Ashes 2006 / 2007

[SouthAfricaRed]

I think he's just letting McGrath etc have a rest so they can come out on Sunday and bowl to 5 slips!!

McGrath didn't look like he needed a rest

[shadow]

Agree with you regarding Freddie as skipper - I love the bloke to bits but an England captain against the Aussies needs a bit more nous than just blood and guts to get you through. He seems very reactive rather than proactive, doesnt help his main weapon, Harmy, is all over the show. Plans will have gone out the window, he'll just want to get him through this disaster without losing him for the whole tour

Get to Adelaide, win the toss, bat and put 350/400 on the board and get stuck into the convicts with something to work with

[Beachy]

Not an excuse but the pitch is a shocker though, shame are guys can't bowl to it

The pitch a shocker? Give me a break

Very few of England's dismissals (if any) can be attributed to the pitch. It was very good bowling and poor batting.

And the reason we've been piling on the runs has been mainly down to England's terrible bowling and fielding. Nothing to do with the pitch

[Shaggy]

The pitch a shocker? Give me a break

Very few of England's dismissals (if any) can be attributed to the pitch. It was very good bowling and poor batting.

And the reason we've been piling on the runs has been mainly down to England's terrible bowling and fielding. Nothing to do with the pitch

I'm afraid I have to agree. This is shocking stuff from England.

During our innings I thought maybe the pitch was doing a bit - the ball Pietersen received (never LBW, by the way) nipped back a bit and with those massive cracks, I thought our bowlers might be able to reduce the Aussies.

Fat ****ing chance.

Harmy's technique has all ****ing gone and he seems mentally shot. Giles may have done what he was brought into the side for - bowl steadily and make a few runs - but really, was his 24 really worth leaving Monty out for? **** that.

This Test is over, so for the next one I'd bring in Monty for Giles and Mahmood for either Anderson or Harmison.

One thing that gives us hope is the fact we went 1-0 down pretty comprehensively last time - although most of our boys were in some sort of form then. Quite the opposite now.

This could be a long tour.

[Shaggy]

It's so obvious that England have no plan in this Test. In 2005 under Vaughan there was a plan for every Aussie batsmen and it worked.

All England did in Brisbane was bowl outside of stump and get nothing. Look at McGratn & Lee - bowling AT THE STUMPS so force England to play with a straight bat AND offer a shot. Look at the results: LBW decisions and edge to slips/keeper. That's how you have to bowl on Aussie wickets.

The Aussies want this win badly,you can see it.The English look like rabbits caught in the headlights!!

Couldn't agree more mate. Although Vaughany's form with the bat had dipped somewhat, his captaincy always remained progressive. He's a great captain and we're missing him big time. We're also missing Simon Jones hugely.

No excuse for this shambles though.

[Beachy]

Giles may have done what he was brought into the side for - bowl steadily and make a few runs - but really, was his 24 really worth leaving Monty out for? **** that.

This Test is over, so for the next one I'd bring in Monty for Giles and Mahmood for either Anderson or Harmison.

As an Aussie, I was delighted to see Giles named ahead of Panesar. This game requires you to take 20 wickets to win, and Panesar is far better equipped to help you get those 20 wickets than Giles (I reckon he'd struggle to turn a steering wheel personally).

Hoggard and Anderson are both similar kinds of bowlers IMO, so from my point of view England would be better off having Mahmood in for one of those two.

Also, Collingwood isn't up to Test standard IMO.

One thing that gives us hope is the fact we went 1-0 down pretty comprehensively last time - although most of our boys were in some sort of form then. Quite the opposite now.

I reckon you're spot on there. Despite being well beaten, England's bowlers rattled a few cages at Lord's. Apart from maybe Flintoff, I don't think any of England's bowlers hold any fear for us at the moment.

[spud_gun]

God damn computer blew up on Wednesday night

so i've not been able to comment on the ashes.

Suffice to say



it's been fooking magic so far

Wonder if The Telegrpah will be giving away a commemarative DVD of the 2006/07 ashes?

Did anyone else pick up on Atherton's dis-quiet at not being invited to Beefy's birthday bash on Thursday evening?

Holding came out with a classic line when Atherton was asking him if he'd been invited to the party "Yes, and so was my son" ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

[Red Chilli]

This game requires you to take 20 wickets to win,.

I agree with the rest of the post but this tired old cliche always pisses me off.

You don't HAVE to take 20 wickets to win, occasionally teams declare early trying to ensure a win and the opponents knock the runs off. Won't happen here but this cliche is clearly bollocks.

