Off Topic The Official Ashes 2013 Thread

Just got my tickets for the 2nd day at Trent Bridge. Would have loved to go to see them at the Riverside, but it just wasn't possible.

Also, I don't think the convicts are going to roll over the way a lot of people think. I think it will be a tough series, esp. b/c of weather.

 

I will admit we are crap atm and I expect perhaps 3-0 win to England. When the likes of McGrath, Warne, Waugh etc all leave quickly it can tale 10 yrs or more to recover. Clarke is injured, Watson as an opener?? be interesting to see what side we put out but rain aside I expect you guys to win the first test. Imo Warner should not even be in the side. one killer could be you have Swann and we have no decent spinner since Warne and tried over 20 I think. Good luck lads, only thing that can beat you is the rain.

 

Rain in an English summer? Fat chance.

 

lol sounds like our summer here in queensland

 

geez I have only been locked up twice, pls go easy on us

 

Expensive day out if you pay £80 and see no play because of rain.

 

You get a full refund if there is less than 10 overs play, also if there is between 10 and 25 overs you get half the money back.

 

Good to see so many aficionados of the wonderful game on here. A lost less than on our board. I think we're up to 15 pages now, though we did do the two Kiwi tests and I'm doing the Champions Trophy as well. Bring on the stinking convicts

 

Is Micky Arthur the Joe Kinnear of cricket? According to him the Aussies have the best all round attack in the world Whatever you say Micky.

 

, did you hear him say they should have beaten England.

 

News filtering through today that Micky Arthur has been bulleted. 16 days before the first test The Aussies are a shambles. I could see them turning to someone like Warne, Ponting or Langer. Someone with a bit of understanding of what a tour of England entails and the conditions. May give them a little boost. Can't change that they are rank average on all known evidence though.

 

There's not many Warnes about these days.

Cricket just doesn't seem as big with the Aussie youngsters as it used to be.

Maybe this new game called soccer has something to do with it.

 

Darren Lehmann rumoured to be the new guy. Makes sense, played plenty of cricket here. Taken part in Ashes series gone by (albeit a home one) and is in the country coaching the Austrialia A side. Not ideal for them. I was surprised when they appointed Arthur.

 

Lehmann's a good choice for series, remember when Flower was coach of England was originally only for the tour of West Indies in 2009, still coach now.

 

Who do you boys reckon the star of the series will be then?

 

Depends on the weather ACS. If it is muggy swinging conditions Jimmy will have their batsmen number. If its baking hot with dry pitches then you'd think Swanny will have a large say it proceedings. On the batting side, Cook is always fancied to go well. However both captains have vulnerability to the swinging ball. It looks set up for KP to be honest but if the pitches are dry, have the aussies got a left arm spinner?

I think the stars will be Englands 30+ club Anderson, Swann and KP

 

Swann and Onions in good form in the England warm up agaist Essex.

 

Let's hope that Swann can do it in the Ashes and Onions can keep it up to win the title for Durham.

 

Australia fast bowler James Pattinson says England batsman Joe Root may be a target for sledging during the Ashes series.

Can't do it with the bat or the ball so they've got to try and do it with the mouth.

Pretty poor show.

 

That's part and parcel of cricket, if you watch when Watson bats, our lads will all be sledging him, especially Anderson.