[Archived] The Ashes 2010 / 2011

[modes98]

Poor show by England. From 70 without loss to 187 all out is inexcusable; Strauss and Cook started the rot by giving their wickets away with poor shots.

Anderson looks tired and the decision to let him travel home between the Tests has taken its toll. Plus the wives and girlfriends have arrived - is this a professional sporting series or a family jolly ?

It was poor a brilliant bowling spell by Johnson, tempered by a lack of learning from Trott, KP and Colly. If it is swinging back in to catch you in front on the stumps then stand down the wicket a bit to counter it. Just carbon copy dismissals is very frustrating. The aussie tailenders runs making the difference.

Decision to let Anderson go? There was no decision his wife gave birth. The decision was whether he came back and into the team, they felt he was ready.

I don't think the WAGs turning up has had an effect on them either. Do you want more Trescothick's? Players are away over christmas and for a long time, I don't see the harm in having your family there.

Ponting to resign soon? His form is awful!

[Exiled_Rover]

Quite right, Ricky.

71 run lead is nothing that a bit of sensible batting can't overcome.

Oh, ER, a 6/38 pie chucker. As Neekoy said, 9 times out of ten (of late) Johnson has been bordering on crap, today he's hit the spot.

As an aside, Johnson used to be very consistent. After his heroics in SA it was decided that his action had to be changed for English conditions, (add swing etc). That completely stuffed his action and we all know the result. It may be that he's getting it all back together, but that remains to be seen. Let's give him a couple more innings.

Notwithstanding today's happenings, I'd still like to see the back of:

Hilditch

Neilsen

Ponting

Clarke (though I did meet his grand dad last Saturday and see the Alan Border Medal that Clarke gave his Gdad for Christmas)

Bring in as a selector, Steve Waugh, let's get that steel back into winning, and playing hard.

As coach, I'd try to persuade John Buchanan to come back. A superb tactician, who worked on the frailties in the opposition.

He doesn't have a clue where it's going.

We had Australia down and out. We then let the tail put on over 100 runs, then we collapsed to a decent spell of bowling. Absolutely inexcusable and yes I'm livid.

[jim mk2]

It was poor a brilliant bowling spell by Johnson, tempered by a lack of learning from Trott, KP and Colly. If it is swinging back in to catch you in front on the stumps then stand down the wicket a bit to counter it. Just carbon copy dismissals is very frustrating. The aussie tailenders runs making the difference.

Decision to let Anderson go? There was no decision his wife gave birth. The decision was whether he came back and into the team, they felt he was ready.

I don't think the WAGs turning up has had an effect on them either. Do you want more Trescothick's? Players are away over christmas and for a long time, I don't see the harm in having your family there.

Ponting to resign soon? His form is awful!

In my playing days I used to stand a yard or more outside the crease to counteract swing. Cooke and Strauss were rank bad shots, nothing to do with swing.

The tailenders did make a difference because England's leading bowler was knackered after travelling round the globe. England didn't have to let Anderson go, and in the old days he would not have been allowed to. He obviously wasn't ready to play.

Wags are a distraction - they should be allowed to visit between Tests and then go home. Trescothick has psychological problems. Who cares about the opposition captain ?

[King Kenny's Magic]

SA chased dorn 420 on this wicket in 2008. They've been saying that it gets better as the days go on.

Have it Ponting!!!!

Yeah i saw that stat this morning. Some fairly big scores have been chased down at the WACA. A few quick wickets and we're looking good.

Australia need a lead of around 400+ but I am getting little bit happier, let's see if Johnson can back it up, oh and Clarke, Hilditch and Nielsen still need to go.

How come there's a dressing room split over Michael Clarke in terms of the ODI and Twenty20 captaincy? I know it's not Ashes related but I'm interested to know...

[Tom]

Jim are you really suggesting Anderson should have ignored the birth of his child for a game of cricket?

Maybe he wasn't ready to come back just yet but going home was certainly the right thing.

[darwenblueswearehere]

We always have to blame someone or something don't we???

Did people really think England were going to have it all their own way, every day??? Some credit has to go to the Aussie bowlers but this test is still far from finished.

[broadsword]

The problem with English cricketeers used to be that their heads went down early.

let's hope we see some real fight early tomorrow.

