The Convicts Return

[broadsword]

You don't come back from losing the first test to the Aussies.

More pain to come. Who Ian Bell is I don't know. Seems like a latter-day Graeme Hick. The openers don't hang around for long enough, and it puts more pressure on the skipper who has enough problems as it is. Reminiscent of Atherton, although of course he opened.

The first three wickets you can take as given, and then of course we are still waiting for Freddie's contribution with the bat.

I predict 4-0 to Australia.

The pain just goes on. What will it take to beat these b*stards?

[Eddie]

Well the optimism lasted long didn't it!

This England team has lost matches before and won series, and played badly and won series, and come from behind to win series. There is no reason why they can't come back from 1 down, everyone predicted a loss at Lords anyway, now it's time to take the positives from that match, we did afterall take 20 wickets and could have had 26/27 easily, while Pietersen, Tresothick and Strauss all showed that they can contribute well with the bat.

[broadsword]

But I was never optimistic Eddie!

Just hopeful that we'd avoid humiliation!

It will be another 2 series (maybe one at a push) before we can beat these buggers.

[modes98]

Who Ian Bell is I don't know.

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Ian Bell is one of the most highly rated english batsmen and has been for the past 4 years! He should have been introduced against the aussies when we had already lost the ashes last time to give him the experiance of playing them, even if he was then dropped afterwards. But he wasn't and now he gets thrown in against the best test match team in the world and is expected to pick and play some the best bowlers in the world!

I've seen him progress at warks and in his heard of his winter spells abroad and he will do well for england!

The good point of thorpe quitting is that bell is almost 100% for the rest of the ashes and he needs that platform to push his current 70+ county average to the test team!

Seeing as kev can bowl spin, why are we playing giles who hasn't had the best of summers so far, due to injury. While a top form giles is worth a place, surely getting another batsmen in that line up wouldn't harm the bowling attack that much?

going for 3-1 to the aussies!

Edited July 24, 2005 by modes98

[den]

I thought the batting today, was irresponsible, to say the least. Surely the aim had to be survival at all cost. With the weather as it was and a poor forecast for tomorrow, to surrender as feebly as we did, was a flashback to the bad old days of the last decade and beyond.

This England side has a lot going for it - young, and with no small amount of talent. They must learn from this and learn fast.

[Simon Says]

we are still waiting for Freddie's contribution with the bat.

Big problem with Flintoff is that he has hardly had a bat all summer so far. You can forget the one dayers I am talking about "proper cricket".

He has only played one game for Lancashire and playing for England against Bangladesh he did not get to bat at all.

Something else England need to be wary of is the bowling workload on Flintoff and Harmison. The way England have been successful of late is by using Harmy and Fred as "strike" bowlers then bringing on Giles as a stock bowler to give them a rest so they could return later refreshed. The Aussies were aware of this a simply knocked Giles out of the attack. Harmison and Flintoff bowled way to many overs and at this rate will be knackered by the end of the 3rd test.

[Manchester Blue]

Flintoff not batting against Banlgadesh was exactly the reason why we should never have played them. We gained nothing from those games at all. The openers just had some batting practice but were never tested. The only benefit could have been confidence but they had that in abundance anyway after the run we've had. Instead we played games against a side worse than any county side and achieved nothing.

Questions should be asked of whoever has planned this summer's fixtures.

[Flopsy]

except walloping the aussies though

good days

[Rovers_4_life]

Which fool decided to drop Graham Thorpe? Nobody can honestly say they would prefer Ian Bell in the side ahead of Graham Thorpe, there is just no contest.

Thought Pieterson proved to everybody he is test standard just a shame he had a mare in the field when usually he's excellent. Maybe that can be put down to nerves and him wanting to impress so much but we were poor all round in the field.

We'll have to sharpenm up a lot if we are to have a chance - and stop collapsing in the batting department.

[Timmy]

Questions should be asked of whoever has planned this summer's fixtures.

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The ECB and they botched it up-totally

1. The ashes should have started earlier in the season, so english seam bowlers can take advantage of damper and greener wickets, and reducing Warne's effect

2. to many ODI's allowing oz to find their form, and thier bowlers to get fit. Those 3 ODI should have been played after the ashes.

3. 1st test at Lords (where the aussies always win)

4. not having a Test in Leeds, with a wicket that would suit bowlers like Hoggard.

still some postives for the rest of the series.

1. The aussies don't like KP, and he can play Warne

2. No Lords slope to aid McGrath.

3. Partisan growd at Egbaston should stir up england

4. Battings got to improve

5. England will never drop 7 catches in a match again

6. warne will get finger strain from over texting

[Flopsy]

I love Point 6

[grizfoot]

Well unlucky England dropping them catches really cost us the game.

[cn_barlow]

On a positive note i dont think England can bat so badly again this series....although i wouldn't put any money on it!!

Too many people are being carried by the rest of the team...Vaughn and freddie with the bat were very disappointed. Some of Vaughn decisions in the field were a bit odd aswell and you have to wonder why thorpe isnt in instead of Bell who is too inexperienced to play a major part in this series.

Although Pieterson did bat well...his catching was nothing short of atrotious and added nearly 100 runs to the Aussies total. If Clarke had been caught early on then it could have been different.

Oh well....England to win 3-1!

does the next test start this thursday?

[SouthAussieRover]

I was led to believe from several quarters that this England team was good enough rather than having to pray for rain.

Edited July 24, 2005 by SouthAussieRover

[neekoy]

Oh my oh my, different team same attitude

How is the confidence, I've got ten bucks on wholesale changes because we've hit panic stations....

[dave birch]

I'll give you 10/1 with your ten bucks!

What do you consider "wholesale changes", that would be two or three at LEAST?Barring injuries that is not going to happen.

Remember, as far as the tests go Australia has done 20% of the job required.

Edited July 25, 2005 by dave birch

[blue phil]

Anything under 350 is an attainable target . England have bottle these days

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Doh....

[Eddie]

Well the target wasn't under 350, if it had been and we had been 80-0 I think the Aussies would have been worried and those coming in next would have been in a postive frame of mind and not felt like they were fighting a losing battle. Whether or not that would have really helped our failing middle order I'm not sure, but it's nice to think that it would have.

[broadsword]

It might have been under 350 if we'd held our catches. Sigh.

Never mind, maybe one day we will have a team of naturalised Brits, and maybe we'll get a draw.

[Bijani]

What do Geraint Jones and Michael Jackson have in common??

They both wear gloves for no apparent reason

[Eddie]

It might have been under 350 if we'd held our catches. Sigh.

Never mind, maybe one day we will have a team of naturalised Brits, and maybe we'll get a draw.

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Don't worry Bryan...Hopefully you'll eventually have me!

[modes98]

What do Geraint Jones and Michael Jackson have in common??

They both wear gloves for no apparent reason

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Profile

Apart from the 60 test match catches in 16 matches!

Ave. Catches per match!

Gilchrist: 3.81

Jones: 3.75

hehe shamon!

[neekoy]

Jones 16 tests

Gilchrist 69 tests

[Timmy]

I would (IMHO) consider Gilchrist a batsman who can keep (and keep very well mind you) rather than a 'keeper who can bat. A bit in the Alec Stewart mold

[emerton]

What would you call Glen McGrath in an England Team

An all rounder

What do you call an England player with a Hundred next to his name on the scorecard?

A bowler