The Ashes 2010/11

[Ski the Swift]

Why isn't Hughes in the line up anyways? They couldn't use Katich for bowling.

[delete this account pls]

There is no emoticon for what I'm feeling right now.

[Slick Mongoose]

And I thought they'd put up a fight. :cheers:

[Xray the Enforcer]

and it's done!

[Xray the Enforcer]

And I thought they'd put up a fight. :cheers:

I thought I was going to have to stay up all damned night before today started. What happened to the Australian batting?

[williamjm]

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go eat glass and rub chilli on my eyes in hopes of forgetting this embarrassing display of so-called batting by Australia.

It was surprisingly bad by Australia today. I thought they'd lose, but not so meekly after yesterday when they did at least put up a bit of a fight. After playing so well in the series so far I don't know what Hussey was thinking of with that shot and Ryan Harris' failure to even try to play the ball was pathetic.

[Hereward]

Because you poms are arrogant, so you already think you guys are super-awesome? :P

In a more serious note, I don't think you can ever stop improving in cricket (unless you're sachin :P). Tactics are always changing (unless you're ponting, then you just ask the 8 ball) and players need to adapt. Anyone can have variety but mastering it can be quite difficult. England still have a long way to go in terms of improvement, spcially if they want to be #1 in test cricket. Its just that Australia have not been able to expose their weakness so it's hard to see where they can improve. And this goes for both bowling and batting.

Nah, that is merely the Pompousity Effect that is widespread in English cricket ground, where English players appear better than they actually are.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go eat glass and rub chilli on my eyes in hopes of forgetting this embarrassing display of so-called batting by Australia.

England are arrogant? Have you missed the last 20 years? Australia have been the arrogant ones, and with good reason, but it's pretty pathetic to start talking about English arrogance when we finally start winning. Perhaps congratulations might be a better response,

[Ser_not_appearing_yet]

YEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

I have to be up at 7 tommorow but I'm getting pissed anyway, so happy right now

[The Winged Shadow]

England are arrogant? Have you missed the last 20 years? Australia have been the arrogant ones, and with good reason, but it's pretty pathetic to start talking about English arrogance when we finally start winning. Perhaps congratulations might be a better response,

You are right, of course. Congratulation to the Poms for the mauling that we so thoroughly deserved.

I can only hope there is some fire still left in Australia. But we'll just have to wait and see. :(

[Stubby]

Hereward,

Your mob totally deserved the win. They did everything better - batting, bowling and fielding.

Here's a little something to help you celebrate the win properly.

[Jeor]

Well, it was all a little bit too close to my prediction for comfort. Like I said, the Australian tail collapsed like a house of cards. The scores from Nos 8-11 in the series for Australia now reads:

0, 16, 6, 1*, 0, 6, 3, 0*, 0, 5, 6, 7*.

Hardly inspiring fight from the tail.

Excellent win by England of course, and it would have been a travesty and miscarriage of justice if rain had created a draw out of it. I have the small consolation of about a $60 profit from betfair, but little else...

[Stubby]

The temptation to mess with the team is getting stronger. I’m beginning to think wholesale changes are needed. There will, of course, be one forced change.

With Katich confirmed out for the rest of the series with an achilles injury, Australia will be forced to select a new opening batsman. Hussey was a long-term opener for Western Australia in Shield cricket before his ascension to the test arena, but I think it would be a mistake to move him from the middle order at this stage. He has proven to be an anchoring influence this summer and the fragility of the middle order means that the major backbone should not be removed.

This issue may save North for one more match. I doubt the selectors will want to make two changes to the batting lineup. Stranger things have happened of course.

So, the candidates, taken as the top 5 run scorers in the current Shield season, are:

Khawaja

D Hussey

Blizzard

The Clown

S Marsh

Of those, the clown is an all-rounder and we already have one AR operating as a stand-in opener. Khawaja is a real chance. D Hussey is getting on a bit. I don’t know much about Blizzard, but that probably means the current Aussie selectors will pick him! Marsh would be an outsider as he generally bats at 4 for WA. On the other hand, he has been used as a successful opener in ODI’s before. My guess is a decision between Khawaja and Marsh, unless the selectors pluck someone from obscurity.

I don’t think Doherty has grabbed his chance. Hauritz took a bag of wickets last week playing for NSW at the WACA ground, so he would be a big chance for a return. Harris should bowl well on the WACA pitch, as will Siddle IMO. Bollinger is still not fit IMO. I would drop Dougie and bring back Stuart Clark for the WACA test but he seems to be on the outer for some reason.

