The Convicts Return

[SouthAussieRover]

Good old Manchester weather

Edited August 13, 2005 by SouthAussieRover

[MCMC1875]

As the saying goes at Old Trafford:

If you can't see the Pennines it's raining....

..and if you can see the Pennines it about to rain.

Nothing changes.

Edited August 13, 2005 by MCMC1875

[Rovers_4_life]

As the saying goes at Old Trafford:

If you can't see the Pennines it's raining....

..and if you can see the Pennines it about to rain.

Nothing changes. 

338619[/snapback]

Thats not quite true as it's usually us that wants it to rain not the Aussies!

[PABBY]

What a fantastic day yesterday at Old Trafford. We were sat 10 yards to the right of the giant screen (as you look at it), 5 rows from the back, slap bang in the middle of the Barmy Army. What an atmosphere! And rather than being for a couple of hours like the footie, it lasted all day. We could really do to borrow Jimmy "You've Only Got One Song" Saville and the trumpeter for all games at Ewood Park.

If you get the chance, break the bank and attend one of these games while you can.

[Timmy]

F**king hell Geraint Jones-butter fingers

it would have been better not playng at all today

[brfcshabba]

I agree on the stumping chance, but the sun did seem to blind him on the catch

[Rovers_4_life]

Even the stumping chance was difficult, the ball did bounce alot higher than normal. I know the sun was in his eyes but that chance was regulation stuff. Lets hope we have 2 fine days weather wise so we can finish the game off.

[philipl]

Great day for Australia- all three sessions went their way.

Fortunately, England are still in a potential match-winning position.

However, we need good weather and three quick wickets or we can forget about winning this Test.

[Timmy]

I agree on the stumping chance, but the sun did seem to blind him on the catch

338832[/snapback]

sorry my late granny (bless her) could have caught that-it was a doddle. And what are those sunglasses for?

all in all a very depressing day. It would have been better for England not to have bothered coming out

[modes98]

sorry my late granny (bless her) could have caught that-it was a doddle. And what are those sunglasses for?

338844[/snapback]

Have you ever tried to catch a ball(tennis or otherwise) while looking into the sun, i'll tell you for free(put your money away) it is damn hard. I have had one in a match but many in practice and you don't catch many, normally if in the deep you play for the bounce!

I have to say jones did well to get in position for the catch and you could tell by his reaction he could hardly see it! probally more the umpires and designer of teh grounds fault!

[pg]

Well, the Aussies look like they are about to lose the Ashes....

..unless they decide to put some form players into the team.

Shaping up as a very strange series. As it stands, both sides batting line-ups are rather fragile and prone to collapse. Whilst we've seen some good innings from some batsmen (Trescothick, Langer, Vaughn, Clarke, Flintoff and Warne), in general you'd say that it has been a bowler's series so far.

I think the main difference between the teams at the moment is that England have five dangerous bowlers who can take wickets, whilst Australia only has three. As others have pointed out, the series has swung 180 degrees since Lords'. Suddenly, Giles and Jones are looking dangerous with the ball and the England bowlers are keeping things tight. Australia is dropping catches and paying for it heavily.

The current batting averages for Australia tell a very interesting tale :

Langer is top on about 38, followed by Clarke, then EXTRAS!!!... and then Shane Warne.

BTW - who really doesn't care about the start of football season at the moment?!?

Edited August 14, 2005 by pg

[Ozz]

Saturday was a dreadful day PG. Rovers got a cuffing in London and England forgot how to bowl and field. And it pished down all day. Burnley won 4-bowt, and I think I have got ringworm.

[Paul]

Im quoting this you drunken Oaf

Hope Paul had a good day too

338591[/snapback]

He certainly did, but had a smaller bar bill than Scotty

Now I don't know a great deal about cricket - I understand the slips but once we get to the gully and silly mid-off (or is it on?) I'm stumped (sorry ) Two adults and 3 kids went, for three of us this was our first full day's cricket. I didn't know how I or my kids would react to watching for 8 hours but in the end needn't have worried. So here's our great day out, it was really very, very good.

We set off, to my amazement, at 8.30am and were in the ground by 9.15. Inside for two minutes and we're grabbed by a photographer offering us a picture with Goochie (I knew who he was, and recognised him). This turned out to be free (excuse the early sceptisism) and we had some fun with GG as he's a WHU fan. Betfair then gave us more wads of stuff including the very useful ticket holders, brilliant idea.

The kids went to the nets but I suddenly felt really ill and had to sit down for lots of coffee and the biggest bacon roll I've ever seen. Soon felt much better but was obviously feeling a bit dozy:

Bloke on npower stand: "Who are you with?"

Me: "Sorry"

BONS: "Who are you with British Gas? Norweb?"

Me: (remembering the ticket holder) "No one, I bought my own ticket"

BONS: strange who is the idiot look

Me: "Oh, I see SWEB!!!!"

Me: "Sorry I've come to watch cricket not buy gas."

