The Ashes - 2010/11

[Orac Zen]

Now to see if our increasingly crap batting lineup can muster up a decent performance for a change.

Apparently not. How unusual.

I didn't get to see any cricket today but surely North's going to run out of chances soon, even with the group of pinheads masquerading as a selection panel we have at the moment (makes it even more unfortunate that neither Khawaja nor Ferguson grabbed their chance last week). Going on the highlights on the news Clarke is nowhere near fit and both he and whoever passed him fit need a smack in the head. Nice to see Hussey get a few but this is the sort of thing he should have been doing for months now.

Looks like it was a proper day of Test cricket. Why anyone bothers with that 20/20 crap is beyond me. To each their own, I suppose.

 

[Botany Bay]

Hear hear on all points OZ.

I missed half the day's play today, but, you know what? I didn't miss anything because I've seen it all so many times over that past two years.

Watson and Kat put on a ton, middle order undo all the good work, and we're left with one batsman and and the tail, scrambling to stay in the match...again.

Probably only a dramatic, match winning second innings ton can save North after getting out the way he did, prodding at a standard off break. Undoubtedly he is a wonderful guy, and I'm sure the rumours about the selectors desperately hoping he finds his feet at test level so he can take over as captain are true, but I think the selectors will lose all credibility if a batting change isn't made for Adelaide. Hussey will be safe - he looks set for an Indian summer thank god, so I'm afraid Marcus has one innings left as an Australian cricketer.

If I had my way though, Clarke would be joining him permanently. I don't think I have seen 90 minutes of batting as terrible as his self indulgent 9 off 50 today. He is clearly injured (and if he isn't, god help him). By putting himself ahead of the team, and playing so unfit, he may have cost us this match.

Time for a rant : I just cannot stand this show pony. I have no hesitation in calling him the most overrated cricketer of all time - when the game is on the line you can put the house on a gutless effort. But this is not what really gives me the shits and has me pumping my fists with delight every time someone knocks his head off (Broad got him a beauty today!). No, the reason I detest him is the utterly contrived "Mr Happy go lucky" persona he puts on for the media and the holier than thou bullshit he spouts against his teammates. Contrast his words with his deeds - staying at the wicket when clearly out caught behind off Finn today; bowling himself for the final over when Sri Lanka were 9 down in the infamous MCG ODI a few weeks ago; the constant reports about him being a source of division in the side etc etc. The selectors need to admit their mistake, drop him, and never again 'anoint' someone as captain-in-waiting as they have done here. Clarke's words and deeds in this match are all the proof anyone needs that he shouldn't ever captain us. Phew...I feel better now...thankyou.

England's bowlers were on fire today. Really professional stuff, choking the life out of us. Anderson's display this morning was just mouth watering, and Finn looks like he could develop into something lethal. The only poor bowler was Swann, who bowled way too short to Hussey, in particular.

So, the key session of the test awaits us. If Huss and Haddin can hang around and get us 100 plus in front, we may still be able to get a win, but the next two hours will tell the tale.

I should also give some credit to umpire Dar - how good is he? Every decision he made was spot on today, and boy he had to make a few the way we batted after lunch. I wouldn't bother wasting referrals on his decisions - he's a gun.

Another see-sawing day, with us a sliver in front. Engrossing stuff

 

[Lor'Vela]

Words cannot describe the frustration England supporters must be experiencing at lunch. A decent position at the start of play for England has turned into an uphill battle. I think I might have an early night.

Also, Brad Haddin had got a very hittable face when he bats. That gum chewing and smirk annoys me. Perhaps second in terms of annoyingness after Shane Watson.

 

[Botany Bay]

English fans may wish do disagree with my comment on the performance of Dar - that decision to give Hussey not out off Anderson was a shocker. It won't take the players long to figure out that decision reviews are only there for the howlers (like this one). This decision was the key moment of the test.

England fans have every reason to be throwing stuff at the tele - they bowled superbly (Anderson, Broad), but utterly without luck. Tough game this test cricket.

I was very impressed with the smirking, chewing gum consuming one this morning. He normally tees off when things aren't going his way, but this morning he played superbly. 100 percent agree with Benaud who called this Haddin's career best innings.

Dangerous time for England - the match is slipping away fast, and they are still getting nothing out of Swann.

 

[PlainSimpleJoel]

^ I agree it was a shocker. Wonder if over time teams will use decision reviews mostly for LBW decisions. Anderson has easily been there best bowler.

But I've been impressed with both Hussey and Haddin. This has been the highest 6th partnership of all time at the Gabba.

 

[Botany Bay]

Highest all time 6th wicket partnership :
DPMD Jayawardene, HAPW Jayawardene 351 Sri Lanka v India Ahmedabad 16 Nov 2009.

