THE ASHES

[MKFox]

Shame that one of the best teams we have had (on paper) are still hoping for a rain affected result.
Bell, never before did a name suit so well....

 

[Brauny Blue]

The bad news from Lords is that the sun is out:icon_sad: . Thought we might escape today.

 

[Brauny Blue]

Play to start at 3.45.
The end is nigh.

 

[Brauny Blue]

159-7 and raining again.Only 4 overs bowled for 4 runs and 2 more wickets. Feckin abject surrender. There's more fight in Julian Clary than this bunch. Pathetic.

 

[MKFox]

:icon_sad:
woeful, at least KP showed some bollox...hope he works on the catching before the next test...

 

[Brauny Blue]

BB's verdict:​

Trescothick... 4.
Straus...........4 .
Vaughan...... 3 ----we need more from the skip.
Bell ...............1 -----why did we expose him to the worlds best bowlers. Confidence will be zero after this.
Pietersen...... 8 ----Englands best player and the only one the Aussies would like in their side. Would have gave him 9 but 3 catches were put down by him.
Flintoff.......... 5---Bowled well, but batted like a no11.
Jones............ 3---poor game.Batted o.k in 1st innings everything else was a disaster.
Giles............. 2---when you compare player for player. Shane Warne v Giles is a sad joke.
Hoggard........ 3---gives it 100%, but way short of whats required in this game.
Harmison ......7---Bowled well in the 1st innings, but we badly needed him to wipe up the aussie tail 2nd time around. The 100+ runs their last 3 wkts put on killed us.
S. Jones........ 5---Bowled o.k but was let down by missed catches from various fielders.
Feel free to disagree with my opinions.

 

[Scodger Cubs]

Giles has to go IMO, but i don't think he's ever going to be dropped with Vaughan as captain

He can't spin the fecker and he now can't bat. The Aussies have found his weak point - the bouncer

 

[MKFox]

The Aussies have found his weak point - bouncer

:icon_eek:
They're good enough already, they don't need Mrs Mangle's labrador in the attack as well....

 

[Scodger Cubs]

:icon_eek:
They're good enough already, they don't need Mrs Mangle's labrador in the attack as well....

:icon_eek: It'll be dog eat dog, if they do use the labrador!

But who is there to replace Giles??

Batty??

Snape?!

 

[Durham Fox]

:icon_eek: It'll be dog eat dog, if they do use the labrador!

But who is there to replace Giles??

Batty??

Snape?!

If we don't have a decvent spinner then why select one?

 

[Scodger Cubs]

If we don't have a decvent spinner then why select one?

We probably do have a decent spinner, but we never play one because of Vaughan's love for Giles

 

[Joe_Fox]

Why not get Darren Maddy in the team? Oh yeah - he plays for Leicestershire.

 

[Durham Fox]

We probably do have a decent spinner, but we never play one because of Vaughan's love for Giles

I beg to differ.

 

[Durham Fox]

Tis true though that Vaughan worships Giles. A mate of mine regualrly travels with the Barmy Army around the world. The last tour he went on, he upset Michael Vaughan.

I wasn't really aware but apparently when traveling with England you often end up staying in the same hotels as the players and can build up quite a rapport with them. He had done this and knew Michael Vaughan and several of the other players well enough to have a chat to and the occassional beer with.

One day on the tour with England and Giles in particular being pumelled from pillar to post my mate shouted to Giles (with Vaughan in earshot) from the crowd 'bowl him the one that turns' - Vaughan never spoke to him again.

 

[Scodger Cubs]

Tis true though that Vaughan worships Giles. A mate of mine regualrly travels with the Barmy Army around the world. The last tour he went on, he upset Michael Vaughan.

I wasn't really aware but apparently when traveling with England you often end up staying in the same hotels as the players and can build up quite a rapport with them. He had done this and new Michael Vaughan and several of the other players well enough to have a chat to and the occassional beer with.

One day on the tour with England and Giles in particular being pumelled from pillar to post my mate shouted to Giles (with Vaughan in earshot) from the crowd 'bowl him the one that turns' - Vaughan never spoke to him again.

:icon_lol: :icon_lol: Harsh, but true!:icon_lol: :icon_lol:

Even the commentators say it during the match.

But i don't see why Giles is still part of the Test team. Okay, he might be able to slow the run rate down but that's ideal in the limited overs game.

For the Test series, it would be ideal to have a spinner/or another fast pace bowler, who could possibly pick up 2-3 wickets without having to rely on Harmison or Flintoff or Hoggard for them.

 

[Brauny Blue]

:icon_lol: :icon_lol: Harsh, but true!:icon_lol: :icon_lol:

Even the commentators say it during the match.

But i don't see why Giles is still part of the Test team. Okay, he might be able to slow the run rate down but that's ideal in the limited overs game.

For the Test series, it would be ideal to have a spinner/or another fast pace bowler, who could possibly pick up 2-3 wickets without having to rely on Harmison or Flintoff or Hoggard for them.

To be fair Giles did play his part in the last couple of years in Englands climb to No 2 in the world. But in this series he is up against a living legend in Shane Warne. How ever much i'd luv us to beat the Aussies, it is fantastic watching him bowl. The way he sorted Bell out was pure genius. Giles is a decent bowler but will probaly be made to look shite by the top quality batsmen the Aussies have.

 

[fcukcov]

Would Vaughan be playing if he wasnt captain? Hes been pretty awful lately and hasnt had a decent innings for a long time.

 

[Durham Fox]

The fickle English attitude is out in force again with the cricketers I'm affraid. Potential worldbeaters before we start, lose one game and we want to sack the lot of them. I dont think we are good enough to beat the Aussies over a series but then again I thought the same before we started.

2nd best but a long way behind 1st place.

 

[fcukcov]

The fickle English attitude is out in force again with the cricketers I'm affraid. Potential worldbeaters before we start, lose one game and we want to sack the lot of them. I dont think we are good enough to beat the Aussies over a series but then again I thought the same before we started.

2nd best but a long way behind 1st place.

Totally agree. I reckon the aussies will be top for a number of years to come. We just have to keep going and hopefully get better and better. I still stand by my view of vaughan this time. He hasnt been perfomring as England captain should. Specially leading into and through an ashes series.

 

[MKFox]

But in this series he is up against a living legend in Shane Warne. How ever much i'd luv us to beat the Aussies, it is fantastic watching him bowl. The way he sorted Bell out was pure genius.

He is total class brauny, he even got a bouncer in on Sunday!