The Ashes 2009
- Thread starter Botany Bay
- Start date
Ok, ST and RevdK, I admit...I caved and bought Ashes 2009 for my PS3 
It was only $80, I expected cost much more, so I bought it, and so far I'm enjoying it, despite it reminding me very much of Shane Warne Cricket '99! I'm sure it's a descendant of that ancient game.
I have completed all the Beefy and Warnie tutorials - althought their audio recordings drop out halfway through the explanations and you have to read the rest yourself.
Be warned - all the Aussie and England squads are there, but if you're a fan of any other country you'll have to do a lot of player editing to get authentic squads.
It's not exactly stretching the limits of the PS3 so far, but it looks like it could be a lot of fun in two player mode - which is the reason you really buy these type of games.
(Obviously I have no problems either discussing computer cricket here, but if it pisses anyone else off, please speak up!)
OK, back to the real stuff, I've been out on a long lunch and missed the first session till now. Looks like I haven't missed much - Australia's lead is probably enough already. Only one team can win from here. England need to make sure they don't drop their heads and let us pile on the misery - there is still a test after this to play for.
I hope we just don't go through the motions over the next two days. While it's nice to see the Aussies finally come alive, one sided cricket is no fun. The administrators at Leeds must be horrified at the thought of a 3 day test.
It was only $80, I expected cost much more, so I bought it, and so far I'm enjoying it, despite it reminding me very much of Shane Warne Cricket '99! I'm sure it's a descendant of that ancient game.
I have completed all the Beefy and Warnie tutorials - althought their audio recordings drop out halfway through the explanations and you have to read the rest yourself.
Be warned - all the Aussie and England squads are there, but if you're a fan of any other country you'll have to do a lot of player editing to get authentic squads.
It's not exactly stretching the limits of the PS3 so far, but it looks like it could be a lot of fun in two player mode - which is the reason you really buy these type of games.
(Obviously I have no problems either discussing computer cricket here, but if it pisses anyone else off, please speak up!)
OK, back to the real stuff, I've been out on a long lunch and missed the first session till now. Looks like I haven't missed much - Australia's lead is probably enough already. Only one team can win from here. England need to make sure they don't drop their heads and let us pile on the misery - there is still a test after this to play for.
I hope we just don't go through the motions over the next two days. While it's nice to see the Aussies finally come alive, one sided cricket is no fun. The administrators at Leeds must be horrified at the thought of a 3 day test.
I was going to buy my cousins the wii version on condition I get to have a go. How hard can it be to bowl line and length? Huh? I could offer my services.. hell, I wouldn't even charge: I'll play for free in return for a place in the dressing room. 
(*Has sudden hot flush*)
(There isn't a thread in the gaming forum)
On the theme of cricket gaming, someone posted this during yesterday morning.
And frankly, discussing gaming HAS to be better than the match.
(*Has sudden hot flush*)(There isn't a thread in the gaming forum)
On the theme of cricket gaming, someone posted this during yesterday morning.
And frankly, discussing gaming HAS to be better than the match.
Yeah, it's pretty dire out there.
Bowling 3 feet outside off already
I feel sorry for the guy who paid hundreds of pounds for tickets, waited all year to see some competitive Ashes cricket and gets served up this garbage.
Bowling 3 feet outside off already
I feel sorry for the guy who paid hundreds of pounds for tickets, waited all year to see some competitive Ashes cricket and gets served up this garbage.
Think it's safe to say you'll level the series. The question is how convincingly. Too easy and our boys will go to the Oval in shreds, which will ensure they don't even put up a fight. A bit of fight-back here and the Oval could be very watchable.
The bad news is that rumours say Fred will not be there.
The bad news is that rumours say Fred will not be there.
So how badly do England want the Ashes?
550 runs are probably needed for them to have the slightest chance of getting out of this. Big ask, but North, Clark and Clarke managed to score runs on this wicket.
If we get Strauss before stumps she's all over.
Now that would be a shame for the quality of the contest, and him.
550 runs are probably needed for them to have the slightest chance of getting out of this. Big ask, but North, Clark and Clarke managed to score runs on this wicket.
If we get Strauss before stumps she's all over.
The bad news is that rumours say Fred will not be there.
Now that would be a shame for the quality of the contest, and him.
58-2 Strauss gone. Once again a big surprise - Bopara doesn't add anything. Hilfenhaus on a hattrick and surely game over by tomorrow lunchtime?
Safe to say there's be a refund for day five tickets. In fact, probably for day four tickets.
Bugger it - 15 minutes to go... will we last till day three?
Someone tell me why Bopara is in this team?
To be fair, Bopara wasn't actually out. Definitely inside edge on that. But dodgy umpiring goes both ways, and we've had our share of bonuses this series.
*sigh*
Bugger it - 15 minutes to go... will we last till day three?
Someone tell me why Bopara is in this team?
