The Convicts Return

[pg]

Englands major problem is that they no longer have home field advantage. Every Aussie in the team now plays county cricket and knows the English grounds and conditions almost as well as the English test players.

It could be argued that the only way England will regain the ashes is to level the playing field and either :

1) Ban Aussies from country cricket... or at the very least put a limit on them.

2) Come out themselves and play a few games of Sheffield Shield Cricket before an Ashes series.

Assuming of course that Australia's old and weatherbeaten attack manages to survive the English summer and we don't cop a hiding.

[Nate]

Englands major problem is that they no longer have home field advantage.  Every Aussie in the team now plays county cricket and knows the English grounds and conditions almost as well as the English test players.

It could be argued that the only way England will regain the ashes is to level the playing field and either :

1) Ban Aussies from country cricket... or at the very least put a limit on them.

2) Come out themselves and play a few games of Sheffield Shield Cricket before an Ashes series.

Assuming of course that Australia's old and weatherbeaten attack manages to survive the English summer and we don't cop a hiding.

321964[/snapback]

English summer aka Australian winter

[T4E]

The only player that really worries me is Warne.  Take Warne out of their attack and I genuinely believe that our bowling attack is better.

321902[/snapback]

I think you're forgetting a certain G McGrath, old and injured but still a dangerous wicket-taker after he has slipped the umpire the odd fiver or two.

What tiddles me off is the way in which the ECB has been so accommodating to the enemy, devising a schedule that gives them maximum practice and playing time before the Tests and allowing the infidels to acclimatise by playing county cricket, viz lardarse drug-baron Warne at Hampshire.

I wouldn't let them in the country until two days the first Test at Lord's on July 21, and only then on the proviso that they promise to attend the serious offenders rehabilitation unit at Parkhurst for corrective training.

321910[/snapback]

Its post like that one that make you my favourite.

[Lee]

Assuming of course that Australia's old and weatherbeaten attack manages to survive the English summer and we don't cop a hiding.

321964[/snapback]

Summer ends this week Paul, its been lovely weather here since Sunday.

All games washed out, then Lee doesn't get his wish to watch the fifth day at Old Trafford on his birthday

[Sydney Rovers]

What tiddles me off is the way in which the ECB has been so accommodating to the enemy, devising a schedule that gives them maximum practice and playing time before the Tests and allowing the infidels to acclimatise by playing county cricket, viz lardarse drug-baron Warne at Hampshire.

I wouldn't let them in the country until two days the first Test at Lord's on July 21, and only then on the proviso that they promise to attend the serious offenders rehabilitation unit at Parkhurst for corrective training.

321910[/snapback]

Maybe if ECB hadn't decided to get some "practise" in against Bangladesh they would have played the games in June. Anyway the ECB just knows that the only time people want to see cricket in England is when they play Australia, so the ECB might as well get as much money out of cricket fans by playing worthless one day and 20/20 matches.

I'd say Gillespie's better than McGrath these days.  And neither of them are as good as Harmison.

321916[/snapback]

Hopefully this time Harmison has worked out how to bowl the ball onto the pitch.

[tassierover]

England should be nicely battle hardened after that tough work out against the sub continent giants but Ill go out on a limb and predict a hard fought 5 nil series win to Rickys mob.

Weather permitting of course.

[caithnessman]

I hope we stuff them, coz they have got the biggest egos in the world! After cowboy George Bush

[SouthAussieRover]

England should be nicely battle hardened after that tough work out against the sub continent giants but Ill go out on a limb and predict a hard fought 5 nil series win to Rickys mob.

Weather permitting of course.

322038[/snapback]

Aye Tass I know what you mean.

There's nothing like playing vs the mighty spinners from the subcontinent.Lets face it Bangladesh are right up there when it comes to spinners and master batsmen. I can't recall when England played vs those minnows,India, on dirt tracks of wickets toiling vs spinners and having to bat for long hours.

And what's this about old Australian bowlers???Hell those grandpas Warne and McGrath will have to settle for accuracy and let the young uns soften up the wannabees.

Edited June 8, 2005 by SouthAussieRover

[Bijani]

Arrgh, the hard nuts from the colony are gunna do the Poms. Anyone one that says otherwise has been drinking too much tea.

[broadsword]

Seems like England should be the ones running up sand dunes for hours one end for teh last couple of months, and the Aussies taking it easy; rather than the other way around.

[dave birch]

Bryan, Those dunes are a favorite with teams wanting to get fit. They are at Cronulla, about 10 kms from where I live. Steep soft sand, murder to run up, requiring a lot of energy. Just the way to increase your stamina.

