" etc, but this is silly - any other player who bowled like he did would expect to be dropped no questions asked. Johnson needs a sit down, but I think Siddle may go before him. They also seem to be softening us up for dropping Hughes in favour of Watson. The Australian selection process is a mysterious process indeed
I think KP's loss is more psychological than actual at this point. He was so hampered at Lord's he was almost a handicap - Bopara missed a number of singles because KP couldn't run. On the other hand, ask the Aussies whether they'd rather face England with or without KP and there'd only be one answer.
The question now is how to rebuild our batting order. Most people seem to favour Bell, though probably putting him at 3, pushing Bopara down the order. In factm Bopara's place is looking uncertain - which is a bit unfair given how hampered he was by KP.
For the Aussies, a bowling attack with Johnson and not Siddle would be a bit of good news, I think. Unless Johnson has actually found his form.
The question now is how to rebuild our batting order. Most people seem to favour Bell, though probably putting him at 3, pushing Bopara down the order. In factm Bopara's place is looking uncertain - which is a bit unfair given how hampered he was by KP.
For the Aussies, a bowling attack with Johnson and not Siddle would be a bit of good news, I think. Unless Johnson has actually found his form.