The Ashes 2010/11

[Stubby]

When does footy season start again?

[Zoë Sumra]

Katich's wicket is being described as a "diamond duck" on the BBC. I've never heard that term before, but then being out without facing a single ball is pretty rare.

I've previously heard it as the term for being out first ball of the match, as an alternative to "royal duck".

When does footy season start again?

Oh, stop complaining. Just wait for the impending England collapse...

[sh_wulff]

Oh, stop complaining. Just wait for the impending England collapse..

Anything is possible

IMHO they should have dropped North instead of Hilfy

What does he have to do to get dropped ( Mitch had to miss the pitch altogether before the selectors woke up :tantrum: )

[Confalume]

Katich's wicket is being described as a "diamond duck" on the BBC. I've never heard that term before, but then being out without facing a single ball is pretty rare.

I've previously heard it as the term for being out first ball of the match, as an alternative to "royal duck".

I got myself out for a diamond duck back in my juniour days. Run out without facing a ball. It sucked even more because it was my own fault for not grounding my bat.

Watson did alright, Hussey and Haddin both did well but both should have gone on with it. Weird for North to get a start and not go on with it. He needs some serious runs real soon.

Michael Clarke needs to go take a good hard long look in the mirror. Once he's finished that he should go have a talk with Simon Prestigiacomo about the importance of putting the team ahead of himself. He is clearly not fit and shouldn't be playing. I don't care what the doctors say, he would know he is not right and should put his hand up and say so. :angry2: :tantrum:

Other than that well done to the Poms and lets just pray that our revised bowling attack can somehow have some menace on what looks to be a very good batting track. :worried:

[Xray the Enforcer]

son of a bitch! I got completely overwhelmed with work and didn't get a chance to watch yesterday. I think I just need to quit my job.

[adamsputnik]

Katich's wicket is being described as a "diamond duck" on the BBC. I've never heard that term before, but then being out without facing a single ball is pretty rare.

I've heard it called a 'black duck'. And yes I have been a victim...

[Ser_not_appearing_yet]

I've run myself out facing my first ball, never done what Katich did though.

Gotta be the worst feeling in cricket tbh.

[Maltaran]

Gotta be the worst feeling in cricket tbh.

Being run out for 99 is possibly worse.

[williamjm]

I remember before the series started there were a lot of question about whether Anderson would be able to be a threat in Australian conditions. It's only six days into the series but I think he's comprehensively answered those questions, he is bowling brilliantly at the moment. I wasn't so impressed with Finn who seems to struggle to bowl an over without conceding a boundary.

I've run myself out facing my first ball, never done what Katich did though.

Gotta be the worst feeling in cricket tbh.

I remember a few years ago Alex Loudon was run out without facing a ball in the only game he ever played for England. I did feel a bit sorry for him at the time.

Watson did alright, Hussey and Haddin both did well but both should have gone on with it. Weird for North to get a start and not go on with it. He needs some serious runs real soon.

I don't even know what shot North was trying to play when he got out, whatever it was meant to be, it was a terrible shot to play in that situation.

Michael Clarke needs to go take a good hard long look in the mirror. Once he's finished that he should go have a talk with Simon Prestigiacomo about the importance of putting the team ahead of himself. He is clearly not fit and shouldn't be playing. I don't care what the doctors say, he would know he is not right and should put his hand up and say so. :angry2: :tantrum:

There was an air of inevitability about Clarke's dismissal, he hadn't looked at all comfortable in the previous over. Whatever his problem is at the moment, I would think there should be a few question marks over his place for the next match unless he scores a decent number of runs in the second innings.

[Slick Mongoose]

Strauss. WTF? :lol:

[Stubby]

There was an air of inevitability about Clarke's dismissal, he hadn't looked at all comfortable in the previous over. Whatever his problem is at the moment, I would think there should be a few question marks over his place for the next match unless he scores a decent number of runs in the second innings.

He's got a back problem. From what I've seen of his movements on TV, he cannot stretch it without pain.

[ljkeane]

Bollocks. That was pretty dire from Strauss, there was no way he should have been looking to leave that.

[Slick Mongoose]

Then a missed run out and a drop. It's like neither side wants to win.

[Slick Mongoose]

The aussie plan of bowling everything down the legside is a bit odd. The idea seems to be to desperately hope the batsmen miss one and they can get an LBW. :unsure:

Watch me jinx this now.....

[williamjm]

Strauss. WTF? :lol:

He is having a bizarre series. Two awful dismissals in the first couple of overs and a confident century at a crucial time in the match. He's obviously decided to adopt an Australian mindset for the series, unfortunately the Australian's mindset he's adopted appears to be Marcus "Century or Nothing" North.

[Slick Mongoose]

So now the idea is to bore England and me to death with consistent bowling outside the off stump, and a heavy offside field. The problem is that there's no gap for a drive so the batsmen aren't going to try it. If they took a couple of men out of the covers/mid off and put them in the slips, it'd be more interesting.

[adamsputnik]

When does footy season start again?

Well, the NAB Cup is in February ;)

[Jeor]

It's a pity Hussey was the one to drop the initial catch, he's otherwise been such an invaluable member of the team in these first two games. Trott is finally gone but he should have been gone ages ago - the Hussey catch, or the Haddin caught behind (although the latter didn't cost too many runs). Certainly the fielding has declined from the 'golden age' but it was also a case of having so many opportunities that the odd drop almost didn't matter. Now with the attack much less incisive, every chance has to be taken and it isn't working out.

Australia not entirely out of this match yet; it's conceivable if they can limit England to a lead of about 100 or so - then they'd bat second and get 400, set a target of 300 in the last innings on a pitch that has hopefully deteriorated and that would still be a competitive match. However I think it far more likely that England is going to bat themselves into a winning position. If they get 500 (which is quite possible at roughly 2/200) then they might not have to worry so much about batting again or on the last day.

[sh_wulff]

I like seeing Punter suffer!

[Jeor]

Australia not entirely out of this match yet; it's conceivable if they can limit England to a lead of about 100 or so - then they'd bat second and get 400, set a target of 300 in the last innings on a pitch that has hopefully deteriorated and that would still be a competitive match. However I think it far more likely that England is going to bat themselves into a winning position. If they get 500 (which is quite possible at roughly 2/200) then they might not have to worry so much about batting again or on the last day.

Hm, the more I see it, the more Australia's hopes of getting back into the match look like some absurd pipedream. England's batsmen must be queuing up for the chance on an Adelaide track with this popgun bowling attack. I predict an innings defeat here...500+ by the English and we'll be bowled out before we overtake the deficit.