[Archived] The Ashes

[RibbleValleyRover]

Day four pitch on day two! Have to admit funny seeing some of the Aussie posts saying that the pitch is a disgrace and should be investigated. Some of the shot selection was poor on some of the dismissals, wondering if the Aussie's have gone in too confident into this game?

[Iceman]

Flopsy must be enjoying this

[Flopsy]

I'm just wondering how we're going to cock it up

[Guest Kamy100]

I'm just wondering how we're going to cock it up

Same here!!

[Hughesy]

WOW - Last time I checked before the rain it was 70-0, now 8 out for 135........WTF!!!

I'm just wondering how we're going to cock it up

They will let the aussies stay in tonight, fail to get them out for at least an hour tomorrow....then a batting collapse, setting a 350 target.

[T4E]

WOW - Last time I checked before the rain it was 70-0, now 8 out for 135........WTF!!!

They will let the aussies stay in tonight, fail to get them out for at least an hour tomorrow....then a batting collapse, setting a 350 target.

A target of 350 wouldnt be cocking it up!

Fred takes the last wicket, all out for 160.

Cook to last 5 balls.

[broadsword]

As long as we can get 180 or more, we shouldn't have anythiong to worry about. There's still over three days to go.

We'll want to have at least 5 sessions to bowl the Aussies out. That means 4ish sessions to get 180-220.

[T4E]

Agreed, want them back in by lunchtime Sunday latest.

I like the look of Hilfenhaus so far, he's got it coming back sharply to the left hander, Strauss has left a couple already that havent missed off by much.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

I'm just wondering how we're going to cock it up

heh heh, exactly what I was thinking when we bowled them out.

[T4E]

Cook is @#/?.

[beerwins]

Cook is @#/?.

You can add bell to that too.

[jim mk2]

Brilliant bowling display by the 2 Nottinghamshire lads.

England's batsmen as ever trying to ruin all their good work.

[ffan]

39 - 3. 9 overs left.

Strauss needs to lead by example.

[BuckyRover]

Bell has the highest score in this test

[1864roverite]

39-3 is a good start to cocking it up

I just dont see what Collingwood brings to the party when the pressure is on.

FFS England only need to score around 180 runs in this innings to virtually wrap up the ashes and we see Cook and colly give their wickets away. Great catch for bells dismissal though.

[ffan]

Two South Africans to lead England home?

[RibbleValleyRover]

Wow 15 wickets in the day, if this was a County game there would be an investigation and fines for the ground.

[Flopsy]

Yeah, its why I'm not going to criticise the strawbeery blonde god. At 34 Katich should be lurking in the slips and should not be the best close in fielder in the world, which is what he is.

Git

Strauss to be out early tomorrow (he always is) The tail given authority to swing bat at ball as if it's going out of fashion Trott to anchor innings (is my guess)

Everything to be decided by lunch Sunday

[T4E]

I just dont see what Collingwood brings to the party when the pressure is on.

Short memory

Without Colly we'd have lost already and this test would be a dead rubber.

[Iceman]

Well Australia with those 3 wickets, are back in business. England still on top, but its England so they could be bowled out for 100

[jim mk2]

Fascinating day ends with England in the driving seat but the batting is so fragile we could yet snatch defeat from the jaws of what ought to be a comfortable victory.

Super bowling (and batting again) by Broad making those calling for him to be dropped looking rather silly and Swann extracting turn from a very unOval-like pitch.

Not his fault but Collingwood is too high at 4 and is also woefully out of form. Cook has also had a poor series but he's an intelligent lad and will work it out for himself.

Will find it difficult to watch tomorrow. Come on you glorious England ............

[1864roverite]

T4E

Two differing types of pressure. One to survive and one to win.

Colly has wobbled big time in the last 2 tests and today he had the opportunity to make an England win a near certainty. he has the skill (on slow flat pitches), what he doesnt have is the temperament to take a game by the scruff of the neck, which numbers 3 and 4 should be able to do, and put a team to the sword like the Aussies have been famed for in the past.

A steady 50 from each of our 3 and 4 batsmen, an anchoring by numbers 1,5 and 6 with numbers 7 and upwards having a smash would have seen England post over a 500 plus lead and all this by Sunday lunchtime. The pitch would be a death trap for batsmen and the Aussies would be out by teatime based upon the efforts of today.

Instead what we have is the game on tenterhooks with the lead we have. it will go one way or t'other tomorrow morning. Either we will see England march on to a lead of over 400 by tea time or we will all be out by Dinner

[Guest Kamy100]

England in a very strong position, even chasing 300 on that pitch the Aussies will struggle, if England bat the morning session and half of the afternoon session should put the match safe, only hope that the Aussies have is to skittle England for 100-120. Tomorrow is going to be an epic battle.

[pg]

Congratulations to Ricky Ponting for becoming the first ever Australian caption to lose two the Ashes twice.

What sort of topsy-turvy parallel universe do we live in now when the blond-haired toff nancy boy called Stuart Broad becomes Australia's chief destroyer?!? :confused:

If you look at the statistics of the series...which players have scored the most runs..and taken the most wickets..it beggars belief that Australia will lose the Ashes again.

And yet... here we are.

Enjoy the celebrations.

[BuckyRover]

Congratulations to Ricky Ponting for becoming the first ever Australian caption to lose two the Ashes twice.

What sort of topsy-turvy parallel universe do we live in now when the blond-haired toff nancy boy called Stuart Broad becomes Australia's chief destroyer?!? :confused:

If you look at the statistics of the series...which players have scored the most runs..and taken the most wickets..it beggars belief that Australia will lose the Ashes again.

And yet... here we are.

Enjoy the celebrations.

Posts like that are what makes it so enjoyable to beat the Aussies. We don't even like cricket!