The Ashes

[SteveW1]

Day 2 and the Poms didnt even reach Australia's score, come on Aussies bat out the day and tomorrow then bowl the Poms out nice and low

[STEED]

England

It's slipping away!!!

[Konovalov]

Originally Posted by SteveW1

Day 2 and the Poms didnt even reach Australia's score, come on Aussies bat out the day and tomorrow then bowl the Poms out nice and low

I hope it runs to that script. I'd really like to see Punter score a big century and set England +400. But for the WA Cricket Association I would like to see this game go well into the 4th day as their finances aren't in the best state right now.

[horsa]

We're pretty well into the end game now, which means bye bye any real interest in Melbourne and Sydney.
Sad .
It should have been so much better.

[STEED]

Originally Posted by STEED

England needs the cricket robots from Life the Universe and everything, the third book in the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy.

We do now, that's for sure.

[TarJak]

I know there's still 1.5 innings left to play, but who is you pick for man of the match?

Monty?
Peitersen?
Hussey?

[Konovalov]

Originally Posted by TarJak

I know there's still 1.5 innings left to play, but who is you pick for man of the match?

Monty?
Peitersen?
Hussey?

Hmmm now that really is a hard one NOT! Hussey by a mile at this stage in the match. 103 and just out on the stroke of tea. Brilliant innings by the man known as Mr Cricket and well deserved. Not a flawless innings like some of his earlier efforts in the series but still his effort has set up probable victory in this test and indeed the Ashes series. Clarke is still there and with a leed of 386 with 6 wickets in hand and Symo and Gilly to come I think they have a little license to continue to up the tempo and flay the English bowling. I feel a target of 500 plus coming on.

That middle session was Englands last chance I feel. They picked up only one wicket at the very end when they needed two or three earlier before the new ball was taken. Instead Hussey and Clarke were still there when the new ball was taken. Since the new ball there have been just 9 overs bowled and in that crucial time Australia carted England for 62 runs.

Oh, and unlike last year where South Africa managed to avoid defeat by batting over a day and a half this time it is different. Last year the pitch wasn't exposed to 40+ degree temperatures. This pitch will not be te easiest to bat on come day four and more so day five.

Yep, it's just all good news for Australia. We are still the best Test and one day cricket team in the world.

[Konovalov]

GILLY, GILLY, GILLY.

Was on track for the fastest hundred ever. The record though is still held by Viv Richards. On the last ball he faced for the chance to break the record Hogard bowled it so wide of offstump that the tallest man in the world wouldn't have been able to reach it.

Anyway he hot his hundred in the end and Australia declared with both Clarke and Gilly both not out. Now the England openers have to face 7-9 overs having been chasing leather all day in +40 degree heat. Good luck because Strauss and Cook are on a hiding to nothing.

[SteveW1]

And the Poms are already 1 out for no runs thanks to Brett Lee, beautiful LBW.

Cmon Aussies

[STEED]

It is almost over Australia are on the Verge of grabbing the fake ashes back.

[horsa]

Australia were awesome today. Congratulations to them for winning the Ashes so convincingly, as surely they must do now

Forget about it's never over till the fat lady sings, hindsight will prove the die was cast on this series some time ago.

So what moment would you choose ? Here's a few on my short list

1. Adelaide ,the morning of day five. ( surely everybody's favourite)

2. Losing the toss and bowling wide on the first ball at Brisbane.

3. Dropping Ponting on 30 odd at Adelaide.

4. The moment in selection when Panesar's inclusion was deemed "upsetting to the batting balance of the side"

Or how about

5 The moment when Vaughan's knee caved in.

My personal favourite is ( with all due respect to Freddie’s lionheart contibution as a very special cricketer) the point when they set aside Strauss’ captaincy in favour of Flintoff. Strauss had a winning team last September, and surely, under his regime, the same selection mistakes wouldn’t have been made.

[SteveW1]

Close of play on day 4 and the Aussies were rejuvenated by Mcgrath taking 2 wickets in the 3rd last over of play with England at 5/256, im thinking this could be a close last day unless they get some early wickets.

[horsa]

im thinking this could be a close last day unless they get some early wickets.

I doubt it . Those last five wickets need to make 292 runs . If they did that, it would be the biggest upset/achievement in test cricket ever.

I'd love to wake up on Mon morning to hear that, but realistically I'll more likely hear that Australia will have wrapped up England's second innings some time either side of lunch.

[Konovalov]

Originally Posted by horsa

I doubt it . Those last five wickets need to make 292 runs . If they did that, it would be the biggest upset/achievement in test cricket ever.

I'd love to wake up on Mon morning to hear that, but realistically I'll more likely hear that Australia will have wrapped up England's second innings some time either side of lunch.

I would agree. At least England didn't roll over in a couple of sessions on day four. There was some fight there and for the sake of the series I would like to see some more.

[bookworm_020]

I would love a draw as it would give some life to the series. That and if England could win one for the Boxing day match, it would make a great finnish to the test series....

Well it nice to dream!