It's The Ashes!

[crackerjack]

i can't believe we can go from almost 200-0 to perhaps get a lower total than in cardiff. need some tail-wagging... again. Bopara is too high, no doubt about it. Who's a good numbr 3? Key? Bell? I don't know shit about county cricket.

edit: ha, Warney just echoing my post - you can have that one for nish, Shane

 

[Lichen]

there should be a special word to describe the particular blend of anger and disappointment brought on by an england collapse

 

[crackerjack]

great, another non-shot. but regardless, tht was a wicked ball.


and now swann gone too

 

[hucks]

great, another non-shot. but regardless, tht was a wicked ball.


and now swann gone too

Cherr-ist. Anyway, the ball is swinging, apparently. We'll see whether Anderson is actually a world class bowler today.

 

[routes]

gwarn gonions!

 

[crackerjack]

Cherr-ist. Anyway, the ball is swinging, apparently. We'll see whether Anderson is actually a world class bowler today.

Just what I ws thinking. He can't continue to be picked just for his batting

 

[crackerjack]

gwarn gonions!

I didn't even realise he'd been picked until middle of yesterday afternoon, assume they'd go with Harby instead.

I know v v little about him. Slower than Anderson but more reliable swinger, yeah?

 

[routes]

Slower than Anderson but more reliable swinger, yeah?

bowls close to the stumps wicket to wicket, nifty outswingers/injaggers, like a more wiry hoggard. varies his pace well, got a quick 'effort' ball.

 

[crackerjack]

got him!!!!!!

ok, it wasn't a catch but it was an LBW - right result, wrong decision

 

[crackerjack]

i think we need some awards for people steadily winding ponting throughout the series

10pts already to the physio with the moobs and now 5 for Rudi K

 

[crackerjack]

Bumble's just shown a sequence of deliveries in which the batsman is bowled playing no shot. "The moral is, aim at the stumps."

Who needs Simon Hughes?

 

[IdleRich]

I remember when I was playing for my school and one of their batsmen was bowled first ball without playing a shot, their pe teacher/umpire lost his cool and impartiality and shouted at him "what's the point of carrying a bloody great lump of wood out here if you're not even going to swing it?".

 

[crackerjack]

the only way this makes sense to me is if Strauss is banking on Sunday weather being similar to Friday. Otherwise, who not enforce the follow on?
The pitch is good and won't break up. England have a record of struggling to break teams down. As it is, we won't declare until at least 500 in front, which will waste time unnecessarily. Cautious decision, don't get it.

 

[Diggedy Derek]

I think it's the right decision. It doesn't seem to be swinging today. We should be able to bat on and quite easily get an enormous lead on a docile pitch.

The alternative is letting Australia set us a nasty fourth innings run chase. A scary prospect.

 

[simon silverdollar]

so, was Mitchell Johnson ever really good, or was he just way over hyped?

everyone was talking about his in-swinger before the series started, but i haven't seen any of it.

 

[UFO over easy]

everyone was talking about his in-swinger before the series started, but i haven't seen any of it.

got a hint of it with that ball he took prior with in the first innings

 

[hucks]

So, um, deep breath, swallow hard - England will win this, right?

 

[crackerjack]

So, um, deep breath, swallow hard - England will win this, right?

I'm saying nothing.

 

[simon silverdollar]

I'm saying nothing.

i'm checking the score at 6 o'clock tomorrow evening and not before. i can't go through this torture for another day...

 

[crackerjack]

thank flying fuck for that