The Ashes 2009
- Thread starter Botany Bay
- Start date
Bit of a long-shot but does anyone know of any radio stations that may be streaming commentary of the Northamptonshire vs Australia game?
I need a cricket fix, dammit!
Note that Australia are playing six bowlers - it's a career-defining game for all of them.
Batting-wise, keep an eye on the scores of Watson and Hughes.
Biggest tour match I can ever remember.
I need a cricket fix, dammit!
Note that Australia are playing six bowlers - it's a career-defining game for all of them.
Batting-wise, keep an eye on the scores of Watson and Hughes.
Biggest tour match I can ever remember.
Thanks Revd, I'll have a look. 
Rain has stopped play - Australians 64/2.
Hughes gone for 10; Watson 26* and now certainly batting for a test opener's spot.
Rain has stopped play - Australians 64/2.
Hughes gone for 10; Watson 26* and now certainly batting for a test opener's spot.
Listening to BBC Radio Northampton, streaming beautifully
Aus 8/299 - Watson's 84 has him pencilled in at Edgbaston. Not sure if I'd put him in as opener though, which seems to be the way they are leaning at the moment. An attack of Wigley, Lucas and Brooks is a different propostion to Harmison, Flintoff and Anderson, but by selecting no reserve opener, they may have no choice but to open with Watson. I suppose Hussey could come up the order though. Hell, Justin Langer has put his hand up for a comeback
Looking forward to hearing how Australia bowls. Big morning for Johnson, Clark and McDonald.
^
I'm glad it's working for you. Some pages of the beeb don't work outside of the UK. They have some stupid rules about what you're allowed if you're not a licence payer. 
I gather your openers didn't do so well. Again. Hence the suggestion of putting in Watson... isn't he one of the pretty ones?
Northants aren't exactly our best team. We have one day county finals here today. Good fun! Come to that Northants isn't the place I'd pick for night life or a holiday, either.
I'm glad it's working for you. Some pages of the beeb don't work outside of the UK. They have some stupid rules about what you're allowed if you're not a licence payer. I gather your openers didn't do so well. Again. Hence the suggestion of putting in Watson... isn't he one of the pretty ones?
Northants aren't exactly our best team. We have one day county finals here today. Good fun! Come to that Northants isn't the place I'd pick for night life or a holiday, either.
^ I'm glad it's working for you. Some pages of the beeb don't work outside of the UK. They have some stupid rules about what you're allowed if you're not a licence payer.
I gather your openers didn't do so well. Again. Hence the suggestion of putting in Watson... isn't he one of the pretty ones?
Northants aren't exactly our best team. We have one day county finals here today. Good fun! Come to that Northants isn't the place I'd pick for night life or a holiday, either.
I'm glad it's working for you. Some pages of the beeb don't work outside of the UK. They have some stupid rules about what you're allowed if you're not a licence payer. I gather your openers didn't do so well. Again. Hence the suggestion of putting in Watson... isn't he one of the pretty ones?
Northants aren't exactly our best team. We have one day county finals here today. Good fun! Come to that Northants isn't the place I'd pick for night life or a holiday, either.
Hughes 10 and 68 for the match.
Watson 84 and 50
If they've decided Hughes is the sacrificial lamb for the Lord's debacle, there is enough there to justify putting Watson in I suppose, but, man how the mighty baggy greens have fallen if we have Watson opening the batting for us.
I'm not sure how pretty he is
, but Watson is my least favourite Aussie cricketer - but definitely a favoured player of Ponting/selectors. This is why I reckon he's odds on to fit in somewhere for the 3rd test.My team:
Hughes
Katich
Ponting
Hussey
M. Clarke
Watson
Haddin
McDonald
Siddle
S. Clark
Hilfenhaus
Likely team :
Watson
Katich
Ponting
M.Clarke
Hussey
North
Haddin
Johnson
Hauritz
S. Clark
Hilfenhaus
I'm fairly sure Watson is one of the pretty ones. 
Some of these kids look too young to shave, let alone play cricket.
England are talking up Bell at four. Still some uncertainty about the bowling choices, based on the eternal 'we'll need to judge the wicket on the day'... so can we change choices if the wicket is different on Friday?
The groundsman says the wicket is 'like jelly'. The images in my mind of some of those pretty young men in jelly are certainly not fit for a respectable thread like this one. The weatherman says it's raining in his heart, and all over his map.
Lee is definitely out. There's some story about Fred sleeping with a machine that alternates between compression and ice (which again takes my mind away from cricket...)
And all available Aussies (including little Aussie Ted) are saying that England will badly miss KP.
Are we excited yet?
Some of these kids look too young to shave, let alone play cricket.England are talking up Bell at four. Still some uncertainty about the bowling choices, based on the eternal 'we'll need to judge the wicket on the day'... so can we change choices if the wicket is different on Friday?
The groundsman says the wicket is 'like jelly'. The images in my mind of some of those pretty young men in jelly are certainly not fit for a respectable thread like this one. The weatherman says it's raining in his heart, and all over his map.
Lee is definitely out. There's some story about Fred sleeping with a machine that alternates between compression and ice (which again takes my mind away from cricket...)
And all available Aussies (including little Aussie Ted) are saying that England will badly miss KP.