We headed off to our seats, spotting Ste B with four pints and me nervously glancing at the prices of everything and thinking I haven't got enough cash to get through today. Delighted to find the seats in E3, row 9 were very close to where we usually chose to sit for the T20. Facing the pitch we were to the right of the white two-tier stand. Settled down to find we had 7 Aussies behind us. The one directly behind me had that truely annoying ability to turn every sentence into a question by raising his voice on the last word. Great I thought, seven potentially annoying away fans right next to us. Within half an hour or so I'd changed my mind as the banter was tremendous, really funny, my favourite being half way through the day as we sat down after cheering what turned out not to be a catch, I was tapped on the shoulder "Mate, you always cheer a good ball?"

The first hour or so seemed to drag but I decided this was the settling in period. The kids were restless as they expected a T20 start. Back out after the rain break and we lost two wickets in 5-6 minutes which livened things up. I thought this was the only bad stroke Flintoff played and most around me thought it was a stupid shot to play. Lunch - glad we took a cool-bag full of goodies as the queues were huge and expensive.

Why is it at rock concerts the ladies can use the gents but when I try the opposite at the cricket I get told off?

Headed back to Gooch's booth to find they had the foresight to print FIVE copies of our photo - talk about good sense, I'd expected one and to have to beg for two extra - and Goochie stopped to chat and sign them all. Mike Gatting signing autographs on the npower stand at tea - dare I go back?

After lunch two more wickets down quickly and I felt we were in for a really good afternoon of skittling the Aussies. Didn't turn out to be that easy. In the last England batting session we had Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee on the boundary in front of us. By now the crowd was more than a little boisterous, Lee was brilliant, took it all in good humour and had some good retorts. Even laughed at the really cutting stuff about Ponting and Gillespie.

England kept us all entertained with what I felt was positive bowling at the Australian attack, though I did feel we lacked a truely cutting edge. The wickets seemed to fall every 30-35 runs and usually just as one thought "this pair have settled in". I most enjoyed watching Giles as I could follow the ball from his hand to the batsmen, the fast bowlers I settled for watching only the batsman. As the wickets fell it seemed England were reasonably in control but lack the ability to really have a go at the middle to lower order thus taking full advantage of their position. I don't like Shane Warne's attitude but he clearly is a truely professional sportman (note BRFC players) and, presuming he's not a renowned batsman, his performance at the crease easily made him Aussie player of the day. Without Warne I think Australia could have been all out for less than 200 - he was really stubborn. Petersen was on our boundary for a while, he looks arrogant and self-possessed, but in fact found the time to talk to children and sign auotgraphs, even staying behind at tea. Impressed by him as a person and fielder.

Overall a good days cricket, 300 or so runs and 12 wickets, excellent spirit in the crowd, real enterainment all round. Full marks to the Australian lads behind us who kept it going all day, even when things looked very bad for their team. We will be going at the next opportunity. This was our eighth visit to OT in two seasons and we have yet to be disappointed - and they say cricket needs to learn from other sports? Just hope they don't use football as a model.

[Timmy]

whats this about a bust up between Warne and Ponting in the 2nd test?

[Flopsy]

(this is all alledgedly) Warne went absolutely ballistic when he found out Ponting had decided to Bowl at Edgebaston, on what was clearly a batting pitch. Stand up row by all acounts, I think it went along the lines of "We've lost our best bowler, Gillespie's crap, As is Kaspowhowsitspeltic, theres no effing rough for me to hit and YOU want us to bowl against a wounded, resiliant England Side? I think you might be slightly wrong dear captain"

Insert expletives as and where suitable

[Manchester Blue]

Massive wicket that, shame for Warne but who cares really.

[brfcshabba]

Five for Jones. Lee has gone. Good catch from Trescothick

[philipl]

293-9 Jones 5 wickets

[SouthAussieRover]

Just as I predicted the follow on would be avoided this game will end in a...............

Edited August 14, 2005 by SouthAussieRover

[SouthAussieRover]

Tesco bowled by McGrath,

[brfcshabba]

Just as I predicted the follow on would be avoided this game will end in a Tesco bowled by McGrath

Good prediction

[SouthAussieRover]

and Warne to bowl over another maiden.

I'll get me coat.

[Ste B]

and Warne to bowl over another maiden.

......Without a histrionic appeal for a ball that blatantly hits the pad not bat.. Nah doubt he could get through 6 balls without appealing.

[Flopsy]

bless him, hes on a pie per appeal sponsorship deal with Ginsters

[Shaddy]

(this is all alledgedly) Warne went absolutely ballistic when he found out Ponting had decided to Bowl at Edgebaston, on what was clearly a batting pitch. Stand up row by all acounts, I think it went along the lines of "We've lost our best bowler, Gillespie's crap, As is Kaspowhowsitspeltic, theres no effing rough for me to hit and YOU want us to bowl against a wounded, resiliant England Side? I think you might be slightly wrong dear captain"

Insert expletives as and where suitable

338893[/snapback]

That is definitely sensationalist bullsh!t.

Edited August 14, 2005 by Shaddy