What the game DOES require to win is that you score more runs than the opposition.

[Red Chilli]

Couldn't agree more mate. Although Vaughany's form with the bat had dipped somewhat, his captaincy always remained progressive. He's a great captain and we're missing him big time. We're also missing Simon Jones hugely.

No excuse for this shambles though.

Vaughan is a HUGE loss not just for his runs but also his captaincy. Flintoff hasn't got a clue.
Tresco is another big loss, Cooke has a suspect technique outside his off stump. If I've noticed it you can be damn sure the Australians have.
S.Jones is a loss but shouldn't have been as big a loss as it has. His absence has been highlighted by the ****e from the rest of the bowlers.
Harmisson is a lazy ****ing **** who needs a good kick up the arse. ONCE in his career has he taken his talent seriously and that was on the last tour of the Windies. Prior to that tour he'd missed the NZ tour in order to get himself fit. He took himself off to the barcodes training camp, became inspired by the work the barcodes did in training, especially Shearer. He got himslef fit and he bowled like a demon. Since then he's been a lazy fat ****ing ******* who is happy to trundle in and pick up his central contract pay. If Trueman was alice today he'd rip his ears off. The lad needs to get back to county cricket and bowl some ****ing overs. He's a lard arsed disgrace.
Hoggie has been consistent. He's always steady, occasionally shocking and sometimes devastating. He's no match winner but he does his job.
Anderson - Great potential, not enough bowling in the last 12 months.
Collingwood - waste of ****ing space.
Gilo - same as Hoggie, no match winner but does his job.

Forget this test, we're playing or pride and more importantly FITNESS. I was over the moon that the Aussies batted on, Harmisson should be made to bowl for the whole innings with Anderson at the other end.
When we bat, our batsmen need some serious time at the crease. I don't care if we lose by 1000 runs, we need to get some form.

For the next test I'd have no problem playing Gilo and Monty, Adelaide is always a dead wicket anyway. Harmisson has to play, he needs the overs. We need to recruit another batsman to take Collingwood's place.

I'd pick Plunkett, from what I've heard he's bowling the best of them all at the moment and could just shake the Aussies confidence.
This squad is terminally short of experience. How many have played in Aussie before? Harmisson, Giles, Hoggie. Is that it?

[spud_gun]

Forget this test, we're playing or pride and more importantly FITNESS. I was over the moon that the Aussies batted on, Harmisson should be made to bowl for the whole innings with Anderson at the other end.

You don't play the first test of an Ashes series in order to get fit. That is lunacy.

As for the Aussies not enforcing the follow on. Inspired. Give McGrath and to a less extent Warne a rest. Let Poniting and co further disharten the England 'pace' attack and watch McGrath, Warne and Lee rip England apart today.

England will be doing we'll to make 220 a.o in the second innings.

As for the next test i'd expect Monty to be given a shot. As has already been said you don't win test without taking wickets.

[HotSauce]

Test no. 1817
The Ashes - 1st Test
Australia v England 2006/07 season

Played at Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, on 23,24,25,26,27 November 2006 (5-day match)


Australia 1st innings R M B 4s 6s SR
JL Langer c Pietersen b Flintoff 82 136 98 13 0 83.67
ML Hayden c Collingwood b Flintoff 21 88 47 2 0 44.68
RT Ponting lbw b Hoggard 196 464 319 23 0 61.44
DR Martyn c Collingwood b Giles 29 79 62 2 0 46.77
MEK Hussey b Flintoff 86 257 187 7 0 45.98
MJ Clarke c Strauss b Anderson 56 153 94 5 1 59.57
AC Gilchrist lbw b Hoggard 0 3 3 0 0 0.00
SK Warne c Jones b Harmison 17 42 26 1 0 65.38
B Lee not out 43 90 61 5 0 70.49
SR Clark b Flintoff 39 34 23 3 2 169.56
GD McGrath not out 8 26 17 0 0 47.05
Extras (b 2, lb 8, w 8, nb 7) 25

Total (9 wickets dec; 155 overs; 690 mins) 602

Fall of wickets1-79 (Hayden, 18.3 ov), 2-141 (Langer, 28.5 ov), 3-198 (Martyn, 47.2 ov), 4-407 (Hussey, 108.4 ov), 5-467 (Ponting, 126.3 ov), 6-467 (Gilchrist, 126.6 ov), 7-500 (Warne, 135.3 ov), 8-528 (Clarke, 141.3 ov), 9-578 (Clark, 149.1 ov)