Are we excited yet?
A little bit - though mostly excited today because I pre-ordered the Ashes videogame.
We will miss Pietersen, and Bell is a frustrating cricketer. A lot depends on the performance of the latter though, he has to show that we can replace our headline batters or the whole team will suffer.
We will miss Pietersen, and Bell is a frustrating cricketer. A lot depends on the performance of the latter though, he has to show that we can replace our headline batters or the whole team will suffer.
Are we underwater in Birmingham?
The pictures of the groundsmen wearing waders sweeping away floods yesterday are brilliant. Today, however it is bright and sunny with occasional heavy showerbursts. I got caught in a five minute downpour while walking the dog - Brum looks to be the same as the Breakfast sports reporter is currently weeping over his microphone.
Edit: Aggers pic from yesterday is here
There will be cricket, but probably interrupted. I gather Oz have picked Watson over Hughes? Improves their prettiness quotient only slightly. Try picking him over Siddle.
Edit: Aggers pic from yesterday is here
There will be cricket, but probably interrupted. I gather Oz have picked Watson over Hughes? Improves their prettiness quotient only slightly.
Try picking him over Siddle.
Doesn't look promising, does it?
Watson may improve the prettiness quotient, but takes a few notches off the effectiveness quotient, but at least should provide the medical staff with something to do, assuming we get on the park.
Actually, I'm sure he'll manage to injure himself even if we don't get on the park.
I am praying for rain already.
Watson may improve the prettiness quotient, but takes a few notches off the effectiveness quotient, but at least should provide the medical staff with something to do, assuming we get on the park.
Actually, I'm sure he'll manage to injure himself even if we don't get on the park.
I am praying for rain already.
Watson is prettier than Hughes only slightly. Like I said, you need to replace Siddle or Ponting for that to be really effective. And I'm sure all England would be delighted if you did . In fact, I think Australia should make me a selector - I'll pick 'em for prettiness rather than effectiveness. Kylie and Jason as opening bats.
We will get on the park. But we may be on and off with the regularity of... no let's not go there.
. In fact, I think Australia should make me a selector - I'll pick 'em for prettiness rather than effectiveness. Kylie and Jason as opening bats. We will get on the park. But we may be on and off with the regularity of... no let's not go there.
Watson will probably do a hamstring getting out of bed, making the point moot. 
I'm not particularly impressed with this development, assuming the rumour turns out to be a reality. Yes, Hughes and Johnson have struggled (to say the least) but I just don't rate Watson much at all - his ability to get injured is about all he brings to a side.
As ever, send the rain over here where it's needed.
I'm not particularly impressed with this development, assuming the rumour turns out to be a reality. Yes, Hughes and Johnson have struggled (to say the least) but I just don't rate Watson much at all - his ability to get injured is about all he brings to a side.
As ever, send the rain over here where it's needed.
They need to stage test matches in Scotland. The weather's fine here!
It's confirmed - Hughes is out. The Poms will enjoy that. Not only has their plan seemed to work (so far), our lot have pushed the panic button rather than give him the opportunity to work out a way around it. Granted, we're behind in the series but I reckon this has handed the Poms a bit of a psychological advantage. Plus we've replaced a young, highly promising bloke with someone who's been on the sidelines for months and struggles to string two or three games together.
No, I'm not impressed.
No, I'm not impressed.
Really feel for Hughes.
I mean how do you justify dropping your opening batsman because your opening bowler is bowling like a 5th grader? Let's be in no doubt - the Lord's test was lost because we conceded 150 gift runs to England on the first morning in the worst display of new ball bowling from an Aussie team it has ever been my sorrow to witness.
So, with NO reserve batsman in the unbalanced squad to begin with (media bullshit from Merv Hughes along the lines of "Watson was always our third opener" is laughable), we decide to sack a batsman when we can't get 20 wickets?
Hughes:
415 runs in his opening three Tests in South Africa
36, 4 and 17 in England
Watson:
Test average of 19 - never batted higher than 6 or seen out a full season because of injury.
Hussey:
Didn't look like scoring a run for 12 months.
Rubbish decision. England must be laughing their heads off at us.
For god's sake we had the momentum after Pietersen's withdrawal - now Flintoff will take the new ball feeling 15 feet tall.
Johnson better not bloody play.
I mean how do you justify dropping your opening batsman because your opening bowler is bowling like a 5th grader? Let's be in no doubt - the Lord's test was lost because we conceded 150 gift runs to England on the first morning in the worst display of new ball bowling from an Aussie team it has ever been my sorrow to witness.
So, with NO reserve batsman in the unbalanced squad to begin with (media bullshit from Merv Hughes along the lines of "Watson was always our third opener" is laughable), we decide to sack a batsman when we can't get 20 wickets?
Hughes:
415 runs in his opening three Tests in South Africa
36, 4 and 17 in England
Watson:
Test average of 19 - never batted higher than 6 or seen out a full season because of injury.
Hussey:
Didn't look like scoring a run for 12 months.
Rubbish decision. England must be laughing their heads off at us.
For god's sake we had the momentum after Pietersen's withdrawal - now Flintoff will take the new ball feeling 15 feet tall.
Johnson better not bloody play.