[Blueboy Downunder]

i aint fussed what the final score is, just as long as england are on the right side of it come the end of the ashes series.

and one message for all of us england fans...."PLEASE DO NOT GET EXCITED, AS FATE WILL CONSPIRE AGAINST US"

we do have a very very good team, squad etc etc as seen first hand in south africa last winter. if we play like we did over there, then the ashes will be coming home.......HOPEFULLY!!

[broadsword]

Cronulla, that's the name!

I'm sure I'd bound up them no worries :-)

[Timmy]

A few seasons ago I was reading an article which amounted to an obituary for English cricket…England had been losing for years, people no longer interested, TV revenue in doubt…etc.

However since then English cricket has gone through something of a renascence. England have climbed to 2nd best team, we have some true world class players (harmison, flintoff, etc). Plus 20/20 cricket has come along with grounds full to capacity. This ashes series has been over subscribed by 250,000.

It was 20 years ago when I first started to follow cricket. Learning how to throw a ball in my back yard got me hooked…not a bad year to be hooked with it being the last time England had won the ashes on home soil. Since then I have seen many false dawns many 5th test wins, only to lose the series 4-1. Many average, and many good players come and ago. I have seen the demise of cricket written up in the papers. How can a sport that last hours and days compete in a global TV market where instant results are demanded.

However I believe that after 20 years of waiting for an ashes win, this is going to be the year.

Who needs the football starting in august when you got this?

[philipl]

I desperately want England to win but being realistic it is only a question of what flows the most- the rain or English tears.

[ABBEY]

or warnes drug fueleed syringe or brett i look so gay chuckers arm or gills gay pony tail...lol.

grrrrrrrr i see the first day but fly out to tenerife on the 2nd day..mind you i will be able to us go 1 up on sky

[jim mk2]

Well played England.

First blow against the forces of evil in what is going to be a gloriously successful summer for God's chosen nation.

The convicts were so poor they made Bangladesh seem competant.

[Timmy]

sorry was I watching bangladash or the aussies?

[Nate]

Hmmm, a win at 'backyard cricket' and the Ashes are yours. And you guys have a go at Australians and their egos.

[Scotty]

Hmmm, a win at 'backyard cricket' and the Ashes are yours. And you guys have a go at Australians and their egos. 

323557[/snapback]

But you know as well as I do that, had the Aussies beaten us, all you convicts would have been rushing on here to crow about how you're the greatest.

In reality yesterday's win means next to nothing when determining who's going to win the Ashes. What it does do though is just put another little chink in the Aussies "invincible" reputation. England have now won the last three matches against the Aussies and our confidence is growing with each win.

England are already a good team. Give them confidence, show them that the Aussies are beatable, and who knows how good England could be this summer.

[Nate]

Hmmm, a win at 'backyard cricket' and the Ashes are yours. And you guys have a go at Australians and their egos. 

323557[/snapback]

But you know as well as I do that, had the Aussies beaten us, all you convicts would have been rushing on here to crow about how you're the greatest.

In reality yesterday's win means next to nothing when determining who's going to win the Ashes. What it does do though is just put another little chink in the Aussies "invincible" reputation. England have now won the last three matches against the Aussies and our confidence is growing with each win.

England are already a good team. Give them confidence, show them that the Aussies are beatable, and who knows how good England could be this summer.

323564[/snapback]

Not really a cricket follower nowdays, but would like to see the English win the Ashes.

[neekoy]

Good win by the English, now if they could only do the same thing in 500 over cricket they would be world beaters.......

They should call it 20/20 slog

[Manchester Blue]

They can call it what you want but you'd still be crap at it on that showing. Funnily enough the side that picked their shots and didn't panic were rewarded. The side that did just slog were punished.

[Blueboy Downunder]

it was a good win for us but lets not get overly confident as there is a long way to go this summer before we can really start to celebrate. we are all here for the ashes, nothing else matters as the song goes.

i don't know if any of you was in south africa, but the way we played over there for that 5 test series was excellent and the best cricket i have seen us play for many many years...as i said in another post, replicate that and we will win the series.

[bellamy11]

Good win by the English, now if they could only do the same thing in 500 over cricket they would be world beaters.......

They should call it 20/20 slog

323566[/snapback]

Because Hayden and Gilchrist are just tappy-tappy players and it doesn't suit your style? There was a boundary yesterday where one of those two didn't hit the ball anything like cleanly and it still went for four, such was the power.

None of the Aussies showed the sense to just play themselves in. 9 an over is very possible with two comfortable batsmen, even if they aren't sloggers.