[darwenblueswearehere]

The problem with English cricketeers used to be that their heads went down early.

let's hope we see some real fight early tomorrow.

I have no problem with this England team. They know how to win, even from iffy positions.

[neekoy]

Yeah i saw that stat this morning. Some fairly big scores have been chased down at the WACA. A few quick wickets and we're looking good.

How come there's a dressing room split over Michael Clarke in terms of the ODI and Twenty20 captaincy? I know it's not Ashes related but I'm interested to know...

There really hasn't been that many big scores chased down, there has only been two over 300 since 1970 so that isn't saying much, South Africa are the best test team in the World and they had two days to bat, England are not as good as that, a lead of 400 will be enough to secure a result for Australia, anything less though and it is open for the taking.

I don't know what you mean about a split? Clarke has had a number of opportunities through grooming for captaincy but he has never really shown any ability in any form of the game.

@Dave, exactly the reason I didn't put him in there, odd we have gone from a choice of Ponting, Warne, Lehmann, Langer, Waugh, Gilchrist to Clarke and maybe Hussey?

The only other option is look at a good captain first, an allrounder like White or Hopes at 6 with the captaincy. I still think Ponting needs to go to 4, if we win this test then there is only one other person to call on and that is Brad Hodge. I know it isn't looking to the future but if we get a result then we have a chance of securing the Ashes in Melbourne so I would drop Clarke and have Hodge at 3 and Ponting at 4.

[dave birch]

Yeah i saw that stat this morning. Some fairly big scores have been chased down at the WACA. A few quick wickets and we're looking good.

This is a completely new square. Not even the groundsman is sure of how it's going to react on day four or five.

Cricket Australia have been calling for it to be like the WACA strips of old.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Cricket Australia have been calling for it to be like the WACA strips of old.

I remember Curtly Ambrose's 7 wickets for 1 run at the WACA. It was one of the most devastating spells of bowling I have ever seen.

Back to this test, the first session is really key. If we can take a few wickets and keep their run rate down then the pressure will be back on Australia. If Australia get to lunch with no more wickets down or just the one we could be in some trouble.

[darwenblueswearehere]

Back to this test, the first session is really key. If we can take a few wickets and keep their run rate down then the pressure will be back on Australia. If Australia get to lunch with no more wickets down or just the one we could be in some trouble.

Sadly, it looks beyond England now. Just have to hope for a miracle...........

[darwenblueswearehere]

So, 391 to win with plenty of time left to do it. Come on England!!!

[Ozz]

Each batter needs to get 39 runs each and we retain the Ashes, simple.

[darwenblueswearehere]

Each batter needs to get 39 runs each and we retain the Ashes, simple.

If a couple of them can 'get in' you never know............suspect we'll fall about 100 short though.

[Ricky]

It's a big total but it's doable.

History shows that this is a good batting wicket that doesn't deteriorate. Our bowlers have done their bit by bowling the Australians out twice for average totals.

I'm just worried for the last 2 hours of today's play, really need to come through it with no wickets lost.

[darwenblueswearehere]

It's a big total but it's doable.

History shows that this is a good batting wicket that doesn't deteriorate. Our bowlers have done their bit by bowling the Australians out twice for average totals.

I'm just worried for the last 2 hours of today's play, really need to come through it with no wickets lost.

Agree, though 80 or 90 for 1 wouldn't be a disaster either.

[HemelRover]

We need to be careful here. We could be 3 down in a blink of an eye.

[darwenblueswearehere]

We need to be careful here. We could be 3 down in a blink of an eye.

Strauss looks vulnerable!

[Ricky]

Now we could be in trouble. 2 down.wonder if KP has another 200 in him lol.

[darwenblueswearehere]

Now we could be in trouble. 2 down.wonder if KP has another 200 in him lol.

He'll believe he has!!

[HemelRover]

Now we could be in trouble. 2 down.wonder if KP has another 200 in him lol.

No. Isnt hindsight a wonderful thing?

Keeps the series open I suppose.

[dave birch]

wildest dreams 5/81

[neekoy]

Big day tomorrow, we have to take this surely now. Momentum swinger or flash in the pan?

[darwenblueswearehere]

Its still England's (series) to lose. Win in Melbourne and the Ashes remain with us, most of us would have settled for that scenario before the first ball of the series was bowled.

Well played Australia