Bowling O M R W Econ
SJ Harmison 30 4 123 1 4.10 (1nb, 6w)
MJ Hoggard 31 5 98 2 3.16 (1nb)
JM Anderson 29 6 141 1 4.86 (1w)
A Flintoff 30 4 99 4 3.30 (3nb, 1w)
AF Giles 25 2 91 1 3.64
IR Bell 1 0 12 0 12.00 (2nb)
KP Pietersen 9 1 28 0 3.11



England 1st innings R M B 4s 6s SR
AJ Strauss c Hussey b McGrath 12 25 21 2 0 57.14
AN Cook c Warne b McGrath 11 27 15 1 0 73.33
IR Bell c Ponting b Clark 50 228 162 5 0 30.86
PD Collingwood c Gilchrist b Clark 5 24 13 1 0 38.46
KP Pietersen lbw b McGrath 16 72 44 1 0 36.36
A Flintoff c Gilchrist b Lee 0 4 3 0 0 0.00
GO Jones lbw b McGrath 19 90 57 2 0 33.33
AF Giles c Hayden b McGrath 24 61 39 4 0 61.53
MJ Hoggard c Gilchrist b Clark 0 12 6 0 0 0.00
SJ Harmison c Gilchrist b McGrath 0 5 5 0 0 0.00
JM Anderson not out 2 9 8 0 0 25.00
Extras (b 2, lb 8, w 2, nb 6) 18

Total (all out; 61.1 overs; 283 mins) 157

Fall of wickets1-28 (Strauss, 5.4 ov), 2-28 (Cook, 5.5 ov), 3-42 (Collingwood, 10.6 ov), 4-78 (Pietersen, 27.4 ov), 5-79 (Flintoff, 28.3 ov), 6-126 (Jones, 49.2 ov), 7-149 (Bell, 56.2 ov), 8-153 (Hoggard, 58.2 ov), 9-154 (Harmison, 59.2 ov), 10-157 (Giles, 61.1 ov)


Bowling O M R W Econ
B Lee 15 3 51 1 3.40 (5nb, 2w)
GD McGrath 23.1 8 50 6 2.15 (1nb)
SR Clark 14 5 21 3 1.50
SK Warne 9 0 25 0 2.77



Australia 2nd innings R M B 4s 6s SR
JL Langer not out 88 134 8 0 65.67
ML Hayden run out (Anderson/Jones) 37 67 41 6 0 90.24
RT Ponting not out 51 66 3 0 77.27
Extras (lb 4, nb 1) 5

Total (1 wicket; 40 overs) 181

To bat DR Martyn, MEK Hussey, MJ Clarke, AC Gilchrist, SK Warne, B Lee, SR Clark, GD McGrath

Fall of wickets1-68 (Hayden, 15.3 ov)

Bowling O M R W Econ
MJ Hoggard 8 1 31 0 3.87
JM Anderson 9 1 54 0 6.00
A Flintoff 5 2 11 0 2.20 (1nb)
SJ Harmison 10 1 45 0 4.50
AF Giles 5 0 22 0 4.40
KP Pietersen 3 0 14 0 4.66



FLMAO!

We're going to win by a thousand.

[HotSauce]

the pitch is a shocker

Nothing in it for the batsmen - 602/9 , 181/1.

Nothing in it for the bowlers - 157.

[Red Chilli]

You don't play the first test of an Ashes series in order to get fit. That is lunacy.

Of course it's lunacy, that's my point though. We've come into this whole series TOTALLY unprepared, almost as though we couldn't give a toss. Not one of our bowlers has bowled enough 1st class overs and consequently they've bowled it all over the shop.
We need overs, we need to get our bowlers fit and in rhythm because Fletcher and his monkeys have failed to prepare our players in the correct way. We never had a chance in this Test, even had we won the toss we probably would've been turned over by an innings and plenty.

What I'm saying is we're seriously under cooked in the bowling department and the only remedy is time at the wicket. Had we followed on and got turned over by an innings our bowlers would have gone to Adelaide STILL under cooked. At least they've had some more bowling.

[Red Chilli]

Nothing in it for the batsmen - 602/9 , 181/1.

Nothing in it for the bowlers - 157.

It's true, this has been a good cricket wicket so far. Only one team has played any cricket on it though.

[kopdan]

is it worth staying up tonight

had about 6 hours sleep in 3 days watching this