Do we not have an Ashes thread?

[Elton]

poledark:

 

 

 What about the one who was fined(?) 20% of his fee for getting excited and pointing to the pavillion..........bit over the top surely?

 

  Den

Den,

 

I think that was because they had been specifically told that was outlawed.

[UK-Fishing-Tackle.co.uk]

My understanding too - that sort of thing is for 20/20 which I quite enjoy...Test matches are a bit more serious.

 

Chev - England are just useless at fielding - and yes I suspect you are right - a quick dive over or nowhere near the ball usually means you do not have to chase it. Jones is just not a class wicket keeper - in fact - England even admit it. He was put in the side because he can supposedly bat, and has been given 'additional' wicket keeping lessons to bring him up to scratch.

 

As I've said before - test cricket AND especially the ASHES is no place to be learning a trade. Your keeper needs to have safe hands, and I think Read would have done the job better as a keeper (and probably over the five matches score as many runs).

 

Probably a very similar thing to the Russell and Stewart problem, where an excellent keeper was dropped for a player who was really a batsman.

 

My other problem with jones though is that he is not authoratitive behind the stumps. Listen to Gilchrist and he barks orders at the bowlers and fielders and (occasionally) makes the odd jibe at the batsman (all in good humour...probably). Jones, doesn't say a bloody word. The impressive thing with Gilchrist is how he combines with players like Warne and just knows what is happening all the time (i.e. the Pietersen catch). I do not think Jones would have been anywhere near it.

 

That said, it sets the series up well. I am a bit relieved that I am probably going to get to see some play (we have tickets for day 3,4,5 at Trent Bridge) and can only hope it is as exciting - and produces the same result - as this match.

[rabster]

Here you go Ian, the BBC give Vaughan 7 out of 10!

 

 

Fair enough, we won, but no way does Vaughan warrant a 7. I think he maybe scrapes a 5.

 

How exciting was that this morning though, I actually started to feel slightly sick when it looked like we'd let them off the hook. I was out of the room when we won as I could no longer watch.

 

I think England will take massive confidence from this win. Fingers crossed that McGrath is missing for a couple more tests & we may even regain the ashes.

 

Happy Days!

[chevin]

poledark:

He wasn't consoling him Steve, he was telling him (sympathetically of course) to go home and have a good cry      

 

 What about the one who was fined(?) 20% of his fee for getting excited and pointing to the pavillion..........bit over the top surely?

 

  Den

I think that is a little bit unfair on Flintoff. He is a true competitor who knows the pain of losing and in victory was gracious enough to acknowledge Lee's distress over getting so close but still failing.

 

And one little incident like the one you mention hardly destroys the spirit of the whole match. I saw no sign of obvious sledging or ill-feeling among the players. I thought that the match was played in excellent spirit and I am sure that every other player on the field feels some sympathy for Kaps. I just hope that the majority of Aussie supporters remember what he did in that last innings rather than the damn good ball that brought about his downfall! He was no more to blame for the loss of that match than any of the other ten in the team who had held a bat in that innings - with perhaps the exception of Lee who, like Kaps, did far more than could have been expected of him.

[Vagabond]

Before I went fishing for the weekend, I saw three Aussie wickets fall on Friday morning - each one was engineered by Vaughan's field placing - tailored to the batsman concerned.

 

I wonder about the credentials of the bar-stool cricket managers who are calling for Vaughan's head. I remember a similar campaign against Mike Brearley.......

[UK-Fishing-Tackle.co.uk]

Rab - what a joke! Jesus, if that is true and not knocked up in photoshop the person responsible for writing it wants shooting (I'll take their job).

 

IN NO WAY can Vaughan be called a pro-active captain. Graeme Smith, Ponting are pro-active captains (sometimes too pro-active, as it can slow the game down these on field meetings ), but Vaughan no. Besides, any captain that persistently fails to perform at his speciality (i.e. batting) should be given the boot, let alone any rating above 5! It was a very close match, but lets not get overly taken back by it being an immense tactical battle. The batting was fast and furious, wickets fell to good (and bad) bowling, and in the end England won by 2 runs, which could EASILY have gone the other way but for one shot (let's remember that) - would Vaughan have been given 5 and Ponting 7 then...

 

Old Trafford is a turning wicket and unless we blatanty cheat (or take home advantage) the Aussies will come out with two spinners and with the stunning form of Warne it could be very hard going....

 

Beefy is giving it some in the press:

http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/commo...5E12428,00.html

I am sure the Aussies are quaking at night thinking of the threat of Ashley Giles.

[Chris Plumb]

Meanwhile back in the Aussie camp Brett Lee has been admitted to hospital with a swollen knee and may miss the next test!

 

 

C.

[UK-Fishing-Tackle.co.uk]

Unless they do manage to get the old trafford wicket sorted it probably won't matter - It's bound to be Warne/MacGill taking most of the wickets.

 

When I was taught cricket (15 years ago) I was told that spinners couldn't (shouldn't) bowl until about over 20/25 plus as the ball doesn't turn. I am sure Warne/Strauss would beg to differ!!!

[awaaar]

really enjoyed that on Sunday....I've no fingernails left though

[chevin]

Chris Plumb:

Meanwhile back in the Aussie camp Brett Lee has been admitted to hospital with a swollen knee and may miss the next test!        

 

 

C.

Surely you would want to beat a full strength Aussie team though? That is the only way to score a totally convincing victory.