Or maybe it's because we're average as well. Always thought the talks of 10-0 whitewash were premature and pathetic.
If you look the England players record there better then virtually all the Australian players. On Form and fit only Clarke and Harris would get in the England side. The problem is all of England players are out of form together. Only Broad and Bell are playing anywhere near the best. Add to the fact we've not really replace Collingwood, Strauss and lost Trott that's alot character and experience to replace.
TBH we fluked the summer. Won the key sessions, fortunate with the weather, pressed home our advantage - but we never creamed it in the way that some dilberts claimed. We are paying for thinking we are better than we are.
We think we're better than we are, but I wouldn't say we fluked the summer. Durham & Lord's showed we can be fantastic on our day. Both times we beat the Aussies fair and square. The only really decent contest was Nottingham.
We didn't fluke the summer, but it certainly made expectations much greater than they should've been.
We lose the toss in Perth and The Ashes have gone. This whole toss thing needs revising IMO. First morning of the first test should be the only toss in the whole series. Whoever wins has the choice in Tests 1,3 and 5. The other team have preference in Tests 2 and 4. With such a massive amount riding on the outcome of the toss I think it's a fair way of going about things.
Totally agree. I read a article last week about this. Of the last 17 Ashes tests(If you count this one as a Aust win) the team losing the toss as only won 23.5%, drawing 29.6% and losing 47.9%. Another interesting state is them 17 tests England have won the toss 10 times and only lost two games and winning 6. In Australia because the ball stops swinging after 15 overs its vital you you bat first and score 400+. England's tactics are bat first and get runs on the board. Then let Swan dry up one end and rotate the quicks at the other end. I'm confident if England bat first they'll have a good chance of winning the game.
We're at a disadvantage and they're in a position of strength as tossers are ten a penny in Aussie culture.
For some reason i couldnt get excited about this Ashes series, then i realised we only played em a few months ago!! WTF didnt the Ashes used to be every few years or I'm going daft?
Traditionally it was every 2 years alternating home and away; so home tests every 4 years, but money talks. Also, if I remember, a world cup or something would get in the way of this current series if it was played next year.
Aussies playing better at present, we've lost our steady eddy in trotty, and our top order aint on form to cover it, and our bowlers are under cooked
The time before last we went down under there was a world cup straight after it and it was used as an excuse as to why we didn't want the World Cup. If the Ashes where held in there usual position it would have had a world cup straight after it again, and the ECB decided they didn't want to have the ashes before it as it shatters our players, and its not like you can rest anyone in this test series.
Shock, ****ing, horror an English batsmen(Broad) gets caught hooking. ****ing ridiculous. There's rain knocking about and that silly twat hooks two shots in a row. That's for you Broady.