[Jeor]

The temptation to mess with the team is getting stronger. I’m beginning to think wholesale changes are needed. There will, of course, be one forced change.

With Katich confirmed out for the rest of the series with an achilles injury, Australia will be forced to select a new opening batsman. Hussey was a long-term opener for Western Australia in Shield cricket before his ascension to the test arena, but I think it would be a mistake to move him from the middle order at this stage. He has proven to be an anchoring influence this summer and the fragility of the middle order means that the major backbone should not be removed.

This issue may save North for one more match. I doubt the selectors will want to make two changes to the batting lineup. Stranger things have happened of course.

So, the candidates, taken as the top 5 run scorers in the current Shield season, are:

Khawaja

D Hussey

Blizzard

The Clown

S Marsh

Of those, the clown is an all-rounder and we already have one AR operating as a stand-in opener. Khawaja is a real chance. D Hussey is getting on a bit. I don’t know much about Blizzard, but that probably means the current Aussie selectors will pick him! Marsh would be an outsider as he generally bats at 4 for WA. On the other hand, he has been used as a successful opener in ODI’s before. My guess is a decision between Khawaja and Marsh, unless the selectors pluck someone from obscurity.

I don’t think Doherty has grabbed his chance. Hauritz took a bag of wickets last week playing for NSW at the WACA ground, so he would be a big chance for a return. Harris should bowl well on the WACA pitch, as will Siddle IMO. Bollinger is still not fit IMO. I would drop Dougie and bring back Stuart Clark for the WACA test but he seems to be on the outer for some reason.

Stuart Clark did a great job last time but I think his pace is down and he's getting on a bit so the selectors aren't likely to think of him. My changes for the next Test would go something along the lines of dropping North (as the stats show, he's a good frontrunner but not the man to save you when we're in trouble, the latter is what we need), Bollinger (who wasn't fit) and Doherty (who has never looked like taking wickets). Obviously Katich is also out.

The easiest swap is for Hauritz to go in for Doherty. Hauritz is a better batsman, more experienced bowler, and much tidier economically. He won't get bags of wickets but he will offer more pressure and control compared to Doherty, who seemed to bowl a boundary ball every over. And his record shows he is actually fairly reliable in picking up a wicket or two every innings at least; certainly no worse than Doherty. I think that one's a no-brainer.

If Hauritz comes in that also puts North under more threat because North's offspinners won't be as useful if there's already a frontline offspinner in place. Khawaja's first-class numbers are impeccable so I expect he'll find his way in at North's expense.

Bollinger could be a real asset if match fit; he bowls with hostile pace and the WACA could suit him and the left-armer's line. However if he isn't 110% fit there is no point in playing him otherwise he'll be a passenger like in this Test. Assuming Harris and Siddle continue, I'd get Hilfenhaus back in the side for some steadying stock bowling and early swing. The WACA doesn't swing all that much but Hilfy can still be useful as a holding bowler and for new-ball bursts. I'm still not sure I'd want to risk putting Johnson in so soon but I'd somewhat understand if the selectors wanted to take that gamble on the WACA.

I don't really know what to do about the opening position though; although he's done it before I wouldn't want to move Hussey to open, and I don't think moving North there is a good option either. That position will probably have to be a shot in the dark.

[sh_wulff]

Won't speculate on team changes, but the poms did really well- congrats.

[Hereward]

Wasn't I grumpy? Sorry, and thanks for the tractor!

PS Don't drop Dougy, he's very helpful for the creation of rough.

[The Winged Shadow]

Don't drop Dougy, he's very helpful for the creation of rough.

For Swann! Ditch him ASAP I say, before Swann rips us another one :stillsick:

[Xray the Enforcer]

Here's a little something to help you celebrate the win properly.

don't we have a rule against posting pr0n 'round here? :P

[Hereward]

don't we have a rule against posting pr0n 'round here? :P

Bah, that was totally vanilla, almost SFW. It's not like it was snuff p0rn. :leer:

[Xray the Enforcer]

Bah, that was totally vanilla, almost SFW. It's not like it was snuff p0rn. :leer:

:lol: good thing I'm not on my work computer!

[Stubby]

Bah, that was totally vanilla, almost SFW. It's not like it was snuff p0rn. :leer:

:rofl: :rofl: