Cricket : The General Cricket Thread

[andymt]

exactly,

taking an example-Hayden.
His batting is a joke. we always get him out for <20

[Graham]

Originally Posted by BBKing

They can't bat at the top of it, though, which is one thing. If Brett Lee and Shane Warne are regularly among your top scorers you are in trouble.

True, but there again, we've seen Trescothick and Strauss going for low scores too at times and Vaughn's been a bit ropey at times.

The team is more than just the members of it (and several of those are among the best ever, when on form). It's the spirit of the Australian team that looks a lot weaker than ours - Ponting's whinges are, IMHO, the public tip of a bit of internecine warfare - apparently him and Warne aren't getting on, amongst others.

I don't care what they do off the pitch, it's what's on the pitch that matters and there the Aussies have the advantage.

It's certainly not in the bag yet, but the Australian batting has got to be about 100% better if they're going to get scores in the 400s as England now do regularly.

Yes, England have had some good scores, but they've also had some abysmal ones and they can't afford those.

All those guys with batting averages in the 40s-50s who are going for 20-30 at the moment need to start scoring if they're to have a chance.

Were we talking about Australia or England...?!

[BBKing]

Australia - their average upper order man has been making about 20 runs lower than usual, which counts for something.

Trescothick's done fine, Strauss and Vaughan both have Ashes centuries (and some single-figure nightmares) to their name, which only Ponting has in the Aussie batting order this series. Add in Flintoff's 102 and England have three out of four centuries.

England players have made 15 50s, Australia have made 10.

Englands batting top seven have all got at least one fifty and most of them have two or more (only Strauss and Jones have a single big score). Hayden hasn't got one, neither has Gilchrist, Martyn's got just one...

England have scored 400+ in an innings three times, Australia none (although they've got some very high second innings scores).

[iadom]

Just received the lunch menu from the Oval.

The Oval Kensington

Ashes Lunch Menu

Starter

Confit of Lame Duck

Main Course

Prime Australian Turkey with a fine English Stuffing and a selection of Green and Gold vegetables.

Dessert

Large helping of Humble Pie Or Hard Cheese and Sour Grapes.

Drinks

Bitter Or Selection of Australian Whines.

I am trying to google references to the oval wicket

- my memory says flat/hard for 2 days starts to wear on the 3rd day and is vulnerable to intelligent spin bowling, from then on....

If it is more a seamers, than a swingers, wicket for those first 2 days - who could replace Jones, for example ??

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cric...nd/4201682.stm

my choice would be Caddick, for the experience...

[Shadow Demon UK]

It looks like those poor Aussie bowlers got a bit of a thrashing today by Essex - BBC

They seemed to have a pretty strong side, the Aussies, but you don't know how much to belive scores like these on warm up matches, but looks promising for England.

[andymt]

yeh who do u think should replace jones?

personally i either think caddick or darrren gough.

Or maybe tremlett, judging on his good perfomance in the C&G final today

[Shadow Demon UK]

Originally Posted by andymt

yeh who do u think should replace jones?

personally i either think caddick or darrren gough.

Or maybe tremlett, judging on his good perfomance in the C&G final today

I would say Collingwood personally, mainly because he adds depth to the batting line up and is also a good bowler.

Seeing that England only need to get a draw, an extra batsman may not be such a bad idea. He also played well in some of the one day Internationals against the Aussies.

I think Gough and Caddick are a bit old know and will find it tough playing at the intensity the other matches were played at. I think Tremlett is too inexperianced at such a high level and may find it difficult under the huge pressure of the match next week.

[iadom]

Originally Posted by andymt

Or maybe tremlett, judging on his good perfomance in the C&G final today

2 wickets for 48 runs against lower order batsmen throwing the bat is a bit different from a test match, even against this current Aussie sides batting.
"You got to know when to hold em"................I would go for Collinwood, he would also be more likely to pouch the dollies that KP keeps dropping.


With apologies to Kenny Rogers.

[Roy MM]

Anderson & Collingwood in.

Originally Posted by BBC

England squad: Michael Vaughan (captain), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Ashley Giles, Stephen Harmison, Matthew Hoggard, Geraint Jones, Simon Jones, Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Strauss, Marcus Trescothick

[Shadow Demon UK]

Originally Posted by Roy MM

Anderson & Collingwood in.

Good decision by the selectors

I think Tremlett would have been too inexperianced for such a huge game and i am sure that Collingwood will play if Jones is injured, which hopefully will not be the case.

[andymt]

yeh

if collingwood plays, we will just play for a draw prob as he can bat for a day or so lol

Originally Posted by andymt

yeh

if collingwood plays, we will just play for a draw prob as he can bat for a day or so lol

I don't disagree with the selection, but heaven forbid we will 'play for a draw' - we have to play to win, in my opinion. The Aussies can still beat us, especially if our approach is negative

[andymt]

thats what i think..

but in my experience england always plays better with 5 good bowlers..
although lol, ian bell aint bad lol.
Yeh i reckon we should take anderson if jones is unfit.
Mcgrath is fit though, damn it lol

Just heard on the news that about 1500 people have puchased tickets for the game at The Oval via the internet, they will be refused entry.
They did say why, but my phone went so I missed it.
I hope you are not one of them