The Jayawardene boys must be nervous : Anderson is buggered, Broad has no answers and Swann is now a huge concern with lifeless Adelaide being the next stop. Anderson is bowling way too many overs - the last thing England need is to work him into the ground in this lost cause.

The English fielders are wearing 'power bands' on their wrists. (Benaud : "what sort of power?" )Clearly they could use a few more. This has been one tough day for the tourists.

The blowtorch has been applied, and England face the best part of two days of batting to save the match.

 

[Jono]

Hadden has just gone. Patnership 307 so the Jayawardene boys are safe.

Can the Australian bowlers take 10 wickets when they come out?

 

[PlainSimpleJoel]

A great partnership that has saved Australia is over. Plus that catch by Collingwood was the best of the match. Partnership of 307.

Interesting, with the next test being in Adelaide, and they drop North, who replaces him? Kaitch and Clarke (if 100% fit) can bowl some spin. I reckon Steve Smith might be choosen over Ferguson and Khawaja.

 

[Botany Bay]

Can the Australian bowlers take 10 wickets when they come out?

Hmm...

Hussey getting out may be a blessing in disguise. We need to start bowling tonight.

A great partnership that has saved Australia is over. Plus that catch by Collingwood was the best of the match. Partnership of 307.

Agree - what a screamer after 5 hours in the baking sun.

Interesting, with the next test being in Adelaide, and they drop North, who replaces him? Kaitch and Clarke (if 100% fit) can bowl some spin. I reckon Steve Smith might be choosen over Ferguson and Khawaja.

Much depends on Doherty's bowling in the second innings I think. If Doherty rolls the tail in Brisbane, you'd think the hometown boy Ferguson would slot right in for Adelaide.

Hard to see Clarke being fit enough to bowl, so they've got another (self created) tricky selection coming up.

 

[Orac Zen]

Looks like I should have given myself a day off today.

Shame Hussey missed out on 200 but between them he and Haddin have put us in a pretty decent position. It's up to the bowlers now; hopefully we won't be relying on some heroic feat a la Siddle's efforts this time around. It would be helpful if Johnson - who is infinitely more overrated than Clarke (or anyone else in the history of the game, for that matter) will ever be, BB - could fluke a few wickets and make a contribution for a change instead of being a complete and utter embarrassment, but I'm sure his career is secure regardless.

I reckon North's safe, too, although the result here may play a part. If we win, the geniuses (I'm exempting Chappell from that description for now) will say there's no need to change a winning side. If it's a draw or (God forbid) we lose, they'll probably still keep him because they're just that stupid. Time will tell, I suppose.

 

[Botany Bay]

I think they're playing Johnson as an allrounder as insurance against our middle order collapses. His demise as a bowler has been horrible to watch. He's been on a downhill slide ever since that day at Lord's last year when he sprayed them everywhere. I have no idea where it's all gone wrong (there have been rumours of him being a fragile character; some say he's had too many coaches try to re-model his unusual action), but he seems to get worse and worse every game - accuracy has completely deserted him, he can't swing it any more, and his once lethal pace has dropped.

I believe Ponting bowled North before him today? If that sort of slap in the face doesn't wake him up, nothing will. He's well overdue to go through a side - for his sake it needs to be tomorrow.

Even if we win there should be changes. If we do win, it will be only due to a hat-trick and a record partnership. Take either of those out of the equation and we'd be looking down the barrel.

For what it's worth, I'd have Clarke out for Ferguson, and if the Mitchell Johnson pie shop remains open, I'd dump him for Bollinger. Most likely though, North will be the scapegoat. Still, we need to see how we bowl in the second dig, and how Clarke pulls up - you're right, circumstances may save North's bacon yet.

Given our recent troubles knocking over sides, and the flat wicket, England will be holding some hope of getting out of this. Anyway, let's hope Doherty can get into their middle order tomorrow.

 

[Lor'Vela]

Lunch on day 4. No doubt the Aussies are feeling just as frustrated as the English were at this time yesterday. Hopefully Strauss and Cook can continue to reduce the deficit and give the middle order bags of confidence to set a good total... If they're required to bat that is.

I have to say, this one of the most determined batting performances I've seen from Cook and Strauss. Previous England sides would have crumbled by now.

Too early to tell if Mitchell Johnson dropped the Ashes, but I lol'd at the Barmy Army chants towards him after his drop.

 

[Jono]

Given I've predicted England 5 - 0, tomorrow this will happen - Australia sent in after lunch and bowled out for 87, well short of their target. Top scorer will be...Clarke with 19.

Be prepared to be amazed by my amazing accuracy.

 

[PlainSimpleJoel]

^ I'm thinking this test will be a draw. England will declare during the second session, and give Australia around chase around 180 runs in 1.5 sessions.

