Ashes - First Test

[Remi Moses]

Re: Ashes - First Test

Johnson's bowling pies !Either Harris or Bollinger must come in,with the three day break coming up it's imperative we change the bowling line up
The toss in Adelaide might decide the game

[Topdog]

Re: Ashes - First Test

We did lose some time through bad light/ rain, but there should be no excuse for the way a few of our batters performed... looking at you in particular Mr. Clarke, 9 off 50 balls in 76 min... you're kidding yourself.

So did England though. It was an extremely slow start and the only one who had an excuse was Haddin as his role was to stay there and make sure Hussey had a partner.

[Topdog]

Re: Ashes - First Test

People have blasted Clarke for being selfish, but the selectors choose who is in the team -- playing cricket is Clarke's job, and he's not going to put his hand up to get fired, but the selectors should do it for him, and until they do, he has every right to believe he is doing the right thing by playing. It's Hilditch and Co that have to make the difficult calls, but they will never stand up to Ponting.

Disagree, its a recurring injury and one Clarke has battled for at least a year. Only he would know the true extent of it and if he has been able to play through it for a year the selectors can't magically know that this test will be the one that limits him.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Ashes - First Test

Disagree, its a recurring injury and one Clarke has battled for at least a year. Only he would know the true extent of it and if he has been able to play through it for a year the selectors can't magically know that this test will be the one that limits him.

True, but he's been crap, so the selectors should pick him on form (which his injury affects), so they shouldn't be picking him on whether or not he is injured, but on his performance.

Look, it doesn't matter if he's been injured for a year if he keeps making centuries, but the guy has been flighty at best, and his fielding has been poor for a while now so why are the selectors relying on his word to pick him? Just pick someone else who IS performing.

Too many undroppables.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Ashes - First Test

How many times have we heard that a player has hidden an injury from Rocket, only for him to go out and play poorly. Who's fault is that?

If it's a player who has been playing poorly all year, and Rocket selects the kid because he tells Rocket that he's fine, it's Rocket's fault, of course. See Higgins et al. Players put their hands up, selectors select the team. When your vice-captain starts dictating if he is picked or not you have a conflict of interest.

It's not like Clarke has been in sparkling form.

[anfo27]

Re: Ashes - First Test

This is a ridiculous post which shows almost no understanding of Test cricket whatsoever and someone who has been brought up on a diet of mickey mouse 20/20 and ODI batting.

England were 200+ runs behind after the 1st innings, with Australia having all the momentum -- their first priority was getting level and then going ahead without losing wickets as they were still in danger of losing. Can't imagine a much better approach than that taken by the England bats -- risk free play, solid defense, yet looking to score off the pedestrian balls (of which there were many). Perfect tactics, killed the match while still scoring well enough to potentially set up a 5th day win (unlikely). Yet, you are suggesting they throw their bats to improve their already reasonable run-rate and potentially get bowled out to lose by an innings? I guess it's understandable for a generation raised under the non-tactical brain of one Ricky Ponting. England aren't a team of brilliant players (only no.4 Test Nation) so played within their abilities to maximise the situation, rather than trying to over-reach and get destroyed. If Australia could do the same (play within our abilities rather than still believing we are the dominant team from 5 years ago) we may be better than the no.5 Test country.

Plenty of teams have come here and been bowled out cheaply (especially at the Gabba, which is a fortress) -- so they combined solid defense with good shotmaking and neutralised a difficult situation. Their priority is to win the Ashes, not entertain those wanting a 20-20 exhibition. Perfect Test cricket, can't see how anyone can complain about such a brilliant show of top-class all-round batting.

Who took the jam out of your doughnut Lantern or should i call you the oracle since you know everything.
For starters sunshine you have know idea who i am, how old i am or whether i have played backyard cricket or district cricket, so for you to come out with a response like that is very arrogant. It seems to me that you and a few other posters on this site have an inflated opinion of themselves and think they have the right to talk down to people because they see things differently. I may have a differrent opinion to you (surprise surprise) but that doesn't make it ridiculous. For the record I don't watch 20/20 cricket as to me its more a form of entertainment than a sport and i have played competitive cricket for over 20 years.
I understand the poms tactics i just don't agree with them as they are too conservative for my liking. At tea they had already established a lead with the loss of one wicket and i don't know what game you were watching if you actually thought the poms had any chance of losing that game against the aussies pedestrian attack.
I wasn't asking for them to come out and bat like a 20/20 game but rather try and take the game on and increase the run rate and don't give me this rubbish about what their run rate was for the innings when they only would have scored 70 odd runs for the session. Its not like they were facing anybody who was bowling a cracking spell like Jimmy Anderson did the other day.
They say they don't fear us, well if thats the case then they should back themselves in that situation because in a situation like that with 9 wickets in hand with a lead and 4 sessions to play & 2 blokes seeing the ball like a beach ball i'd expect a better approach than 70 odd bloody runs.

[chef]

Re: Ashes - First Test

I don't like this crossing to some guy to get the up to date odds, especially in a children's time slot.

[Bornadog]

Re: Ashes - First Test

How has Johnson lost the ability to bowl at 150km/H?

Maybe not fit enough, or hampered by an injury that hasn't fully recovered. eitherw ay bring in Dougie and drop him.

England really weren't interested in going for a win, they seemed to be happy to draw this one.