The Ashes thread

[Reece]

Come on lets get some wickets

[PTP]

bowled...got him.....piss off you're out.....thats ****ed his average

[Reece]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!

[Reece]

Broad

He needed that as much as the team did.

[Shaggy]

We're gonna run out of time.

[PTP]

aye unless something special happens it will be a draw. which considering is fine for us - 1-0 up with two test remaining - just so ****ing frustrating that its nearly impossible to complete a ****ing test match in this country cause of the weather

[Reece]

Aye it's not going to happen is it. Draw it is then.

[Norbs]

Still 1 up then, 2 to play. Need them both to be rain affected, and it's not as if the weather in Oz is beneficial to our players like

[Baracus]

Nobody else think they'll be bowled before tea then?

[dww]

Still 1 up then, 2 to play. Need them both to be rain affected, and it's not as if the weather in Oz is beneficial to our players like

Why do we need them both to be rain affected? We look the better team to me.

Earlier in the thread Shaggy pointed to the Ashes as the pinnacle of test cricket, a level higher than any other series. I have to say now there is a case that a/ we haven't been in the top two sides in the world for any sustained period other than around 2005 in the last two decades and b/ now Australia are not the dominant world force - basically in the same class as India and South Africa and the Ashes is in most ways, except public interest, just another series.

The atmosphere may well be better and important in the standing and significance of the series but viewed as a sporting contest I think it is hard to argue for its preeminence.

[Shaggy]

I can't agree with that.

The cricket played in this series - bar the wicketless dirge in Cardiff - has been top class. The Lord's Test, particularly the last day, was gripping stuff, and yesterday's play was top quality cricket.

Australia are clearly not the force they were but are still the number one side and are coming off a win in South Africa.

We are obviously inconsistent but - like Australia - have been in something of a transition since '05 (not many survivors in the XI).

The history of the Ashes and the pressure it brings always ratchets up the standard a few notches, as well as the aggressive and at times hostile level of competition between the XIs. Maybe I'm blinkered because I'm English and don't watch much Test cricket not involving England, but I don't see cricket as thrilling or as high in quality as I see in the Ashes. A lot of Test series' are dull and seem almost pointless.

[dww]

I can't agree with that.

The cricket played in this series - bar the wicketless dirge in Cardiff - has been top class. The Lord's Test, particularly the last day, was gripping stuff, and yesterday's play was top quality cricket.

Australia are clearly not the force they were but are still the number one side and are coming off a win in South Africa.

We are obviously inconsistent but - like Australia - have been in something of a transition since '05 (not many survivors in the XI).

The history of the Ashes and the pressure it brings always ratchets up the standard a few notches, as well as the aggressive and at times hostile level of competition between the XIs. Maybe I'm blinkered because I'm English and don't watch much Test cricket not involving England, but I don't see cricket as thrilling or as high in quality as I see in the Ashes. A lot of Test series' are dull and seem almost pointless.

I'd agree that a lot of them lack the atmosphere but whenever I have seen India and South Africa recently they have looked at least as good as England and the Aussies (I admit that SA lost the last series which is a very valid counter argument but they won the one before against the same opponents). The event of the Ashes is enormous and far outstrips the other test series from what I have seen. Part of that though I think is the way that the one consistently decent sized audience for test cricket is in this country and we tend to treat everything but the Ashes as a warm up which is ultimately my problem with it all.

We are horribly inconsistent I suspect at least in part because we don't care enough often enough. We are a team so inconsistent we lost a series to the current West Indies team FFS.

[Neil Young]

While we're on the subject I don't want my ashes put in a Little Ern' and played for by England and Australia.

[PTP]

another wicket, still nowhere near enough - ****ing wank country. I don't see why they cant have a back up day for when a day gets washed out. Surely there is no reason for this to not carry on tomorrow.

[red g]

another wicket, still nowhere near enough - ****ing wank country. I don't see why they cant have a back up day for when a day gets washed out. Surely there is no reason for this to not carry on tomorrow.

it seems mental that they cant, its not as if its like the football where it is heavily policed. I mean wimbledon can sort out that sunday when they need to.

Ridiculous.