 

[Orac Zen]

So...between the new Potter movie and assorted other stuff (including rewatching the quite incredible performance the Wallabies put in against France) I didn't see any cricket today, either. Kudos to England for their fightback - it's good to see all their talk of being a side that believes in itself blah blah blah has some actual substance for once - but it's demonstrated once again that we don't have a bowling attack capable of regularly cutting it at Test level. Occasional heroics are nice but they don't win many matches.

I won't be at all surprised if we manage to screw it up from here. Really, we already have. It's a familiar story these days, unfortunately.

 

[Botany Bay]

Missed the whole day thanks to a very long lunch. To come home and see England 1/309 at stumps isn't that much of a shock.

Kudos to those who got on the draw yesterday at 10/1.

I'd expect Strauss to pile on the misery and try to exhaust our bowlers in the baking sun with the bowlers' graveyard that is Adelaide only days away. There's no way he'll set us a total.

Disappointed Doherty obviously had no impact today.

I'm glad I'm not a selector - where they go from here, who knows?

 

[Lor'Vela]

Morning session, day 5: Ian Botham on Sky has berated the Aussie supporters twice so far for abandoning their team. It's eerily quiet for an Ashes test match, despite the efforts of the Barmy Army.

Anyway, I'm hoping England can bat most of the day, not only for the draw, but to tire out the Aussie bowlers in hot conditions. England should then go onto the next test match full of confidence.

Also: Who are the usual English supporters in Ashes threads like these? I'm suprised I'm the only one so far.

 

[Jono]

Glad I've seen none of the game today so far.

Well, it's over and its a draw. I was ever so slightly off with my prediction.

The only person I can see getting dropped for the next game is Johnson.

 

[Orac Zen]

I'll be very surprised (to put it mildly) if they drop Johnson; they seem obsessed with the bloke, despite his myriad obvious problems (eg. zero technique, no basics to fall back on when things go wrong) and non-existent confidence. Dropping him would be a blessing for all concerned but it would also be admitting they've got it wrong in carrying him for so long and I wonder if these selectors are capable of owning up to that.

Bollinger and Harris have been added to the squad for Adelaide. That didn't require much imagination, but whether either of them will play - and in whose place - remains to be seen.

Anyway, again I had other stuff to do and didn't see a ball bowled today but further kudos to England for battling back from such a woeful position, and brickbats to our blokes for aiding and abetting that recovery. From our standpoint the match was a disaster; three brilliant individual efforts can't hide the reality that we're a very ordinary side and the Ashes don't look likely to be returning to their rightful home any time soon.

 

[Botany Bay]

Morning session, day 5: Ian Botham on Sky has berated the Aussie supporters twice so far for abandoning their team. It's eerily quiet for an Ashes test match, despite the efforts of the Barmy Army.

Beefy is wide of the mark here - nobody pre-books for day 5 at the Gabba, and who on earth would part with (plenty of) their cash to buy walk up tickets to watch the game fizzle out to a draw? The Barmy Army are on holidays - it was a workday for us. The Day 4 crowd for the Sunday was conspicuously poor though.

Glad I've seen none of the game today so far.

Well, it's over and its a draw. I was ever so slightly off with my prediction.

The only person I can see getting dropped for the next game is Johnson.

They've brought in Harris and Bollinger, so I'd say Hilfenhaus may be struggling to hang on as well. We can't concede 500 runs for one wicket - a message has to be sent, and the double change is more than justified.

kudos to England for battling back from such a woeful position, and brickbats to our blokes for aiding and abetting that recovery. From our standpoint the match was a disaster; three brilliant individual efforts can't hide the reality that we're a very ordinary side and the Ashes don't look likely to be returning to their rightful home any time soon.

Yep, well played Cook and Trott. The latter in particular looks a very, very good player to me, and looms as a giant roadblock for us. I thought Bell and Pietersen looked good in the first innings too, and we've played Strauss into form, so...jeez it's not looking good is it?

Batting wise, it's a bit disturbing that nobody is putting their hand up in Shield matches when there are spots so obviously wide open. The lack of anyone knocking on the door may ensure that Clarke and North both line up in Adelaide - so effectively we're playing two batsmen and a fielder short.

Believe it or not, there were some positives for us :
- Haddin looks ready to bat 6 if necessary. Pity Paine isn't fit.
- Strauss looks a great leader, but isn't the sharpest captain tactically, I've noticed. I have no idea why he persisted in making Finn bowl halfway down the track to Ponting in the second innings when there were cracks the size of the grand canyon available to be exploited on a good length. Every short ball was disappearing over the ropes - it was a bizzare passage of play to say the least, and it may have played Punter into form.
- Swann was very disappointing in both innings. Way too short. Their game revolves around him bowling plenty of overs while rotating their quicks up the other end. If he keeps conceding runs, then their quicks will get ground into the turf.

Anyone checked the odds on a 0-0 draw for the series? It's looking like a best case scenario for us, unfortunately.