To be fair, Bopara wasn't actually out. Definitely inside edge on that. But dodgy umpiring goes both ways, and we've had our share of bonuses this series.
*sigh*
What a load of tripe. 67/3.
End of play on day two, 82-5, could have been six but a dropped catch in the slips on the last ball.
Missed the first two wickets due to watching the rugby and seeing Aust put in around 60 minutes of diabolical play. Saw the third but missed the fourth as I was watching Radiohead's Paranoid Android film clip in the Hottest 100 of All Time on Rage.
Any talk that Lee should come back for the Oval is frankly insane, save an injury between the end of this test and the start of the final (10 days?). The only real risk to this line up is that one would be dropped for Hauritz, but given how well they have all done the question would be who would be the unlucky one?
Hussey is probably very lucky that Hughes had an average two tests because if he didn't Watson would have more than likely taken his place by now (in the team, he would have probably batted 6 or 7).
Missed the first two wickets due to watching the rugby and seeing Aust put in around 60 minutes of diabolical play. Saw the third but missed the fourth as I was watching Radiohead's Paranoid Android film clip in the Hottest 100 of All Time on Rage.
Any talk that Lee should come back for the Oval is frankly insane, save an injury between the end of this test and the start of the final (10 days?). The only real risk to this line up is that one would be dropped for Hauritz, but given how well they have all done the question would be who would be the unlucky one?
Hussey is probably very lucky that Hughes had an average two tests because if he didn't Watson would have more than likely taken his place by now (in the team, he would have probably batted 6 or 7).
Is it time for another rant about the abysmal standards of world umpiring? I know they have only moments to make these decisions, and the forensic examination via technology is sometimes over the top, but every series seems to feature a lot of howlers these days. It just seems a waste that Simon Taufel can't umpire this series because he's Australian and will therefore (supposedly) be "biased"
, and equally wasteful that Peter Willey (who looked to have the goods) elected to retire from the international panel rather than run around the world umpiring everywhere except his own country. We need good umpires, regardless of where they're from, and it seems to me that removing the incentive of (say) umpiring a Boxing Day or New Year's Test, or at Lord's or Eden Gardens or wherever, doesn't exactly encourage people to take it up at international level. Then there's the fiasco at Sydney a couple of years ago where India threw their weight around and had Steve Bucknor removed from the series. That wouldn't inspire anyone, either - knowing that your employers, the gutless and ineffectual ICC, won't support you so long as there's money to be counted.I'm glad I elected to skip that - I might not even bother with the replay. Sounds like it was more of the same from our lot. Are we ever going to get our act together against the heavyweight nations??
Couldn't agree more. Whether or not his career is finished remains to be seen but including him would be stupid. I'm still kinda surprised he isn't playing here; it seems like the sort of dumb move the current group of selectors would make. Instead they actually got it right for once.
Damn I wished stayed up last night for the tea session last night. If I wasn't here now (in Sydney), I would have. Hopefully the game won't be over within the first session tonight.
Good to Johnson get some wickets.
Good to Johnson get some wickets.
I predict it will all be over within the hour. Though I think they're hunting up a bat for Botham. I watched 1981 highlights last night... glorious!
The sad bit is that the Australians hit their rhythm now, in time to walk all over us at the Brit oval. So that match won't be worth the ticket price either. It's more fun when both teams come out fighting and there's something to play for.
The sad bit is that the Australians hit their rhythm now, in time to walk all over us at the Brit oval. So that match won't be worth the ticket price either. It's more fun when both teams come out fighting and there's something to play for.
What a strange series this has been - oh well, we've got the desired finale coming up one-all, with one to play, and ten days of torture waiting for it to begin.
Really two abysmal sessions have defined this series : Australia's park cricket standard bowling at Lord's that lost us that test match, and England's catastrophic collapse on the first morning here that has cost them this game.
I wouldn't give up on England yet, you don't turn into a rubbish team overnight, but that precious momentum has very definitely been lost, and team changes will be needed.
For us, there are already whispers that Hughes will be back at the Oval, and why is McDonald being flown back to the UK straight after the birth of his first baby? Let's hope we don't decide to go negative.
Anayway, plenty of time to talk about that in the next ten days, but this morning - all England can hope for is that Prior can get a hundred to build on his good work this series, and that the tail can get some confidence building nuisance runs.
Really two abysmal sessions have defined this series : Australia's park cricket standard bowling at Lord's that lost us that test match, and England's catastrophic collapse on the first morning here that has cost them this game.
I wouldn't give up on England yet, you don't turn into a rubbish team overnight, but that precious momentum has very definitely been lost, and team changes will be needed.
For us, there are already whispers that Hughes will be back at the Oval, and why is McDonald being flown back to the UK straight after the birth of his first baby? Let's hope we don't decide to go negative.
Anayway, plenty of time to talk about that in the next ten days, but this morning - all England can hope for is that Prior can get a hundred to build on his good work this series, and that the tail can get some confidence building nuisance runs.